Since last Thursday’s A/C breakdown Summer 2015, I have had nothing but the run-around from the gods known as A/C repairmen. First, I was told Monday between 11-3 to expect a repairman then just a few hours later he called back and changed it to 12-3 on Monday. I waited all day Monday and finally called at the end of the day only to get (the same dude, Derek) told that my appointment was for Tuesday, not Monday. Duh?!
Will it surprise you that the name of the company is QUALITY AIR?
I asked Derek why I wasn’t called or told that on the second call and he LIED TO ME and said, the guy who called me made a mistake. I told him that HE WAS the guy who called me back and then his Pinnochio nose grew even longer as he stretched the lie even further. Jesus, take the wheel! He called me back later that night at 9:00pm to confirm another appointment with a technician for Tuesday at 4:00pm.
Yea, guess who didn’t come on Tuesday? Not at 4 or 5 or 6 or 7pm? So, I gave up.
Would you feel aggravated? If you’re like me, you might. Afterall, a service agreement with someone usually means they work for you (in some round-a-bout way) and….it’s normal to feel worthy of good service. Am I right? Not some wacky wishy washy hit or miss calls and zero work. Yes?
But, hey. Stuff happens. Calls get bumped ahead of you. Emergencies happen. I’m a reasonable person. However, a phone call letting the customer know would have been nice. Except, that’s not how it goes sometimes.
We are currently living in a world that is mediocre. Service is allowed to be shoddy. Customer reps can be rude and even hang up on you with no repurcussion. Company reps can lie to the customer and not have to answer for it. Lazy employees can ignore or avoid customers and no one will ever be held accountable. Automated answering systems can be so tricky even the best and most experienced caller can’t figure out how to speak to a real person (ahhh, they’re good aren’t they?). Poor attitudes or pathetic NON ANSWERS are now acceptable with companies who are obviously not concerned with losing anyone’s business. It’s a janked up business world.
This morning, I put through my first call to my home warranty company regarding my issue with the A/C company. They are who referred me to the A/C company in the first place. I sat on hold, after clicking through every push #1 for this and push #3 for that until 10 minutes had passed. Finally, when “Oscar” got on the line, I explained my situation and that I still needed my A/C serviced he stops me and says that HE CANNOT DO ANYTHING with my case because they are having system updates and his computer is down.
Wonk, wonk!
He can’t help a systems update, I get that. But what about a message to callers that says, WE ARE DOWN….WE CANNOT HELP YOU WITH ANY CLAIMS? Is that an impossible thought? A 10 minute wait on the phone only to be told, Sorry, can’t help you. You’ll have to call back! Then, the best part of my morning — I would have to call back.
I called back, it only took two tries but I made it through to a nice lady who listened to my case, assigned me a new one and even tried to get the company to push me to the top of their list.
I’m still waiting. I have faith, there will be an end to my problem.
In the meantime, a phone call from one of my grown kids pushed me into yet another glimpse of how unprofessional companies are allowed to be these days. Her issue was with an employer and some of the behavior that just sounds unreal. Again, what can you do? They are the bosses and they have the power to behave however they want. It’s just a frustrating world. There are no guarantees for job security, no expectations for high quality service when in a business contract and not much you can do when someone gives you the run around on the phone. We just have to take it.
What is happening with our society? What happened to quality expectations with excellent customer service? What happened to employee and employer loyalty? What’s the deal? Is this the new norm?
If it is…..Oh boy! We’re in for a wing-dinger of a world. Brace yourselves!
Go, friends. Seize the day!!! Even if you get a little run around.