“Hello, I’m having Internet installed at my home today and I was wondering when the installer was going to arrive.” Elyse asked.
“Could I have your name and address please?”
Elyse gave her the details and listened to the sound of a keyboard being pecked at.
“Yes, I see you have an appointment between 1 and 4PM. It’s only 3PM so the installer should be there within the next hour. Due to the number of appointments we have and the unique situations each installation may incur we cannot give exact times for the appointments,” the voice said with a bored tone. Elyse had obviously been categorized as a nuisance caller.
“I understand that. It’s just rather critical that I get this work done today. Is there any way to contact the installer and confirm he is going to be able to get here today?” she asked.
“I will put in a call and if there are any issues we will call you back.” The line went dead.
Elyse stared at the phone in annoyance. How rude!
Frustrated she went back to unpacking.
By 4PM the installer still hadn’t arrived so she got back on the phone but was trapped on the automated queue for forty minutes.
When a human voice finally answered she was more than a little upset.
“DeltaComm Internet, how may I help you today?” This time the voice was male and already had the bored tone firmly in place.
“My installer never showed. I need my Internet service connected today!” Elyse blurted.
“Could I have your name and address please.”
Elyse gave him the details and again heard the click of keys.
“Ok, it says here that the installer knocked and no one answered,” the voice accused.
“I was here from 1PM to 4PM and the only person who knocked in that time was a neighbor.” Elyse ground out.
“I’m just telling you what it says in our system. The installer arrived, knocked, received no response and moved on to the next job.”
“And I’m telling you that didn’t happen because I was here. Can you send them back?” Elyse asserted.
“All installers are currently doing other jobs and will be busy for the rest of the day. Looking at the calendar the earliest we could have an installer return to your home would be Wednesday-”
“WEDNESDAY?!?” Elyse cried out.
“Ma’am please don’t yell at me. Do you want me to book the appointment for you for Wednesday between 1 and 4PM or not?” the voice responded in a terse manner.
Elyse took some deep breaths to calm herself. She was going to have to call around to see if she could find anyone else to come earlier. In the meantime she’d have to book this appointment just in case she wasn’t successful. “Yes.”
“OK, you are booked. Anything else we can do for you today?”
“No.”
“Thank you for your busine-” The line went dead before he’d finished his words.
Elyse then realized she didn’t have any means to look up other Internet providers.
“FUCK!!!” she screamed in frustration.
She recalled she was going to dinner with Beverly. Maybe she had a phone book or better yet Internet access.
Taking a few more deep breaths she calmed herself. She could go get some groceries now. Glancing at the clock she hoped the store was open late on Saturdays.
Fuck.
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