Expect Some Gale Force Complaining

A strong storm is battering Scotland and North England at the time of this call, so we’re getting a lot of calls about the network being down in that area.

Caller: “I’ve been on hold for almost half an hour! Why has it taken so bloody long to speak to you?!”

Me: “As our automated message has been saying while you’ve been on hold, power is out in the north of the country due to a named storm, and this has affected internet connection to many of our customers, all of whom are calling in at the same time, massively increasing our call times.”

Caller: “Well, you should prioritise callers who are in the south and have genuine issues!”

Me: “Furthermore, despite being on a phone, you’re still in a line of people. However long we spend with a person will vary and may take longer if the person decides to ask more questions. Just like right now, there is someone currently waiting for me to finish with you and is now taking longer because I am answering your question about why you had to wait so long.”

Caller: “Let them wait! I had to!”

Me: “How can I help you today, sir?”

Caller: “My internet is down!”

Me: “I can see from my records that you’re calling from [location where the storm has hit]?”

Caller: “Yes, but the storm has passed my area now! It’s moved on! It should be back up!”

I take the time to explain to him why the storm will need to have passed entirely before we can even begin to start repairs. This explanation is, of course, unsatisfactory, and he spends another ten minutes telling me so before finally hanging up.

Next Caller: “I’ve been on hold for almost forty minutes! Are you all sleeping on the job over there or what?!”

Sigh…

CORRECTION: A typo has been corrected.