Found The (Out)Source Of The Problem

(I work for a telecommunications/TV company in their talk and broadband ordering and order problem department. We have to outsource all of our installations and repair calls to a specific company due to the set up of the UK phone line system. My colleague sitting next to me has escalated a call to a manager and I’m waiting between calls when I overhear the following:)

Manager: “I’m sorry Ms. [Name] but if [Outsource Company] says they won’t be installing a socket there’s nothing we can do. You need to call us after the line goes active and we can book a repair visit.”

(I start waving to get the manager’s attention.)

Manager: “Can I place you on hold for a second and see if there’s anything more I can do?”

Manager: *to me* “What?”

Me: “You call [Outsource Company] and tell them you need the appointment.”

Manager: “No, we can’t.”

Me: “No, that’s what you do. It’s why the text says ‘please contact your provider if you need this appointment.’ Have you called them and they’ve said no?”

Manager: “We don’t… That’s not… Wait, is that what you’ve been doing? Does it work?”

Me: “Well, it has for the last eight months… Wait, have you been telling every customer who calls because of this they need to call us and get a repair done? You’ve been here two years!”

Manager: “Um, yes. Can you call them for me?”

(I call the outsource company, tell them we still need the appointment, and pass the good news to the manager.)

Manager: “Right, I’ll… Can you call the customer back and tell her you’re my manager and you pulled some strings?”

Me: “I can call her back and tell her you don’t know how to do your job correctly, if you’d like…”

Manager: “No, no, I’ll do it.”

(I checked the customer’s account the next day and saw everything went fine. The manager left a note detailing how he’d saved the day and persuaded the outsource company to reinstate the visit as an emergency favour.)