The Blocked Drain Is The Least Of Your Adventures

I make appointments for mechanics for members of our company. Currently, due to lockdown, we only take urgent matters, like life-threatening or basic needs. If it can wait, it’ll have to wait. 

Me: “Customer service, how can I help you?”

Customer: “Yes, my drain is clogged and I need a mechanic to empty it. It’s attached to the roof.”

Me: “Clogged drains are a part of [Service]; I will patch you through.”

Customer: “I know, but they said they couldn’t help me right now. I don’t know why, because it’s outside!”

Me: “Let me ask for you.”

I call the company we hire for jobs like this.

Employee: “Let’s see… Ah, I see we visited this house. The drain is not completely clogged, so we put it on our list.”

Me: “May I ask why you couldn’t fix the problem while you were there, so I can explain that to the customer?”

Employee: “Of course! In order to reach that area, we have to go through the house of the client. The government currently advises against that.”

Me: “There is no other way?”

Employee: “The client suggested we would climb onto the shed of her neighbour, pull a ladder up, walk over the wall, and put that ladder on said wall. My mechanic did not say this to the client, but he did tell me he is not that adventurous… if you catch my drift.”

Me: “Got it, absolutely clear. Thank you for the information!”

I return to the client.

Me: “Thank you for holding. I talked to the department and the mechanic told them he cannot reach the drain safely at the moment. You are put on the list that as soon as the government says it’s okay again, they can visit you again. The drain is not fully clogged yet, so you should be fine at the moment.”

Customer: “Yes, I know.”

Me: “Excuse me?”

Customer: “I know that they didn’t do their job; I just wanted to know why. You know, why can’t they just do their job?! I’m paying for this!”

Me: “The employee is not obligated to risk life and limb, and because they didn’t do anything yet, you are not being billed. Do you have any other questions?”

Customer: “Ugh, I just can’t understand why they couldn’t do anything while they were there!”

I tried explaining it again twice, both in different terms, to no result. I eventually told the customer that when our Prime Minister would let us know all was well again, they would be called back for a new appointment.