It Seems So Obvious [to me]: October 2009

Here are the notes from the latest battle with service oriented companies with shitty customer service:

Waldorf showed up at 4PM and said it was a clogged drain and he didn't have the right tools

I called Waldorf at 10AM to confirm and was told I was 2nd on the list
At 12PM I called again and was told they would arrive by 3PM
At 2:00PM I called again and was told he was running late and would arrive by 4PM
At 3:00PM I called again and was told he was running later than usual and he would be there by 6PM
At 5:30PM I called again and was told he was not coming because the "truck broke down"
I called AHS to see if I could schedule a new contractor

The rep was very nice and explained that there were lots, and she would call a bunch to see who could come and call me back
1 hour later I called for a status update. They had no record of my previous call, but noted there were no "attempts" made

I spoke to a different rep who told me I could not switch, there was no record of the clogged drain, and the issue under "water heater" was deemed completed
She also said that I could not switch contractors, and she would call Waldorf in the morning to clear up the issue

For and estimate, I called Roto Rooter. They arrived within 1 hour with a $411 estimate. I sent them packing

I called AHS at 9:30 for a status and they had no record of anything being done on my behalf
The rep conferenced in Waldorf who said I was on the schedule today as the LAST CALL around 2:30 and to call them at 2PM if I had not heard
I explained how upset I was to be blown off the day before and pushed to the bottom of the priority list for the next day
The rep upgraded my ticket to emergency and promised Waldorf would come today
Following the call, I received a 2nd invoice for a 2nd service fee of $60
Called AHS at 2PM and communicated that I had not heard from Waldorf

I expressed deep frustration and told them I can not stay home from the office for a 3rd day in a row with a flood in my basement
AHS transferred the call to ARBOGAST PLUMBING SERVICES, LLC and said they would be at the house within 2 hours
ARBOGAST PLUMBING SERVICES, LLC
(540) 868-2839
ARBOGASTPLUMBING@YAHOO.COM

Arbogast Plumbing called at 3:45PM and said they were definitely coming tonight, but the drive would need to return to the shop for the large snake.
Kelly from Arbogast called at 5:00PM to let me know the technician (Gary) was in Manassas on a call and then was heading to Arlington, then he would drive to Winchester to get the snake and come to me. She told me to expect 9 or 10 PM.

I explained to Kelly that I needed to have this completed, I would stay up all night
She told me she was headed to pick up her daughter from cheer leading and not to worry if I called and got voicemail. She assured me that Gary's number was on the voicemail and he's available 24/7

AHS stated that in their notes from 4:30PM, they see that Kelly spoke to me and I said someone had already fixed the problem
WHATTTT? How is that possible that Kelly thinks the situation is resolved at 4:30, but calls me at 5:00 to let me know the tech was coming at 9?
AHS "nothing I can do"

Called Gary 1 more time. He answered and said he wasn't going to make it tonight. I called him a moron and hung up. I shouldn't have taken it out on him
Called AHS and they did nothing

I called AHS to get the status of the case
9:15 - AHS told me I was authorized to get my own contractor and they would reimburse me

After telling me I would be transferred to the department to authorize the reimbursement, AHS transferred me to yet another rep who asked me what I was calling about
The rep put me on hold, came back and told me that I was now assigned to C & P PLUMBING, INC and was no longer authorized to get my own plumber. I almost passed out

10AM - I called C&P to tell them the story and pleaded with them not to accept the job unless they were 1000% sure they could come today.

It Seems So Obvious [to me]