I can't believe I actually said it!

[friendofjimmyk]

I've thought it a thousand times. I do believe I've written it in several of my posts...but today, I actually said it.

This just happened. We are NOT busy. This call was the driver's first for the day. He was leaving from the shop. This particular city, even though its the state capital, is very small and easy to get around.

ME: Mouthy dispatcher
SC: Even MOUTHIER customer

Now, her vehicle broke down at a busy intersection. Priorities are placed on such calls. The driver had to leave the shop and, with the drive time, would be there in 15 - 20 minutes.

ME: <opening spiel> The driver is on his way and he will be there in 15 - 20 minutes. *I totally did not expect what happened next because this is incredibly GOOD time*
SC: DO YOU UNDERSTAND, I DON'T HAVE 15 - 20 MINUTES!
Me: I'm sorry, but this is good time, it's only drive time.
SC: NO!!!!!!!!!! DO YOU UNDERSTAND, I *DON'T* HAVE 15 - 20 MINUTES
ME: I assure you, he is on his way and it will only be 15 - 20 minutes. I CANNOT get a truck there sooner than that. This is drive time.
SC: YOU ARE *NOT* HEARING WHAT I AM TELLING YOU! I *CANNOT* WAIT 15 - 20 MINUTES! DO YOU UNDERSTAND!??!!?
ME: Do *YOU* understand I cannot BEAM you a tow truck?!

*click*

ME: Hello? Oh...she hung up. hmm

A few minutes later, the call came across as cancelled...according to the notes, "the police cancelled" the call...this does not happen. The driver was ONE block away. He arrived 30 seconds after the cancellation came across...he is currently towing the vehicle.

I still can't believe I said it. I've always wanted to ask one of our members if they thought I had transporter capabilities to beam tow trucks to their location within 5 minutes of their call...I never actually said it before.

[jjllbb]

YAYYYYYYYYYYYY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Your success gives me hope that one day I will have the courage to put one of my SC's in their place!

[friendofjimmyk]

Yes, I am quite proud of myself and for a brief moment, I was the hero of my department.

However, I did tell on myself to my supervisor because it was not an appropriate response. I figured this way, if the member does call in, my sup will already know about it.

My sup's advice was to remind me to have more empathy. Even though I know how these situations turn out, not all of our members know what happens in these situations. She said I should've apologized (FOR WHAT?! The inability to beam a tow truck!!!) and spoke to the member from an empathic (is that the correct tense?) stand point and been more reassuring. My response?

"Yeah, I should've counted to five - not ten, because I'm sure she wouldn't be able to wait 10 seconds - and responded rather than reacted"

However, my supervisor did giggle a bit when I told her about it...but she stiffled it right away.

[GiftShopGirl]

[sexiphatchick]

20 minutes is nothing.

I had to wait 3 hours once for a tow truck to show up, and then when he DID show up, he towed the wrong car! Apparently there was another person in the parking lot that had broken down, and when they saw the tow truck guy they flagged him down. So I had to call AAA back and have them send another one, and I had to wait ANOTHER hour.

[jjllbb]

20 minutes is nothing.

I had to wait 3 hours once for a tow truck to show up, and then when he DID show up, he towed the wrong car! Apparently there was another person in the parking lot that had broken down, and when they saw the tow truck guy they flagged him down. So I had to call AAA back and have them send another one, and I had to wait ANOTHER hour.

woah! and you kept your cool? props.

[sexiphatchick]

woah! and you kept your cool? props.

Yeah, the only reason I did was because I was broken down at work. So the car was safe in the lot and I was safe inside. The AAA rep was a bit baffled, though, when I told her that he towed the wrong car. She didn't know what to say to that.

[friendofjimmyk]

The AAA rep was a bit baffled, though, when I told her that he towed the wrong car. She didn't know what to say to that.

Yup. I have been baffled by this before as well. I also get baffled by the drivers that tow the cars to the wrong places. Then it becomes a nice game of solve-the-mystery which is not always an easy task.

[imal'sheva]

I don't get it. It takes 10 minutes just for a driver to leave the office, get in and start the truck and get out into traffic. WTF is her problem?

[friendofjimmyk]

WTF is her problem?

Well, apparently, I didn't understand what her problem was...as she stated again and again.

[trunks2k]

My car once broke down in the middle of a snow storm... in the middle of the road (why is it that whenever my car breaks down, I can't get to the side of the road?). The battery was dead to a f'ed alternator so I couldn't get heat or anything. Had to wait for two hours for a tow truck, with my passenger and I taking turns warming up inside a hotel. I would have killed for a 15 minute wait.

Thankfully, at least a good samaritan stopped and jumped my car enough that we could move it to the side of the road - something the police, who told me I need to move my car, wouldn't do. The police just threatened to have my car towed to an impound lot if it wasn't moved by the time they got back.

[PepperElf]

last time i broke down (my old car) ... while I was waiting for the tow truck to arrive a couple of army guys stopped and helped me... My car could only go in reverse so they blocked traffic enough to let me back up into an empty lot so I wasn't sitting out in the road.

took a while for the truck to show up, but hey that happens... va beach does not have nice traffic during afternoon rush hour.

[SG15Z]

[Kogarashi]

What was that about the police cancelling the call?

And you rock, even if it wasn't an appropriate response.

[Jester]

"I don't have 15-20 minutes!"

Response A: "Well, perhaps you should take that up with your car."

Response B: "Apparently, now, you DO."