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Called a member in regards to her service arrival time. She broke down on the interstate. We had assigned it to a station that gave an arrival time of almost 90 minutes. This is not really good for someone sitting on the interstate, so I attempted and found service quicker - but it would still take an hour. (This call came in during rush hour!)
The following conversation ensued:
ME: <spiel> I have found another station that can be there sooner. We have <name of station> coming out and they should be there in 60 minutes or less.
SC: AN HOUR!? I don't have an hour!
ME: Ma'am, I apologize, however that is the quickest that I can have someone to your location.
SC: But the police said that they're gonna tow it!
ME: Are the police on location right now?
SC: NO! (sounding frantic and in tears) They came by earlier and told me I had two hours!
ME: <I glance at the time stamp I love so much when SCs pull the time card> Well, I see we received this call 30 minutes ago, and they will be there within the hour. I am....
SC: YES! I just called you 30 minutes ago but the police were by long before that.
ME: <I see, I'm now expected to bend time and space and change the time you called?> I apologize again, but one hour from the time you called is still a good time considering it is rush hour.
SC: BUT THE POLICE SAID THEY'RE GOING TO TOW IT! I need them here now! I don't have time.
ME: <wash, rinse, repeat, with my kind, "is this good for the company" explanation when I really wanted to tell her to call earlier next time - like, oh, WHEN YOU BREAK DOWN!!> Ma'am, we will continue to monitor the call to ensure that the station reaches you. If the police arrive again <which - I'm sorry - they hardly ever keep those time lines unless you are seriously obstructing traffic and if that were the case - your vehicle would be towed immediately without haste!> please call us and we can speak to them about the station's progress.
SC: <in the defeated tone I'm used to in these cases> okay.
Fortunately, for this SC, when I got off the phone, the dispatcher at the radio desk behind me informed me the station had radioed in and lowered the arrival time to 20 minutes! I called her back, but spoke to a man that time and advised that I had some good news. He did thank me profusely - as it seemed I had been the one to save the day!
The following conversation ensued:
ME: <spiel> I have found another station that can be there sooner. We have <name of station> coming out and they should be there in 60 minutes or less.
SC: AN HOUR!? I don't have an hour!
ME: Ma'am, I apologize, however that is the quickest that I can have someone to your location.
SC: But the police said that they're gonna tow it!
ME: Are the police on location right now?
SC: NO! (sounding frantic and in tears) They came by earlier and told me I had two hours!
ME: <I glance at the time stamp I love so much when SCs pull the time card> Well, I see we received this call 30 minutes ago, and they will be there within the hour. I am....
SC: YES! I just called you 30 minutes ago but the police were by long before that.
ME: <I see, I'm now expected to bend time and space and change the time you called?> I apologize again, but one hour from the time you called is still a good time considering it is rush hour.
SC: BUT THE POLICE SAID THEY'RE GOING TO TOW IT! I need them here now! I don't have time.
ME: <wash, rinse, repeat, with my kind, "is this good for the company" explanation when I really wanted to tell her to call earlier next time - like, oh, WHEN YOU BREAK DOWN!!> Ma'am, we will continue to monitor the call to ensure that the station reaches you. If the police arrive again <which - I'm sorry - they hardly ever keep those time lines unless you are seriously obstructing traffic and if that were the case - your vehicle would be towed immediately without haste!> please call us and we can speak to them about the station's progress.
SC: <in the defeated tone I'm used to in these cases> okay.
Fortunately, for this SC, when I got off the phone, the dispatcher at the radio desk behind me informed me the station had radioed in and lowered the arrival time to 20 minutes! I called her back, but spoke to a man that time and advised that I had some good news. He did thank me profusely - as it seemed I had been the one to save the day!
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