Had an A/C unit go out in a detached garage. Called the Home Warranty people that I have a contract with and they set up for someone to come out yesterday. I had requested that they perform service on all 3 units if they needed it.
The day started out great! Getting ready for the market open I got a text message from the HVAC technician @ 8:00 AM in the morning saying that he was on the way and would be here in 10 min. I have never had that happen, ever, that I get a text confirming arrival and this was 2 hours earlier than he was supposed to get here @ 10:00 AM! At 8:10 AM he and his assistant ring the door bell!
I greet both gentlemen w/ a smile and let them know that I am glad that they are here. The 'Boss' said that they were ready to go and that all I needed to do was show him where the thermostat was and they could get started. I said 'Great!' and proceeded to walk out the front door and head over to the detached garage. As I got about 15 feet past the techs I hear this out of the Boss' mouth: 'Wow! I didn't know that they installed thermostats outside!?'. I stopped in my tracks and turned around to face them both wondering what on God's green earth would possess someone to make a comment like that. But, calmly and still with a smile on my face I said: 'That's funny! No, the unit in question is over in the garage. Follow me.' I open the garage and let them follow me in when the next thing I hear from the Boss is: 'Does anyone live in here? I was told it was an emergency situation.' My reply to him as I turned around: 'I don't know how that got conveyed to you but I just need someone to take a look and let me know what's wrong.' And then from the Boss: 'Is this place a business?'. Now, I am getting a little frustrated and as I get to the thermostat I turn to him and say: 'This is the thermostat and no it's not a place of business. Why does that matter?' Boss asks: 'Well if no one is living in here what is the emergency?' I said to him in very clear words again: 'I don't know how that information made it's way to you but I did not tell the HW company that it was an emergency.' So, Boss takes a look at the thermostat and turns on the unit and nothing happens. He asked me where the unit was and I told him it was upstairs. Boss man: 'Great! Up in the attic!' I said: 'Follow me it is on the second floor'; guys, I was trying very hard to just keep my cool and get the A/C unit fixed.
We get upstairs and I show him where the blower unit is and let him know that the A/C unit is on the backside of the garage. The next thing he does is open up the blower unit and pulls out the air filter of which I know hasn't been changed out in a long time. The boss pulls out the air filter and throws it at my feet and says: 'Well, you air filter is as heavy as a brick so that could have something to do with it.' I said: 'Really? A brick?' He replies yes.
Next he checks another panel to see if there is a blown fuse and there was. He sent his helper down to his truck to get a fuse and once the young man was completely out of ear shot I had to ask the Boss a question: 'Hey man, if you don't want to be here for whatever reason, I can understand. No need to behave like this over an A/C unit trouble shoot. And, at least we aren't talking about you coming up here mid-day, right?' He just turns his face from mine and says 'Yep.' I say: 'Ok then, I'll leave you to it.' and then proceed to go back down the stairs and out of the garage. As I get outside I see the helper and say to him: 'What in the **** is your Boss' problem? Does he not want to be here? If he doesn't, don't even take the fuse up to him.' The helper looks at me w/ at least a little shame in his face and says: 'No sir. We will get it fixed for you.' I say: 'Very well. Just ring the doorbell when you guys are done.'
I come back inside to finalize some trades in the ole market and 20 minutes after I sit down I hear the doorbell ring. I get to the door and I see the helper and not the Boss. I open the door and the helper is very happy and says to me: 'We found the problem! There was a wire that worn down the coating and was exposed and causing a short! We were able to make the repair and got you back up and running!' I said:'That sounds great' He says: 'We need to get the $75 check for the call.' I said: 'Well, did you guys do a service or maintenance inspection on all 3 units'. The helper is puzzled and begins to walk toward the Boss' truck and asked him to roll down the window at which point he asks the Boss about the services on all 3 units. The Boss looks at me and says: 'What kind of service are you talking about?' I say: 'Do you not do service/normal maintenance calls for A/C units?' He says: 'Never done one before.' I said: 'OK. I will be right back. Who do I make out the check to?' He told me and I went in and wrote out a check and took it outside. Boss man had kept the helpers window down so that he wouldn't have to deal with me anymore but I said **** that. I walked over to the driver's side where he was and asked him to roll his window down. He only rolled it down about 2 inches and I passed the check in and walked away to check on the work that had been done. He said something to me that I didn't understand and as I got to the detached garage door I turned to him and said: 'I am going inside to check on what you guys did. If I were you, I wouldn't be in my driveway when I get back out.'
Later, around mid-afternoon, I get an automated text message from the company he works for requesting that I fill out a survey on my experience. It has been 24 hrs. now and I have calmed down quite a bit. Not gonna reply to this survey. I don't know what was going on in that man's life but I think that I just caught him on a bad day.
The day started out great! Getting ready for the market open I got a text message from the HVAC technician @ 8:00 AM in the morning saying that he was on the way and would be here in 10 min. I have never had that happen, ever, that I get a text confirming arrival and this was 2 hours earlier than he was supposed to get here @ 10:00 AM! At 8:10 AM he and his assistant ring the door bell!
I greet both gentlemen w/ a smile and let them know that I am glad that they are here. The 'Boss' said that they were ready to go and that all I needed to do was show him where the thermostat was and they could get started. I said 'Great!' and proceeded to walk out the front door and head over to the detached garage. As I got about 15 feet past the techs I hear this out of the Boss' mouth: 'Wow! I didn't know that they installed thermostats outside!?'. I stopped in my tracks and turned around to face them both wondering what on God's green earth would possess someone to make a comment like that. But, calmly and still with a smile on my face I said: 'That's funny! No, the unit in question is over in the garage. Follow me.' I open the garage and let them follow me in when the next thing I hear from the Boss is: 'Does anyone live in here? I was told it was an emergency situation.' My reply to him as I turned around: 'I don't know how that got conveyed to you but I just need someone to take a look and let me know what's wrong.' And then from the Boss: 'Is this place a business?'. Now, I am getting a little frustrated and as I get to the thermostat I turn to him and say: 'This is the thermostat and no it's not a place of business. Why does that matter?' Boss asks: 'Well if no one is living in here what is the emergency?' I said to him in very clear words again: 'I don't know how that information made it's way to you but I did not tell the HW company that it was an emergency.' So, Boss takes a look at the thermostat and turns on the unit and nothing happens. He asked me where the unit was and I told him it was upstairs. Boss man: 'Great! Up in the attic!' I said: 'Follow me it is on the second floor'; guys, I was trying very hard to just keep my cool and get the A/C unit fixed.
We get upstairs and I show him where the blower unit is and let him know that the A/C unit is on the backside of the garage. The next thing he does is open up the blower unit and pulls out the air filter of which I know hasn't been changed out in a long time. The boss pulls out the air filter and throws it at my feet and says: 'Well, you air filter is as heavy as a brick so that could have something to do with it.' I said: 'Really? A brick?' He replies yes.
Next he checks another panel to see if there is a blown fuse and there was. He sent his helper down to his truck to get a fuse and once the young man was completely out of ear shot I had to ask the Boss a question: 'Hey man, if you don't want to be here for whatever reason, I can understand. No need to behave like this over an A/C unit trouble shoot. And, at least we aren't talking about you coming up here mid-day, right?' He just turns his face from mine and says 'Yep.' I say: 'Ok then, I'll leave you to it.' and then proceed to go back down the stairs and out of the garage. As I get outside I see the helper and say to him: 'What in the **** is your Boss' problem? Does he not want to be here? If he doesn't, don't even take the fuse up to him.' The helper looks at me w/ at least a little shame in his face and says: 'No sir. We will get it fixed for you.' I say: 'Very well. Just ring the doorbell when you guys are done.'
I come back inside to finalize some trades in the ole market and 20 minutes after I sit down I hear the doorbell ring. I get to the door and I see the helper and not the Boss. I open the door and the helper is very happy and says to me: 'We found the problem! There was a wire that worn down the coating and was exposed and causing a short! We were able to make the repair and got you back up and running!' I said:'That sounds great' He says: 'We need to get the $75 check for the call.' I said: 'Well, did you guys do a service or maintenance inspection on all 3 units'. The helper is puzzled and begins to walk toward the Boss' truck and asked him to roll down the window at which point he asks the Boss about the services on all 3 units. The Boss looks at me and says: 'What kind of service are you talking about?' I say: 'Do you not do service/normal maintenance calls for A/C units?' He says: 'Never done one before.' I said: 'OK. I will be right back. Who do I make out the check to?' He told me and I went in and wrote out a check and took it outside. Boss man had kept the helpers window down so that he wouldn't have to deal with me anymore but I said **** that. I walked over to the driver's side where he was and asked him to roll his window down. He only rolled it down about 2 inches and I passed the check in and walked away to check on the work that had been done. He said something to me that I didn't understand and as I got to the detached garage door I turned to him and said: 'I am going inside to check on what you guys did. If I were you, I wouldn't be in my driveway when I get back out.'
Later, around mid-afternoon, I get an automated text message from the company he works for requesting that I fill out a survey on my experience. It has been 24 hrs. now and I have calmed down quite a bit. Not gonna reply to this survey. I don't know what was going on in that man's life but I think that I just caught him on a bad day.
