Monday, November 15, 2010

How To Mess Up a Referral

I am so upset by this I have to blog about it! Last week while driving in the car I received a call for Air Companions. Let me back this up just a little....Last week while driving in the car and answering a call and trying to placate a confused elderly gentleman I was caring for a call that I did not recognize came in on the other line. I answered. To my delight the lady calling was inquiring about Air Companions accompanying her mother from Syracuse, N.Y. to Long Beach, California on December 23rd. She also wanted Air Companions to accompany her mom home from Long Beach on January 3rd. The lady, who told me her first name but I have forgotten it, said that her mother was 80 years old and in good health. The very nice lady went onto say that her mother was some what fearful of flying and would just feel better if she had an escort. I told the lady that Air Companions would love to accompany her mother. The lady then asked what I charged. At that point I told her I was in the car. I told her I would be home in a half hour and at that time would call her back so we could discuss the details. She was agreeable. I told her I did not have access to pen and paper but I knew her number was on my phone so there was no need to write it down. We said our goodbyes. Little did I know that it would be forever!

Once I got home, got everything and everyone settled I made a couple of calls to help me accurately price out the potential trip to Long Beach, California. Feeling fairly confident I picked up my cell phone to retrieve the number to call the lady back. To my horror I could not find the number! I looked everywhere I could in the phone. (Mind you I am 53 years old.) In desparation I called my 33 year old daughter and told her, almost hysterically, what had happened. I could see her rolling her eyes even though we were talking on the phone. She said in an exasperated way, "Mom, the number has to be on the phone. Are you looking under Missed Calls?" I told her I had looked everywhere that I usually look to retrieve a number and the number wasn't there. At the time Rachael was caring for three children; her son 1.5 years old and her niece at 4 years old and her nephew at 10 months old. Needless to say, she was very preoccupied. I know I had to go another avenue so I sarcastically thanked her for her help and told I would call the phone company.

I called the cell phone company and told them my terrible plight. I asked them to please rertrieve the number for me so I could call this lady and at least explain why it had been over an hour since I had last spoken with her. I was put on hold for a few minutes. Finally the customer service lady came back on the line. She asked if the call from the lady had been a call waiting call. I told her it was. She then told me that there was no way to retrieve the call due to the fact it had come in as call waiting. I was stunned! I couldn't believe my ears! I am a big fan of Law and Order and CSI. They seem to be able to retrieve cell phone numbers from anywhere and everywhere! Now the cell phone company is telling me what I am asking is impossible! I felt like throwing up. The customer service woman was very apologetic and very sad that she could not help me. I thanked her for what she did do. Defeated I said goodbye and hung up the phone.

I could feel myself getting more and more stressed but then I said a prayer and told God that the only person who could fix this was Him. I was hopeful the lady would call me back wondering what had happened. It's been a week and she hasn't called. Despite all this I have learned a BIG lesson. No matter what if you have to get back to someone write down their name and number. Do not trust the cell phone!

If by some miracle the lady who called me is reading this blog I would very much like to talk to you about accompanying your mother to Long Beach, California for the holidays. I am so sorry this happened. Believe me, it will not happen again!

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