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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

AIBU to think this reply is a bit cheeky?

133 replies

OldBoiler22 · 23/09/2022 09:37

As per my username, I need to get our boiler serviced. Used a new company last year who were fine so had intended to use again.

The website of said firm has on a landline and also a mobile number. In a quiet moment last weekend I thought I'd seize the chance to send a message to the mobile number asking if I could book an appointment. This was the response I got:

'Hi OldBoiler, yes no problem. Can you message me again Tuesday when I'm back at work'

I was a bit narked I won't lie.

AIBU to think that, as the customer, it's a bit much him asking me to contact him again at a point that suits him?

OP posts:
HitsAndMrs · 23/09/2022 09:42

No I don't think it's rude. They aren't in work, really they should have replied on Tuesday but actually they have been polite and let you know.
You're being entitled.

Wanda616 · 23/09/2022 09:44

Your argument is so weird. Do you try to go into shops as they are locking the doors at the end of the day? He was very polite, acknowledged your request, let you know when he could facilitate it. That's good customer service not bad.

honeylulu · 23/09/2022 09:45

He prob means he hasn't got his work diary with him as he's off and he might forget to call you back when he returns. My builder often replies like that and it works fine.

I agree it's not exactly bending over backwards to give good customer service but trades are really in demand!

Mumtobe2023 · 23/09/2022 09:46

I suppose because you messaged him on the weekend he may have been busy or out socialising, so he obviously just needs you to remind him. He may have loads of people chasing him all the time so I would just take it as he wants a reminder while he's actually on duty 😃 x x

Hoppinggreen · 23/09/2022 09:46

His message sounds fine. In his shoes I might have made a note instead to call you but I don’t think he’s done anything awful

ChristmasJumpers · 23/09/2022 09:47

I might have worded it differently to explain I'm not currently working but will respond to you on Tuesday. You've already messaged so I'm not sure why you need to message again really

Brigante9 · 23/09/2022 09:49

Yabu, his reply was perfectly fine.

Bumply · 23/09/2022 09:50

He has no way of knowing when you'll be free Tuesday, so makes more sense for you to contact on a day he's said he's in his office.

Ponoka7 · 23/09/2022 09:52

When you are self employed it's really important to protect your time off work. It's a mistake that a lot of newly self employed people make and get close to burn out. He should have made a note to phone you, but then again would you have been in work, so he's letting you pick the time of the call?

scrufffy · 23/09/2022 09:54

I think that sounds fine.

PasnipPasta · 23/09/2022 09:57

No , you were probably one of several people who contacted him over the weekend . It's better for you to contact him when you are free rather than the other way round

2bazookas · 23/09/2022 09:59

Obviously he's away from work right now.

Perfectly reasonable and polite to warn you (so you know you're not being ignored or fobbed off) and ask you to re-connect when he 's back.

10HailMarys · 23/09/2022 10:00

I really couldn't get worked up about this. It's just not a big deal.

Original poster
OldBoiler22 · 23/09/2022 10:00

Really interesting to read these responses. Clearly I wouldn't go knocking on the door to be let in at a shop that is obviously closed. . . . it's not quite the same thing though is it lets me honest.

I guess from my perspective, if you have a mobile number and a landline on your professional website then the assumption is that those are your work numbers? If you receive a message on a day you're not working, then surely you just wait respond to that in full on a day you are working? I find it so bizarre that you'd ask you customers to message you again on a different day when they've already reached out. If I had emailed him would he have emailed straight back to go 'email me again a different day?'

I just found it to be really strange customer service!

OP posts:
CapturedLeprechaun · 23/09/2022 10:06

If he'd have said "hi oldboiler, no problem - I'll get back to you on Tuesday when I'm working", presumably you'd have been fine with this. So the issue is that he asked you to be the one to make contact with him again, yes?

In which case, it's no big deal. Possibly he's incredibly busy and knows he's likely to forget, particularly if he's not desperate for work right now. Quite often customers do have to chase tradespeople right now as decent tradespeople are hard to come by, this wouldn't remotely bother me.

HappydaysArehere · 23/09/2022 10:09

I laughed at the “Hi! Old Boiler”. Thought that was what you were objecting to.

Belladonnamama · 23/09/2022 10:13

Your rude. I wouldn't text at the weekend even if there was a mobile number. Do you expect people to be at your beck and call 24/7? . His response was totally acceptable. Your entitled behaviour is not.

Summerishere123 · 23/09/2022 10:15

I see your point, but I think alot of people, had he left the message until Tuesday, would have felt ignored, and found another company to use in the meantime.
So he acknowledged your request, and asked you to get in touch Tuesday as there is plenty of time before now and then for him to forget!

Dougieowner · 23/09/2022 10:16

Sounds to me like it may be an auto or pre-written reply and they insert the name you have signed your message with.
Not an issue asking you to ring back. Over the course of a weekend they may be left multiple messages and even if they put aside a couple of hours on a Monday morning to ring everybody back, what is to say that it is the turn of the customer to be busy / unavailable????

NoSquirrels · 23/09/2022 10:17

CapturedLeprechaun · 23/09/2022 10:06

If he'd have said "hi oldboiler, no problem - I'll get back to you on Tuesday when I'm working", presumably you'd have been fine with this. So the issue is that he asked you to be the one to make contact with him again, yes?

In which case, it's no big deal. Possibly he's incredibly busy and knows he's likely to forget, particularly if he's not desperate for work right now. Quite often customers do have to chase tradespeople right now as decent tradespeople are hard to come by, this wouldn't remotely bother me.

I agree with this. You’re narked about having to text again, and compare it to an email but crucially it’s not an email you sent, is it? Texts are harder to ignore, he was just quickly acknowledging it so you knew he’d a) received it and b) wasn’t working until after the weekend and the bank holiday. In the scheme of poor customer service this wouldn’t even register with me - I’d be more like to think I’d been a bit of a poor customer to text on a Sunday.

Isaidnoalready · 23/09/2022 10:18

Sounds like he needs an auto reply

hugefanofcheese · 23/09/2022 10:24

It's fine. He's acknowledged you, essentially said 'yes, I can book you in' but asked you to call or message back at a convenient time for you on Tues to confirm the details. At this time of year, i daresay you need the boiler engineer more than he needs your business hence he's not doing the running.

arethereanyleftatall · 23/09/2022 10:28

OldBoiler22 · 23/09/2022 10:00

Really interesting to read these responses. Clearly I wouldn't go knocking on the door to be let in at a shop that is obviously closed. . . . it's not quite the same thing though is it lets me honest.

I guess from my perspective, if you have a mobile number and a landline on your professional website then the assumption is that those are your work numbers? If you receive a message on a day you're not working, then surely you just wait respond to that in full on a day you are working? I find it so bizarre that you'd ask you customers to message you again on a different day when they've already reached out. If I had emailed him would he have emailed straight back to go 'email me again a different day?'

I just found it to be really strange customer service!

So, would you have been happier if he ignored your message completely till Tuesday?

I guess many people would prefer his response.

Maybe you could think of it like a shop, or an auto response, that will help you process why it's fine.

drumsandstars · 23/09/2022 10:31

He's obviously not desperate for business.

He probably also expected you'd contact other people on the weekend and if they were available you'd probably go with them. Then there'd be no need for him to remember to contact you on Tuesday.

Noteverybodylives · 23/09/2022 10:31

I personally wouldn’t have responded but I guess that would look unprofessional.

I’d probably send a message saying - sorry we’re closed until Tuesday so we’ll get back to you then.

Which is actually what he did.