⛲️ 24 Hours in Water A&E

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On Monday morning, I settled down to write this edition of CX Stories. And then, a load of water appeared in the kitchen in a place it was not meant to be.

So, I thought I’d try something different – a ‘live blog’ type thing of the 24 hours getting it fixed. It’s got good things, less good things, and if you make it to the end, three big conclusions.

8.25am

Sh*t. That small noise we heard yesterday? Now it’s loud, and relentless, and the patch of water on the floor is generally not considered to be a good sign.

So, I find the Home Emergency number for my insurer, and give them a call.

• They answer immediately
• Within five minutes, the job is logged, and I’m told someone will be with us after 2pm
• I ask whether they want my wife’s phone number as she’ll be at home. It’s ok, they say, we’ll just send you a text later.
• I get a text confirming the appointment and giving me a number to call if needed.
• The kids get to school on time
• So far, so good.

2:52pm

Another message. As promised, the engineer is on the way. I follow the link, and get a load of useful info.

However, the map doesn’t work. So I’ve no real idea when he’s arriving. And it’s school pick up time.

I forward the message to my wife and, anticipating the immediate reply of ‘ok but when is he actually arriving’, I call him.

He answers straight away.

‘About 4pm mate, I’m coming from Luton. Traffic is always a nightmare’

I pass on the good news.

Two minutes later, I get a call from his company telling me he’s on his way. It would have been easier if they’d just phoned my wife – but I’d rather they overcommunicate than not at all.

4:24pm

A call from my wife:

‘Where’s the stopcock?’

‘Behind the washing machine’

‘No, the one that works’

‘Oh, in the driveway’

‘Yes… where?’

‘Walk to the the flowerbed. Turn to face the house. Take one step to the left – a medium-sized step. Move the stone around a bit. It’ll be there somewhere’

*Hangs up*

4:38pm

Another text message – it’s all done! That was quick.

4:39pm

A message from my wife. It’s not all done!

‘He can’t find the leak. So, he’s just turned the water off to the whole house and said someone else will have to come and find it.’

5.25pm

Having not heard anything else, on the train home I call the insurance company to make sure someone is on their way.

The call is answered pretty quickly. I explain there’s no water, no heating, and two thirsty and smelly children.

‘Oh blimey! Let’s look at that for you’

‘Did the engineer update the claim?’

‘No, nothing on here’

‘Right’

‘You know you have alternative accommodation if you need it?’

(This sentence doesn’t fill me with hope)

‘Ok – do you think we can find the leak tonight?’

‘Hmm, your building’s insurer will look at that’

‘Aren’t you my building insurer?’

‘No, we’re your building insurer’s home emergency, but if you need that, you can call us back’

‘Ok….’

‘I’m going to put you through now – tell them it’s ‘leak detection’, they’ll know what that means’

I stay on hold for ten minutes. Eventually, she returns and says she’s still on hold, so rather than do a ‘warm handover’ is she ok if we do a ‘cold handover’ and she puts me in the queue?

Sure, I say

(DRAMATIC CHANGE IN HOLD MUSIC AS I MOVE FROM ONE COMPANY TO ANOTHER)

A few minutes later, I get connected:

‘So, she said I should mention Leak Detection’

‘I don’t know what that is. Do you mean ‘Trace and Access?’

‘Do I?’

‘You do’

‘Ok, that’s not us. You need to speak to our buildings specialist team. Can I put you on hold?

I stay on hold for ten minutes. Eventually, she returns and says she’s still on hold, so is it ok if I stay on hold and she puts me in the queue?

(DRAMATIC CHANGE IN HOLD MUSIC AS I MOVE FROM ONE COMPANY TO ANOTHER)

One hour in now. Home, vaguely saying hello to the family whilst listening to a tinny version of Mozart in my ears.

6.51pm

The phone hangs up.

Infuriating. But it does give me seven minutes to put son number one to bed.

6.58 pm

I try again, and enjoy the on-hold message:

‘We’re able to handle claims quickly because most of our customers are honest and tell the truth’

It asks me to put in my 10-digit claim number. In the three seconds it takes me to find it, it’s got impatient and told me to wait to speak to someone instead.

I get through immediately and explain what’s happened.

There’s no apology – but she doesn’t seem phased. In fact, she seems to know what she’s talking about.

‘I’m going to find a buildings specialist for you to talk to, and I’m going to take your number so they can call you back if you get cut off. Wait here a moment.

And it is a moment:

‘Ok, I’ve got someone. I’m going to put you through now’

Woohoo! This is so much easier than before!

‘I’m sorry, that number doesn’t seem to be working’

Dammit. This is the same as before.

‘I’ve just spoken to her – she’s going to phone you instead. Give it five seconds’

And at the moment, I get an incoming call, so hang up and accept. The team it took me 45 minutes to not get through to before, I’m now through to, directly within five minutes.

‘I’m Ella. I know you’ve been speaking to Louise, and she’s told me what’s happened and that you need Leak Detection’

(The magic words…)

‘We can cover this through your Home Emergency. I’m going to email you now with all my contact details, and a link to the local Check-a-Trade plumbers who can help. I’m in from 9am to 8pm tomorrow, so you can contact me anytime if you need help.

Whilst I wait for the email, and SMS feedback survey arrives. And then, there it is, as promised.

Under the Check-a-trade link, one line stands out:

Please note, we do not take responsibility for locating a plumber or having the leak fixed.

Hmm.

So, I put son number one to bed, and spend the evening phoning plumbers. They all say no. I email them through Checkatrade. I get no replies.

Instead, I call the guy who fitted our bathroom.

• On the phone, he tells me to turn the heating back on – it’ll be fine.
• He tells us he’ll be there at 2pm, and not to worry, he’ll sort it.
• At 2.07pm, he arrives.
• He listens, points to the floor, and says ‘The leak’s there’
• By 2.20pm, the floor is up, and he’s found the leak – roughly 2 centimetres from where he said it would be.
• By 2.30pm, the water is back on, the problem’s solved, and I’m heading for a long-overdue shower.

Three big thoughts (amongst others)

1. Achieving the outcome. The outcome I wanted was a fixed pipe, water running well in the house. Whilst the first plumber’s job was to stop the leak, which he did, leaving us without water and not passing it on to someone else isn’t useful in getting me to a good outcome. Similarly, just being given a Check-a-trade link and left to arrange it myself also isn’t useful, adding more stress and complexity (especially when I don’t know what I’m talking about)
2. Taking Ownership. The first plumber lacked ownership, as did a couple of the people on the phone. But Louise and Ella were superb, making sure the handover happened, thinking ahead to if the call cut out, giving me contact details and reassurance. They took responsibility for my case, even if I did have to solve the plumber.
3. Working smarter, together. To get through to the specialists, I was placed on hold to a generic number, with no estimated wait time, and a hope I’d get through. Louise – who I think was in the contact centre – clearly either shouted over her desk to Ella, or sent her a Teams message, handing me over directly to her, and then getting her to phone me back.

(Bonus 4.  Check your pipes regularly)

Thanks for reading this article, I really hope you enjoyed it. You can subscribe to my monthly newsletter below, and find me in tweet form @johnjsills, in picture form on Instagram @johnjsills, or in work mode at The Foundation or on LinkedIn.