It is said the average person spends 20 years of their life sleeping, 6 years eating, and about a year in the shower. It is also rumoured that the average person spends around 2 months of their life on hold. Yup, waiting for the next available operator.
We all know that phoning a special number (those all-time favourites that start with 086, 087 or 081) is worse than a trip to Home Affairs, and almost worse than a queue in Clicks, and there’s nothing that quite spikes the BP like that moment when the music abruptly stops and you’re left with total silence. Helloooo? Strange how suddenly, that maddening music doesn’t seem all that bad, compared with the extended nothingness that gives no indication of whether your call has been dropped or not. To go on holding, or not to go on holding, becomes the thing.
So, recent decent experience with Private Property aside, when I knew I was going to have to organize boards and a show day, I wasn’t much looking forward to it. Today, however, was the day. And seeing that the other half was heading out for 18, it was clearly going to be a DIY day again.
It was written – on their friendly site – that if I handed over just R300 I could have 1 For Sale sign and 5 On Show boards, delivered, within two days. Yeah right! The site offered two options – chat with someone or send them a message. Obviously this was going to need a chat.
I dialed, was put through to the music, looked at my watch, and waited. After just one and a half minutes, it was answered. I hadn’t even had time to get irritated. And most amazingly, it was the same chap as before! Helpful, well-spoken and completely non-offensive.
He assured me that I’d have the boards within two days (no, no extra courier fee) and then he offered me another service. A FREE service. If I told him on which Sunday I was planning a show day, he’d send out an alert to all their listed potential buyers on the Thursday evening and a reminder on the Saturday.
Today was Tuesday. If the boards arrived as promised, and if they sent out notifications on Thursday evening and Saturday, I could have a show day this very Sunday. It all seemed too good to be true. Did I risk it? Why not? There was still time to cancel if the boards didn’t arrive.
Taking the bull by the horns, I said yes. To my amazement the boards did arrive. The alerts did go out. And I was left quietly pondering ways to get the other half to man the fort on Sunday while I madamed the mall.