Is it normal to wait many hours past a set appointment time for a computer repairman?

Question

My appointment was at 11 am, and it's nearly 1 pm now. I get the feeling he's a one-person operation, and therefore the very long wait time. What's your experience?

Answer 1

If he's not called to say he's run into difficuties then you're obviously not a high priority. I was a one man band for a while, sometimes you overrun one job and are late for the next but you always call.

You shouldn't let anyone waste your time.

Answer 2

Every time I make an app't with ANY repairman, whether it's a washing machine, telephone, oil burner, roof man, etc., they have MOSTLY been at my house within an hour of their app't. A couple of times people didn't show up at all, and we phoned (after waiting about 4 hours) and let them know how disappointed we were and that our time was valuable. I listened to their apology, saying that he should be there shortly - then told them to forget about the app't. We called someone else, and that repair serviceman was very prompt. It stands to reason that complications may arrise when the repairman is at another location, and usually, when they will be late, as ours sometimes have been, they will phone us and let us know. That's the polite thing to do. ALL servicemen have phones in their trucks, so there isn't any excuse.

Answer 3

Oh yes..Very rarely are they on time. I give them a reasonably amount of time (2 hours is past my limit) and then I call them. I usually let them know that my time is valuable and if they can not keep their appointed time, I will call someone else. This is why a lot of repair people give you a time base (8 - 12) or 12 - 5). It keeps them from losing business!

Answer 4

Repair guys are always late. It is the nature of their business. They never know what they are going to run into when they walk onto a job. Call him but cut him some slack.