:: Withheld identity of a boiler man ::
My boiler is being fixed for the second time. It keeps blowing a fuse, but not in any recognisable pattern - every repairman's nightmare.
I noted the fancy mobile computing set-up for onsite job reporting, dispatch and so on: a Windows CE device, but apparently with insufficient memory to hold the required service manuals. To the engineer, this is the critical need. The providers of the system are more interested in logistics. In any case, the engineer told me how he manipulates the reporting function.
Today, another engineer joined his colleague on site. This was to bring a part from his van to fix my job. Parts inventory appeared not to be part of the logistics set up.
I overheard the second engineer complaining that he couldn't get answers from customers in order to announce his planned arrival time. The problem he identified was that he was withholding his caller ID. Some customers will not answer an unidentifiable call.
The reason for withholding ID is to avoid customers phoning back up for direct support after the job is done.
With appropriate use of existing technology, this problem can be solved, but my guess is that the service company doesn't know this. More likely, they haven't identified the problem in the first place. It probably gets reported as "customer didn't answer".
I feel that writing a book about wireless for lay people will be a useful public service. Perhaps, once some of its potential is more widely appreciated by potential users, "next generation" wireless will become more useful than it currently is.
11:21:16 AM 
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