Illinois Moves to Slash Service Waiting Times with New Proposed Bill

A new bill has been proposed in Illinois that would shorten service provider appointment windows to two hours, but I can't help but wonder, don't lawmakers have more important things to worry about in this state?

The Appointment Waiting Game

I think I can speak for most people when I say waiting around for service providers to arrive at your home is one of life's most irritating tasks.

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I dread the moment my internet goes out or I need an appliance fixed because the "we will arrive between 8 a.m. and 3 p.m." response from service providers is infuriating.

Do they think it's easy to miss work and rearrange schedules to sit there and wait for their arrival? Do we enjoy wasting days so they can show up 2 hours later than when they told us they would be there? Heck no!

I guess we should be thankful that one Illinois lawmaker has proposed a bill that would shorten appointment windows to only two hours, but I have some concerns.

Illinois Senate Bill 3066

After hearing many complaints from constituents, State Senator Christopher Belt has introduced new legislation in Springfield that would narrow appointment windows that service providers give customers when they come to your home.

Under Senate Bill 3066, companies that send someone to fix stuff, think cable installers, plumbers, HVAC techs, etc., would have to give you a two-hour window for when they’ll show up at your place.

Now, a predictable two-hour appointment window sounds amazing, but the pessimist in me feels like this will never happen, especially when there appears to be a loophole.

Senator Belt's website says:

 If the company provides a service window that exceeds two hours, then the company has to provide a one-hour notice via phone call or text to the consumer before they arrive.

So, if I'm understanding this bill correctly, companies could still tell us "we'll arrive sometime between 8 a.m. and 3 p.m.", but instead of getting a phone call or text saying they are 20 min away after we've been waiting for hours, we would be given a one hour notice to get home.

Senate Bill 3066 would also make it illegal to charge customers for missed appointments:

 If the service provider fails to comply with the new rules and the consumer is not present at the residence when the provider arrives, the consumer cannot legally be charged any fee or additional charge.

In all seriousness, if this passes, it might help reduce the agony of waiting around for service people which I'm all in for.  But, doesn't it feel a little like a Band-Aid on a state that has plenty of much bigger issues simmering on the back burner?