Critter Control

I heard from a friend that Critter Control, apparently a nationwide franchise, offered trapping and deodorizing. I called the Austin number on two successive days, at least once during business hours. Both times I got an answering machine and left a message. A few days later, I e-mailed via the address off their Web page, and I did get a reply. The next appointment wasn't available until several days later, Tuesday between 3:30 and 4:30. I came home from work to be here for it, but the person never showed. I called to ask about it, but it was after 5, so it went to the answering machine. I e-mailed the next morning. The reply, in the evening, mentioned a high-priority job had come up (which I quite understand), and "The technician did call you when he was on his way, but there was no answer and left a message. You did call him back and thought you had a wrong number or were looking for someone else." I replied that I had not received a call, so he apparently had called a wrong number and I provided my cell number again, so might I reschedule? I didn't receive an answer in 2 days, so I found another company (via Angie's List), who serviced my request the next day (a Saturday). All in all, I'm very puzzled. The best explanation I can think of is that they're swamped with work, but then I would have expected them to apologize for it, and at worst say that they're not able to take my business and (if they were extra kind) suggest other companies to check with. Otherwise, surely everyone can't find them to be so hard to contact, so unresponsive, and a bit rude? (Yes, a bit rude. I SO don't say that "the customer is always right" -- there are entire Web sites devoted to customer horror stories. But even if the calling had happened the way she said, she might have either thought "stuff happens" and given one more try at an appointment, or else reply with a non-committal "I'm sorry, but we're not available to service your account. You might check with [big high-priced local competitor]" and think to herself that we deserve each other.)