"My job can be a labour of love"

AA call handlers are our member's first point of contact when they breakdown. Thankfully most breakdowns are simple problems such as flat batteries or running out of fuel. But some that I've handled have been real emergencies - like the one I had recently.

The member had just picked up her pregnant daughter from hospital, and they were on their way back home when the car's exhaust blew on the busy A414 near the M11. When she called I checked that she was in a safe place (luckily she was able to drive to the nearest layby) and was giving her some safety advice when her daughter suddenly went into labour.

Naturally both the member and her daughter started to get panicky. I told them not to worry, as I would get onto the ambulance service straightaway. I also assured the member that I would call her back.

The ambulance service said that I should stay on the phone to both the member and them until the ambulance arrived - turning it into a 3-way call in other words. So for the next 40 minutes I was in a conference call with the paramedics as well as the member relaying her daughter's condition and advice I was being given from the ambulance service. When the ambulance arrived I was as relieved as anyone.

The good news is that the daughter had a daughter of her own that evening. And of course our patrol managed to do a temporary repair on the car's exhaust so that the member could drive it.

Now that is what I call a happy ending.

Baljit Moore, AA Call Centre