Moving Is Hell: A Tale of Public Vs. Private Service

This past week has been insanely stressful, stemming from an apartment move spanning all of three blocks to a new residence here in Los Angeles. Universally, as a species, we can all agree that moving is one of the worst things that can happen to a person, and that certain forms of physical trauma would be preferred. And this all before you deal with the most incompetent government workers this side of the Obamacare programmers.The LA Department of Water and Power has a government-bestowed monopoly over Los Angeles and its residents, thus for my impending apartment move I needed to liaise with them to transfer my service. You'd think this would be an easy process - simply call the LADWP and make it happen. So I pick up the phone and call. The system is fully automated, but after a few minutes I finally wind my way through to the extension I need to reach to transfer my power to a new address, only to be informed that the "LADWP is experiencing high call volume and will have extended wait times. Please call back later or another day." I hang up.A few hours go by and I call again, to have the exact same message greet me. This is on Tuesday. I wait a day and call again Wednesday. No luck. I'm told there is a 40 minute wait, I'm at work, and I can't stay on the phone that long. I also don't want to.But wait! There is an online form to transfer service. However, you need your 47 digit account number to access it - which I don't have, since I haven't received a bill in a month (LADWP bills every 2 months). So I email  using their "convenient" online contact form, simply saying all I need is my account number, can someone call me or email me, etc. I get an auto-email saying:

Dear Brian McWilliams,Thank you for contacting the Los Angeles Department of Water & Power (LADWP). Your email has been submitted and will be reviewed soon. A response will be sent as soon as possible should you require a reply.To ensure a quicker reply, please include the entire THREAD ID including brackets [ ] as is provided in the subject line of this email in any and all future emails with the LADWP regarding this matter.Sincerely,LADWP Customer Service

It is currently a full 7 days later and I have received no response, whatsoever.Time being short and my move coming up, I decided to go to the LADWP office in person to sort this out. When I arrived there were 5 people in line and 2 teller windows open. Each person took roughly 8 minutes to do whatever they had to do, meaning it was 40 minutes before I got to speak to the unbelievably old, blind, and incompetent woman behind the window. I should have just stayed on hold on the phone. This woman asked me what I needed, then immediately told me to get back in line, as someone that was ahead of me had come back. Fine. Another window finally opens up and I speak with another woman, tell her what I need to do and that I'm moving into my new apartment the next day (Saturday) and how I have tried 5 times to get my power transferred. She informs me that since it's Friday, they can't turn my power on until Monday. Because it takes 3 days to process. 3 days...to simply enter in a computer that there is a new person to send a bill to. The power is already on, they just have to change the name. Yet...this takes 3 days.This is when I lose it.I inform at her that I called 3 times and every time there was "high call volume and was told to call back later," and that I don't have the time to stay on hold. I also tell her that I emailed 2 days ago (and again Thursday) and had zero response. She says there isn't anything she can do."I guess I'll just sit around in the dark! God forbid the only source of power in the county work on weekends!" was my closing statement before I stormed out.The ONLY source of power available, and they are forcing me to sit in the dark with no power for 2 days. Let's juxtapose this with private industry. I'll take two companies, both of which I use and both of which I needed to transfer to my new address.First up, Dish Network.I call them up, spend 1 minute to navigate to the extension I need to reach and then spend 10 minutes transferring service. It would have taken 5 minutes but I was haggling down the price and getting perks for my continued patronage. Because, you see, in a free market system, competition forces companies to work with customers to keep their business. I end up getting  sweetheart deal."When do you want the service installed?" they ask."How about Sunday?" is my reply."Sure, a technician will be there between 12-5pm and call you before to let you know an exact time that day."Dynamite.Next, Time Warner Cable, which I use for internet.I call them up, spend 1 minute in the system and speak with a rep."Transfer service? Sure. Sunday? Sure, what time would you like? 3pm? Done, our tech will be there at that time."Two companies, less than 20 minutes and they will install to fit my schedule. THAT is private industry. THAT is the free market, where companies need to respond to customer needs and demand.It's a travesty that many local governments maintain monopolies on water and power and that we are forced to be at their utterly inept will. It is absolutely ridiculous that people would be without power because of bureaucratic idiocy.The only bright side is that the same incompetence that led me to potentially be without power actually enabled me to have power all weekend, since the government dolts also didn't shut the power off at the requested date.You just can't beat the free market - the sooner we can dismantle these government monopolies the better.Receive access to ALL of our EXCLUSIVE bonus audio content – including “Conspiracy Corner”, “Degenerate Gamblers” and the “League of Liberty Podcast” by joining the Lions of Liberty Pride and supporting us on Patreon!