Nothing new...
Well apart from the serious destruction.
Years ago (before the internet...) we'd sometimes ring people up to ask where they wanted the half ton of coal dropped off as 'our driver will be there in 10 minutes and needs to offload'.... We could get them asking the neighbours as well sometimes...
And then there was the 'Water Board' needing to check the 'systems' - could they turn on all their taps and flush the loo....
Bored office life that was.