How do you define professionalism?

This question crossed my mind today during my continual wait for my apartment to replace the padding that was removed from my carpet in February due to a water leak from my water heater.  Below are two situations.  I'm not looking for an "answer;" however, they came to mind as I pondered how I define professionalism.

Situation 1: (about a week ago)

Resident calls the apartment office.  No one is available to answer the phone, so the resident is sent to the answering machine, which gives the instructions to leave a message, name, and phone number to receive a call-back.  Two days later, the resident has not received a call back.  The resident takes the time to visit the apartment office to deal with the issue.

Situation 2: (today)

Maintenance person visits the resident's apartment.  Maintenance person asks the resident if the carpet padding has been replaced.  Resident says "No.  Since Feburary it has not been restored."  Maintenance person acknowledges the response and leaves. (Full disclosure:  I have no issue with the maintenance personell.  The person that came by is a good guy and has solved other maintenance issues for me in the past).

An hour passes.  The resident calls the apartment office and tells a staff member that a maintenance person came by an hour ago, asked about the padding, then left.  The resident then asks the staff member (whose name was spoken inaudibly earlier -- the resident should've asked for the name again) will the maintenance person be coming back by, for he "cannot waste any more time sitting around."  The staff member cannot respond with an answer, so she tells the resident she'll find out an call him back.

Forty-five minutes pass.  The resident decides to walk to the office, so ask the aforementioned question in person, since he is no longer confident that call-backs are actually made.  Upon entering the office, the management staff recognize the resident.  The resident asks the management woman at the desk the same question adding that forty-five minutes seems to be an reasonable amount of time for a person to ask if a maintenance person will return to an apartment and call a resident back with "yes" or "no."  The management woman leaves to find out if a maintenance person will be returning to the resident's apartment.

In the meantime another management woman sees the resident, recognizes the resident, and asks if the carpet padding has been taken care of.  The resident responds "no."  That management woman looks displeased.  At that time the original management woman returns to tell the resident that the actual manager of the apartment needs to order the padding and instructs the resident to come by or call tomorrow to find out when the installation will take place.  The resident asks what time should he call?  The management woman seems annoyed at the question and tells the resident 11 AM.  The resident thanks her for the information, and as he's leaving is asked for the apartment number and phone number.  The resident gives the information and departs.

// End situations

Aside from the job of the padding not being completed, I have an issue wasting time waiting for a call-back that was apparently never going to occur.  There are greater evils than this in the world; however, I take my time seriously.  As the title suggests, I wonder if my idea of professional behavior is somehow different from what most people think professional behavior is.