First, do not count on visa officers to do "favors" because they are not obligated to. If you read many appeal cases, this is often the first line of defense they use.
For those that apply without the AOR, always call the CIC call centre when you eventually get your AOR and give them the information/your file number. Get the agent's name and politely ask him/her if they can send you an email confirmation(give your email address) of it or about the nature of your call.
You can also email the AOR to the visa office(with your name, client ID, data of birth, etc) or fax it(if you find the contact info).