VTEC Weekend First price confusion

[SaveECRewards]

It's amazing how the VTEC social media team still get this wrong. It wasn't from this weekend but earlier this month they claimed that weekend first Newcastle to Aberdeen was £25.

It's not the most difficult thing remember.
If your journey does NOT start/finish at KGX/SVG it is £15 regardless of length.

If your journey is a 'short' journey to/from KGX/SVG it's also £15

If it's a 'long' journey to/from KGX/SVG it's £25

Long is defined as York or Leeds and points north of there.

 

[SaveECRewards]

Well same happened today as well. Someone asked Aberdeen to York, initial reply was between £15-25pp. Then asked to clarify and settled on £25

Problem is if they're mistakenly charged the wrong amount by the guard they won't realise this (last time I upgraded to weekend first I was charged the right price but the ticket had a different start point than I did) and also giving the wrong price may put someone off upgrading.

 

[Starmill]

Their twitter team very rarely appear to give advice that's good, or even correct on a basic factual level.

 

[Dhassell]

They didn't claim "It is 100% £25" they said they think it is, the guard should be able to clarify...

 

[Deerfold]

They didn't claim "It is 100% £25" they said they think it is, the guard should be able to clarify...

Though they really should be able to clarify too, or what's the point in having them answer questions?

 

[ainsworth74]

Their twitter team very rarely appear to give advice that's good, or even correct on a basic factual level.

But their meme and gif game is top notch...

 

[roversfan2001]

But their meme and gif game is top notch...

That's all you need to "Arrive Awesome".

 

[Starmill]

That's all you need to "Arrive Awesome".

But what about the Spandau Ballet???

 

[Deerfold]

But what about the Spandau Ballet???

Please, no.

 

[CyrusWuff]

One of the issues causing the confusion is the fact that you can no longer buy an upgrade in advance (though I can't recall which iteration of East Coast changed that), so the prices have been removed from the Fares Database, making it harder to check which upgrade applies to a given flow.

 

[yorkie]

The VTEC twitter team are absolutely hopeless.

I don't know who provides the training, but their performance is woefully inadequate.

They don't just get things wrong, but they are also anti-customer at times. They seem to be more bothered about posting tedious memes that convey a very unprofessional image.

Perhaps the intention is to put passengers off travelling with them? If so, they're very good at their jobs.

 

[Chrism20]

The VTEC twitter team are absolutely hopeless.

I don't know who provides the training, but their performance is woefully inadequate.

They don't just get things wrong, but they are also anti-customer at times. They seem to be more bothered about posting tedious memes that convey a very unprofessional image.

Perhaps the intention is to put passengers off travelling with them? If so, they're very good at their jobs.

I couldn't agree more, they are an absolute disgrace. There is very little focus on customer service at all.

It seems to have got a lot worse over the last eight weeks or so and at times it's like a twelve year old has just discovered how to make a meme

 

[Merseysider]

I couldn't agree more, they are an absolute disgrace. There is very little focus on customer service at all.

It seems to have got a lot worse over the last eight weeks or so and at times it's like a twelve year old has just discovered how to make a meme

You may be onto something there...

 

[Starmill]

One of the issues causing the confusion is the fact that you can no longer buy an upgrade in advance (though I can't recall which iteration of East Coast changed that), so the prices have been removed from the Fares Database, making it harder to check which upgrade applies to a given flow.

They are still there, but they don't mean anything to anyone not in the know. Try London Terminals to I005 for £15 and I006 for £25.

 

[SaveECRewards]

They didn't claim "It is 100% £25" they said they think it is, the guard should be able to clarify...

Is it not too difficult to look it up? As the options are £15 or £25 they'd be more accurate tossing a coin!

After all if you're asking about the price of an upgrade it means you're considering it but not 100% sure. You want to make a decision before boarding so you can take a seat in first class rather than have to hunt a guard down first to check the price, or do the 'walk of shame' back to standard class if you've taken a seat in first and then find out the price is more than you're willing to pay.

It's worse on weekday services where the upgrade fee is the fare difference. Most now mention that the cost can be quite high, but in the past people have asked if they can upgrade on board on a weekday train and the answer would just be 'yes'. Then they'd be shocked if I tell them that it could be well over £100 depending on the cost of their current ticket. I've seen it before when I've been on-board, people sitting in first class expecting an upgrade around the similar price to the weekend then being visibly shocked when the guard reveals the real price.

Things like these Seatfrog auctions also won't help, they lower people's opinions of what first class is worth.

 

[Cantab26]

You may be onto something there...

As Sir Humphrey might have said: "That's a Southern solution !"

 

[SaveECRewards]

As Sir Humphrey might have said: "That's a Southern solution !"

Eddie (work experience guy on Southern) was popular and had the sense not to guess at answers to questions.

During the Seatfrog introduction there was a certain person on VTEC Twitter who seemed to be asking people he liked the look of to 'slide into our DMs' and offer them free upgrades whereas others with problems with Seatfrog were not offered such a gesture.

There's also the inconsistency. If someone complains about not getting a WiFi code some insist they phone web support, others insist on proof of booking (fair enough) whereas others give the code out no questions asked.

Just now someone asked how early they could access the first class lounge before departure. The answer was 'I believe' one hour before departure. The correct answer is up to two hours except on peak times Friday/Sunday when it is one hour. Source: https://www.virgintrainseastcoast.com/the-east-coast-experience/first-class/first-class-lounges/

 

[silvercar]

....

Just now someone asked how early they could access the first class lounge before departure. The answer was 'I believe' one hour before departure. The correct answer is up to two hours except on peak times Friday/Sunday when it is one hour. Source: https://www.virgintrainseastcoast.com/the-east-coast-experience/first-class/first-class-lounges/

How does the time restriction apply when you don't actually have a ticket and are gaining access using "Virgin Trains East Coast Rewards One Day First Class Lounge Pass (no ticket required)"

Having won such a pass in a virgin competition and often passing through Kings Cross I did wonder what restrictions on access would be enforced.

 

[SaveECRewards]

How does the time restriction apply when you don't actually have a ticket and are gaining access using "Virgin Trains East Coast Rewards One Day First Class Lounge Pass (no ticket required)"

Having won such a pass in a virgin competition and often passing through Kings Cross I did wonder what restrictions on access would be enforced.

There's no restrictions in that case. No ticket required means you don't even need to be travelling VTEC to use the lounge.

 

[island]

The VTEC twitter team are absolutely hopeless.

I don't know who provides the training, but their performance is woefully inadequate.

They don't just get things wrong, but they are also anti-customer at times. They seem to be more bothered about posting tedious memes that convey a very unprofessional image.

Perhaps the intention is to put passengers off travelling with them? If so, they're very good at their jobs.

The memes/fights with VTWC/etc. are part of Virgin’s brand values as a carefree, positive brand that does not take itself too seriously.

 

[silvercar]

There's no restrictions in that case. No ticket required means you don't even need to be travelling VTEC to use the lounge.

Thank you.

Seems unfair on those with tickets who only get one or two hours.

I suppose it turns the lounge into something similar to Virgin Money Lounges, which require nothing in return for entry.

 

[ainsworth74]

The memes/fights with VTWC/etc. are part of Virgin’s brand values as a carefree, positive brand that does not take itself too seriously.

Which would be fine if that was backed up with some good customer service.

 

[47271]

Ah, at last now I get what's going on at VTEC. I've been old fashioned and misunderstanding them for the past year or so. They aren't delivering poor service because they're trying to cut every conceivable cost, it's because they're 'carefree'. It's a brand thing, I see. lol

 

[Deerfold]

There's no restrictions in that case. No ticket required means you don't even need to be travelling VTEC to use the lounge.

I used to use a lounge pass when travelling on a STD season - and sometimes when not even travelling. Though that was mostly before VTEC.

 

[Chrism20]

The memes/fights with VTWC/etc. are part of Virgin’s brand values as a carefree, positive brand that does not take itself too seriously.

There comes a point though when being carefree and positive turns into rude, negative and belligerent as has been seen over the last couple of weeks.

Sending out gifs and memes is all very good if the network is running to plan and any customer queries have been fully answered. I've seen gifs being posted whilst the wires have been down and trains are backing up whilst people are panicking as they have connections etc.

They don't seem to be able to grasp that not everyone is carefree and happy go lucky and that travelling can be very stressful for some people.

 

[Deerfold]

There comes a point though when being carefree and positive turns into rude, negative and belligerent as has been seen over the last couple of weeks.

Sending out gifs and memes is all very good if the network is running to plan and any customer queries have been fully answered. I've seen gifs being posted whilst the wires have been down and trains are backing up whilst people are panicking as they have connections etc.

They don't seem to be able to grasp that not everyone is carefree and happy go lucky and that travelling can be very stressful for some people.

Indeed, it's irritating when your queries are being ignored but fun quizzes are still going.

 

[SaveECRewards]

The memes/fights with VTWC/etc. are part of Virgin’s brand values as a carefree, positive brand that does not take itself too seriously.

People mostly liked or at least tolerated the Virgin style when we were happy with the service delivered (and apart from Rewards I was happy with VTEC until the cutbacks started flowing this year), when the service goes downhill but they're still pretending they're the best thing ever people start getting annoyed. Then when people ask for help you don't know if the information is going to be accurate.

 

[ainsworth74]

People mostly liked or at least tolerated the Virgin style when we were happy with the service delivered (and apart from Rewards I was happy with VTEC until the cutbacks started flowing this year), when the service goes downhill but they're still pretending they're the best thing ever people start getting annoyed. Then when people ask for help you don't know if the information is going to be accurate.

This! The Virgin 'style' was never really for me but I was willing to put up with it (with a small amount of grumbling ) but things have just started to feel like they're falling apart. Then it becomes very hard to swallow all the guff they produce.

 

[Segedunum]

I do get the impression that Virgin is turning into one huge mess.

Had a nasty run in with two of their senior looking bods who were roaming the trains checking tickets after some disruption in August. I'd long missed my Grand Central connection to London due to, ironically, Virgin's 0445 Newcastle to London going bang south of Durham, so I hopped in the first available train (itself an hour late) and seeked out the guard. They interrupted my conversation with him and said I should have to pay again before he told them to back off.

Once I'd sat down, one of the pair came and snatched my ticket, scribbling all over it in black marker for some reason, before telling a group of people that their tickets weren't valid via Stevenage to Cambridge due to Peterborough to Ely being shut (derailment) and that they'd have to pay again. That was of course nonsense. Why such anti-customer behaviour?

First Class service has been getting patchier, Twitter seems downright useless and the icing on the cake was submission of delay repay complete with scanned tickets from Exeter to Newcastle.

Reply was "sorry about your delay from *London to Edinburgh*, can you send us ticket scans please?"

Thankfully I live in Sheffield during university term time now so I rarely have to bother with them...

 

[Smidster]

I agree that the quality of the VTEC twitter account is going downhill. I don't think it is the fault of the people on the desks but they have hired people who are social media savvy instead of people with even a basic knowledge of the rules of the railway and even their own company.

Because of the way society uses social media for many people it is the first port of call for questions that would have previously been answered over the phone or at a ticket office. That means that while the kiddish attitude is fine(even if I hate it) they have to get the questions right - unfortunately there are too many cases where they are getting, sometimes very simple queries, wrong.

One that sticks out was one where a train was cancelled and passengers were instructed to get the next service. Someone asked about delay repay and they were told that they would not be entitled to compensation.

The people themselves are good but training needs to improve