Good Service

[monkey]

...just on the 11:00 East Coast service from Edinburgh to London Kings Cross. used the café bar and the friendliest person served me! makes a nice change! he clearly enjoys his job and it was nice to see him joking about with his colleague etc - I like it when service is human... he even managed to upsell me a cake I didn't really want. if only all catering crew were like him - we wouldn't be getting rid of onboard catering! also the café bar was pretty well stocked which was nice... gotten really busy since newcastle which is bit off putting, but I guess trains are meant to carry people lol...

edit: such a busy train also proves why trolley service doesn't work... especially with luggage sprawling everywhere - feel sorry for the girl currently having to mak her way through the gangways...

 

[Lawman]

Yip......totally agree with your comments regarding rail personnel providing an excellent service whilst on the trains. Recently travelled from Glasgow to London, Virgin service. Cut a long story very short, me & family were booked to travel first class however other family members were travelling in standard class, we got a good deal on tickets. First class carriage was nearly empty so my poor relatives sneaked in to First class carriage with us. The Virgin crew member who was providing the refreshments on this service didnt bat an eyelid to the new arrivals in his carriage. Our family were provided with many snacks and alcohol. No names but this boy was a gem of a guy!! A credit to virgin Trains, we slipped him some wonga and he refused to take it but we held him down and forced him! Would defo hire this guy as a butler or husband but wife might not be too happy! lol

 

[AlterEgo]

I'm not really sure how allowing fare evasion is necessarily "good service". It's grave disservice to those who've paid the correct fare.

 

[MidnightFlyer]

My thoughts exactly.

I have had a good service off Shop/Buffet attendants, one which sticks out in my miond was back in VXC days and a member of Shop staff, had a Danish/Scandanavian sounding name, but was one of the best members of rail staff I have ever met.

 

[scotsman]

I've said it before and I'll say it again. Virgin staff are top people, consistently cheery, helpful and going the extra mile. Last night's train manager: "Sit back and enjoy the ride" - says it all!

 

[142094]

However if he was found out taking money from someone sitting in 1st class when they didn't have a 1st class ticket, he'd get a bollocking from his manager.

 

[MCR247]

Yip......totally agree with your comments regarding rail personnel providing an excellent service whilst on the trains. Recently travelled from Glasgow to London, Virgin service. Cut a long story very short, me & family were booked to travel first class however other family members were travelling in standard class, we got a good deal on tickets. First class carriage was nearly empty so my poor relatives sneaked in to First class carriage with us. The Virgin crew member who was providing the refreshments on this service didnt bat an eyelid to the new arrivals in his carriage. Our family were provided with many snacks and alcohol. No names but this boy was a gem of a guy!! A credit to virgin Trains, we slipped him some wonga and he refused to take it but we held him down and forced him! Would defo hire this guy as a butler or husband but wife might not be too happy! lol

So, if he'd have (quite rightly) kicked you out, would he have been a bad member of staff?

 

[scotsman]

However if he was found out taking money from someone sitting in 1st class when they didn't have a 1st class ticket, he'd get a bollocking from his manager.

Who said he checked any of their tickets? How was he meant to know they hadn't got upgrades?

 

[Lawman]

folks, lighten up!! the carriage was near empty, staff werent bothered and it was only a few other family members! **It was intentional to "fare evade". **
Regarding the money, have none of you ever gave the milk man, paper boy, windy cleaner etc a tip...

Class service yet again from Virgin!


** meant to type.. "It wasnt intentional to fair evade"..
merely some family members coming through to speak with us and sat down in first class!!!!

 

[MCR247]

Irrelevant, its still fare evading

 

[scotsman]

Indeed. In fact, can we get this taken down before someone from Virgin sees this and starts a witch hunt?

 

[Fred26]

What the hell's a 'windy cleaner'?

 

[CarterUSM]

Window cleaner. Though i'd write it as windae cleaner.

 

[Lawman]

Carter, just done in a selection box there, and nearly choked on my curly wurly laughing!! Thanks for the translation!!

 

[CarterUSM]

Carter, just done in a selection box there, and nearly choked on my curly wurly laughing!! Thanks for the translation!!

Nae worries Lawman!! I'm jealous though, i love a curly wurly, the sweet of choice for bairns!

 

[Striker]

Yip......totally agree with your comments regarding rail personnel providing an excellent service whilst on the trains. Recently travelled from Glasgow to London, Virgin service. Cut a long story very short, me & family were booked to travel first class however other family members were travelling in standard class, we got a good deal on tickets. First class carriage was nearly empty so my poor relatives sneaked in to First class carriage with us. The Virgin crew member who was providing the refreshments on this service didnt bat an eyelid to the new arrivals in his carriage. Our family were provided with many snacks and alcohol. No names but this boy was a gem of a guy!! A credit to virgin Trains, we slipped him some wonga and he refused to take it but we held him down and forced him! Would defo hire this guy as a butler or husband but wife might not be too happy! lol

Totally immoral. This is no different to popping into HMV, taking a CD, and then leaving without paying. The people who didn't pay for First Class are criminals. Simple as that. :roll:

However if he was found out taking money from someone sitting in 1st class when they didn't have a 1st class ticket, he'd get a bollocking from his manager.

Assuming this is what happened (he possibly didn't know) then this is most certainly a sackable offence on grounds of gross misconduct.

So, if he'd have (quite rightly) kicked you out, would he have been a bad member of staff?

Of course he would. Just like most people nowadays with a chip on their shoulder, they'd be posting here saying "we got thrown outa first, innit (sic)".

Who said he checked any of their tickets? How was he meant to know they hadn't got upgrades?

It was implied by the poster that he did know as he said "he just kept serving us drinks". Of course, the reality could be that he wasn't aware.

folks, lighten up!! the carriage was near empty, staff werent bothered and it was only a few other family members! It was intentional to "fare evade".
Regarding the money, have none of you ever gave the milk man, paper boy, windy cleaner etc a tip...

Class service yet again from Virgin!

Completely irrelevent and any decent human being can see this is wrong.

Indeed. In fact, can we get this taken down before someone from Virgin sees this and starts a witch hunt?

Why? Surely someone not doing their job properly by making sure people have the correct tickets needs sorting out! And even if the catering staff wasn't aware that they didn't have first class tickets, surely he should have checked? And accepting any money is completely out of order.

 

[Anvil1984]

Virgin catering staff (or at least they were when I was there) are allowed to accept gratuities so accepting money isn't as out of order as is being made out, its just a 'tip' which is common in the service industry (catering staff can accept them, revenue staff are forbidden)
Again I am on the side of the majority who think that the free upgrade shouldnt have been allowed, I know it is sometimes overlooked if it is an ill / old person and the TM wants to keep an eye out for them, but not just because they have plonked themselves down because they know someone in there., most would have chucked them out for the cheek or even worse would have charged as they have used the facilities

 

[Striker]

Virgin catering staff (or at least they were when I was there) are allowed to accept gratuities so accepting money isn't as out of order as is being made out,

How about accepting money in return for turning a blind eye to someone who shouldn't be in first?

 

[Anvil1984]

If they dont know they aren't supposed to be in there. Depends on what the TM says as regards to allowing the catering crew checked tickets, it often difffers from not allowing them to do them, to do them all and buzz me if I need to sell one. I cannot condon or condemn the catering crew until thats know. All i can say is someone didnt check..

 

[Striker]

If they dont know they aren't supposed to be in there. Depends on what the TM says as regards to allowing the catering crew checked tickets, it often difffers from not allowing them to do them, to do them all and buzz me if I need to sell one. I cannot condon or condemn the catering crew until thats know. All i can say is someone didnt check..

Is it the responsibility of the catering crew to check the tickets in order to provide the refreshments, or do they just assume they've got the right to be in there?

 

[TomJ93]

As far as I know it isn't their responsibility, personally if I had sat in 1st without a ticket I would've refused the refreshments.

 

[Failed Unit]

Is it the responsibility of the catering crew to check the tickets in order to provide the refreshments, or do they just assume they've got the right to be in there?

On Scotrail they assume that they have the correct tickets, that is probably one reason why the trolley is gone from 6 coach sets (front 3) as they never get the tickets checked on the front 3 and we have no corridor connection. I am not sure if the catering teams have the right to ask for tickets. On east coast they always ask in the resteraunt if you have a first class ticket but never request to really see it. A bit of honesty which could be abused by hungry standard class passengers!

 

[OMGitsDAVE]

Rather than give the man the 'tip' why didn't you just shell out a little more cash for first class?

Wrong if you ask me, and thats all I have to say on the matter.

 

[CarterUSM]

How about accepting money in return for turning a blind eye to someone who shouldn't be in first?

When did that happen?

 

[scotsman]

Why? Surely someone not doing their job properly by making sure people have the correct tickets needs sorting out!

We don't know he was doing his job incorrectly, there is some degree of ambiguity that a manager may use against him.

And even if the catering staff wasn't aware that they didn't have first class tickets, surely he should have checked? And accepting any money is completely out of order.

Nope, they might not check/be asked to check/authorised to check. Accepting money is not out of order, he serves the passengers - often people tip after good service.

 

[jon0844]

Aside from the fact I wouldn't upgrade myself illegally, if I was OFFERED to sit in first class by a guard/TM who technically shouldn't offer such things, I really wouldn't go and tell anyone else.

 

[Striker]

As far as I know it isn't their responsibility, personally if I had sat in 1st without a ticket I would've refused the refreshments.

I think if you're the sort of free-loading parasite to sit in first class without a ticket you wouldn't think twice about accepting free drinks.

I am not sure if the catering teams have the right to ask for tickets.

I think if they're handing out free drinks on the basis OF that ticket then they should have every right to demand proof of your entitlement.

When did that happen?

Not saying it did. I'm just making the very small step from someone handing out free refreshments to someone being a bit more "generous" in exchange for a tip.

We don't know he was doing his job incorrectly, there is some degree of ambiguity that a manager may use against him.

I was thinking more about the guard who according to the OP "didn't seem to be bothered" that there were people sat in First who shouldn't have been.

Accepting money is not out of order, he serves the passengers - often people tip after good service.

Oh pluurssee. Let's not encourage a system like it is in the U.S. where they tip every man and his dog. The staff member was doing his job and giving out free drinks. Why the need to tip? There's a big difference between that and a waiter in a restaurant serving a table for two hours. :roll:

I'm actually quite stunned that Lawman would come on here and admit to sneaking his family into First Class. There doesn't appear to be any shame in it!!

 

[DaveNewcastle]

. . . . . if I was OFFERED to sit in first class by a guard/TM who technically shouldn't offer such things, I really wouldn't go and tell anyone else.

That's surely the best way to leave such incidents - in silence.

I will add, though, that good catering crew are probably going to have a good training and background in catering and hospitality and take pride in giving good service - there's still quite a number like this working in restaurant cars as well as providing at-seat-service.
And it is perfectly acceptable to offer 'tips' for good service.

On the other hand, it is not normally the responsibility of catering staff to check tickets (whether for the correct class or other issues of validity) so its unreasonable to confuse the alledged permission to remain in First and receive the benefits of First travel with the duties of ticket inspection. In fact, it would be appropriate for catering staff to leave any ticketing issues for the appropriate person and, in return, not expect a guard to tell them how to present a bottle of wine!

PS. Anyone else here find 'Lawman''s username ironic in this context?

 

[scotsman]

I was thinking more about the guard who according to the OP "didn't seem to be bothered" that there were people sat in First who shouldn't have been.

"staff" could refer to anyone in a uniform - given that the train was quiet, I'd imagine that the "staff" in question were probably catering staff - let's not incriminate anyone without

Oh pluurssee. Let's not encourage a system like it is in the U.S. where they tip every man and his dog. The staff member was doing his job and giving out free drinks. Why the need to tip? There's a big difference between that and a waiter in a restaurant serving a table for two hours. :roll:

He was tipping the guy because he didn't appear to care about the family members in First Class - which he probably didn't know were there illegally.

 

[ralphchadkirk]

As far as I see it, they were wrong to sit in first class without the correct ticket. Tipping a member of catering staff is fine, and this man must have thought he was getting it for his service, where in fact it was a thanks for turning a blind eye. The employee isn't in the wrong - he wouldn't have known they didn't have tickets - the passengers were.