Passenger or Customer?

[Xenophon PCDGS]

I have heard the terminology of "passenger trains" as one being used since the onset of railway travel, but never the term "customer trains".

 

[EM2]

Customers are passengers who have bought a ticket.

Surely passengers are customers who have bought a ticket?

 

[185]

How sad are you?

Rather cheerful actually... when I learnt that the Chef on the 1630 ex Kings Cross had done something 'rather horrific' to an whinging, complaining MP's soup sat in 1st.

"Oooh, that's much better" said the moaning sponger.

 

[Nonsense]

Passengers are customers of the railways
Shoppers are the supermarket's customers
Guests are the customers of a hotel

Its not rocket science.

Tesco is a customer of the railway too, but you'd be stretching it to call them a passenger.

Can't see the controversy here.
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Rather cheerful actually... when I learnt that the Chef on the 1630 ex Kings Cross had done something 'rather horrific' to an whinging, complaining MP's soup sat in 1st.

"Oooh, that's much better" said the moaning sponger.

If by horrific you mean unhygienic, and it amuses you, then sad is rather descriptive.

 

[Flamingo]

To be fair, we are not passengers on trains, neither are we customers..... we're just cattle!

If you were cattle, then I'd be issued with a cattle prod - and would willingly use it http://youtu.be/6D0RQEDAO8k

 

[newbie babs]

Customers have a "customer service" for complaints (supposed to help)
Passengers have "passenger information" for advice (also supposed to help)

So i don't think it matters perhaps we should think of a new name

 

[aspierail]

Passenger all the way.

 

[SS4]

I'd say it's a combination of both. From station to station when making a journey we are passengers but when buying tickets (whether walk up or advance, at the station or online) or more generally dealing with the fiscal side of the contract we are customers regardless of whether it's before or after we travel.

 

[Bittern]

Customers have a "customer service" for complaints (supposed to help)
Passengers have "passenger information" for advice (also supposed to help)

So i don't think it matters perhaps we should think of a new name

Cussenger? Pastomer?

 

[Drsatan]

I'd say it's a combination of both. From station to station when making a journey we are passengers but when buying tickets (whether walk up or advance, at the station or online) or more generally dealing with the fiscal side of the contract we are customers regardless of whether it's before or after we travel.

Having said that, I think a passenger is still a passenger, not a customer when buying a ticket because the purchase of a ticket means in theory intent to travel, making anyone who purchases a ticket a 'passenger'.

Likewise, no-one has ever referred to someone purchasing a ticket from a bus driver as a 'customer' just because he/she is buying a ticket.

 

[TUC]

'Passenger' sounds like someone who happens to be being carried on a train service, like 'freight'. 'Customer' gives a far better sense of the core role they have. Rail services are about customers and customers alone.
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If the poll results were split between those who do and do not work in the rail industry I wonder what difference it would show? I suspect its within the rail industry itself that there's he real resistance to using 'customers'.

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

The fact that the poll on this thread of those who have voted so far only gives a figure of 8.51% in favour of the term "customer" says much to give an answer to the thread question.

 

[LE Greys]

'Passenger' sounds like someone who happens to be being carried on a train service, like 'freight'. 'Customer' gives a far better sense of the core role they have. Rail services are about customers and customers alone.
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If the poll results were split between those who do and do not work in the rail industry I wonder what difference it would show? I suspect its within the rail industry itself that there's he real resistance to using 'customers'.

I have never worked in the rail industry, yet I actually feel slightly offended when called a "customer". I prefer to retain my special status as a passenger than become just another customer of just another industry, thank you very much.