Staff using mobile phone. complaint?

[t o m]

A couple of days ago when I was on a CrossCountry train the 'Train Host' was using his personal mobile phone. This isn't the main issue, I'm not sure what the company policy is. The host was was having an argument over the phone, I presume with his girlfriend, and complaining about working. He was very frustrated and using quite coarse language. It seemed most unproffesional to me. I think the whole carriage could hear his argument. At the time I felt very much like making a complaint, I know we all have personal problems but we shouldn't let them impact on our work, especially letting customers know. If he has a problem perhaps he should turn his phone off when working. I'm sorry if I've not explained the situation very well but I'm not sure when other people would consider making complaints in similar situations.

 

[CarterUSM]

A couple of days ago when I was on a CrossCountry train the 'Train Host' was using his personal mobile phone. This isn't the main issue, I'm not sure what the company policy is. The host was was having an argument over the phone, I presume with his girlfriend, and complaining about working. He was very frustrated and using quite coarse language. It seemed most unproffesional to me. I think the whole carriage could hear his argument. At the time I felt very much like making a complaint, I know we all have personal problems but we shouldn't let them impact on our work, especially letting customers know. If he has a problem perhaps he should turn his phone off when working. I'm sorry if I've not explained the situation very well but I'm not sure when other people would consider making complaints in similar situations.

If you feel that strongly about it, then complain, if you don't, then leave it be.

 

[scotsman]

I suggest you give the lad a break, odds are that he's great 99.9% of the time, but something's going on at the moment and he's kept his phone on to avoid allegations of ignoring/not caring about his girlfriend. That and he'll be stressed to hell.

 

[Mojo]

If you feel that strongly about it, then complain, if you don't, then leave it be.

I agree. A good response.

If one were to complain I don't know what would come out of it. It would not be feasible for management to take any real action without real evidence of it happening. Even if CCTV were fitted (which it is not on XC services, except in the luggage area) I doubt if it would be that serious to go through the hassle of finding information.

Probably the only way of anything occurring would have been if their management were on the train and overhearing this. If it were my employee I'd first want to find out what was going on and if there is any way that I could help. I know personally that I've been in a panic or difficult situation where I want to find out information from someone on my phone whilst I'm at work and that going up there to tell them off is not the right thing to do!

 

[GB]

How do you know it was his personal phone?

I know we all have personal problems but we shouldn't let them impact on our work, especially letting customers know.

Easy enough to say, not so easy to do.

 

[t o m]

I'm certain it was his personal phone from things he was talking about. I've never really complained about anything before but I was just suprised at the behaviour. Surely even if you were having personal problems then your wife/girlfriend etc... should still know not to call you at work. I can hardly imagine he was stressed, all he did was drag the refreshment trolley from one end of the carriage to the other. I did consider that making a complaint could make things worse or that it probably wouldn't be followed up. I'm just more interested in other peoples views on the situation.

 

[Tom B]

I once had a guard do something similar, having just made an announcement about how the quiet coach is to be kept quiet etc he stood at one end of it and had a long phone conversation with a friend, arranging a trip to the pub by the sounds of it. When I asked him if I was actually in the quiet coach, he said "It's different if I do it". Charming gentleman!

 

[Tufty]

Just walk away and leave it mate. You don't know what circumstances the person was working under. We work very unsocial hours on the railways and it can put a strain on relationships. Early starts, late finishes, long shifts and overtime can sometimes take there toll. We can all have a bad day!

 

[t o m]

Just walk away and leave it mate. You don't know what circumstances the person was working under. We work very unsocial hours on the railways and it can put a strain on relationships. Early starts, late finishes, long shifts and overtime can sometimes take there toll. We can all have a bad day!

Fair enough. I'm not trying to get him sacked or anything. There is a time and a place though to be honest. Also I'm new to this forum so don't want to fall out with everyone yet! I can't really articulate what I want to say about this. Like I said I'm mostly just wondering what other people thought. I was just more surprised about his behaviour.

 

[CarterUSM]

Fair enough. I'm not trying to get him sacked or anything. There is a time and a place though to be honest. Also I'm new to this forum so don't want to fall out with everyone yet! I can't really articulate what I want to say about this. Like I said I'm mostly just wondering what other people thought. I was just more surprised about his behaviour.

I am not really that surprised, many people nowadays seem to have no inhibition about blethering away into a phone giving away a personal insight into their life! I came across a chap on train buying something over the phone loudly disclosing his debit card number, expiry date, security number, and full name!

 

[WestCoast]

I came across a chap on train buying something over the phone loudly disclosing his debit card number, expiry date, security number, and full name!

Yes, there was a woman on a train I was on a few weeks ago doing the same thing! You just don't do that...:roll:

Where was the member of staff using his phone? Was it in the carriage or in the vestibule?

If it has to be done, then do it somewhere away from the passengers.

 

[t o m]

Where was the member of staff using his phone? Was it in the carriage or in the vestibule?

If it has to be done, then do it somewhere away from the passengers.

It was by the door but it wasn't a vestibule as such, I'm not a train expert. Sort of an open vestibule if that makes sense...

 

[andyfrommk]

It was by the door but it wasn't a vestibule as such, I'm not a train expert. Sort of an open vestibule if that makes sense...

Do you know the class of train? if not, what route was the train on?

 

[me123]

I see mobile phones used all the time on Scotrail, and I've never once had reason to complain. If it was getting in the way of their duties or customer service, then that's a different issue.

If he was (as you've suggested) swearing loudly so that the whole carriage can hear, I would be tempted to complain because that's wholly unacceptable IMO.

 

[YorkshireBear]

It;s similar to the complaint/query on another thread about a LM guard. We dont know exactly whats happening. Some situations, ie the one he was in where it sounded like an arguement with girlfriend, sometimes it should be left. General natter conversations ie arranging pub or just gossiping maybe not turn such a blind eye.

 

[WestCoast]

It was by the door but it wasn't a vestibule as such, I'm not a train expert. Sort of an open vestibule if that makes sense...

I think I do were you on a Nottingham - Cardiff / Birmingham - Stansted Airport route (or a part of one of those routes) on one of these trains (class 170)

 

[t o m]

I think I do were you on a Nottingham - Cardiff / Birmingham - Stansted Airport route (or a part of one of those routes) on one of these trains (class 170)

Yeah thats the one, genius. I don't know the names of many types of train. The train was terminating in Birmingham.

 

[Mojo]

I think I do were you on a Nottingham - Cardiff / Birmingham - Stansted Airport route (or a part of one of those routes) on one of these trains (class 170)

Yeah thats the one, genius. I don't know the names of many types of train. The train was terminating in Birmingham.

CrossCountry don't employ the catering staff on these trains. It's done by a contractor called The Facilities Partner.

http://www.thefacilitiespartner.co.uk/

 

[WestCoast]

Yeah thats the one, genius. I don't know the names of many types of train. The train was terminating in Birmingham.

The "open-vestibule" was the giveaway - these trains don't have many places to hide. If it was a CrossCountry Voyager or HST the guy could of hid somewhere!

On the train you went the guard/conductor can go to the back cab but the "host" pushing the trolley doesn't have somewhere private.
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---
Unfortunately, private contractors on the railways don't have the best reputation. RailGourment staff are usually OK though, don't know much about this company..

 

[spoony]

A couple of days ago when I was on a CrossCountry train the 'Train Host' was using his personal mobile phone. This isn't the main issue, I'm not sure what the company policy is. The host was was having an argument over the phone, I presume with his girlfriend, and complaining about working. He was very frustrated and using quite coarse language. It seemed most unproffesional to me. I think the whole carriage could hear his argument. At the time I felt very much like making a complaint, I know we all have personal problems but we shouldn't let them impact on our work, especially letting customers know. If he has a problem perhaps he should turn his phone off when working. I'm sorry if I've not explained the situation very well but I'm not sure when other people would consider making complaints in similar situations.

I dont know whether to , :roll:, or be for you! You dont know anything about the situation!

 

[t o m]

I see, I feel more enlightend on the subject already! I used the term 'Train Host' as that's what it said on their badge. To be fair to XC that was the only train out of the 8 I travelled on over the two days to check my ticket! Didn't even have to go through any ticket barriers anywhere either.

 

[Ferret]

Those guys aren't XC employees then - they are employed by whoever it is that has the catering contract for the 170 side....

 

[RPM]

I'd be inclined to let it lie. The guy is obviously going through a bad time. OK, it wasn't very professional but give him a break and don't make his problems worse.

 

[TheBigD]

As mentioned earlier they work for the facilities partner.

Minimum wage as well.

Personnally I'd say give the guy a break.

 

[WestCoast]

'Train Host'

Don't worry about that, CrossCountry and Virgin in particular make titles sound grander.

There's no more guards / conductors, they're now "train managers" and catering assistants are now "train hosts", but that's a separate discussion / argument

 

[Flywaver]

As mentioned earlier they work for the facilities partner.

Minimum wage as well.

Personnally I'd say give the guy a break.

May of been getting stress from the Guard!