SWR Guard Not Understanding Super-Off Peak ticket

[Adsy125]

I was just hoping for some advice on a complaint I'm sending to SWR. A guard today confidently told me that my Super Off-Peak return wasn't valid on my pre-midday service, despite this restriction only applying Monday - Saturday.

Monday to Saturday
Monday - Saturday, including public holidays

I think it's pretty concerning that a guard could make such a fundamental error, particularly given how other passengers might have just accepted that he was correct and paid up for the off-peak ticket instead.
I've written the below (with some AI help) as a draft complaint and I'm just wondering if anyone would change it at all? The complaint form gives them my details, as well as where I was travelling to/from. I also thought I'd attach the eTicket to the complaint too, so they can see the scans and verify (as far as possible) that it actually happened.

Dear SWR Customer Services,

I am writing to formally complain about a serious ticketing error made by one of your guards on service 1W19 on 30th March. I was travelling with a Super Off-Peak Return ticket, which, as you will be aware, is valid on Sundays without any time restrictions. However, after scanning my ticket, the guard incorrectly informed me that it was not valid before 12 pm.

This assertion was entirely incorrect. Not only was my itinerary valid by virtue of being issued with my ticket, but the restriction the guard referred to clearly applies only from Monday to Saturday, (code UP). Given how common this ticket type is, it is extremely concerning that a member of your staff was unaware of such a fundamental the rules.

What is even more troubling is that the guard stated this with confidence, without checking the specific terms of my ticket. A less informed passenger might have been pressured into purchasing an unnecessary additional ticket or, worse, unfairly reported for prosecution. This could cause unnecessary reputational damage to SWR and deter future customers from using your services.

Such a basic and significant mistake raises serious questions about the quality of training provided to your guards. I would like to understand how you intend to address this issue, both in terms of improving staff training and ensuring the individual in question is held accountable for their error and the poor treatment of passengers.

I look forward to your response.

Best regards,

 

[AlterEgo]

I'd probably explain in the email the restriction code that applies to avoid any miscommunication. "Entirely incorrect" is a bit bombastic - I'd take out the "entirely", because they were making a binary decision which can only be correct or incorrect.

A passenger cannot (or at least should not!) be reported for prosecution for using a time restricted ticket at the wrong time.

However, these types of complaints which resulted in no loss or harm to the complainant often don't even get back to the member of staff. You will receive a stock letter apologising and "promise we will look into it/rebrief our staff" and that will be that. I wouldn't waste my time trying to effect change like this. (I used to work in customer relations - I know how this goes down!)

You will certainly receive no information at all about how they "ensure the individual in question is held accountable for their error".

 

[jfollows]

Yes, your original text reads as a bit pompous and bombastic, I’d tone it down a little.

You don’t say, but were you allowed to travel with the ticket anyway? I think you imply that you were. So even less reason to moan quite as much. I don’t disagree that the guard was wrong.

 

[Adsy125]

I'd probably explain in the email the restriction code that applies to avoid any miscommunication. "Entirely incorrect" is a bit bombastic - I'd take out the "entirely", because they were making a binary decision which can only be correct or incorrect.

A passenger cannot (or at least should not!) be reported for prosecution for using a time restricted ticket at the wrong time.

However, these types of complaints which resulted in no loss or harm to the complainant often don't even get back to the member of staff. You will receive a stock letter apologising and "promise we will look into it/rebrief our staff" and that will be that. I wouldn't waste my time trying to effect change like this. (I used to work in customer relations - I know how this goes down!)

You will certainly receive no information at all about how they "ensure the individual in question is held accountable for their error".

Thanks AlterEgo. I wasn't really expecting anything to come of it, but thought it was frustrating nonetheless. I've ammended as suggested, thank you very much.

EDIT: I was allowed to travel, after showing the guard the restriction code on National Rail, but it came across like he couldn't be bothered to fight with me, rather than apologising.

 

[Lewisham2221]

This is difficult to comment on, as you give almost zero details of the actual interaction.

We don't know what ticket you held (origin, destination, restriction code). It's entirely possible that a guard wouldn't look-up a restriction code because it's one that they see regularly.

Did the guard actually threaten you with prosecution? Or that you would need to buy a whole new ticket?

What was your response? How did the guard respond to you? What was the ultimate outcome? It sounds like you weren't made to pay any extra, so it's the rest of the exchange that really makes a difference to whether this is even complaint worthy. It's rather harsh if the exchange was something like:

Guard: "This super off peak ticket is valid until after 12"

Passenger: "Actually it's valid all day on Sunday"

Guard: "Oh crap, yeah, it's Sunday today isn't it. Nevermind. All's good, sorry."

 

[fandroid]

Most "Super Off-Peak" tickets priced by SWR and seen by their staff are either called "Sunday Out" or "Evening Out" tickets. That's what probably threw the guard, when they were expecting to see the "Sunday" word.

That's no excuse, but it might be the root cause of their confusion.

 

[methecooldude]

Most "Super Off-Peak" tickets priced by SWR and seen by their staff are either called "Sunday Out" or "Evening Out" tickets. That's what probably threw the guard, when they were expecting to see the "Sunday" word.

That's no excuse, but it might be the root cause of their confusion.

Not quite, Evening/Sunday Outs are for short distance journeys that do not have an equivalent Open Return normally available to them, example: There is no Open Return for BMH <> SOU, so Evening/Sunday Out (as either a single or day return) is available in lieu of the Super Off Peak. BMH <> WAT/LON IS available as a Super Off Peak, both in Single and Open Return formats

 

[PaulJ]

Guard here - albeit not with SWR. First of all, I'm sorry you had an issue in the first place. I always maintain a professional and friendly outlook with my passengers, after all I don't want to encourage the travelling public to choose a different mode of transport as a result of poor treatment or attitude. I must check in excess of 2000 tickets weekly, but as a human being I'm as capable as the next person of the occasional brain fart. If I make one mistake from checking tickets over the course of a month, is that actually worthy of a complaint to suggest I need retraining? Most of the time, I realise at the time and apologise accordingly. I do think it's a huge leap to suggest this may have happened to many other passengers on your service though.
On the other side of the coin, to whom do I complain when a passenger boards the 10am service with an advance ticket timed for 3pm, who then refuses to purchase the correct ticket and brands me a 'jobsworth'?

 

[Hadders]

We could do with knowing exactly what ticket you held.

Also, how did the situation end? Were your details taken, were you charged an excess fare, or were you 'let off'? If details were taken then I would not send anything until you get a letter from SWR.