VT Inconsistent Response Times to Complaints

[gray1404]

I have noticed some inconsistency's with Virgin Trains West Coast response times at the moment which making we wonder why. I had cause to write to them about 2 journeys. One was the week before and another some 27 days earlier which I had only just for around to claiming for. For the latter one there were also some service failings in the first class in terms of not receiving food (which although some could say you are not by rights entitled to) and in my experience its always worth mentioning this if you happen to have the need to write in about a delay. For both of these delays I sent in an email for Customer Relations. First email was sent about 11pm one evening from my personal email (as it was for leisure travel) and the second one, around 2am the next morning (some 3 hours later) from my business email address as it related to a business trip.

For the first email I sent I heard back from them 5 days later in the post with the RTVs for the delay. It was their standard "due to the high correspondences received by this officer we are unable to address your points in full." letter but they still enclosed the RTVs. However, for the second email (sent some 3 hours later) I have still not heard anything.

I contacted them though their website live chat and was advised they have a lot of correspondence at the moment and I will get a full reply within 28 working days. I had already allocated a separate reference number for the second case and said that a member of their correspondences team will look at it in due course. Its so inconsistent their response times.

Does anyone know why this would be happening that sometimes you hear back in a matter of days and for others you have to wait up to the full 28 days?

 

[Simon11]

You can look at their performance -Complaints responded to within 20 working days by train operating company

https://dataportal.orr.gov.uk/displayreport/report/html/370a7643-9eea-4255-a7f1-dbceed86faba

 

[Qwerty133]

If I am reading this right the one you got a response to was a basic delay repay request, while the other one also mentions other service failures. (at least) Some TOCs have staff that only deal with delay repay, and another set of staff for other correspondence.
If this is the case the 2 different teams may have different workloads.

 

[gray1404]

Yes, you've read that right. The outstanding one there were other service failings along with a simple delay (i.e. the VT it's self was 32 minutes late and it was a strict point to point VT journey.) On the one that got the fast reply though, although it was just claiming for a delay it did still require a detailed letter as the VT was only 10 minutes late but tht caused me to miss a connection with another TOC and then there was a another delay again further down the line. So it was still a 1 page letter.

 

[gordonthemoron]

VT are usually very prompt, i.e. 5 days for RTVs

 

[gray1404]

I followed this up with them on their live chat and was told I have to wait upto 28 days. I contacted them on Tweeter again and asked where it was up to in the que and they said they would "have someone look into my complaint and reply to me." Think I best sit back now and wait for the 28 days to play out.

 

[6Gman]

VT are usually very prompt, i.e. 5 days for RTVs

Not in my experience!