XC First Host overheard complaining about "abusive" passenger!

[tgsh2011]

I was travelling today on an XC service from Birmingham New Street to Manchester Piccadilly in 1st. This is the first time I have had the 'pleasure' of 1st on XC; usually being a regular on VT in 1st. I had read on here of various issues with the service. Suffice to say 70% of the menu advertised was unavailable and there were no soft drinks at all save for orange juice.

Anyway, I saw two passengers (not me lol) approach the host and complain (quite politely in my view) about the lack of the advertised service. The host blamed a flu epidemic, frozen food, and some other 'excuses'. One guy pointed out that this seems to be the case on nearly every XC service he was on. He walked away. Five minutes later the host is overheard moaning to some other passenger (a mate it seems) that he was fed up with taking "abuse".

Now this got me quite annoyed actually. The two passengers had done nothing other than politely point out they were not getting (once again) the advertised service. They were not abusive in anyway. Yet here is a member of XC staff slagging off a customer for nothing more than the customer asserting his 'rights'. This, in my view, is where customer service is going wrong. It seems to me that if anyone challenges a person in a customer facing environment they are immediately accused of abuse, or of being aggressive. This is actively encouraged by the "authorities" who put up these posters about non tolerance etc. How about posters encouraging TOCS to deliver the service they ADVERTISE and encouraging staff to deal reasonably with legitimate complaints?

 

[MidnightFlyer]

Ah, I wouldn't detail the exact service here, for all we know XC's MD could read this!

 

[tgsh2011]

Ah, I wouldn't detail the exact service here, for all we know XC's MD could read this!

Forgive me, but ain't that the point? Or is it policy not to reveal exact service, if so I can edit lol!

 

[Nym]

Things can be taken the wrong way and people can loose their jobs, homes, and families over something that has been mistyped...

For all anyone knows it could be an abusive pax on the previous service. And the staff in question just as sick of the situation as the pax, I know I was when my hands where tied in customer service.

 

[tgsh2011]

Duly edited!

 

[Schnellzug]

Lose their jobs, homes and families? Will they be taken away to the Gulags as well?

 

[Tin Rocket]

Lose their jobs, homes and families? Will they be taken away to the Gulags as well?

sent to the eastern front

 

[AlterEgo]

I was travelling today on an XC service from Birmingham New Street to Manchester Piccadilly in 1st. This is the first time I have had the 'pleasure' of 1st on XC; usually being a regular on VT in 1st. I had read on here of various issues with the service. Suffice to say 70% of the menu advertised was unavailable and there were no soft drinks at all save for orange juice.

Anyway, I saw two passengers (not me lol) approach the host and complain (quite politely in my view) about the lack of the advertised service. The host blamed a flu epidemic, frozen food, and some other 'excuses'. One guy pointed out that this seems to be the case on nearly every XC service he was on. He walked away. Five minutes later the host is overheard moaning to some other passenger (a mate it seems) that he was fed up with taking "abuse".

Now this got me quite annoyed actually. The two passengers had done nothing other than politely point out they were not getting (once again) the advertised service. They were not abusive in anyway. Yet here is a member of XC staff slagging off a customer for nothing more than the customer asserting his 'rights'. This, in my view, is where customer service is going wrong. It seems to me that if anyone challenges a person in a customer facing environment they are immediately accused of abuse, or of being aggressive. This is actively encouraged by the "authorities" who put up these posters about non tolerance etc. How about posters encouraging TOCS to deliver the service they ADVERTISE and encouraging staff to deal reasonably with legitimate complaints?

How do you know they weren't talking about another passenger on another (previous) train?

 

[tgsh2011]

How do you know they weren't talking about another passenger on another (previous) train?

Umm because they were about 1 metre from me and referring to the gentleman who had just complained!

 

[Michael.Y]

Sorry, but I don't see why stock levels can't be managed correctly, especially on IC services with all their facilities. I'm aware stock management levels can be a lottery sometimes. As a trolley steward, I have to ensure I balance the unknown needs of my travellers whilst ensuring I carry a reasonable amount of stock taking care to minimise potential wastage.

As it happens, there are only two items on my trolley that can "waste" -- those being the filter coffee and the sandwiches. The filter coffee is no big deal as I usually sell out of that - on the rare occasions I don't, I usually get 8-10 cups sold out of my 12-cup pot. The sandwiches however can be a right pain -- You either go hell for leather and fully stock up, hoping to sell them all, or you be conservative and just get 2 or 3 at your tank meet.

Of course, Murphy's Law dictates that when you play the first card, no-one wants a sandwich (I did a Holyhead boat train run the other day and sold just one.) The other tenet of Murphy's Law dictates if you are conservative and only take the minimum 3 with you, rather than stocking up at the depot meets, you sell out by Colwyn Bay and then you have nothing to offer your incoming Irish Sea travellers.

The rest of the stock is immaterial, as it does not waste (beyond normal sell-by dates), but sometimes you can feel a bit foolish coming home with a trolley laden with unsold stock. Or at least I do anyway.

Incidentally the only reason sandwiches "waste" is due to the dry ice melting and the temperature of the cool box going above the maximum allowed, thus invoking the Four Hour Rule. On services where there is a plug-in fridge and all the rest, there's no excuse.

 

[Anvil1984]

Having done the job myself previously I do have sympathy for the First Class Host here. Yes it isnt the service as advertised but it isnt thier personal fault but a lot of passengers treat it as if it is. The cateriing provision may have got better in terms of quality since Arriva took over but in terms of quanity they have became limited in the quantities, some of the usual service centres to order places shut down.
They might just be fed up with the flak if its happening on so many services but for him to turn around and say openly its the companies fault can get him into trouble too. I'm not saying hes right to slag people off but you have to see the background
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---
Just to state as well that the daily morning order is not determined by the staff but management amd they can top it up during the day but onlybup to so much detrrmined by.those upstairs

 

[Solent&Wessex]

... It seems to me that if anyone challenges a person in a customer facing environment they are immediately accused of abuse, or of being aggressive....

And it is exactly the same the other way round. Any ticket inspector who challenges anyone with an invalid ticket, no matter how nicely and politely it is done, is immediately accused of being rude, aggressive, and lacking customer service skills simply because they dared to challenge someone.

 

[notadriver]

And if you complain about the service on an aircraft to Cabin Crew you'll get locked up for endangering the aircraft, the plane maybe diverted to an alternate airport and you'll be left stranded there.

 

[ANorthernGuard]

Anyone on uniform on a Train is the first port of call for an unhappy passenger, and to me it isn't abuse, I cannot fault any passenger complaining to myself about the lack of heating, lateness etc etc (you get the point) I personally always say how it is, the passengers respect you more for it. its our job at the end of the day, now if they were acting in an abusive manner that would be different.

If anyone does have complaints about the levels of service/staff or anything else please use the proper channels as like has previously been mentioned managers do read these boards and anything can be twisted.

 

[All Line Rover]

This is no surprise whatsoever (the lack of supplies, I mean). One elderly lady who was travelling from Newcastle to Plymouth (for the first time in years, it seems!) was absolutely shocked to find out that there was no restaurant car, and furthermore, that she could only have one sandwich during the entire journey (a ridiculous rule, IMO).

Over half of the services I travel on have limited supplies - particularly peak services, which it a stupid arrangement when you think about it as the customers on those services should be XC's most valuable since they have paid sky high prices! :roll:

I wouldn't blame the staff. They get customers complaining all the time. It's not their fault, so it's no surprise they get annoyed after a while. If you aren't happy with the First Class service I recommend you write to XC - the more complaints they get, the more inclined they will be to improve the service (you might even get some compensation - you never know).
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---

And it is exactly the same the other way round. Any ticket inspector who challenges anyone with an invalid ticket, no matter how nicely and politely it is done, is immediately accused of being rude, aggressive, and lacking customer service skills simply because they dared to challenge someone.

Indeed.

 

[amcluesent]

My experience of XC first-class (PBO-SSD) is that it exists to provide their middle-managers and other staff with a pleasant way to get to work. Try to get on at CBG at the end of the working day and you'll never find less than four XC staff in FC, which is hardly capacious.

 

[EM2]

I think the host probably meant getting moaned at, rather than abuse. Fed up of getting messed on from on high, and having to take the flak for things completely out of their control.

 

[bnm]

If you aren't happy with the First Class service I recommend you write to XC - the more complaints they get, the more inclined they will be to improve the service.

I'd suggest downgrading to Standard. The more people that do that the more likely it is to get the attention of the bean counters.

 

[All Line Rover]

I'd suggest downgrading to Standard. The more people that do that the more likely it is to get the attention of the bean counters.

That too, although with XC's stupid fares system it is often cheaper to travel First Class! :roll: (Unless you find some ingenious way of getting cheaper Standard Class tickets. )

 

[wintonian]

This is no surprise whatsoever (the lack of supplies, I mean). One elderly lady who was travelling from Newcastle to Plymouth (for the first time in years, it seems!) was absolutely shocked to find out that there was no restaurant car, and furthermore, that she could only have one sandwich during the entire journey (a ridiculous rule, IMO).

Was she travelling on East Coast? This thread is about XC.

Last time I did XC first I went from Winchester to Banbury about 1 hour and a half and the only offering in that time was a single cup of coffee and biscuit or crisps - don't know if you can both but haven't asked for fear of being greedy.

I have only seen one sandwich in well over a year so I assume they only exist on days containing a specified letter but not in certain months and only during the correct lunar cycle.

 

[All Line Rover]

Was she travelling on East Coast? This thread is about XC.

No she wasn't.

 

[142094]

General rule when working - if you are going to complain about something (either customers or other staff), don't do it in front of said customers or staff. Not only silly, but unprofessional. And also don't post it on social networking sites. Otherwise you'll either have a customer or member of staff complain and you'll be out of a job.

 

[bailey65]

Greedy Tocs don't give a stuff about their customers as long they keep extorting outrageous sums of money from them gone are the days of british rail and railways run as a service we now have rip off private companies who only care about money and fat profits and treat customers almost as an inconvenience we need renationalisation of the railways.

 

[Greenback]

I don't think there's much to discuss here. Passengers complain, rightly, when they don;t receive the service or facilities they expect, but it's not usually the fault of the host or the guard. It's not therefore surprising that staff will sometimes ge tfid up of having to apologise for the company's failures, and trot out the same old excuses time and time again.

It is, however, a bit careless to have a private conversation in a public area, especially when talking about your customers!