Customer Conflict and its Multiple Forms?

[DunfordBridge]

Firstly, a happy New Year to all on the forum. Secondly, I have a question aimed at people working on the railways in a customer-facing role regarding the more unusual forms of customer conflict and how the situations have been handled?

The question is probably aimed more at conductors, booking staff and platform staff, maybe also drivers working driver-only services such as those working for First Capital Connect although there may be other roles which I have not considered. This is a question that I have been meaning to field for a while now.

 

[hughesfowler]

Depends what you mean by unusual conflict , been on 7 years now in the booking offices and I have learned never to expect anything ordinary. How about pumping on a chaps chest, cpr to u n me, whilst doing this a lady taps me on the shoulder and asks if I can get a move on as she is will miss her connection. The conversation got a bit heated as you can imagine.

 

[VauxhallandI]

Depends what you mean by unusual conflict , been on 7 years now in the booking offices and I have learned never to expect anything ordinary. How about pumping on a chaps chest, cpr to u n me, whilst doing this a lady taps me on the shoulder and asks if I can get a move on as she is will miss her connection. The conversation got a bit heated as you can imagine.

Her mugshot should be on a wall of shame at your station

 

[DunfordBridge]

Depends what you mean by unusual conflict , been on 7 years now in the booking offices and I have learned never to expect anything ordinary. How about pumping on a chaps chest, cpr to u n me, whilst doing this a lady taps me on the shoulder and asks if I can get a move on as she is will miss her connection. The conversation got a bit heated as you can imagine.

Absolutely preposterous! Even if I was thinking it, I would not have the nerve to suggest it, let alone be so insistent. That man probably had more to worry about than missing a train.

Clearly one situation where you would not drop what you are doing nor, dare I even suggest it, multitask.

 

[Network]

in my 2 years here there have been incidents happen, and forgotten about the same day that would be spoken of for YEARS in a "normal" job

 

[185]

The current joke at many employers seems to be

1- An employee has just been assaulted
2- OMG
3- When is the employee being suspended?

Sadly a regular example at all employers -
The newspaper Interview - "We will not tolerate any assaults on our staff."
Behind closed doors - "You're sacked. You failed to follow the policy."

Hard to follow any stupid policy whilst being punched, kicked, headbutted.

 

[Greaseball3220]

Worked in ticket offices years ago and hated it, it's the antithesis of being a Driver, you're a battery hen in a goldfish bowl at everyone's whim, the job requires high levels of concentration but little actual intelligence, booking clerks should be remunerated far higher than they are, obviously they're not as vital a cog in the operation as Train Drivers but it's a miserable experience if it's not your bag.

 

[Network]

the "hands-off" policy is a joke.

you are the one who ends up worse off no matter the consequences

 

[142094]

Firstly, a happy New Year to all on the forum. Secondly, I have a question aimed at people working on the railways in a customer-facing role regarding the more unusual forms of customer conflict and how the situations have been handled?

The question is probably aimed more at conductors, booking staff and platform staff, maybe also drivers working driver-only services such as those working for First Capital Connect although there may be other roles which I have not considered. This is a question that I have been meaning to field for a while now.

I'm sure most TOCs will have conflict management training for frontline staff, and it seems these days that it is a totally hands-off policy unless you can justify your actions (i.e. 'reasonable force'). Each situation has to be judged differently to another, it is far too easy to become complacent. Many people will think that the last trains of a night are the worst, with drunks going home and people messing around with emergency handles/alarms etc. However I've noticed over the past few years that some of the early morning trains can be just as bad, or even worse, where people have been drinking all night and into the early morning and still manage to get to a station. There has been a couple of times at 5 in the morning where I've had trouble and wasn't expecting it - right at the start of a shift.

In many respects it is wise not to get into a situation in the first place. No doubt across the industry there are staff who thrive on the aggro and go out of their way to make a situation turn ugly. Remember that you are not the police and no getting paid to do their job, no point in ending up on the sick or worse due to someone not having paid a £2 ticket or similar. At least on services with driver and a guard you have someone else there to assist, and I've never seen anyone on a revenue team go around alone. DOO and you're on your own.

 

[185]

....most TOCs will have conflict management training for frontline staff, and it seems these days that it is a totally hands-off policy unless you can justify your actions....

Most TOCs have conflict management in place NOT to protect staff, it is something companies use as a weapon, to discipline staff when they feel like it. Even when situation justifies it, companies have used it to sack staff who have been faced with weapons.

Does duty of care come into it? Should the hands-off rubbish only apply to disputes about revenue? Surely UK common law supersedes company policy?

Such policies also earn TOCs lower insurance policy costs.

...in many respects it is wise not to get into a situation in the first place.

I hate going head to head with any other forum user (oops, entering conflict) but.... do staff willingly choose to walk into volatile situations or assaults?

 

[Carlisle]

Most TOCs have conflict management in place NOT to protect staff, it is something companies use as a weapon, to discipline staff when they feel like it. Even when situation justifies it, companies have used it to sack staff who have been faced with weapons.

Does duty of care come into it? Should the hands-off rubbish only apply to disputes about revenue? Surely UK common law supersedes company policy?

Such policies also earn TOCs lower insurance policy costs.



I hate going head to head with any other forum user (oops, entering conflict) but.... do staff willingly choose to walk into volatile situations or assaults?

A conducter I knew a few years ago said that if he heard a member of staff from his depot had been involved in an incident with a passanger you could almost always narrow it down to 3 or 4 regulars ,how true that is I have no idea

 

[185]

Usually the ones out checking tickets after every stop, and not asleep or sat reading 50 Shades of Grey.

 

[Beveridges]

Worked in ticket offices years ago and hated it, it's the antithesis of being a Driver, you're a battery hen in a goldfish bowl at everyone's whim, the job requires high levels of concentration but little actual intelligence, booking clerks should be remunerated far higher than they are, obviously they're not as vital a cog in the operation as Train Drivers but it's a miserable experience if it's not your bag.

Don't "Till workers" at ASDA suffer the same downsides but also for very low wages ?

I think the Ticket Office job works for some people but not for others. I know for a fact it has always had absolutely zero appeal to me!

the "hands-off" policy is a joke.

you are the one who ends up worse off no matter the consequences

If I got hit by a passenger (doesn't matter how hard) I would deliberately hit the deck and get 6 months off on the sick with full pay for it.

 

[DunfordBridge]

I'm sure most TOCs will have conflict management training for frontline staff, and it seems these days that it is a totally hands-off policy unless you can justify your actions (i.e. 'reasonable force'). Each situation has to be judged differently to another, it is far too easy to become complacent. Many people will think that the last trains of a night are the worst, with drunks going home and people messing around with emergency handles/alarms etc. However I've noticed over the past few years that some of the early morning trains can be just as bad, or even worse, where people have been drinking all night and into the early morning and still manage to get to a station. There has been a couple of times at 5 in the morning where I've had trouble and wasn't expecting it - right at the start of a shift.

In many respects it is wise not to get into a situation in the first place. No doubt across the industry there are staff who thrive on the aggro and go out of their way to make a situation turn ugly. Remember that you are not the police and no getting paid to do their job, no point in ending up on the sick or worse due to someone not having paid a £2 ticket or similar. At least on services with driver and a guard you have someone else there to assist, and I've never seen anyone on a revenue team go around alone. DOO and you're on your own.

Sound advice indeed. I had not considered in these days of 24 hour boozing that drunks would be turning up for the first train of the day as well as the last train although my boss back in the office was aware of this possibility.
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---

If I got hit by a passenger (doesn't matter how hard) I would deliberately hit the deck and get 6 months off on the sick with full pay for it.

Did you used to play football in another incarnation by any chance?
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---

A conducter I knew a few years ago said that if he heard a member of staff from his depot had been involved in an incident with a passanger you could almost always narrow it down to 3 or 4 regulars ,how true that is I have no idea

I would not know whether to laugh or cry if some of the regulars on my commute were involved in an incident. Some of them appear most placid.
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---
Thanks to all who contributed on this thread.