Excellent Customer Service

[craigy68]

I thought it might me a nice idea to have a happy thread in the forum.

Excellent Customer Service

I apologise if it has been done before

I was speaking to my Dad earlier. He has visited his local station this week and couldn't praise the staff member enough on all the help and advice they gave him, they even filled out his senior railcard form for him and then he just signed it. The lady issued his tickets and then put them into a plastic wallet, then printed off his itinerary and put it all in an envelope so he didn't lose them.

What fantastic service.

Just wondered if others have come across service like this whilst on the railways.

 

[PaxVobiscum]

One of the regular staff at my local station will often try to see if there's a cheaper ticket option than the one I have asked for: for example, trying a GroupSave (3 for 2) against the 1 adult OP return/1 16-25 OP return/1 LA concession which I asked for.

On another occasion she pointed out that the train departure was just past the theshold for the LA concession which for that particular journey was cheaper than the Senior Railcard. I have heard her do similar checks that for many others when the station is reasonably quiet.

Always helpful, cheery and pleasant (her, not me )

 

[Bletchleyite]

One of the regular staff at my local station will often try to see if there's a cheaper ticket option than the one I have asked for: for example, trying a GroupSave (3 for 2) against the 1 adult OP return/1 16-25 OP return/1 LA concession which I asked for.

I've had one do that. Unfortunately, they misunderstood what was being asked for, and sold me a combination that required us (a group of Scouts) to change our plans, as I only realised it was wrong when we were already on board and someone else, who had taken my printout of what exactly we wanted (which was the cheapest option for our specific plans) to the ticket office, told me she had "tried to save us money".

This is not always helpful. Though it was really his fault, not the ticket office's, as I had asked him to do something very specific and he didn't do it.

 

[craigy68]

I think it's great when people go the extra mile and display the dedication they have to the job and the enthusiasm they have for helping people & offering great customer service

I always try my best

 

[sheff1]

At the weekend, I tried to purchase, from a TVM, a ticket from Gothenburg to Varberg using my Jojo smartcard only to get a message to say it had expired. I didn't even know they had an expiry date so went into the Customer Service office to enquire.

The lady explained that, yes they did expire, but the remaining balance could be transferred to a new card. Unfortunately, as the Jojo is a Skåne county card, the transfer could only be done at a Customer Service office in Skåne (Gothenburg is in the Västra Götaland area).

She then said that she could sell me a Västra Götaland smartcard but, if I was only making a trip to/from Varberg (which is in Halland county) she could give me a Halland smartcard which does not have any issuing charge.

As Varberg was my only journey, I went for the latter. She checked the fare and made sure the correct amount was loaded onto the card to ensure the minimum balance would be left and then asked if I wanted her to issue the travel ticket as well so that I did not need to go back to the TVM. I took her up on the offer and thanked her for her time.

As my Swedish is extremely limited, the whole discussion was conducted in English which, of course, was the lady's second language. Most definitely excellent service !

 

[8J]

Witnessed a Northern Conductor at Liverpool Lime Street assist an elderly couple who were travelling to London. The lady left her handbag at Hunts Cross and the male appeared to suffer from dementia. He calmed them down, got the panicked lady a glass of water, rang Hunts Cross station who found the bag and sent it on the next train in and explained the situation to Virgin staff who let them on the next service (they had advance tickets). Excellent customer service and railway staff do not get the praise they deserve sometimes for going above and beyond.

 

[theageofthetra]

Any of the ticket office team at Cannon St. Have several mates who travel out of their way to buy odd tickets from there because they know their onions and will advise of cheaper options.

 

[edwin_m]

On a TPE back in March which couldn't run to Glasgow due to signalling problems, the conductor was very diligent in explaining why we were waiting a long time in Lockerbie, then that we would probably be diverted to Edinburgh, and once it was clear this was happening giving plenty of information on how to change at Haymarket to get a train back to Glasgow.

He also came down and took everyone's details for ticket refunds, apologising that he only had one pen and couldn't lend it out. Unfortunately they haven't actually contacted me, but that probably wasn't the conductor's fault.

 

[Polarbear]

Another TPE conductor in this example.

I was travelling with some friends from Liverpool to Leeds a few weeks back & we had to change plans as the 11:11 from Lime Street had been cancelled. I found out later that this was due to the inward service being involved in a fatality on the inbound service.

When I boarded the train from Manchester to Leeds, the conductor made very clear announcements, apologising to customers who had been displaced from the direct Liverpool - Newcastle service. He explained that the crew of the earlier train involved in the fatality had been stood down due to the circumstances and also arranged for XC to accept passengers bound for points from York to Newcastle with AP TPE tickets. All done whilst checking tickets and between Huddersfield and Leeds too!

Hugely professional and a credit to the railway in general.

 

[Deepgreen]

I thought it might me a nice idea to have a happy thread in the forum.

Excellent Customer Service

I apologise if it has been done before

I was speaking to my Dad earlier. He has visited his local station this week and couldn't praise the staff member enough on all the help and advice they gave him, they even filled out his senior railcard form for him and then he just signed it. The lady issued his tickets and then put them into a plastic wallet, then printed off his itinerary and put it all in an envelope so he didn't lose them.

What fantastic service.

Just wondered if others have come across service like this whilst on the railways.

That's in direct breach of forum rules!

 

[Loop & Link]

Not to toot ones own horn, but I have received various praise letters off customers and was even nominated for a company award (didn't win, never mind) so if you ever need the most bizarre or cheapest tickets. Feel free to come to me!

 

[craigy68]

That's in direct breach of forum rules!

A happy thread is a breach ❓

 

[edwin_m]

A happy thread is a breach ❓??????????????????

Forum re 94.7(b)(ii): Every thread must contain at least one post grumbling about something.

Fortunately by someone complaining about being in breach, the thread is now compliant.


[JOKE!]

 

[craigy68]

 

[cadoxton]

There is a guard on the ATW network that I've witnessed who adds some genuine comedy into his station arrival notices and has also been seen offering alternative fares so that groups save money; which can be applauded

I've also noticed this on some Ryanair flights, where the chief steward injects humour into the non airline-regimental announcements.

The thing is, if everyone starts doing this it'll become the norm, and people will become nostalgic for only the set announcements!

 

[306024]

Heartwarming tale from East London:

Catching a TfL Rail (operated by MTR Crossrail) train at Ilford the other day I noticed a MTR staff member helping a woman with a large bag down the stairs onto the platform, and then he waited to help her onto the train. He assured her someone would be at the other end to assist too. We set off and another off duty MTR employee makes polite conversation with her, she says the guy that carried her bag was always helpful.

Then surprise, the 'other end' turns out to be one stop to Seven Kings, where indeed there was someone to meet her and help her up the stairs there. All for a two minute journey, excellent work.

Since the TfL takeover all stations from Liverpool St to Shenfield are now staffed from first to last train. Those of us fortunate to be able to manage without assistance can only imagine what a difference this has made to passengers like her.

 

[HowardGWR]

Not to toot ones own horn, but I have received various praise letters off customers and was even nominated for a company award (didn't win, never mind) so if you ever need the most bizarre or cheapest tickets. Feel free to come to me!

If you re-read your last sentence and note your anonymous location, you may realise that your kind offer is not a lot of use!

 

[Bishopstone]

I needed a re-print of my annual season ticket, a few months back, as the magnetic strip had failed. Various booking offices told me they couldn't do this as - strangely - there was no record of my original transaction (at Brighton) or ticket issuance. (I wonder where the £6k went....)

The kind clerk at Seaford volunteered to take up the matter with Southern's accounts department, between customers, though couldn't do anything immediately. Two days later - a Sunday - I returned home to find a note through my front door, advising the matter had been resolved and I could pop by to exchange the season at my convenience.

More generally, the staff at Seaford (and I'm sure elsewhere) are getting a load of grief for GTR's cancellations at the moment, but are handling it stoically and professionally. Wherever else blame sits for the dispute, it certainly isn't the fault of booking office and platform staff, so thank you to those who are battling on.

 

[fandroid]

This is a while back now. I regularly carry cells in a special temperature controlled box from one hospital to another. Once, I reached my local station, Basingstoke, only to hear that there had been a bridge strike and all Waterloo trains were halted. I swiftly went to platform 5 and leapt aboard a Reading-bound train, intending to get to London via Paddington. I put the (empty) box on the rack. Before the Reading train departed I heard an announcement to say that the bridge had been checked and all Waterloo services were running again. I leapt off the Reading train and went to platform 3, only to realise I had left the box on the rack, and the train was now departing!
I went to the information desk. The staff member rang Reading station, and arranged for the box to be retrieved there. I was told to go to Reading and ask at the gateline there. I duly caught the next Reading train, went to the gate line, was led to the office, and reunited with my box. I was only 1 hour late at University College Hospital ( I had warned them). The patient in Newcastle got their new cells without realising that both SWT and FGW staff had played a really important part in ensuring that their treatment went ahead OK.