Bit of an essay this, so bare with me.
Had a hellish journey home from Sheringham to Stoke-on-Trent last night/this morning.
All was well until I boarded the 1900 Norwich - Liverpool Street. Before leaving the conductor announced there was a signalling issue at Needham Market so we might be delayed, but was unsure how long it may be. I immediately started fretting over the 45 minute connection I had in London onto the last train of the night from Euston to Stoke.
By the time we left Stowmarket we were about 15-20 minutes late, and it was stop-start all the way to Ipswich, fearing my connection was well and truly missed I sought out the conductor to ask what would happen if I miss my connection. He reassured me that as I'd been delayed on their service, NXEA had a duty of care to me and that they couldn't leave me stranded and would either have to stick me in a taxi - which we conceded was unlikely for 150 miles - or put me up in a hotel for the night so I could continue in the morning (which all sounded familiar to me from what I've seen said on here relating to Conditions of Carriage and all that) and told me not to worry about it.
By the time we left Ipswich we were 40 minutes down, once again the conductor reassured me that the company couldn't leave me high and dry and I should go to the customer service desk at Liverpool Street and they would sort it out for me, otherwise I was to go back to the train to find him and he would see if he could sort something out for me.
After a bit more slow-going we finally arrived in London about 45 minutes late - I looked up to see the clock tick over to 2140, the time I was meant to be leaving Euston to get back to Stoke.
I went straight to the desk where I was asked the question "How can I help?"
"I've just come off the Norwich train thats 45 minutes late, its made me miss my connection from Euston and its the last train of the night..."
"What do you want me to do about it?"
I couldn't believe it. Someone working on a 'help desk', when confronted with a customer left stranded 150 miles from home responded with those words. It stunned me into silence.
I went and spoke to his colleague who was slightly more useful however all he said they could do was stamp my ticket for the morning.
I told him how the conductor had said it was the companies responsibility to either get me home (unlikely) or put me up in a hotel for the night.
Again, he reiterated that all they can do was stamp my ticket for the morning and what I did until 6am in the morning was my problem. I asked him to contact his control, in the hope they might sort something out.
They did. Kind of. After a minute or so, the suggestion came back that I should get the 2330 from Kings Cross to Leeds, followed by the 0335 from Leeds to Man Pic and then the 0511 from Picadilly getting back to stoke at 0607. I have no idea where they got that from as it doesn't come up on the journey planners. I asked if I could go back to Birmingham (so I could at least get to my parents' house for the night), but again the response was negative.
That was the choice, rough it until the first train or a 7 hour detour via Leeds.
I reluctantly accepted the conclusion and got my ticket stamped, before heading across to Euston to see if Virgin might have some customer service staff of any use. Once again I explained the situation and again asked if I could just get back as far as Birmingham so I could get to my parents' for the night, they obliged and I just made it onto the 2230.
Eventually got home at about 11am - 12 hours later than planned after 4 trains (Brum to Stoke was via Nuneaton and Crewe as a result of the problems at Penkridge) and a taxi (from New Street to home at the cost of £13...)
tl;dr - Delayed on NXEA service and missed last train to Stoke. NXEA shrugged their shoulders of any responsibility to look after me. Appaling customer service.
Now, the questions:
a) Should - as the conductor was quite sure about, and as I understood the Conditions of Carriage to state - NXEA have offered me accomodation for the night until the first train, rather than just telling me I was on my own. Or does the ludicrous itinerary they concocted (a 7 hour overnight KGX-LDS-MAN-SOT) exonerate them of any such responsibility?
b) I expect I get the full value of my tickets (and possibly more) after my rather lengthy delay, but will I be able to claim for the taxi fare back to my parents' house (I have a receipt)?
c) i) How the hell can NXEA employ people (specifically the staff member mentioned below) with such poor customer service skills as customer service representatives?
c) ii) (semi-serious) How do I get the idiot who asked me "What I expected him to do about" me being stuck in London sacked?
Thanks in advance for any help...
(Sorry about the essay, but there was quite a lot to explain, and its probably nothing on how long the letter of complaint will be! )
Had a hellish journey home from Sheringham to Stoke-on-Trent last night/this morning.
All was well until I boarded the 1900 Norwich - Liverpool Street. Before leaving the conductor announced there was a signalling issue at Needham Market so we might be delayed, but was unsure how long it may be. I immediately started fretting over the 45 minute connection I had in London onto the last train of the night from Euston to Stoke.
By the time we left Stowmarket we were about 15-20 minutes late, and it was stop-start all the way to Ipswich, fearing my connection was well and truly missed I sought out the conductor to ask what would happen if I miss my connection. He reassured me that as I'd been delayed on their service, NXEA had a duty of care to me and that they couldn't leave me stranded and would either have to stick me in a taxi - which we conceded was unlikely for 150 miles - or put me up in a hotel for the night so I could continue in the morning (which all sounded familiar to me from what I've seen said on here relating to Conditions of Carriage and all that) and told me not to worry about it.
By the time we left Ipswich we were 40 minutes down, once again the conductor reassured me that the company couldn't leave me high and dry and I should go to the customer service desk at Liverpool Street and they would sort it out for me, otherwise I was to go back to the train to find him and he would see if he could sort something out for me.
After a bit more slow-going we finally arrived in London about 45 minutes late - I looked up to see the clock tick over to 2140, the time I was meant to be leaving Euston to get back to Stoke.
I went straight to the desk where I was asked the question "How can I help?"
"I've just come off the Norwich train thats 45 minutes late, its made me miss my connection from Euston and its the last train of the night..."
"What do you want me to do about it?"
I couldn't believe it. Someone working on a 'help desk', when confronted with a customer left stranded 150 miles from home responded with those words. It stunned me into silence.
I went and spoke to his colleague who was slightly more useful however all he said they could do was stamp my ticket for the morning.
I told him how the conductor had said it was the companies responsibility to either get me home (unlikely) or put me up in a hotel for the night.
Again, he reiterated that all they can do was stamp my ticket for the morning and what I did until 6am in the morning was my problem. I asked him to contact his control, in the hope they might sort something out.
They did. Kind of. After a minute or so, the suggestion came back that I should get the 2330 from Kings Cross to Leeds, followed by the 0335 from Leeds to Man Pic and then the 0511 from Picadilly getting back to stoke at 0607. I have no idea where they got that from as it doesn't come up on the journey planners. I asked if I could go back to Birmingham (so I could at least get to my parents' house for the night), but again the response was negative.
That was the choice, rough it until the first train or a 7 hour detour via Leeds.
I reluctantly accepted the conclusion and got my ticket stamped, before heading across to Euston to see if Virgin might have some customer service staff of any use. Once again I explained the situation and again asked if I could just get back as far as Birmingham so I could get to my parents' for the night, they obliged and I just made it onto the 2230.
Eventually got home at about 11am - 12 hours later than planned after 4 trains (Brum to Stoke was via Nuneaton and Crewe as a result of the problems at Penkridge) and a taxi (from New Street to home at the cost of £13...)
tl;dr - Delayed on NXEA service and missed last train to Stoke. NXEA shrugged their shoulders of any responsibility to look after me. Appaling customer service.
Now, the questions:
a) Should - as the conductor was quite sure about, and as I understood the Conditions of Carriage to state - NXEA have offered me accomodation for the night until the first train, rather than just telling me I was on my own. Or does the ludicrous itinerary they concocted (a 7 hour overnight KGX-LDS-MAN-SOT) exonerate them of any such responsibility?
b) I expect I get the full value of my tickets (and possibly more) after my rather lengthy delay, but will I be able to claim for the taxi fare back to my parents' house (I have a receipt)?
c) i) How the hell can NXEA employ people (specifically the staff member mentioned below) with such poor customer service skills as customer service representatives?
c) ii) (semi-serious) How do I get the idiot who asked me "What I expected him to do about" me being stuck in London sacked?
Thanks in advance for any help...
(Sorry about the essay, but there was quite a lot to explain, and its probably nothing on how long the letter of complaint will be! )