Raileasy denying they were the retailer

[najaB]

I think if I set up such a business I'd probably have an online ticketing system that I would closely manage myself plus an emergency only phone number - something like "Call this number if you are travelling in the next few hours and cannot obtain your tickets or you have your tickets, are travelling now and are being denied travel by a member of railway staff. For other issues, please raise a ticket".

I guarantee that one of the first three calls will be from someone wanting to book tickets in advance for a trip they're making in two months.

 

[Gareth Marston]

I guarantee that one of the first three calls will be from someone wanting to book tickets in advance for a trip they're making in two months.

They'll then when they got the info they want hang up never to be heard of again and order the tickets from Train-line.

 

[Master29]

Companies , not just rail ticket partners or whatever they choose to be called are often in the habit of this kind of thing. Basic consumer law always says it is the retailer themselves one deals with as that`s who the original purchase contract was made.

 

[Deafdoggie]

Contact Centres aren't cheap, but Third Party ones are very much cheaper, they can also "flex" demand better. Phone is the most expensive contact form though, so everything that can be done to push customers to other contact methods is always done. Customers may not appreciate it, but going to the website does save lots of money for the company, thus making the customers product ultimately cheaper. Having 24/7 contact centres comes at a price. Companies have to tread the line between having contact available at all times, and the cost of providing it.
Companies can (and do) see how many calls are coming in when they are shut, so can work out if it cost effective to open. At my (non-railway) Contact Centre we close the phone lines an hour earlier, and at the weekend, and only have webchat and emails as contact at these times, to make it cheaper to run, but still provide a service. We are also totally in-house and not outsourced