Thanking Staff

[jon0844]

Staff should only be thanked when they operate and supply above their designated duties.

My last boss was like that. He never thanked anyone, and when I resigned and told him that he never thanked anyone he said he shouldn't have to.

His argument was that as long as he wasn't having a go at me, I was obviously doing a good job. Technically true, but I still thought he was a bit of a **** for saying that.

Still, bar one person I know, everyone else that worked for him has ultimately resigned and gone on to bigger and better things.

I'll always say thank you to people who do a good job, even if IS their job. But you can't really thank a driver if they're in their cab, unlike a bus or coach driver (or taxi driver).
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---

Really? Do you not say thank you when someone in a pub gives you a pint, or a coffee, or a sandwich? Do you just say "Goodbye" and walk off with it? is it not just common courtesy?

Why say goodbye? When you walk off it should be obvious you're leaving.

 

[Mojo]

Even when you think all hope is lost, something good happens.

Whenever I get a ticket for a cross-London transfer it never works in the barriers at St Pancras Int'l (Southeastern platforms) so I always have to approach the staff. I always used to present my ticket, and state that it is not working, and when they let me through finish it with a ''thank you, have a good day'' comment. However I never, ever, on at least 20 separate occasions with at least 7 members of staff got any sort of response or acknowledgement.

I was about to give up even bothering to speak, thinking it wasn't worth my while, and the next time I did it had a really pleasant old man who entered into a long conversation with me. Ever since then, the different members of staff have always acknowledged me and at we have exchanged some pleasantries.

So don't give up hope! (But I do wonder how many people, who were used to being ignored in excess of 20 occasions by the majority of the gateline staff would have given up long before me). I wonder if they were instructed by the management to stop ignoring customers?

 

[richw]

In my career I wouldn't expect to be thanked or treated nicely by my clients, yet the majority are a pleasure and always thank me and remain polite. If in my industry clients can be polite and pleasant, Then in the rail industry there is no excuse not to be polite to staff. I find a majority of clients will have a nice chat with us, wish us a nice day etc despite quite honestly were the last people they want to speak with. I see no excuse for poor manners towards people working on the railway.

I work in debt collection.

Sent from my HTC Sensation Z710e using Tapatalk 2

 

[DaveNewcastle]

I really love stories such as this:

. . . I never, ever, on at least 20 separate occasions with at least 7 members of staff got any sort of response or acknowledgement.

I was about to give up even bothering to speak, thinking it wasn't worth my while, and the next time I did it had a really pleasant old man who entered into a long conversation with me. Ever since then, the different members of staff have always acknowledged me and at we have exchanged some pleasantries. . . .

As if there was any doubt that people are, intrinsically, good ("the kindness of strangers" and all that).

Its even worth saying it twice.
(Oh. I see that you have! Sorry!)

If a few more people did such things, as well as smile, hold open doors for others and so on, the world might end up being a better place !

I'm sure that's true. I guess Mojo's story adds some confirmation too.

 

[Gwenllian2001]

When I was a young man it was quite commonplace for passengers to thank the driver of the Red Dragon, or other South Wales expresses, as they walked past the buffer stops at Paddington. When Canton copied the GE and put little brass plaques, with the name of the driver, on the locomotive cabside it became even more personal.

 

[AlexS]

I personally love chatting to passengers, and before I worked on the railway, I was equally fond of chatting to traincrews, platform bods, and the like, and struck up several friendships on my regular commute (some of whom are now colleagues!). Drivers always seemed to appreciate even a passing 'cheers driver' as you walked past the cab window if it was open.

A pleasant word from either side never goes amiss and I feel people would be amazed at the response you get from a small pleasantry to even the most dubious looking of people. I rarely get less than a "cheers mate", even if I've only confirmed a platform.

During peak periods when there are trains close together for the same destinations with different stopping patterns I also always call them out (people listen to a human rather more intently than Doris) and wish people good morning/afternoon - it amuses me to see the smiles crack out as they get more than a blank expression and a monosyllabic response to any enquiries that seems to be expected from railway staff (even if it happens nowhere near as often as many people seem to think).

 

[user15681]

I always try to thank staff out of common courtesy and manners, but it's not always possible (if the train driver's window is closed, if the dispatcher looks busy, if the guys on the gateline aren't there etc).

The only time I've ever sent a formal thank you letter to the TOC, Southeastern, was when I collapsed on a train and passed out at Faversham. To cut a long story short, I was lying on the train floor for about half an hour I think, which majorly annoyed the train driver and guard, as it delayed the train, prevented the other half joining up and put the platform out of use. I eventually got taken to hospital, where I stayed for quite some time.

The guard and a few platform staff stayed with me whilst the ambulance crew helped me, they were brilliant. I sent a letter of thanks to SE, they said they passed it on to the staff and when I next visited Faversham, the staff were very friendly, asked how I was and said it made their day that somebody actually thanked them for once.

So I would definitely recommend thanking them. I mean, if someone thanks you for something you do, it makes you happy, right?

 

[A-driver]

Whenever I get a ticket for a cross-London transfer it never works in the barriers at St Pancras Int'l (Southeastern platforms) so I always have to approach the staff. I always used to present my ticket, and state that it is not working, and when they let me through finish it with a ''thank you, have a good day'' comment. However I never, ever, on at least 20 separate occasions with at least 7 members of staff got any sort of response or acknowledgement.

I think the issue with gate line staff (and I'm not excusing any rudeness, just explaining it) is that they are generally paid very little and often sent by an agency and spend the day being spoken to rudely (not always intentionally) by passengers. Generally the only time they get more than a one word bark of 'Cambridge' as described in my last post is when someone rants at them and decides that it is their fault that their train was 2 mins late or shoves a ticket in their face without saying anything in a way to demand that the barrier is opened for them.

I doubt very much that many of them hear people say thank you as they most probably blank out most of the things people say to them!

 

[district]

I say 'thank you' to people at work all the time. Nothing more than the fact they've done what I have needed to be done. It's a nice thing to do. I also say thank you to train operators at the end of journeys if they are standing on the platform or changing ends. I'm won't chase after them or bang on a cab door but it is just a polite and friendly thing to do.

 

[Schnellzug]

incidentally, does anyone else say Thank you to cash machines, and ticket machines? I always say thank you to the latter, usually because I'm so grateful to have managed to negotiate the multitude of non-user friendly screens, and it's agreed to accept my money.


:-/

 

[34D]

I won't say thank you for naughty favours from a lady from now on, as she's just doing her job..... ok get my coat.

 

[GB]

Staff should only be thanked when they operate and supply above their designated duties.

If a customer receives standard service then no praise should be necessary, the staff have been paid to supply the service - a thank you is not expected.

Unless I have received service above what I have paid, I never say thanks, I say hello and I say goodbye, apart from that they don't deserve anything else unless proven otherwise.

I have noticed that, on the railways especially, staff expect to be treated with respect from passengers as a god given right - except a majority of the time these staff treat passengers with little or no respect themselves. Take a look at the attitude of any member of staff on Railchat - all as arrogant as FrenchConnectionUK. :roll:

Saying thanks to a Train Driver? Most drivers take refuge in their cabs and try their up most best to not talk to passengers! Let alone take a compliment from one!

I guess the phrase "common courtesy" means nothing to you?

 

[voyagerdude220]

I always thank my TM etc when I see them, regardless of whether we've had a good run/any problems etc.

I usually make a little chat with members of staff when I see them if we have time.

I'm a Customer Assistant for a retail company, and 99% of customers I serve thank me for my help. It's only really the odd person every so often who is rude.

Regardless of how often I have served the customer I'm serving, I often like to build rapport with them, making conversation or having a laugh- many people appreciate it.

People like "xplo42" are few and far between, and quite frankly need a reality check.

 

[TrainBoy98]

I always make sure to thank the guard and, if possible, the driver. The guard simply because normally they are nice and advise me where best to change and the times of my connections. And i thank the driver if i can as without a train driver i would not have been able to get the train. Simple.

I especially like the vigin trains Shop staff. they always talk to me about my journey and trains in general and i think that this is nice on a long journey (that is, if theres no other people behind me in the queue) There was also a very cheery train manager on my 390 to B'ham NS a few weeks ago who had put a smile on everyones face by our arrival.

 

[gage75]

incidentally, does anyone else say Thank you to cash machines, and ticket machines? I always say thank you to the latter, usually because I'm so grateful to have managed to negotiate the multitude of non-user friendly screens, and it's agreed to accept my money.


:-/

normally tell the self serve checkout to shut up as she's always saying the same thing over and over again

 

[Crossover]

Different context as I don't work in the rail industry, but I have been somewhat more aware of when I have thanked people today. To be honest, I have lost count (been too busy :P) but really, it is a part of everyday life, on the whole.

 

[Schnellzug]

normally tell the self serve checkout to shut up as she's always saying the same thing over and over again

"Insret cash or select payment type. Insert cash or-" Shut up!!

 

[Crossover]

"Insret cash or select payment type. Insert cash or-" Shut up!!

"Have you swiped your Nectar card?"

 

[- Cal -]

Grrrrrr "unexpected item in the bagging area, please remove item before continuing"

 

[142094]

"Notes are dispensed below the scanner". Shame about 99% of the time I pay by card so still waiting for that note to appear.

 

[andypops]

That may have been true a number of years ago, but I very much doubt we're still running under BR mentality.

This has happened to me with ATW.

More than once... :roll:

 

[WestCoast]

The self-service checkouts in Morrisons and Wilkinsons are so slow (same type I reckon) that I'm usually out the door before they can thank me (or I can congratulate them for not messing up).

Anyway, with regards to thanking staff on the railways, it's general politeness to thank the ticket seller (if they're human) and maybe the person checking your ticket. However, thanking the train driver when leaving the train just isn't the done thing, whereas outside the largest cities it's commonplace to thank bus drivers upon alighting.

It's just conventions really, people don't tend to thank bus drivers outside the UK and Ireland unless they've given special service (not least because buses tend to have exit doors!).

 

[Mojo]

"Insret cash or select payment type. Insert cash or-" Shut up!!

Grrrrrr "unexpected item in the bagging area, please remove item before continuing"

"Notes are dispensed below the scanner". Shame about 99% of the time I pay by card so still waiting for that note to appear.

In most supermarkets you can mute the voice on the self-service checkouts by pressing the volume control on the bottom of the screen (this will at first turn the volume up, so beware!)

You can see it in the picture here, just along from the red button: http://i.telegraph.co.uk/multimedia/archive/01700/checkout_1700915c.jpg

 

[jon0844]

"Have you swiped your Nectar card?"

My favourite! I know why it says it but still find it hard to accept a computer can pretend it doesn't know if you did or not!

 

[Lrd]

In most supermarkets you can mute the voice on the self-service checkouts by pressing the volume control on the bottom of the screen (this will at first turn the volume up, so beware!)

You can see it in the picture here, just along from the red button: http://i.telegraph.co.uk/multimedia/archive/01700/checkout_1700915c.jpg

You can also keep it quiet by not pressing any buttons on the screen, just start scanning items instead of pressing the big 'Start' button and just start inserting cash instead of pressing 'Pay', the only thing they say to you is 'Please take your items'.

 

[Jeni]

whereas outside the largest cities it's commonplace to thank bus drivers upon alighting.

I would never get off a bus, even in big cities without giving a thankyou!

 

[jon0844]

You can also keep it quiet by not pressing any buttons on the screen, just start scanning items instead of pressing the big 'Start' button and just start inserting cash instead of pressing 'Pay', the only thing they say to you is 'Please take your items'.

That must be (relatively) new on the machines as I'm fairly certain when I first tried them and looked for shortcuts (as you do), I couldn't pay until I'd selected 'pay' and the payment method (card, in this case).

I can't remember which supermarket has done it, but I recall that one has now removed the volume icon on the 'home screen'. Not sure why, given it always reset for the next customer anyway.
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I would never get off a bus, even in big cities without giving a thankyou!

I've even found myself waving to the driver when alighting a London bus from the middle doors. They might not see me, but at least I know I did it.

The majority of people do thank the driver on buses around here, but there are always some people who feel they're so superior (sadly, often students) and just walk off without saying a word.

 

[tsr]

I always thank a bus driver on the rare occasion that I actually use a bus! The only exception is indeed if I use the middle set of doors, but even then I will sometimes thank them as I pass the front set. A train guard/conductor will be thanked if I pass them, and I always do my best to be polite to staff, without fail. Due to the length of formations and short station call timings of many trains that I use, it is for the most part impractical for me to ever so much as come near to a driver, let alone speak to them, but I will see if their window is open to thank them if they done something particularly praiseworthy whilst under DOO, for example.