Last month I made a complaint to London Midland trains and Network Rail regarding some carp/non existent customer information around engineering work affecting late trains from Brum to Northampton.
NR responded promptly and held their hands up to a programming error regarding the passenger information system at New St.
LM have taken a month to respond with a set of weak excuses about why information was not better presented at Northampton and lack of PA on train. They've not addressed one major issue - that even when one found the ill-sited poster at Northampton it said 'train xx will not run'. Zilch about alternative service and the bus from Rugby.
I can respond on that but the concluding sentence reads:
Nonetheless, I am sorry that you feel that the information was inadequate
To me that carries a mildly offensive inference that issue is one of my perception rather than their performance. Minded to challenge them on it
What do the panel think?
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I'd send my next communication to the regulator, so it counts as a formal complaint against the operator come franchise renewal time.
Things break down, mistakes get made, we'll human. But an attitude of "it's your fault because we got it wrong" isn't on.
In contrast, I travelled from Paris on the Orleans-Limoges-Toulouse line a while back. No trains could leave due to sudden snow. The much maligned SNCF staff were out in force on the platforms, getting passengers onto trains and away as soon as they could. Rolling updates from the conductor along the way and connecting trains, buses, even taxis, organised on the fly to get everyone home. Plus all fares refunded because of the delay!
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It's the PR mindset.
It started a long time ago with the idea of avoiding liability by simply not admitting mistakes, by has evolved into an instinct to deny any mistakes at all.
I can spot it a mile off.
Use of the passive voice, a failure to address the actual point(s) of the complaint, some waffle about how much they pride themselves on their products/customer service/providing best value or whatever, an expression of sympathy if you are lucky, and nothing that would indicate that they have actually done anything wrong or intend to do anything differently in future.
Write to the CEO. He/she won't see it, but it will probably go to the "executive complaints team" so you'll have more chance of a different response rather than more of the same.
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Nonetheless, I am sorry that you feel that the information was inadequate
A textbook example of an 'apology' that means nothing. They are sorry you took umbrage, but not sorry for what they said! Is that really an apology? No of course it's not.
Depending on circumstances I'd contemplate complaining in writing to the very top - and copying in view, the local MP.
Finely hone the letter, use as few words as possible and make sure every question has a question mark. Your letter must be a single side of A4 and look short too.
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Just go on Twitter and repeat what you have told us and put it on every newspaper blog.
They'll soon lose customers or get embarassd if their PR is any good..
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Good point from madf (he does make one occasionally!) re Twitter, I'd forgotten about that. I know of at least one business that prioritises Twitter complaints and very publicly makes amends where justified.
However, in your case I'm not sure that you actually want anything? If that is the case, then maybe you just need to take a chill pill and do something useful - you can't educate them, that's not how they advance their careers :)
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>> However, in your case I'm not sure that you actually want anything? If that is
>> the case, then maybe you just need to take a chill pill and do something
>> useful - you can't educate them, that's not how they advance their careers :)
As might be expected given my near quarter century commuting on the Euston line I've had run ins with them before. Just once, over an absurd policy requiring folding bikes to be folded at the ticket barrier and carried, I got a definite change and admission they'd got it wrong. It helped though that I had inside information that policy was adopted as a 'concession' to a few members of the user group at Milton Keynes who's gripe was with just one individual.
The answer is not to get annoyed, to focus on the facts, and persist.
On another, to do with how their website's ticket options for journeys from Northampton to Chester, ignored the rail industry's 'routing guide', they just continued in bone headed denial.
The fault was eventually corrected though.
Last edited by: Bromptonaut on Tue 16 Dec 14 at 16:52
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I have found this site very useful. Instead of writing to the incompetent minions, contact the man at the top. www.ukceo.co.uk/. Direct name, address, work phone and sometimes email of many UK CEOs. Enjoy!
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>> Good point from madf (he does make one occasionally!) re Twitter,
Thanks..
I try not to have too many senior/obnoxious moments but my dementia r......
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Forget I and move on. If that is the only thing you have to worry about in life
then count youself lucky.
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>>What do the panel think?
I entirely agree and it would annoy me greatly.
However, you'll never achieve anything, so in the end I probably just wouldn't bother.
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Complaints - Gromit
