Rail Users Ireland Forum - View Single Post - Yet another great example of customer service

IT-Girl! · 14-05-2007, 14:00

Apologies in advance for the long thread.
Yesterday (sunday) I went to the station in Portarlington to buy a weekly train ticket to save me queuing up this morning. I went in at about half 3 and there was an old woman there (practically blue from the cold - it's fairly drafty there at the ticket desk!) who had been waiting for half an hour to purchase a ticket for the Galway train and was getting worried about what might happen if she didn't get one before the train arrived. I knocked on the staff door and called out etc but there was nobody to be seen. Went out to the platform in case they were out there but unfortunately not. Tried ringing the phone there which I could see through the window, but it came up engaged.
I rang 4 different numbers in Heuston including one from 11850 which they described as a sunday customer service line. No answer anywhere. Got some numbers from Connolly, no answer there either. Eventually got through by dialling 8366222 and enquired if there were staff in Portarlington station, was put on hold. 10 minutes later while still on hold finally a car pulled up with a member of staff. The old woman had given up at this stage so there was me and a few others. I went to get my ticket and here is the conversation:

Me: Just wondering, were you gone on a break? We've been waiting for around half an hour, a few people left
Him: You'll need to take it up with someone else, I don't start until 4
Me: Oh right, was someone else supposed to be here then?
Him: Look, I just told you, I don't start until 4, take it up with someone else.
Me: Well could you not have put up a notice on the window?
Him: Are you f**king deaf? I said I don't start until 4, I get paid from 4 and not before that
Me: Well maybe you or someone could have used a bit of initiative and stuck up some sort of opening hours sign, it's pathetic.
Him: Yeah whatever, take it up with someone else

I went on to tell him how I thought IE was a complete joke etc and wouldn't it be great if we could all work like IE staff do.
Now I admit I wasn't very polite to him either, but I didn't curse and was just so shocked at his attitude and the way I was spoken to, totally unbelievable.

14-05-2007, 14:00	#1
IT-Girl! New to the board Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Portarlington Posts: 10	Yet another great example of customer service Apologies in advance for the long thread. Yesterday (sunday) I went to the station in Portarlington to buy a weekly train ticket to save me queuing up this morning. I went in at about half 3 and there was an old woman there (practically blue from the cold - it's fairly drafty there at the ticket desk!) who had been waiting for half an hour to purchase a ticket for the Galway train and was getting worried about what might happen if she didn't get one before the train arrived. I knocked on the staff door and called out etc but there was nobody to be seen. Went out to the platform in case they were out there but unfortunately not. Tried ringing the phone there which I could see through the window, but it came up engaged. I rang 4 different numbers in Heuston including one from 11850 which they described as a sunday customer service line. No answer anywhere. Got some numbers from Connolly, no answer there either. Eventually got through by dialling 8366222 and enquired if there were staff in Portarlington station, was put on hold. 10 minutes later while still on hold finally a car pulled up with a member of staff. The old woman had given up at this stage so there was me and a few others. I went to get my ticket and here is the conversation: Me: Just wondering, were you gone on a break? We've been waiting for around half an hour, a few people left Him: You'll need to take it up with someone else, I don't start until 4 Me: Oh right, was someone else supposed to be here then? Him: Look, I just told you, I don't start until 4, take it up with someone else. Me: Well could you not have put up a notice on the window? Him: Are you f**king deaf? I said I don't start until 4, I get paid from 4 and not before that Me: Well maybe you or someone could have used a bit of initiative and stuck up some sort of opening hours sign, it's pathetic. Him: Yeah whatever, take it up with someone else I went on to tell him how I thought IE was a complete joke etc and wouldn't it be great if we could all work like IE staff do. Now I admit I wasn't very polite to him either, but I didn't curse and was just so shocked at his attitude and the way I was spoken to, totally unbelievable.