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.

Colm Donoghue · 14-05-2007, 14:11

Wow! nice guy.

According to this
http://www.iarnrodeireann.ie/your_jo...tatio n_id=99

Portarlington station is open from 9am til 10:30pm on Sundays and Bank holidays.

I'd see about complaining about this in writing and when Irish rail don't respond within a short timeframe, keep us posted here.

See how many points of the customer charter they have failed
http://www.iarnrodeireann.ie/home/customer_charter.asp

IT-Girl! · 14-05-2007, 14:14

I have every intention of writing to Irish Rail about it and I'll let you know what I get back if anything.
I also meant to point out that I couldn't use the ticket machine either as it doesn't do weekly tickets which seems a bit stupid

Garrett · 15-05-2007, 16:25

Hmmm, I wonder was it the same guy that pissed me off last January? Young-ish guy? I posted my experience on the forum back then:

http://forum.platform11.org/showthread.php?t=193&page=6
(Post #104)

Mark Gleeson · 15-05-2007, 16:33

All I can say is after moaning about PSP man in Seapoint, who is seriously difficult to deal with on this forum he has vanished in the last week, either it was us or the resident senior IE manager who uses the station but it appears it has been 'eliminated'

The its not my problem line is crap, you are the face representing your company everything is your problem, sure its not his fault the other guy was on the mitch or whatever but still the 'not my problem bud' line isn't acceptable

In any business abusive language towards customer == P45 and I'd love to see them try a unfair dismissal case..

Derek Wheeler · 15-05-2007, 21:10

Im so sorry, but as Im under the weather health wise, the mind doesn't think very straight. Nest time try this on him....

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Problem solved!

IT-Girl! · 16-05-2007, 12:24

Quote:

Originally Posted by Garrett

Hmmm, I wonder was it the same guy that pissed me off last January? Young-ish guy? I posted my experience on the forum back then:

http://forum.platform11.org/showthread.php?t=193&page=6
(Post #104)

Small-ish, heavy, young-ish blond fella?

CSL · 16-05-2007, 13:49

tip 1: turn on mobile phone recorder [ most of them have them ] and record the conversation ...

tip2 ; ask for the name ; if they won't give it ask for the supervisor's name and number

15-05-2007, 21:10	#6
Derek Wheeler Registered user Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Kildare Posts: 1,555	Im so sorry, but as Im under the weather health wise, the mind doesn't think very straight. Nest time try this on him.... Problem solved!

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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.

14-05-2007, 14:11	#2
Colm Donoghue Really Regular Poster Join Date: Dec 2005 Posts: 873	Wow! nice guy. According to this http://www.iarnrodeireann.ie/your_jo...tatio n_id=99 Portarlington station is open from 9am til 10:30pm on Sundays and Bank holidays. I'd see about complaining about this in writing and when Irish rail don't respond within a short timeframe, keep us posted here. See how many points of the customer charter they have failed http://www.iarnrodeireann.ie/home/customer_charter.asp

14-05-2007, 14:14	#3
IT-Girl! New to the board Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Portarlington Posts: 10	I have every intention of writing to Irish Rail about it and I'll let you know what I get back if anything. I also meant to point out that I couldn't use the ticket machine either as it doesn't do weekly tickets which seems a bit stupid

15-05-2007, 16:25	#4
Garrett Member Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Paris Posts: 78	Hmmm, I wonder was it the same guy that pissed me off last January? Young-ish guy? I posted my experience on the forum back then: http://forum.platform11.org/showthread.php?t=193&page=6 (Post #104)

15-05-2007, 16:33	#5
Mark Gleeson Technical Officer Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Coach C, Seat 33 Posts: 12,669	All I can say is after moaning about PSP man in Seapoint, who is seriously difficult to deal with on this forum he has vanished in the last week, either it was us or the resident senior IE manager who uses the station but it appears it has been 'eliminated' The its not my problem line is crap, you are the face representing your company everything is your problem, sure its not his fault the other guy was on the mitch or whatever but still the 'not my problem bud' line isn't acceptable In any business abusive language towards customer == P45 and I'd love to see them try a unfair dismissal case..

16-05-2007, 13:49	#8
CSL Member Join Date: Dec 2005 Posts: 378	tip 1: turn on mobile phone recorder [ most of them have them ] and record the conversation ... tip2 ; ask for the name ; if they won't give it ask for the supervisor's name and number