Re: Record complaints for NSW rail services

[paulwatts@xoptushome.com.au (paul)]

On Tue, 3 Apr 2001 04:29:12 +1000, "Nathan Cox" <nathan1@ihug.com.au>
wrote:

>Well if people didnt hold up the trains, maybe they'd run a bit better.How
>many times have I pulled into a station and the doors are about to close,
>and some fuckwit starts running down the stairs, so you hold the train by 30
>seconds, well if the guard does that at a few stations then naturally the
>train will be late.
>
>People know to get to the station 10 mins prior to their train, so they can
>purchase their ticket and get to the right platform.But most passengers are
>stupid, cant read indicator boards, or large signs, saying put your ticket
>thru  the machines.No wonder the station staff are argressive.Look what we
>have to put up with.
>
>
The majority of them aren't fuckwits, although of course some do
exist. But pretty well all of them want to get where they are going,
and want to get there now. Some behave in a hostile manner when things
don't go perfectly for them.

I hope someone from mgmt is reading, because this sort of staff
attitude is pretty widespread, and it is brought about by continual
harassment, day in and day out, of employees who have not been
instructed in the strategies to best deal with the situation.

There are strategies a station employee can use to avoid escalating
things, and getting themselves into a stressed state about the way
customers speak to them. It's such a pity that the organisation isn't
runnning customer care sessions any more, as these are where these
strategies and skills can be learned. 

I'm often telling younger station staff that they must not regard any
abuse they receive as personal. They must understand that they are
wearing a uniform, and it is the uniform, not the person inside, that
is being abused. It has helped me to remain calm under fire for a long
time.

paul x is the spam filter