Re: Cityrail Station Staff

["David Bennetts" <davibenn@ozemail.com.au>]

If you were a shop assistant, you'd get complaints about the quality of
goods, prices, etc. OK it's not your fault that the article falls to bits as
soon as the customer gets it home, or that it costs twice as much at your
store as it does around the corner.

If you were bank staff, customers complain about the high fees or government
taxes, or the time they have to wait in the queue. It's not your fault, but
you're an employee and have to wear it.

The solution isn't going on strike, or telling us to go elsewhere.  Sure you
do a lot of things which you get little credit for, and get blamed for a lot
of things which aren't your fault.  You're in a service industry, and now
you're whingeing about your lot.
No doubt CityRail doesn't give enough (if any) training in customer
relations - perhaps this is well overdue.

Just put yourself in the average customer's shoes - if his/her train is
running late, the worst thing that you can do is ignore the fact. He/she
needs to get to work/uni/school or wherever, and expects trains to be
running regularly and reasonably on time, and then come home again.  If
there's a stuff-up with trains, then a lack of information only confirms
that CityRail are disorganised and couldn't give a damn.  You as a
front-line employee naturally will be on the receiving end.  If you try to
empathise with passengers in such cases and appear to be trying to do
something to help them, generally they will be more sympathetic.

Regards

David Bennetts
Bowral