Re: Country(link?) - try walking instead

["Jack" <bd107@tsn.cc>]

Hello Switched On

Switched On wrote in message ...
>
>Jack <bd107@tsn.cc> wrote in message
>news:EvUR3.53$yi3.1045@nsw.nnrp.telstra.net...
>> Where I work is not the issue....  I amnot involved in Customer Relations
>at
>> all.. which is probably a  good thing..But I do get tired of people
>bitching
>> about the service countrylink provides, when they have no fact nor
>> understanding as to why the service was delayed..
>> People here who write about Countrylink think they can have a free swing
>> without having to produce facts to back their arguments...
>
>It seems to me that when a customer pays for a ticket to get to Sydney from
>(say) Brisbane, on a particular day, with particular conditions (such as
>departure time and arrival time, first class or economy etc) attached, he
>can reasonably expect a certain level of service regardless for his money.
>If you were to travel by train to Sydney from Brisbane and pay your full
>first class fare, you would be better off travelling by plane. Not only do
>you get there quickly, you generally depart on-time and arrive on-time. You
>receive a complete meal as part of your fare and you don't have to leave
>your seat to get it. The stewards and stewardesses are always courteous and
>they are constantly travelling (just like Countrylink staff.) It is not
>cheaper to run an aircraft as compared to a train, actually quite the
>reverse because you have much higher fuel, maintenance and infrastructure
>costs (airport terminals are not cheap.)

Nor is servicing fuel etc for the trains as well... It is very amusing when
pple try compare rail and air... You have to be kidding.... they cater for
completely different styles of clientele
>
>No passenger should be expected to sympathise or understand the reasons for
>any sort of problems for delay or lack of service - especially not at the
>prices CountryLink charges for their services.

No but a little tolerance would be appreciated

No one asks them to sympathise..I  think once they are told why a service is
late, they should accept that... not whinge about it... Pple should be
informed as to why the train is late, and once they know they should refrain
from takin it out on the staff members on the train...
>
>I am not trying to bag CountryLink staff or anyone personally, I am just
>trying to put it in perspective. The alternatives to CountryLink are far
>better value for money!

I think U are missing the point here... the service is provided for a
certain customer, as a rule pple who cannot afford to fly and pensioners who
get their travel for a song.. If you have the money to fly and prefer
flying, sure go ahead, but there are pple who cannot afford to take that
option... and as such the level of service is reflected by the majority of
pple who use the service... Countrylink Trains, in reality are just
glorified interurbans...

>
>> >If you do work for Countrylink, why not ask nicely and find out what the
>> >complaint is about. I do hope that if you are employed by Countrylink
>that
>> >one of the powers to be reads your reply's and calls you in for a little
>> >word about customer etiquette.
>>
>> The people  in this forum are not customers, they are fair game when they
>> whine without lookin for the reasons behind their problem, or more to the
>> point the problem they percieve....
>
>I have been a CountryLink customer a number of times, and each time I have
>been dissappointed with the service given the amount paid for it.

That would depend on what U are expecting...


 But you
>are right, it's not any one person at fault, and no one is suggesting that
>there is.. the problem is that CountryLink is weighed down by a history of
a
>public service mentality in a sea of commercialisation. There is in
>motivation within the organization for lifting the game because there is no
>incentive.

Tell me how lifting the game can be achieved... Because I really dont see
how you would do it... if lifting the game involves liftin staff morale,
maybe a new management style would be in order...

>
>Just wait until it's bought out by Amtrak or someone like that... we are
>talking major staff shedding and hiring (churn), harder timetables, (maybe
>not cheaper fares) but certainly improved customer service.

How many onboard staff and drivers do you think there are in the business,
there are nowhere near as many as I think U presume... and quite a few of
the passenger attendants are on 6 month contracts...


>
>The private operators do not go easy on their staff like the old Australian
>public service railways did. They a big companies who play the game hard
and
>fast.

So that makes it better, run the staff further into the ground try to cut
wages and conditions, yes that would be a wonderful outcome.... didnt one of
the private companies now running trains in Australia try that only to get
rolled in the courts?

>
>> I dont know where U work Gavin, but I am sure unreasonable complaints by
>> your customers, if you are in that sort of industry, would be met with
>same
>> sort of attitiude that I display to unreasonable complaints.... If people
>> have genuine complaints, where Countrylink is responsible, they are
>treated
>
>"The customer is always right" - even if they are wrong. Have you ever been
>to MacDonalds and dropped your dinner tray accidentally and all your meal
>falls on the floor before you even get a chance to eat it? What happens?
>They give you a whole new meal gratis and clean up after you... even if
it's
>your fault. And the result is that MacDonalds pulls in more customers,
>builds more stores and makes more money.

I dont see the relevance of comparing a Multi National who preys on our
young to make them work for pittance,to make a profit... to a government
entity who provides a service from Taxpayers money... Sorry I am from th old
school and believe that I pay my taxes to have services provided, and those
services dont have to make a profit.. the key word is service... expecting
passenger rail to return profit is ecconomic rationalism gone mad... it is a
service provided by government..


Cheers
Jack
Queensland: Perfect One day
Beautiful the next
And wet for the other 363 days of the year