Customer service - what customer service? UK!

[Richard Tarleton]

I'm sure I've posted this link before, but it's worth posting again, and do remember that colour has now reached that part of the world.

Thanks for this mangerton . I travelled this line when it was still black and white, at the start of a walking holiday on the west coast and Skye. I alighted at Bridge of Orchy to walk through Glencoe, but did the full route on the way back. Even longer ago we attended the Glenfinnan Highland Games, Cameron of Lochiel presiding

[Dave2002]

Life's too short to spend hours on the phone/computer sorting out the kind of issues above. In all honesty, I'd weigh up the likely hassle, level of loss and take a view on whether it's worth bothering about or not. Sometimes things go wrong and you have to accept that and move swiftly on.

I still think that it's worth it in some situations. It's outrageous that I think some companies have such poor service - one suspects deliberately - that many will allow them to "get away with it". I agree about small errors. Too many people don't complain at all, so that this allows some companies to continue with this dreadful practice.

Big companies which are generally known to have this kind of behaviour really do need to be tackled.

Re my recent BT complaint, my detailed letter has now gone in to the BT Chairman, Sir Michael Rake, at BT Centre, 81 Newgate Street, London EC1A 7AJ, with a copy of my letter to my MP. I await developments.

[Dave2002]

After a few weeks I am now happy to say that the BT problem has been resolved. Writing direct to the Chairman has produced results, and I now have a direct line to a very helpful person in the executive department. I shall file that away for the future, though hope I don't need to use it again. Talking to him has been a pleasure.

It is sad that the organisation doesn't seem to be able to handle things sensibly at the lower levels. Surely it is not up to the executives to sort out all but a minute fraction of cases, and apart from the fact that our particular problem should not really have happened in the first place, it shouldn't have been necessary to escalate up to the highest level to get a satisfactory result. There seems to be quite a big disconnect between the top and bottom of this company, as though the higher level people don't really know what's going on further down, unless something comes directly to their attention.

[Anastasius]

To redress the balance, I put forward two companies who have superb customer service. Axminster Tools and Machinery and Western Power Distribution (who continue to impress with their excellent customer service and as a company move Heaven and Earth to keep their customers connected).

[Anastasius]

After a few weeks I am now happy to say that the BT problem has been resolved. Writing direct to the Chairman has produced results, and I now have a direct line to a very helpful person in the executive department. I shall file that away for the future, though hope I don't need to use it again. Talking to him has been a pleasure.

It is sad that the organisation doesn't seem to be able to handle things sensibly at the lower levels. Surely it is not up to the executives to sort out all but a minute fraction of cases, and apart from the fact that our particular problem should not really have happened in the first place, it shouldn't have been necessary to escalate up to the highest level to get a satisfactory result. There seems to be quite a big disconnect between the top and bottom of this company, as though the higher level people don't really know what's going on further down, unless something comes directly to their attention.

I think you will find that most large organisations have a special department that handles complaints delivered to the Executive. I remember many years ago (and when one still could easily find out the details) sending a polite but firm letter to the home of one of the directors of Orange. I ended up with a new phone, £250 refund and three months free contract which I call a result.

[teamsaint]

I'm now home and I'm happy to say that the high level of service was maintained to Dundee. I was on one of the three direct services from London to Aberdeen, so as you say, no changing. There are some very good deals to be had if you book in advance, and a railcard makes it even cheaper. Full breakfast is served on the first train of the day from Aberdeen, but passengers joining at Dundee are too late; on Monday I was offered croissants or toast.

Sleepers - A new company takes over in April. I don't know about the fares, but it has some Great Ideas for the service. It's many years (25?) since I travelled on a sleeper, and I'm sure things have changed quite a lot in that time - not necessarily for the better. Back then you could get quite a good breakfast on the train when heading to the SW of England, as I did on business now and again. One also used to get an excellent breakfast at the Central Hotel in Glasgow - just the thing, after an overnight from London, and before going to work. But without doubt best of all was to take the sleeper from London to Fort William, and get breakfast on the train on the West Highland Line. I'm sure I've posted this link before, but it's worth posting again, and do remember that colour has now reached that part of the world.

Just to resurrect the Caledonian Sleeper part of this thread, the new website is a revelation, really excellent. fares also seem reasonable, certainly easier to find and understand.
At a quick glance, I found plenty of midweek availability to Edinburgh for a about £77 total for two people one way midweek, during the summer holiday period.