# AGR's new management



## darien-l (Feb 10, 2009)

I understand that recently Amtrak went with a new company to administer the AGR program, and I just had my first experiences with them.

I placed two calls to AGR for award travel redemption, one yesterday evening and one today around mid-day, and the overall experience seemed quite a step down from the old AGR. First, the wait times were excessive: both times, I was informed that the wait time was "approximately 15 minutes," but the actual wait times were 46 and 22 minutes, repectively. When I finally got an operator, it seemed like they were following a rigid script and got confused whenever I asked for something that deviated from it. They were not able to assign a specific roomette number for me, look up another reservation I made, had no clue what a "transition sleeper" was, etc. They had to transfer me to 1-800-USA-RAIL to do all that.


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## Bigval109 (Feb 10, 2009)

darien-l said:


> I understand that recently Amtrak went with a new company to administer the AGR program, and I just had my first experiences with them.
> I placed two calls to AGR for award travel redemption, one yesterday evening and one today around mid-day, and the overall experience seemed quite a step down from the old AGR. First, the wait times were excessive: both times, I was informed that the wait time was "approximately 15 minutes," but the actual wait times were 46 and 22 minutes, repectively. When I finally got an operator, it seemed like they were following a rigid script and got confused whenever I asked for something that deviated from it. They were not able to assign a specific roomette number for me, look up another reservation I made, etc. They had to transfer me to 1-800-USA-RAIL to do all that.


Was this operator in a another country? It has been my experience that when they are highly scriped they tend to be in another country.


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## darien-l (Feb 10, 2009)

Bigval109 said:


> Was this operator in a another country? It has been my experience that when they are highly scriped they tend to be in another country.


I don't think they were in another country, just generally clueless about Amtrak and they either didn't have full access to Arrow or didn't know how to use it. The first operator had difficulty with the number of the train between Houston and Tucson (#1, of course) -- apparently he was under the impression that the system was informing him that there was one (1) train beween those city pairs.  Hopefully the situation will improve as employees gain more experience.


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## saxman (Feb 10, 2009)

Just give it some time. All the employees are very new to Amtrak and their routes, so they won't be familiar with everything. It was only a few months ago that Amtrak switched companies and it is actually based in Canada. So yes, they probably do have a script, and they are in a different country. Since I'm pretty with all the routes, I try to patient with them, and maybe even help them out a little. I do find the wait times to be excessive too, and wish they could at least be open on the weekends.


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## AlanB (Feb 10, 2009)

As Chris noted, AGR is now located in Canada. Between all new staff, coupled with their unfamiliarity with both Amtrak and places in the US, I've no doubt that the average phone call length has increased greatly from where it used to be. This is undoubtedly at least part of the problem. It may be all of the problem, or it is also possible that one of the reasons we have a new company running the program is due to the fact that they were the low bidder. That could also have led to the new company having to reduce the staffing levels from where they used to be with the old company.

By the way Chris, how does one get to be pretty with the routes? :unsure: Did you get training from the mountains on just how to stand showing your best side? :lol:


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## RailFanLNK (Feb 12, 2009)

Lets call them up and mess with thier heads and say we want to cash in our AGR/VGR (Via Guest Rewards) for a trip that begins in Phoenix AZ (no Amtrak) and take the John McClainer (train #2) through Wyoming up to Edmonton. :lol: Then transfer to the Barack Obamer (Train #1) and ask them for roomette #3 in the baggage car. :lol: Then ask them if we will receive double or triple points for the trip that can be used at the Burlington Northern Santa Fe Online Shopping Mall that has based its headquarters in Slidell LA. :lol:


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## Cascadia (Feb 16, 2009)

RailFanLNK said:


> Lets call them up and mess with thier heads and say we want to cash in our AGR/VGR (Via Guest Rewards) for a trip that begins in Phoenix AZ (no Amtrak) and take the John McClainer (train #2) through Wyoming up to Edmonton. :lol: Then transfer to the Barack Obamer (Train #1) and ask them for roomette #3 in the baggage car. :lol: Then ask them if we will receive double or triple points for the trip that can be used at the Burlington Northern Santa Fe Online Shopping Mall that has based its headquarters in Slidell LA. :lol:


All that clean living is going to your head 

No really thanks for the laughs. Those are sure a whole bunch of jokes that those Canucks wouldn't get!


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## inspiration100 (Feb 17, 2009)

RailFanLNK said:


> Lets call them up and mess with thier heads and say we want to cash in our AGR/VGR (Via Guest Rewards) for a trip that begins in Phoenix AZ (no Amtrak) and take the John McClainer (train #2) through Wyoming up to Edmonton. :lol: Then transfer to the Barack Obamer (Train #1) and ask them for roomette #3 in the baggage car. :lol: Then ask them if we will receive double or triple points for the trip that can be used at the Burlington Northern Santa Fe Online Shopping Mall that has based its headquarters in Slidell LA. :lol:


Haha, that's great! :lol:


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## the_traveler (Feb 26, 2009)

I have to give praise for the 2 times I called this week to make changes to my AGR award reservations. On 2/23, Dwayne helped me for over 20 minutes when I had to change my reservation. Actually he was the 2nd agent I spoke to that day. The 1st agent made the changes, but put the travel date as "4/5/09" - it should have been "3/4/09"!

Today, I spoke with John for over 30 minutes. First he changed my trip from PDX-BHM (on #19) to PDX-NOL (on #19) - still for a 2 zone award!  At first, he wanted to change my CHI-CVS-NOL segments to CHI-NOL (on the CONO), but allowed me to keep the Cardinal and Crescent!  He also changed the roomette I'm in on the TE from #11, when I asked to be on the upper level! (At first he insisted #11 was on the upper level.)

He also told m about the "new" sleepers "that have all roomettes on the upper level"! Those "new" sleepers are called trans-dorms! 

One thing that confuses me is that each time I called up, that ask for my number, name. etc... for verification. (No problem.) However, when I say I want to redeem, the reply always is "I'll transfer you to a travel specialist"! What do these first agents do? :huh:


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## darien-l (Feb 26, 2009)

the_traveler said:


> One thing that confuses me is that each time I called up, that ask for my number, name. etc... for verification. (No problem.) However, when I say I want to redeem, the reply always is "I'll transfer you to a travel specialist"! What do these first agents do? :huh:


I believe they're Customer Service. If you have issues like missing points, they're the people you talk to. Not that they're likely to help you, in my recent experience...


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## mercedeslove (Feb 26, 2009)

I had problems with points I purchased not showing up. I called them and within two hours they were there and everything was fixed. AGR was very helpful least I had a pleasant experience.


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## yarrow (Feb 27, 2009)

mercedeslove said:


> I had problems with points I purchased not showing up. I called them and within two hours they were there and everything was fixed. AGR was very helpful least I had a pleasant experience.


i think the key is your points not showing up when they were supposed to. i had the same problem and mine showed up too after 6 calls (i finally got someone who could fathom what i was talking about). the people are pleasant but generally clueless


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## Rail Freak (Feb 27, 2009)

the_traveler said:


> I have to give praise for the 2 times I called this week to make changes to my AGR award reservations. On 2/23, Dwayne helped me for over 20 minutes when I had to change my reservation. Actually he was the 2nd agent I spoke to that day. The 1st agent made the changes, but put the travel date as "4/5/09" - it should have been "3/4/09"!
> Today, I spoke with John for over 30 minutes. First he changed my trip from PDX-BHM (on #19) to PDX-NOL (on #19) - still for a 2 zone award!  At first, he wanted to change my CHI-CVS-NOL segments to CHI-NOL (on the CONO), but allowed me to keep the Cardinal and Crescent!  He also changed the roomette I'm in on the TE from #11, when I asked to be on the upper level! (At first he insisted #11 was on the upper level.)
> 
> He also told m about the "new" sleepers "that have all roomettes on the upper level"! Those "new" sleepers are called trans-dorms!
> ...



I've talked with Dwayne twice myself. He was the one who finally, after 45 minutes, acknowledged the computer gave the OK for SDL_WAS_CHI_LAX_PDX loophole. But his explanation of why it's allowed is hysterical !!!  :lol:  :blink:


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## Ispolkom (Feb 27, 2009)

yarrow said:


> i think the key is your points not showing up when they were supposed to. i had the same problem and mine showed up too after 6 calls (i finally got someone who could fathom what i was talking about). the people are pleasant but generally clueless


Oddly, I have had two cases in the last two months where I've been credited for points I hadn't earned. I decided that I didn't want to embarrass anyone by reporting this, but it has made it easier to bear cases where shopping mall points haven't posted.


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