Inconsistent Service: A bigger problem than the food?

[me_little_me]

I don't respond to surveys.

I've NEVER gotten one from the Veterans Administration Medical Center when I've had bad service so I suspect that, like a lot of places, they allow the service provider to select when a survey goes out and nobody in their right mind would ask that a survey be sent to someone who just told them that they were unhappy with the service. The results are suspect, at best.

Unless the company shows me the results of their surveys, I refuse to participate as it is not helping me. If they are unwilling to tell me, they have something to hide which means they are too embarrassed to admit their problems and do something about it. Especially true if they selectively release information.

Why should I take my unpaid time to tell management what they could find out by having paid "secret customers", unannounced management visitations, management actually getting out in the field instead of hiding behind spreadsheets in their ivory towers, managers actually periodically doing those field jobs to see what it is really like, and management talking to customers and reading the forums. My time is worth more than their laziness.

 

[OBS]

What about 448/449? Is Boston a base, by any chance?

Chicago based

 

[Mystic River Dragon]

Speaking just for myself, I get far too many "canned" messages already. Also, not everyone is going to be glued to their email as soon as they get on the train. Better perhaps to have the SCA drop a piece of paper or card in the room with her/his name and a sum-up of services available to passengers on the train--including instructions for how to summon or find the SCA.

This is a wonderful idea, especially right now.

The normal proper procedure is for the SCA to greet you as you board, direct you to your room, and say something like “I’ll be down shortly to explain how everything works.”

I do understand that the SCAs may want to keep their personal interaction at a minimum during a pandemic—for everyone’s safety—so tricia’s suggestion here is a wonderful compromise.

 

[OBS]

New York, NY (NYP)
-Lake Shore Limited (New York Section)
-Cardinal
-Palmetto

Miami, FL (MIA)
-Silver Star
-Silver Meteor

New Orleans, LA (NOL)
-City of New Orleans
-Crescent

Chicago, IL (CHI)
-California Zephyr
-Lake Shore Limited (Boston Section)
-Empire Builder (Portland Section)
-Texas Eagle (I think so but not sure)

Los Angeles, CA (LAX)
-Coast Starlight
-Southwest Chief
-Sunset Limited

Seattle, WA (SEA)
-Empire Builder (Seattle Section)

Washington, DC (WAS)
-Capitol Limited

Raleigh, NC (RGH)
-Carolinian (Day 1 RGH-CLT, Day 2 CLT-NYP, Day 3 NYP-RGH)

Now there are exceptions to rules as I've ran into a Seattle person on the Coast Starlight before who was filling in for someone who was sick and couldn't make it to work. So they flew someone in from Seattle.

One correction....The Diner attendant is Chicago based...for the Lakeshore...

 

[bms]

One of my jobs has those surveys and in my opinion, they mainly measure who is best at begging clients for a 5/5 on the survey.

 

[20th Century Rider]

But deteriorating morale among staff can partly be attributed to elimination of jobs... most who are actually only human might just throw their hands in the air. Today it was announced in USA Today that Amtrak will furlough 1900 front line jobs and 100 management jobs. These are somber times.

https://www.usatoday.com/story/trav...rloughs-16-000-workers-furloughed/5692280002/

 

[20th Century Rider]

Speaking just for myself, I get far too many "canned" messages already. Also, not everyone is going to be glued to their email as soon as they get on the train. Better perhaps to have the SCA drop a piece of paper or card in the room with her/his name and a sum-up of services available to passengers on the train--including instructions for how to summon or find the SCA.

Actually there are many SCA's that do that already... they have it down to a pattern... also including a copy of the schedule if you didn't already download it. I've experienced this on the CS and SWC. I wish such high standards would be stated in the job description.

 

[crescent-zephyr]

One correction....The Diner attendant is Chicago based...for the Lakeshore...

Is that a recent change with the contemporary dining? I know years ago the lake shore was nyc based. So was the crescent at one time (but other obs was New Orleans).

 

[Dakota 400]

but the idea is that it's a fully automated message that appears to be "from" their LSA/SCA. The folks themselves would not be sending e-mails or even aware of it other than knowing, vaguely, that their passengers got a canned message with their pictures in it. If there is a reply feature, it would go to a centralized customer service area.

I think this is a good idea. It creates a "pleasurable" link between the guest and the service provider. On one very long cruise, part of the pre-cruise preparation for the trip from the cruise line was a "letter" from the ship's Master and Hotel Manager welcoming me to our anticipated journey. Such a communication helps to heighten one's expectations for their trip.

Training might be helpful, but, again, I've been to lots of in-service training where we all just zoned out and it went into one ear and out the other.

During my career, I have attended many in-service meetings. Please forgive me if what I am about to write is disrespectful and offends anyone, but my colleagues who "zoned out" were the very ones who really needed that in-service training. For the rest of us, such training often provided new ideas or, at least, re-affirmed the job we were trying to do.

And the problem may be that the service manual is TOO detailed and you end up with OBS not being able to follow it to the letter

Bureaucrats exist in many professions and business positions. They need "something to do" to justify their jobs. Thus, such "manuals/directions/regulations/rules,etc." are often created to the detriment of the job that, we the workers, are trying to do. The best philosophy that I found when I was the Chairman of an academic department was the well known KISS philosophy.

When an organization gets to many "Suits" running a business, particularly when those "Suits" have little to no experience in that business, that's when problems, that were not there initially, begin.

I think that has been, and is, an issue for Amtrak. "Suits" in Congress; "Suits" in Amtrak's Executive Office.

 

[LookingGlassTie]

Speaking of consistency (and I hope I'm not off-topic) what I would like to see return is the ability of coach passengers to order food/meals to eat at their seats. I don't know if that service was actually discontinued, though.

Food quality notwithstanding, I think that coach passengers should have that option.

 

[OBS]

Is that a recent change with the contemporary dining? I know years ago the lake shore was nyc based. So was the crescent at one time (but other obs was New Orleans).

Yes, for the Lakeshore. The Crescent jobs went to NOL about 7-8 years ago.

 

[Bob Dylan]

I think this is a good idea. It creates a "pleasurable" link between the guest and the service provider. On one very long cruise, part of the pre-cruise preparation for the trip from the cruise line was a "letter" from the ship's Master and Hotel Manager welcoming me to our anticipated journey. Such a communication helps to heighten one's expectations for their trip.




Bureaucrats exist in many professions and business positions. They need "something to do" to justify their jobs. Thus, such "manuals/directions/regulations/rules,etc." are often created to the detriment of the job that, we the workers, are trying to do. The best philosophy that I found when I was the Chairman of an academic department was the well known KISS philosophy.

When an organization gets to many "Suits" running a business, particularly when those "Suits" have little to no experience in that business, that's when problems, that were not there initially, begin.

I think that has been, and is, an issue for Amtrak. "Suits" in Congress; "Suits" in Amtrak's Executive Office.

The problem is too many of the "Suits" are Empty!

 

[Qapla]

The problem is too many of the "Suits" are Empty!

Or "Stuffed"

 

[CameraObscura76]

Me too, but I've only taken one trip. LSAs going both ways were superb. Heather in the dining car was out of this world. A vet, by the way.

Heather is a gem; so are Paul, George, Lori and Sarah.

 

[basketmaker]

It may not be workable, but the idea is that it's a fully automated message that appears to be "from" their LSA/SCA. The folks themselves would not be sending e-mails or even aware of it other than knowing, vaguely, that their passengers got a canned message with their pictures in it. If there is a reply feature, it would go to a centralized customer service area.

That's why I'm on the train! No e-mail, phone, text....

 

[Nick Farr]

That's why I'm on the train! No e-mail, phone, text....

You'd get the email before your trip, just like your ticket.

You can feel free to ignore it, but for first time passengers it's an opportunity to learn about the minimum service standards and what to do if they're not followed.

 

[Qapla]

I don't "do email" on my phone - so, I would not get such an email with my ticket.

Later, when I'm back home and checking my email on my PC I'd be prone to treat such an email like I do the other "surveys" I get

My eTicket comes on my Amtrak App - not by email.

 

[tricia]

You'd get the email before your trip, just like your ticket.

You can feel free to ignore it, but for first time passengers it's an opportunity to learn about the minimum service standards and what to do if they're not followed.

All sounds fine EXCEPT "that it appears to be 'from' their LSA/SCA." Emails that pretend to be coming from a specific individual who in fact hasn't sent it are fundamentally dishonest.

 

[Qapla]

And what is there for those of us who don't drink coffee?

 

[Nick Farr]

All sounds fine EXCEPT "that it appears to be 'from' their LSA/SCA." Emails that pretend to be coming from a specific individual who in fact hasn't sent it are fundamentally dishonest.

There's a lot of A/B testing that will go into it if they adopt it, but this is a common business practice. It's one idea and that's good feedback. Perhaps it can be an "introduction"

If you write your representative in Congress, the reply will appear to be from them in a lot of cases, but they'll have no idea who, when or what was sent. They might get a report.

I send a ton of lightly automated email where I have no idea who the recipients are, but the emails appear to be "from" me.

 

[Nick Farr]

And what is there for those of us who don't drink coffee?

Technically all the canned drinks and bottled water we want, right?

 

[tricia]

And what is there for those of us who don't drink coffee?

You go to the dining car and beg some hot water for tea. Or ask for juice or soda.

 

[Nick Farr]

You go to the dining car and beg some hot water for tea. Or ask for juice or soda.

Or hit your call button and make the SCA do it.

 

[tricia]

There's a lot of A/B testing that will go into it if they adopt it, but this is a common business practice. It's one idea and that's good feedback. Perhaps it can be an "introduction"

If you write your representative in Congress, the reply will appear to be from them in a lot of cases, but they'll have no idea who, when or what was sent. They might get a report.

I send a ton of lightly automated email where I have no idea who the recipients are, but the emails appear to be "from" me.

I know all this. I also still know that it's dishonest, unless the person whose name is signed to it has seen and approved it.

The fact that we have technology that enables us to create an appearance of personalization doesn't make it honest.

 

[basketmaker]

You'd get the email before your trip, just like your ticket.

You can feel free to ignore it, but for first time passengers it's an opportunity to learn about the minimum service standards and what to do if they're not followed.

A day or so prior to travel yes. But it kind of read to check e-mail in the room at departure. Business cards for all personnel (not just the OBS) should be standard. And be offered to any pax on request. They would include Red Caps, ticket agents or even kitchen staff. There are times you ask for a name and may it is all vowels and long. Your arms are full and can't write it down. And this is for poor service or fantastic service. And yes, good service should be reported just like poor.
And I am one of the oddballs that does complete surveys. E-mail, online, telephone and USPS.