Yet another great example of customer service

[Mark Gleeson]

It is an excellent letter of complaint

The problems are directly related to publicly stated Irish Rail customer service commitments, it leaves Irish Rail with no avenue of escape. The details given are specific enough to clearly identify the member of staff involved. If only more complaints where like that we really could start to twist the minds of IE staff

You should have got an acknowledgment within 5 working days and a response within 15 working days in 90% of cases. You didn't and to be honest everyone seems to be in that 10%

Originally Posted by Internal IE document deemed commercially sensitive

Most problems are satisfactorily solved at local or station level. However, Iarnrod Eireann undertakes that, if customers prefer or are still not satisfied, their attention will be drawn to the provisions of the Customer Charter

Now I've done some sniffing around and discovered that IE have a customer relationship management system called MySAP....... need I say more

[2Funki4Wheelz]

Originally Posted by Mark Gleeson

IE have a customer relationship management system called MySAP....... need I say more

Well we had SAP in my old company, it can do many things, despite a rubbish name!

To be honest customer service has nothing to do with computer systems - other than maybe to log and remind you of issues - its about people who know what they're talking about, an acceptance of responsibility and willingness to learn from the points raised.

[Mark Gleeson]

I know all about SAP but no matter the software, rubbish in is rubbish out

Of course if the CRM actually worked it would automatically print the acknowledgement letters itself to be signed

The commerically sensitive document tells us the 89% of complaints are concerning punctuality which doesn't really match with the real world

[2Funki4Wheelz]

Even auto letters are only partially useful - perhaps just to acknowlegde recceipt as you say.

People complain:
- to vent
- to be listened to
- to get some resolution/stop repetition of an issue

Autotext/copy & pasted feelingless letters where nothing changes because no one took the complaint seriously don't cut it.
I mean how many complaints do they get that they can't handle them all properly?

[Mark Gleeson]

Originally Posted by 2Funki4Wheelz

Even auto letters are only partially useful - perhaps just to acknowlegde recceipt as you say.

There is a commitment to do this and it never happens

[CSL]

[paddyb180285]

I was in Dalkey Station this morning to catch the 10:36 Drogheda service into town. While getting the ticket, there was nobody at the window. I didn't want to use the ticket machine as sometimes I have been given loose change and I had a €10 note at the time. I could see someone at the corner of my eye when I took a closer look through the window. So I knocked on the window to catch there attention. After a few seconds of being ignored, I said "Excuse me" in a polite manner.

I was approached and as he was serving me he started saying something. As I was getting money out of my wallet I didn't here him first time. So I said "pardon?" also in a polite manner. Than he said something along the lines of "would ever knock on the window of a shop?". I was speachless and he continued with "you shouldn't ever knock on the window of a shop. Its very rude? The train is in 8 minutes!". Even though I arrived in good advance, there should be at least one "shop keeper" at the tills at all times regardless of whether there is a rush or not especially when it is the only till in the entire shop. I walked off after this.

Nevertheless, I was absolutely appauled at the manner in which I was treated. I know Dalkey is serviced many times more frequently than Portarlington by train because it is serviced by the DART. However, it is IE duty to provide a courtious service. On the more positive side of things, I had a pleasent journey into town. It was on a 29000 series CAF 8-coach long Commuter train and they are very comfortable indeed.