Petty but Annoying

[chandj]

Yesterday (jan 16) we took the Pennsylvanian from Greensburg to Harrisburg in business class. "Complimentary non-alcholic beverage" included. My travel companion went to the Cafe to get a diet soda for each of us. He came back and told me they were all out of diet sodas--only sugar sodas were left. He went back up and was told that they did actually have diet sodas, but because of a stocking mistake, none of the small 'complimentary' variety. So he paid $7 for 2 diet sodas. I've got the receipt and I'm going to make a big whine out of this with Amtrak. I know it is really a small thing, but it is the perfect example of how uneven Amtrak service is. I just wrote a letter to Amtrak about 3 employees at the Pittsburgh station who really bent over backwards to help us out--they jump-started our car, helped us park the car and then got us on the train. We were disorganized losers and they were wonderful about it. Then a couple of weeks later I pay business rate and can't get a diet soda cause they made a mistake and didn't stock any of the tiny ones?? Shoot, the woman in the cafe could have given us one regular size and told us to share and I wouldn't have cared. Anyway, I love my trains, and before anyone points out that Amtrak doesn't promise to stock my personal brand of soft drink, I understand that.

 

[Tony]

Yea, one of my pet peeves too.

BC passengers get a 1/2 size of warm soda. Whereas, others can buy a full size can of cold soda. No one has yet be able to explain why there just has to be two very separate inventories of soda. On LD trains, the diner car can handle serving soda from the same inventory to sleeper passengers and coach passengers.

Regardless, the rule is that BC are only entitled to a soda out of the BC inventory; no exceptions.

 

[Devil's Advocate]

Seems like yet another rule that could benefit from a change. I don't ride BC, in fact there is no such thing for thousands of miles, but you make a good point about how Amtrak can't recover from their own screw-ups because they don't give themselves any wiggle room. Painting yourself into a corner is all well and good, but it doesn't result in happy customers Amtrak.

 

[jis]

Yea, one of my pet peeves too.

BC passengers get a 1/2 size of warm soda. Whereas, others can buy a full size can of cold soda. No one has yet be able to explain why there just has to be two very separate inventories of soda. On LD trains, the diner car can handle serving soda from the same inventory to sleeper passengers and coach passengers.

Regardless, the rule is that BC are only entitled to a soda out of the BC inventory; no exceptions.

Yesterday I was given 2 small cans of cold soda on 163, when I went looking for my free soda. Sometimes it works out fine.

 

[rrdude]

Seems like yet another rule that could benefit from a change. I don't ride BC, in fact there is no such thing for thousands of miles, but you make a good point about how Amtrak can't recover from their own screw-ups because they don't give themselves any wiggle room. Painting yourself into a corner is all well and good, but it doesn't result in happy customers Amtrak.

I used to run out of the comp soda and comp coffee cups ALL THE TIME. Back in the day, as long as you kept track, you could simply use revenue soda for BC or Train Crew, but you had to KEEP TRACK.

Was it a PITA? You bet. And once in a while you'd get some jerk in the commissary who would GRILL YOU on "Why didn't send a Back Order Before you left?" (because I didn't have time to COUNT the non-rev stuff!)

Couple of times they charged me for them, no big deal. I think I more than made up for it in tips.

It's all about service, these guys are out on the tracks on their own, they are "big boys and girls" and should be able to make decisions like that. I can't think of a single Amtrak line manager that when faced with a similar situation wouldn't give away a few sodas, or risk a complaint letter to Amtrak Customer Service.

What do I preach on this forum day-in-and-day friggin' out?

It's all about the SERVICE to the CUSTOMER

(they are the one's who PAID to ride your train, remember?)

SERVICE, SERVICE, SERVICE!

 

[Tony]

Regardless, the rule is that BC are only entitled to a soda out of the BC inventory; no exceptions.

Yesterday I was given 2 small cans of cold soda on 163, when I went looking for my free soda. Sometimes it works out fine.

But those small, 1/2 size, cans still came out of the BC inventory.

 

[jis]

Regardless, the rule is that BC are only entitled to a soda out of the BC inventory; no exceptions.

Yesterday I was given 2 small cans of cold soda on 163, when I went looking for my free soda. Sometimes it works out fine.

But those small, 1/2 size, cans still came out of the BC inventory.

Of course. I never implied otherwise.

 

[LA Resident]

Seems like yet another rule that could benefit from a change. I don't ride BC, in fact there is no such thing for thousands of miles, but you make a good point about how Amtrak can't recover from their own screw-ups because they don't give themselves any wiggle room. Painting yourself into a corner is all well and good, but it doesn't result in happy customers Amtrak.

I used to run out of the comp soda and comp coffee cups ALL THE TIME. Back in the day, as long as you kept track, you could simply use revenue soda for BC or Train Crew, but you had to KEEP TRACK.

Was it a PITA? You bet. And once in a while you'd get some jerk in the commissary who would GRILL YOU on "Why didn't send a Back Order Before you left?" (because I didn't have time to COUNT the non-rev stuff!)

Couple of times they charged me for them, no big deal. I think I more than made up for it in tips.

It's all about service, these guys are out on the tracks on their own, they are "big boys and girls" and should be able to make decisions like that. I can't think of a single Amtrak line manager that when faced with a similar situation wouldn't give away a few sodas, or risk a complaint letter to Amtrak Customer Service.

What do I preach on this forum day-in-and-day friggin' out?

It's all about the SERVICE to the CUSTOMER

(they are the one's who PAID to ride your train, remember?)

SERVICE, SERVICE, SERVICE!

You're absolutely right. But somewhere, somehow in the Amtrak system, there must have been inculcated in employees the fear of incurring a supervisor's wrath if, God forbid, they acted on their own volition to keep a customer happy. It's moronic, of course, especially when you're talking about cans of soda, not arranging a free bedroom for two nights when a reservation mix-up occurs. But this lack of flexibility, nee common sense, is certainly not limited to Amtrak. You see it with most airline companies, hotel clerks, indeed throughout the travel industry.

I'd love to see Amtrak instill the combination of loyalty, service and flexibility that you see with Southwest Airline employees, where the pilots themselves will help out flight attendants and baggage handlers when necessary--even though everyone has their own union! It's an ethos and it's never too late for Amtrak to begin.

 

[Tony]

... , where the pilots themselves will help out flight attendants and baggage handlers when necessary--even though everyone has their own union!

Call me old fashioned, but I still prefer my pilots to stay on the flight deck, where God intended them to be.

 

[Gratt]

rrdude you are absolutely right. A little effort on the part of the OBS can go a VERY long way to improve service and get repeat customers.

A positive example would be the last time I took the train from NYP to NOL. I had never had the privilege to ride in a sleeper and I wanted to see what they look like so I know how to describe them to my friends and family who are/might be interested. So when we got off in in NOL I asked my OBS in coach if he could please take a few min and show me what they looked like. He was more than happy to oblige and because of my description my parents and fiancee cant wait to ride.

He never had to do that, but he did it because it is all about customer service.

On the thread point it is beyond me why Amtrak uses those little cans. does the paperwork, labor, tracking, and potential aggravation really outweigh the cost of a few ounces of sugar+water. Use the whole can size for everyone! Unless they have some bizarre deal with coca-cola this will save them money in the end.

 

[NorthCoastHiawatha]

The business class on the Cascades does it better, it is 3 dollars off any item in the bistro car. Plus, although Ive never ridden any other BC besides the Cascades, I'm fairly sure the Cascades BC cars are better then the amfleet ones.

 

[Oldsmoboi]

On the thread point it is beyond me why Amtrak uses those little cans. does the paperwork, labor, tracking, and potential aggravation really outweigh the cost of a few ounces of sugar+water. Use the whole can size for everyone! Unless they have some bizarre deal with coca-cola this will save them money in the end.

This.

The costs of having a separate inventory alone must outweigh any savings they get by using smaller cans for the freebies.

 

[boxcar479]

rrdude you are absolutely right. A little effort on the part of the OBS can go a VERY long way to improve service and get repeat customers.

A positive example would be the last time I took the train from NYP to NOL. I had never had the privilege to ride in a sleeper and I wanted to see what they look like so I know how to describe them to my friends and family who are/might be interested. So when we got off in in NOL I asked my OBS in coach if he could please take a few min and show me what they looked like. He was more than happy to oblige and because of my description my parents and fiancee cant wait to ride.

He never had to do that, but he did it because it is all about customer service.

On the thread point it is beyond me why Amtrak uses those little cans. does the paperwork, labor, tracking, and potential aggravation really outweigh the cost of a few ounces of sugar+water. Use the whole can size for everyone! Unless they have some bizarre deal with coca-cola this will save them money in the end.

They get Coca cola on the NE corridor? :help:

 

[jis]

The business class on the Cascades does it better, it is 3 dollars off any item in the bistro car. Plus, although Ive never ridden any other BC besides the Cascades, I'm fairly sure the Cascades BC cars are better then the amfleet ones.

Modulo the fact that you can feel every twist in the rail precisely in your butt , yes they are really very nice. Given a choice I prefer the California Car BCs though.

 

[NorthCoastHiawatha]

The business class on the Cascades does it better, it is 3 dollars off any item in the bistro car. Plus, although Ive never ridden any other BC besides the Cascades, I'm fairly sure the Cascades BC cars are better then the amfleet ones.

Modulo the fact that you can feel every twist in the rail precisely in your butt , yes they are really very nice. Given a choice I prefer the California Car BCs though.

I kinda have a bias for the Cascades so go figure.

 

[afigg]

But those small, 1/2 size, cans still came out of the BC inventory.

I think the small cans are 8 fluid ounces, which makes them 2/3rds the size of a regular can, not half. But put me into the group who find providing the small cans for BC customers as rather annoying, if not silly. If you pay extra for BC and Amtrak is not going to provide free beer or booze but only free soda, the least Amtrak could do is provide full size cans. It does look petty to the first time BC customers.

Is there that big a inventory management issue in keeping track of the free soda provided to BC by using small cans? Are they worried that the cafe attendant will give free soda to non BC customers? It should be pointed out that Amtrak's setup for the cafe cars is years behind the times with manual entry of each item into a cash register. If Amtrak were to modernize and provide the attendant with a bar code scanner to use on each item sold, that could speed up the sale process and reduce the time spent adding up sale records for inventory and accounting afterwards.

Then when buying the free soda cans in bulk for the BC customers, either order them with a different bar code or have a bar code label placed on the bottom of the car. Then when providing the free soda cans to BC customers, scan in both the BC soda can and the customers ticket stub which should have a bar code on it. That way, the records can confirm that the free soda only went to BC customers if management is that uptight about it.

 

[afigg]

They get Coca cola on the NE corridor? :help:

Only if you hop off the train and run to a food vendor when the train is making a long enough stop at a station. And don't get left behind.

 

[Oldsmoboi]

Basic inventory management 101 here. If each BC passenger is entitled one can of soda, just put a barcode on the ticket stub. To get the free soda, you have to have your stub scanned. The attendant then scans a can of whatever out of inventory and hands it to the passenger. If the stub has already been scanned for a free soda, it rings up the $7.00 or whatever they want for a can.

It's so basic, there is probably an App for that on iPhone.

 

[Gratt]

Basic inventory management 101 here. If each BC passenger is entitled one can of soda, just put a barcode on the ticket stub. To get the free soda, you have to have your stub scanned. The attendant then scans a can of whatever out of inventory and hands it to the passenger. If the stub has already been scanned for a free soda, it rings up the $7.00 or whatever they want for a can.

It's so basic, there is probably an App for that on iPhone.

Stop making sense! This is Amtrak we are talking about here :giggle:

 

[sechs]

The business class on the Cascades does it better, it is 3 dollars off any item in the bistro car.

Soup is better than soda, anyway.

 

[ALC Rail Writer]

The business class on the Cascades does it better, it is 3 dollars off any item in the bistro car.

Soup is better than soda, anyway.

Oatmeal if it is a morning run.

 

[Anderson]

Regardless, the rule is that BC are only entitled to a soda out of the BC inventory; no exceptions.

Yesterday I was given 2 small cans of cold soda on 163, when I went looking for my free soda. Sometimes it works out fine.

But those small, 1/2 size, cans still came out of the BC inventory.

Of course. I never implied otherwise.

I've had a similar experience. My orders tend towards the unconventional (usually milk, occasionally hot chocolate), and this has once or twice managed to get me an extra towards the end of the run if they've got extra supplies to burn in the BC allotment and the staff is feeling generous.

 

[ALC Rail Writer]

When I did the Lincoln Service/MORR last April I got two drinks, one for each leg of the trip before and after STL. Each time we had to sign a piece of paper... which I'm not sure what good it did for control purposes, but hey...

I remember getting an 8oz can the first time, and a 12oz can the second time-- though that was by virtue of an order for ginger ale, which the LSA said he only stocks for cocktails.

I've often had very friendly LSAs who will do anything to keep the customer happy. One time on the Penny I saw she had the tonic water out, and I asked her for one. She replied that they actually weren't part of the beverage stock, and only sold in conjunction with an alcohol purchase. I smiled and asked her if anybody had ever told her, "If I see it, sell it". We laughed and she sold me a can of tonic water, marked it as a Pepsi.

Contrast that with the LSAs on the CL who won't even give you the can of tonic water when you order a gin and tonic. According to bar code, when the server isn't a trained bartender it is customary for them to not make your drink. For good reason, as different cocktails (even the basic ones) have different ratios of alcohol to mixer. When you mix a shot of gin with a bunch of ice and fill it with tonic water-- it isn't pretty.

I've had the opposite experience on many of the LDs East of CHI-- many LSAs will ask if you want them to do it or not. I guess to some it may look like an excuse to get out of work, but really nothing could be further from the truth. If an LSA hands me the raw ingridients (the gin, tonic, a cup of rocks, and time/lemon) I can make a good gin sour or lime rickey with a pack of sugar. That certainly makes the $6 go down a little bit easier :lol:

 

[LA Resident]

... , where the pilots themselves will help out flight attendants and baggage handlers when necessary--even though everyone has their own union!

Call me old fashioned, but I still prefer my pilots to stay on the flight deck, where God intended them to be.

Hey, you should really start worrying when you see the baggage handlers entering the cockpit and not coming out!! :help:

 

[VentureForth]

...I know it is really a small thing, but it is the perfect example of how uneven Amtrak service is.

No. Unfortunately, this is PAR Amtrak service. I complained to Amtrak after my daughter rode the Palmetto in BC and had ZERO service, and in fact, was in a coach with the same seats and pitch as coach. Advantage: A free 75-cent newspaper!

What came out the of the complaint was . . . . absolutely nothing. Barely an apology, NO offer to refund any portion of BC, refusal when asked, and just absolute disappointment.

So, I think I'm done with BC forever unless I start to read that it's doing better.

That being said, BC on the Carolinian two years ago was very nice. Very attentive attendant and service on a cart. Only problem I had with that was that they only ran the cart between certain station pairs, and so if you're trip wasn't on that pair, you're outta luck.

WHO AT AMTRAK CAN FIX THIS???

 

 

WHO AT AMTRAK WILL FIX THIS???