Petty but Annoying

[Spokker]

WHO AT AMTRAK CAN FIX THIS???

 

 

WHO AT AMTRAK WILL FIX THIS???

Are you mad?

 

[rrdude]

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 is the LAST THING you want to add to a moving train. The time, energy, and effort required to calibrate is not worth it. PLUS, if they use the correct POS system, there would be a key for every item, with the price pre-set. I did two Pilot programs on Amtrak, with two different POS systems. So far, the only ones that are still used on board are the cheapo, "banger" cash registers. Crews have been known to throw POS machines OFF moving trains. (I saw the remains of an old IBM terminal) 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. But in general, your advice is correct, they need to modernize. Securing the equipment is the problem.

My responses appear in BOLD RED, above.

 

[dlagrua]

This is intolerable. Unacceptable. To think that they would have the nerve to offer you a regular soda when you wanted a diet. Someone should be put in jail for this egregious error.

 

[Devil's Advocate]

This is intolerable. Unacceptable. To think that they would have the nerve to offer you a regular soda when you wanted a diet. Someone should be put in jail for this egregious error.

A little late with the troll bait, don't you think?

 

[Oldsmoboi]

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 is the LAST THING you want to add to a moving train. The time, energy, and effort required to calibrate is not worth it. PLUS, if they use the correct POS system, there would be a key for every item, with the price pre-set. I did two Pilot programs on Amtrak, with two different POS systems. So far, the only ones that are still used on board are the cheapo, "banger" cash registers. Crews have been known to throw POS machines OFF moving trains. (I saw the remains of an old IBM terminal) 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. But in general, your advice is correct, they need to modernize. Securing the equipment is the problem.

My responses appear in BOLD RED, above.

No need to calibrate barcode scanners any longer. They can be built into phones. No more lasers and mirrors to worry about.

 

[had8ley]

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.

Two points; the SCA did you a big favor because he gets to go home as NOL is the home terminal for the sleeper OBS. Secondly, next time you go shopping price a six pack of 12 oz. cans vs. 8 oz. cans. There's over aa dollars difference here and the 8 oz. are more expensive :blush:

 

[jis]

That is the LAST THING you want to add to a moving train. The time, energy, and effort required to calibrate is not worth it. PLUS, if they use the correct POS system, there would be a key for every item, with the price pre-set. I did two Pilot programs on Amtrak, with two different POS systems. So far, the only ones that are still used on board are the cheapo, "banger" cash registers. Crews have been known to throw POS machines OFF moving trains. (I saw the remains of an old IBM terminal)

In this day and age why would one use those Rube Goldberg devices with lasers zapping around every which way? My iPhone (or equivalently an Android phone too) seems to be able to scan both 1D and 2D barcodes with ease using its little camera and a bit of software. Is it so hard to adapt that for use in a POS terminal?

 

[VentureForth]

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 is the LAST THING you want to add to a moving train. The time, energy, and effort required to calibrate is not worth it. PLUS, if they use the correct POS system, there would be a key for every item, with the price pre-set. I did two Pilot programs on Amtrak, with two different POS systems. So far, the only ones that are still used on board are the cheapo, "banger" cash registers. Crews have been known to throw POS machines OFF moving trains. (I saw the remains of an old IBM terminal) 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. But in general, your advice is correct, they need to modernize. Securing the equipment is the problem.

My responses appear in BOLD RED, above.

Even lasers and mirrors, when mounted with isolators, or even a handheld would work fine. What an excuse.

 

[Peter KG6LSE]

, they need to modernize. Securing the equipment is the problem.

Well the credit card swipers in every cafe car I have bean in are not locked or screwed down ..

Being a professional Geek I would love to see AMTK use barcodes but really its not neeeded .

common sense with the price point of the cans is more simple . Dump the 8oZ and use the full size cans .

My college uses the 8oz ones for Kids day casue they are not waisted but in realty they DO cost just as much ( from coke Inc)

but lets not kid ourselfes . its a large company . NO large company I have see has ever made sense ...

At least they offer stuff ..... for now ...

there is greyhound ( eww) or the jumbo jet ( ermm NO) too . there just as bad ..

 

[rrdude]

No need to calibrate barcode scanners any longer. They can be built into phones. No more lasers and mirrors to worry about.

You got me there, I totally had a blond-moment on that point. And to think of how many times I myself have told our customers that very same, EXACT, point....

Sheesh, gettin' olds a bi-atch....

 

[Ryan]

But it (getting old) beats the alternative!

 

[Pastor Dave]

But it (getting old) beats the alternative!

True. Unfortunate. But true.