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smokey
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« Reply #15 on: May 04, 2009, 10:14:07 » |
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I take the view that a customer has bought valid ticket, a passenger has not!  Hmmm. Strictly speaking, my employer normally buys the ticket on which I travel, therefore I consider myself to be a passenger on the network rather than a customer. I still expect and, I think, deserve, exactly the same treatment however. I consider myself a "Customer" at the Booking office, or whilst at the Train Buffet, ie whilst parting with some of the Pictures of the Queen I like to collect. I consider my Self a "Passenger" whilst on a Station waiting for a train or when traveling on said train. However Neither term is correct, Which of these three statements is correct, when refering to persons on a train. "The Customer public", "The Travelling public" or "The Passenger Public" Yep that's right the correct term to use is TRAVELLER now doesn't that open a whole can of Worms, not many people wish to be refered too as Traveller these days.  |
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moonraker
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« Reply #16 on: May 04, 2009, 16:03:25 » |
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 not wishing to uspet anyone....... but have you noticed we are all customers until (God Forbid) there in a fatal incident then we are passengers 
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Btline
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« Reply #17 on: May 05, 2009, 20:35:48 » |
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No - I carry a valid season ticket every day and I am not a customer. I am a passenger.
And what happens if a firm pays for a season ticket for someone? They CAN'T be a customer, as they didn't buy the ticket!
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cereal_basher
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« Reply #18 on: May 05, 2009, 22:40:23 » |
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It doesn't bother me. On the railway I am a passenger but a customer of whoever I buy the ticket from. No difference to me.
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smokey
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« Reply #19 on: May 16, 2009, 09:56:15 » |
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Like it or not, "customer" is the standard term for passenger, adopted by British Rail way back when and now almost universally applied by the TOCs▸ (in much the same way as the word "signaller" has replaced "signalman", and the 24-hour clock has replaced the traditional am/pm). These words are standard terminology on the modern railway system and so cannot be regarded as incorrect just because they're different from the words that were in use 50 years ago. Things change, in many cases for the better. The world moves on.
You're also reading rather too much into the word customer vs passenger. The OED▸ defines customer as "a person who buys goods or services from a shop or business", a passenger as "a traveller in a public or private conveyance (other than the driver, pilot, crew etc.)". Given that a passenger is buying a service (travel) from a business (the train company), the words customer and passenger are both fully applicable and it is incorrect to suggest that either is wrong.
"Customer" might be the standard term for "Passenger", introduced by BR▸ , but BR didn't always get it right. I don't like the term Customer when travelling, the word Passenger seems so much better. But then the word Traveller fits far better than Customer or Passenger, but would Lord Snooty "of the Beano" take kindly to be called a Traveller. I still consider BR got it wrong over the term "customer", just like BR got it wrong in bringing in 100 minutes to the hour. Yes I've worked for BR when I was allocated 1 hour and 73minutes to do the work. That little baby the 100 minute hour soon got kicked out when the press got hold of the story. |
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caliwag
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« Reply #20 on: May 16, 2009, 16:31:36 » |
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Mmm..."passenger stock", not "customer stock"...we could of course all travel in "vent vans" or as special traffic! Passenger is the correct terminology because of the provenance. People like to be considered as Passengers. "Customers" is insulting...sorry, that's the way it is in the real use of the English language. Whoever reinvents this stuff should appreciate that people (passengers) have a special relationship with train travel...even if they do it daily...They want to be treated in a special way, especially if that means being greeted by a guard who has a knowledge of the line in question, and gives advice on forward journeys...etc etc as we know. That's why we are passengers...it's in the genes. That's why the vast majority of people still treat trains with a sort of reverence. They enjoy the experience, the journey, the fact that someone in a uniform appears and gives advice...OK checks tickets in passing...blah blah The vast majority of people still will buy a ticket because they fear the embarrassment of confrontation. So there we have it...we are all law abiding passengers...bu**er this supermarket approach to marketing. we get the railway we deserve! Mind I'm 61!!!  |
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Btline
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« Reply #21 on: May 16, 2009, 18:53:23 » |
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Passenger is the correct terminology because of the provenance. People like to be considered as Passengers. "Customers" is insulting...sorry, that's the way it is in the real use of the English language. Whoever reinvents this stuff should appreciate that people (passengers) have a special relationship with train travel...even if they do it daily...They want to be treated in a special way, especially if that means being greeted by a guard who has a knowledge of the line in question, and gives advice on forward journeys...etc etc as we know. That's why we are passengers...it's in the genes. That's why the vast majority of people still treat trains with a sort of reverence. They enjoy the experience, the journey, the fact that someone in a uniform appears and gives advice...OK checks tickets in passing...blah blah The vast majority of people still will buy a ticket because they fear the embarrassment of confrontation. So there we have it...we are all law abiding passengers...bu**er this supermarket approach to marketing. we get the railway we deserve! Mind I'm 61!!! Agree fully! It's passenger. Not customer. |
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Chris from Nailsea
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« Reply #22 on: May 16, 2009, 20:08:04 » |
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When I'm travelling on a train (or indeed even when I'm buying my ticket, before the train arrives), I see myself as 'a passenger'. Apart from 'passengers', the only other people on trains are 'staff'. No 'customers'.  |
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William Huskisson MP▸ was the first person to be killed by a train while crossing the tracks, in 1830. Many more have died in the same way since then. Don't take a chance: stop, look, listen.
"Level crossings are safe, unless they are used in an unsafe manner." Discuss.
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thetrout
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« Reply #23 on: May 17, 2009, 02:26:28 » |
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devon_metro
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« Reply #24 on: May 17, 2009, 12:22:32 » |
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Then a smart arse comes along and tells you that a lot of the morning arrivals into Bristol do have buffets, courtesy of the humble HST▸ |
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thetrout
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« Reply #25 on: May 17, 2009, 15:00:26 » |
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Chris from Nailsea
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« Reply #26 on: May 17, 2009, 23:10:52 » |
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William Huskisson MP▸ was the first person to be killed by a train while crossing the tracks, in 1830. Many more have died in the same way since then. Don't take a chance: stop, look, listen.
"Level crossings are safe, unless they are used in an unsafe manner." Discuss.
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unfarepayingpassenger
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« Reply #27 on: January 16, 2011, 00:24:32 » |
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The station staff at Reading are good at being impolite or rude.
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unfarepayingpassenger
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« Reply #28 on: January 16, 2011, 00:28:13 » |
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There is a very big difference between 'passenger' and 'customer'.
I have been told be fgw that I am no longer their customer and only their passenger because my employer buys my ticket through RBT (which is part of south eastern trains). This is how they have decided to do it. It means that I am not entitled to any fge special offers for season ticket holders. (Not that there are any). They don't care about passengers/customers.
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SDS
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« Reply #29 on: January 16, 2011, 00:46:13 » |
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Wrong, I do believe that annual season ticket holders that buy from FGW▸ (for FGW) get around 4 or 5 free journeys anywhere on the network.
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I do not work for FGW▸ and posts should not be assumed and do not imply they are statements, unless explicitly stated that they are, from any TOC▸ including First Great Western.
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