Car parking with Ringgo / APCOA Connect

[whole diary]

[ChrisB]

Yes, as I understand it.

[LiskeardRich]

still to do with ringgo but off at a different tangent,
 i used the cornwall council system and find the voice recognition useless.
doing my car details, i have a private plate starts y888.
read my reg out, y-8-8-8......
system decided i said ,y-8-8-2. quite how it can understand two 8s, but get confused on the third one i do not know,

then i gave it my car details. A blue Seat.... the system decided i have a blue Fiat. ok they sound slightly the same, fair enough.
Spoke with an advisor, got it all sorted correctly. correct details in confirmation text.
I then went to use the system again and it asked me if i'd like to park my red Ford Y-8-8-8. Where did it decide i have a red Ford from my mobile number, yet get the registation correct, I've never owned a Ford, or a red car, for it to even remember from my phone number.

[argg]

Another area for APCOA^▸ (Car parking company used at GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway) - controlled stations in the area) to improve...

I generally buy a parking season ticket using the APCOA website.  All works very similarly to the old RINGGO version - 7 day temporary permit by email etc.  So far so good.

In the past RINGGO would send a reminder email two weeks before expiry.  APCOA send a text message ... 10 minutes before expiry (i.e. ten minutes to midnight on the last day) !!

Whilst practically possible to renew for the next day if you haven't already gone to bed or have time in the morning, or if you've had the foresight to remember a few days earlier, a little bit more notice from the automated reminder would be nice.

[super tm]

Another example of poor customer service.  The automated system has simply been programmed to contact you 10 mins before expiry.  OK when paying for a few hours not so good when paying for a week.

[andynel]

This problem has been taken up with APCOA^▸ (Car parking company used at GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway) - controlled stations in the area).

Meanwhile, I finally have some news, but you're not going to like it much - the geographical number will finally go live is 11th July. FGW^▸ (First Great Western) aren't too happy that it's taken this long either, so I guess that's the first nail struck.....

There will be a period of dual-running, possibly commencing before that date, and FGW will put up posters etc once it is live.

Anyone know if the number is changing on Monday?



_{Edit note: Quote marks fixed. CfN.}

[johoare]

I do hope so.. but I imagine not (I've not heard about any dual running for example).. I'm a bit fed up with paying for these calls and how very long they take...

[ChrisB]

I'll enquire tomorrow....

[johoare]

No sign of anything changing number wise looking at their site.. Mind you they've still not replied to me question from weeks ago.. I'm not terribly impressed...

They've now made the call as long as it possibly could be (speaking slowly, asking many more questions than RingGO did for example) making me think they surely have to be getting some sort of revenue from all those phone calls..

[Phil]

No sign of anything changing number wise looking at their site.. Mind you they've still not replied to me question from weeks ago.. I'm not terribly impressed...

They've now made the call as long as it possibly could be (speaking slowly, asking many more questions than RingGO did for example) making me think they surely have to be getting some sort of revenue from all those phone calls..

Quite agree. Appalling service - I feel royally screwed over and I know a lot of other travellers who do too.

[ChrisB]

ok, I'm hearing it's going live on the 15th and that every registered user will receive a text message this week to advise the new number.

The old one will remain live as it is used elsewhere on other contracts.

[sorch]

I just got an email about the launch of the geographic number. In true APCOA^▸ (Car parking company used at GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway) - controlled stations in the area) style, it doesn't tell you what it is. It is an email to tell you to stay tuned. Well that's helpful.

It comes at a time when I won't actually need to use the service for a while, which is about right knowing my luck.

Still, at least it means those who do use it won't be propping up APCOA's revenue while it refuses to let you move on and instead wants to ask you questions in the slowest way possible.

[andynel]

Thanks very much Chris and all.  Yes, just got an email to say number is changing. Well at least that's one thing improving!

[Chris from Nailsea]

Yes, they have confirmed it is being changed, but could take up to 4 weeks to get it done (& notices changed too, I guess)

They have access to APCOA^▸ (Car parking company used at GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway) - controlled stations in the area) Connect's customers, so I guess they'll tell everyone by email contact or by text.

So, rather more than four weeks on from 16 March 2011, then ... 

[ChrisB]

That advice was changed though...

[Chris from Nailsea]

I know that, Chris - but the fact of the matter is, we (collectively) have been rather strung along by FGW^▸ (First Great Western), while they re-negotiated that number (all the while costing users of the service an unexpected / unacceptable amount of money in terms of call charges).