Complete inflexibility at ticket offices

[whole diary]

[Glovidge]

No wonder the country is on edge when you get jobsworths who think they're the arbiter of powers cos they wear a uniform.

Having lost my belongings over the weekend, the last straw is eejits refusing to issue me with my ticket despite having the necessary paperwork. So on top of having my wallet and its contents go missing I have to pay extra money to make my journey I've already paid for.

Cheers, thanks and big love to obdurate pricks who have a vastly inflated sense of their own self worth, your actions in your refusal to help customers will prove counter-productive to your and your industry's long-term career prospects. Of course you're far too thick to realise this.

And they wonder why folks fare dodge?

[Chris from Nailsea]

Hmm. That's obviously a matter of some personal grievance to you, Glovidge - and I do have some sympathy with your views.

You can raise the matter officially with First Great Western (assuming that it is they who are the culprits) at http://www.firstgreatwestern.co.uk/Content.aspx?id=111

Hope this helps.

Chris. 

[insider]

Lost and stolen tickets do not get replaced, as per national conditions of carriage.

Tickets have cash value.

Try loosing a ^20 note and asking the bank to replace it!!!!!!

[bobm]

Are we talking about lost tickets or in the inablity to claim booked tickets from a machine because the original credit/debit card is no longer available?

[JayMac]

Lost and stolen tickets do not get replaced, as per national conditions of carriage.

By the letter of the rules that is absolutely correct. However the OP^▸ (Original Poster / topic starter) appears to be saying he was yet to collect his ticket(s). (Glovidge - please correct that assumption if I'm wrong. If you'd lost your tickets along with everything else than it would only be goodwill that would see you issued with replacements).

It is possible for a booking office clerk to check with the retailer that the tickets have yet to be issued. A tortuous process, not made easy by the fragmented nature of the UK^▸ (United Kingdom) rail industry, but it is possible. Said retailer should then be able to cancel the original tickets and give authorisation for new ones to be issued. Ticket retailers often do this when tickets fail to turn up in the post. The same should be possible for a passenger who has lost the card he used to pay for the tickets, but is still able to produce the e-mail confirmation of his purchase - which, reading between the lines, is what Glovidge is miffed about not being able to do.

[Glovidge]

Are we talking about lost tickets or in the inablity to claim booked tickets from a machine because the original credit/debit card is no longer available?

Card was lost over weekend, had printed confirmation of booked journeys which I presented at the counter. Adamant that they could not present me with tickets despite this evidence. Had no other ID, didn't really have time to make enquiries with GHETTO so paid the difference. I'm sure if I was a pensioner allowances would have been made. Actually I think them ticket clerks were Arriva not Fgw but when you're being delayed by officious oafs, one uniform tends to look like another!

[JayMac]

As you've now purchased new tickets for your journey, I'd suggest writing to the original retailer, stating what happened and asking nicely if they'd consider refunding the original (uncollected) ticket(s). They don't have to do this, but a polite request often works in cases such as yours. Perhaps it's even worth suggesting they refund you in Rail Travel Vouchers. It's unlikely that you'll be refunded the cost of the replacement ticket(s) as they are now used.

I appreciate you've had a difficult time trying to sort the matter at a station booking office and you've been left feeling aggrieved (as would I be in a the same situation), but from what you've told us the original retailer is not yet aware of what transpired.

Do let us know what reply you get from the original retailer. And please note that this advice is only my personal opinion. It's possible that the original retailer will also fall back on NRCoC^▸ (National Rail Conditions of Carriage). One hopes though, that seeing the original tickets were not collected, they'll be understanding of your situation.

[6 OF 2 redundant adjunct of unimatrix 01]

i can understand your anger .... its happened to me, however i would like to throw something into the mix.... someone walks down the street and finds a piece of paper with details of train tickets so decided to see they can obtain the tickets listed.... if the tickets were produced and handed over to someone with no id how bad would that look and even better if the person who purchased the tickets walked in ten mins later with id and payment card and was refused tickets because they had already been issued? i have to be honest im not sure what happens in this situation but if you tell us the station we will be able to tell you the train company involved

[TerminalJunkie]

a polite request often works in cases such as yours

I disagree - I think he should write a really snotty letter, in much the same vein as the first post, taking special care to underline words like 'officious' and 'jobsworth'. He should also use green ink, to ensure it stands out from all the other complaints.

Then, in about a week's time, he can tell us exactly where that got him.

[Phil]

I should like to think that "got him" the same polite, professional service that any other investor in the company (a.k.a. customer) has a right to expect, TJ 

[Glovidge]

I will contact all relevant parties today. I attempted to get tickets at 2 different ticket offices but to no avail. Both were Arriva trains outlets. I have previously lost cards having booked advance train tickets and explained the situation and as the ticket offices were manned by fgw staff they could check my address etc.

As for stating officious jobsworths the first person who I had the misfortune to deal with point blank's refusal to help the customer in any way is why I was so angry. "Computer says no"

 at least the second rep said I needed to contact fgw before she could do anything. All the moustache could emit was I can't do anything without the card.. ad nauseum. No assistance, little regard to customer service. Which makes a mockery of the term Customer Service Assistant

[ChrisB]

Sounds like a problem to be addressed to ATW^▸ (Arriva Trains Wales (former TOC^▸ (Train Operating Company)))?.....

If you bought them from the FGW^▸ (First Great Western) website then they would be my fitrst port of call. THere would be nothing ATW could do, as they wouldn't be able to see your purchase on their systems.

[Glovidge]

Forgot to add how could your average customer realise that to claim a possible refund you have to contact various parties? Just another example of the complete mess the rail industry is perceived to be in by the general public

Also in a day and age of smartphones and apps etc is it not beyond the realms of technology to issue paperless tickets saving the inordinate amount of hassle of ticket collection for those of us who would use such a facility.

[ChrisB]

the latter is coming - slowly.

But whose fault is it if you lose your phone or your battery goes flat???

[Glovidge]

the latter is coming - slowly.

But whose fault is it if you lose your phone or your battery goes flat???

I had thought of that as I was typing and my phone ran out of battery! I assume you,could use your cashcard as identification purposes......