Diet Pepsi is now a snack car "first class item"?

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Andy Field

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GREAT MOMENTS IN CUSTOMER SERVICE

Who knew Diet Pepsi was a “luxury” first class item?

Apparently it is on Amtrak’s 2:05pm Sunday August 25th, 2014 regional train from NYP to Washington’s Union Station.

After sauntering down to the café car ("come on down to the Café car for a variety of snacks beverages and sandwiches” beckoned he overhead announcement)

So I did

Got there and asked for a Diet Pepsi. “Sorry only Det Mist” says the beleaguered looking "I wish i were anywhere but here behind the snack car counter"wait person behind the counter…the look of “yes I know “ already on her face.

I point to two cases of diet Pepsi right next to her and say – “but you have it right there.”

“Sorry, she says that’s a first class only item”

“You’re kidding, right?” I say?

“Take it up with Amtrak” she sighs.

“I AM taking it up with Amtrak" I reply – "it says Amtrak right on your shirt. Right now, to this customer, you are Amtrak."

“Take it up with Amtrak” she robotically repeats – "Do you want this or not. There are people in line”

I ask for a bottle of water instead…and then say –“ this is the most absurd insulting customer service rule Amtrak could come up with – you are saving a case of diet Pepsi you’re just in case your “first class” passenger will need one? Diet Pepsi is now a “premium first class drink?”

“Please please please please” she says and tosses the money at me.

Fantastic customer service Amtrak.

Next time I’ll bring my own drinks and skip the 1000 percent Amtrak mark up

Thanks for riding Amtrak
 
Got there and asked for a Diet Pepsi. “Sorry only Det Mist” says the beleaguered looking "I wish i were anywhere but here behind the snack car counter"wait person behind the counter…the look of “yes I know “ already on her face.

I point to two cases of diet Pepsi right next to her and say – “but you have it right there.”

“Sorry, she says that’s a first class only item”
Were the diet Pepsi can full size 12 oz cans or the smaller 7.5 oz cans? Is they were the smaller 7.5 oz cans, those cans are exclusively for the Business Class passengers who get them for free as one of the (very) few perks provided to BC customers on the NE Regionals. She could gotten into trouble in an inventory audit if she had sold those cans to you. Somewhat silly rule, perhaps, but Amtrak provides these <2/3rd size cans for BC customers only, so they can track their usage.

There is no First Class on a NE Regional, just coach and Business class. The Regional should not have run out of diet Pepsi and the attendant should have handled it better, but she was following the rules. As for the markup, the 12 oz soda cans are $2.25 IIRC. That is a markup over buying single cans at a convenience store, but a smaller markup for sodas and food found at your typical movie theater or at a sports stadium.
 
I point to two cases of diet Pepsi right next to her and say but you have it right there.

Sorry, she says thats a first class only item

Youre kidding, right? I say?

Take it up with Amtrak she sighs.

I AM taking it up with Amtrak" I reply "it says Amtrak right on your shirt. Right now, to this customer, you are Amtrak."

I don't think he was kidding. Isn't this the age old difference, where the "free" soda is an independent inventory from the "for sale" soda?

They can't sell you a can from their "free" inventory, and they can't give you a can from their "for sale" inventory.
 
Wonder if the OP will even come back to see our replies. Probably thought he was "talking" to Amtrak, as many guests mistakenly do (understandable since Amtrak is in "our" name). Some people just vent and never return.
 
Hi Andy,

I'm sure you're aware that this is just a forum and not affiliated with Amtrak. Be sure to call 1800USARAIL and ask to speak with Customer Relations.

That being said, what happened is probably 100% accurate. However, how it happened is a whole different issue completely. The Cafe Car attendant should be a bit more forthcoming in understanding the needs of the customers - whether that is in product or information. Empathy is the greatest of all customer service qualities.

Mixing the First Class/Business Class terminology is a non-issue. All anyone means is the "upgraded from coach class". Those folks pay a premium for almost nothing but the opportunity to have free beverages that are about 2/3 the size of what can be purchased by coach passengers. Inventory is strictly (right, wrong, or whatever) monitored between revenue product and Business Class products. ANY discrepancy can be pulled straight out of the attendant's pocket. Believe me. if YOU were upset about not being allowed to BUY an 8 oz can of Pepsi, what about the time I paid for a business class upgrade and they were OUT of BC sodas and they wouldn't give me a REVENUE can? I mean, hey, I paid almost $50 more for an inch of leg room and a newspaper. Even though I got to my destination seconds before coach class, I couldn't get off the train before them. And they wouldn't give me a $0.24 wholesale can of soda?

If you wanna know what REALLY infuriates me, it is the lack of COCA COLA!
 
One problem is that the service attendant generally does not do the ordering, and has no influence/control over the items ordered for their trip, or the quantity available for them to sell. Depending on the situation, ordering is done on the basis of a standard "par" amount of stock. In some situations the previous LSA has had an influence on the stock order. Also, it is certainly not rare for the Commissary to fail to bring as much stock as has been ordered.

That means the person behind the counter is stuck with a complaining passenger and no way to address the complaint satisfactorily.

Tom
 
One problem is that the service attendant generally does not do the ordering, and has no influence/control over the items ordered for their trip, or the quantity available for them to sell. Depending on the situation, ordering is done on the basis of a standard "par" amount of stock. In some situations the previous LSA has had an influence on the stock order. Also, it is certainly not rare for the Commissary to fail to bring as much stock as has been ordered.

That means the person behind the counter is stuck with a complaining passenger and no way to address the complaint satisfactorily.

Tom
Yup. I often call myself and other customer service folk a "professional punching bag". Corporate makes decisions, and we're the ones who get yelled at for them.

And believe me, we DO speak up on the customers' behalf, but since Corporate doesn't hear the complaints, it's basically hearsay. That's why I always, always, always recommend people call the complaint line, no matter which organization it is. Yelling at an employee only goes so far.

(I'm not saying it's wrong to voice your displeasure. Just know that, depending on the situation, we totally agree with you and think the policy sucks, but there's nothing we can do about it right that second.)

(Also note that I do not work for Amtrak. I'm speaking generally.)
 
If the space limitations of the Cafe Care allow it, the Biz Class drinks should be stored out of sight of the paying customers. That would have

eliminated this confrontation entirely. Most people are far more understanding to the idea of "Sorry sir, we ran out" as opposed to "Sorry sir,

we have that product but I'm not allowed to give it to you."

Of course, I don't know if there's room to "hide" the Biz Class drinks, but I'm sure a creative cafe attendant could figure out a way to minimize

the risk of them being spotted.
 
If you wanna know what REALLY infuriates me, it is the lack of COCA COLA!
AMEN Brother, AMEN!! :giggle:
YEP!
And ... I saw a Coca Cola machine at the Riverside station. Yay!
Strange think happened to me once. I was on the Sunset Limited, passing through Houston. Went inside on just the chance they might have a Coke machine but no luck, nothing but a Pepsi machine. I looked more closely however and found the machine also had Coke and Diet Coke. Who would've thunk?
 
It says he asked for a diet Pepsi. If they were out of the normal size cans then the attendant should have said that but right off the bat we don't have it. Or Is all diet Pepsi regardless of size BC only.
 
“Take it up with Amtrak” she sighs.

“I AM taking it up with Amtrak" I reply – "it says Amtrak right on your shirt. Right now, to this customer, you are Amtrak."
Let's say that you live in a small city of about 20,000 people. Or, if you live in a big city, imagine it's your local neighborhood of several buildings or several city blocks.

Imagine you see something unpleasant in your neighborhood - the streets need to be plowed, or the garbage isn't getting picked up, or whatever.

You could write to the mayor, the city council, or your local congressman, or whomever is actually in charge in your area. You decide not to do that. Instead, you decide to yell at your next door neighbor. You go pound on his door. He opens it a crack and sees your furious face. "Clean this mess up!" you shout. "This is YOUR responsibility! Take care of this RIGHT NOW!"

The neighbor decides not to take care of it. Instead, the neighbor calls the cops, who then take you to an insane asylum for being a loony.

That's pretty much the same sort of thinking that appeared in the first post. Yes, the cafe attendant is an employee of Amtrak - a large, quasi-public corporation employing 20,000 people. As a resident in a neighborhood of 20,000 people, you have about as much power over what goes on in your city as the cafe attendant has over the policies onboard a train.

Actually, as a city resident you have a lot MORE power over your city than the cafe attendant has over Amtrak. You have the power to vote people in or out of office, and to influence the local laws. The cafe attendant has no power or influence over his or her bosses in any way.

The cafe attendant exists as a representative of Amtrak only in your head. And not in a good way.
 
If the space limitations of the Cafe Care allow it, the Biz Class drinks should be stored out of sight of the paying customers. That would have

eliminated this confrontation entirely. Most people are far more understanding to the idea of "Sorry sir, we ran out" as opposed to "Sorry sir,

we have that product but I'm not allowed to give it to you."

Of course, I don't know if there's room to "hide" the Biz Class drinks, but I'm sure a creative cafe attendant could figure out a way to minimize

the risk of them being spotted.
Agreed 100%Having the 8oz cans out in the open when you are sold out of the 12oz cans is just setting up a confrontation. But from the OP's post it sounds like this café cart attendant doesn't care about things like that.

Maybe I'm just getting cynical about Amtrak buy I'm not sure what good it would do to complain about this. I am still frustrated by the decision to eliminate shampoo from the sleepers (apparently that's not included in "hotel-like amenities"). I have written an email, posted to Amtrak's Facebook and sent open tweets to Amtrak (usually the best way to get a response in this age). The only response I ever received was a generic canned response to my email... eight weeks after I sent it.
 
^ I love that analogy.

Edit: Ricky beat me. ;) I was referring to Dread Pirate Roberts.
 
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If you wanna know what REALLY infuriates me, it is the lack of COCA COLA!
AMEN Brother, AMEN!! :giggle:
YEP!
And ... I saw a Coca Cola machine at the Riverside station. Yay!
Strange think happened to me once. I was on the Sunset Limited, passing through Houston. Went inside on just the chance they might have a Coke machine but no luck, nothing but a Pepsi machine. I looked more closely however and found the machine also had Coke and Diet Coke. Who would've thunk?
I've seen those too.... Hmm, at my Dad's convelescent home, I think.
 
El Paso has Coke products in their Station vending machines and the Down Easter ( State Train) has Coke Products as does the Maple Leaf from Niagara Falls Ontario to Toronto after the Crew/ Snack Change @ the VIA Station!
 
Wonder if the OP will even come back to see our replies. Probably thought he was "talking" to Amtrak, as many guests mistakenly do (understandable since Amtrak is in "our" name). Some people just vent and never return.
Nothing in the opening post implied that the author was confused as to who the audience was. In which case I'm inclined to give them the benefit of the doubt.

If the space limitations of the Cafe Care allow it, the Biz Class drinks should be stored out of sight of the paying customers. That would have

eliminated this confrontation entirely. Most people are far more understanding to the idea of "Sorry sir, we ran out" as opposed to "Sorry sir,

we have that product but I'm not allowed to give it to you." Of course, I don't know if there's room to "hide" the Biz Class drinks, but I'm sure a creative cafe attendant could figure out a way to minimize the risk of them being spotted.
It wasn't that they said "I'm not allowed to give it to you" so much as they were saying "I'm refusing to sell it to you because...talk to Amtrak" and I'd probably be a little miffed too. I've had service staff let me down in a way that avoided confrontation and allowed everyone to back down without losing face. I've also had service staff act like they were doing me a huge favor just by vaguely acknowledging my presence. Many businesses struggle with illogical rules that have the potential to make the front line staff look bad. Some are able to soften the blow with polished customer service skills and others either choose ignore the problem or blame the customer for drawing attention to it through passive aggressive treatment.
 
Having the 8oz cans out in the open when you are sold out of the 12oz cans is just setting up a confrontation. But from the OP's post it sounds like this café cart attendant doesn't care about things like that.

Maybe I'm just getting cynical about Amtrak buy I'm not sure what good it would do to complain about this. I am still frustrated by the decision to eliminate shampoo from the sleepers (apparently that's not included in "hotel-like amenities"). I have written an email, posted to Amtrak's Facebook and sent open tweets to Amtrak (usually the best way to get a response in this age). The only response I ever received was a generic canned response to my email... eight weeks after I sent it.
I wonder after the encounter with the OP, if the attendant realized she should put the soda cans for BC away in one of the lockers. If the cafe was out of normal sized diet Pepsi cans, they were probably out of other items as well, so there should be space to stash the "special" BC cans. But I doubt that the attendant would bother.
As for the elimination of shampoo from the sleepers, while that is a silly thing to drop to cut costs, come on, its cheap who knows who actually makes it shampoo. May be better off not using it. Not difficult to buy your own travel sized bottle of shampoo of a recognizable brand name or store brand. As long there is soap, I wonder how many sleeper passengers would actually use the shampoo on the train? If someone did a survey and determined that few were actually using the shampoo on the train, well, it is a way to save a small amount of money.
 
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