Complaints Ignored Via Email!

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Andrew J.

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Amtrak does not find emailed complaints important. It takes almost a week for customer service to answer an email & if you have actually have a complaint, close to two months for a response I am told if your email is forwarded to Customer Relations. 'Just call' is what the responses I get say. 'Just Call' and wait more than an hour to speak to Customer Relations. Supervisors do not take complaints, only Customer Relations. It is a pretty slick system to get people to just go away and hopefully forget about the problem. I think they really don't care; they know they have a monopoly & that if you have to take the train, you'll keep coming back because buses suck. Does anyone know who Customer Relations answers to? It is 2013 and email should be answered and resolved in less than a weeks at worst!!!! Who can we forward this problem to?
 
Andrew J,

You pretty much answered your own question. Amtrak is not a typical company. It would be helpful to see an organizational chart. Mr Boardman is at the top. Unless he is a pure idiot (which I doubt), he is aware of Amtrak's problems. It is difficult, even for him, to make changes...as others have posted here.

I would copy Mr Boardman, your congressman, your two senators and Dear Abby with your complaints. Then keep your fingers crossed.
 
Andrew J. said:
'Just Call' and wait more than an hour to speak to Customer Relations. Supervisors do not take complaints, only Customer Relations.
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The few times I have had to contact Customer Relations, my email does come back with a tactfully worded response that basically says "please call us to discuss". They do seem to like a "person to person" interaction.

However, Amtrak's Customer Relations has always been pretty good to me. They are considerate and respectful. And, unlike other companies, fairly well empowered to fix a problem; no supervisors needed. Everyone I have ever spoken with, seemed really motivated to solve my problem while on the phone with me. And when they say they will put a note in my file about the agreed upon solution, they really do (unlike other companies who say such, but don't). Amtrak's Customer Relations are true to their word.

If you are having problems, I would almost have to question your own attitude. Are you being respectful to them? Are you requesting something reasonable and proportional to your problem?
 
Last time I had a problem with Amtrak customer relations called me while I was still on the train. The rep gave me his number and asked me to call him when I got home. I did at got my $200 voucher.
 
instead of e-mail, how about an old school letter with a 46-cent stamp mailed directly to Amtrak? or does that get ignored as well? :D
 
I've written letters to Amtrak complementing employees, and have received back letters saying that the comments were being directed to the employees' supervisors, which is what I'd want. The two times I've wanted to complain in the past 5 years (what can I say, my expectations are low), I've called and gotten compensation.
 
Guest said:
Andrew J. said:
'Just Call' and wait more than an hour to speak to Customer Relations. Supervisors do not take complaints, only Customer Relations.
Click to expand...
The few times I have had to contact Customer Relations, my email does come back with a tactfully worded response that basically says "please call us to discuss". They do seem to like a "person to person" interaction.

However, Amtrak's Customer Relations has always been pretty good to me. They are considerate and respectful. And, unlike other companies, fairly well empowered to fix a problem; no supervisors needed. Everyone I have ever spoken with, seemed really motivated to solve my problem while on the phone with me. And when they say they will put a note in my file about the agreed upon solution, they really do (unlike other companies who say such, but don't). Amtrak's Customer Relations are true to their word.

If you are having problems, I would almost have to question your own attitude. Are you being respectful to them? Are you requesting something reasonable and proportional to your problem?
Click to expand...
I, too, have had good results when speaking with Customer Relations regarding a problem and/or issue.
 
Might not be so bad to just e-mail Mr. Boardman. He's probably quite busy, but sometimes the guys at the top enjoy direct feedback from his customers. Same thing with Greyhound, you just e-mail Myron Watkins directly, since he's the director of Customer Experience anyway. I don't know who's the equivelent of Myron in Amtrak.
 
I think some of you either did not read through my whole comment or did not understand it. My issue is that it takes better part of an hour & customer relations doesn't answer the phone the three times I have tried to call them AND I was told that they are more than six weeks behind by a regular phone agent!!! I sent an email in early July and still haven't heard from them! I imagine they'll be super nice once I am contacted, but that's not my point!!! I am a reasonable professional. In my business, we get right back to an email if a customer has a problem.
 
That is not logical. (I'm not saying anything against you.) You call the regular Amtrak number (1-800-USA-RAIL) and when "Julie" (the computer) answers, say "agent" or hit -0-. Yes you may then have a wait, but as soon as the agent answers say "May I be connected to Customer Relations" and you'll be transferred. Customer Relations will answer within a minute at most!
 
Andrew J. said:
I think some of you either did not read through my whole comment or did not understand it. My issue is that it takes better part of an hour & customer relations doesn't answer the phone the three times I have tried to call them AND I was told that they are more than six weeks behind by a regular phone agent!!! I sent an email in early July and still haven't heard from them! I imagine they'll be super nice once I am contacted, but that's not my point!!! I am a reasonable professional. In my business, we get right back to an email if a customer has a problem.
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Unfortunately, in the transport industries, communications always seems bad. The same thing happens with United, Delta, American, Greyhound, Megabus, and whatever else. It's only a bit better with small operators that don't need to deal with so many tasks.
 
billthebarn said:
Andrew J,
You pretty much answered your own question. Amtrak is not a typical company. It would be helpful to see an organizational chart. Mr Boardman is at the top. Unless he is a pure idiot (which I doubt), he is aware of Amtrak's problems. It is difficult, even for him, to make changes...as others have posted here.

I would copy Mr Boardman, your congressman, your two senators and Dear Abby with your complaints. Then keep your fingers crossed.
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If you call DC, you can get Mr. Boardman's direct mailing address. I once wrote to him with a complaint/suggestion, and got a reply in about 10 days from one of his immediate "underlings". (snail mail, that is)
 
Andrew J. said:
I think some of you either did not read through my whole comment or did not understand it. My issue is that it takes better part of an hour & customer relations doesn't answer the phone the three times I have tried to call them AND I was told that they are more than six weeks behind by a regular phone agent!!! I sent an email in early July and still haven't heard from them! I imagine they'll be super nice once I am contacted, but that's not my point!!! I am a reasonable professional. In my business, we get right back to an email if a customer has a problem.
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The experience you describe is contrary to my own experience. The only time I was on hold for more than about 5 minutes for Customer Relations was when there was a serious service disruption, and even then it was less than 10 minutes.

I tend to agree with what ispolkom posted

Ispolkom said:
I've written letters to Amtrak complementing employees, and have received back letters saying that the comments were being directed to the employees' supervisors, which is what I'd want. The two times I've wanted to complain in the past 5 years (what can I say, my expectations are low), I've called and gotten compensation.
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I don't want to offend - probably you had all the useful details at hand when you called - but it really helps a lot with any complaint if you have the details handy - like date, time, e-ticket number, etc - so the Customer Relations people can look up the exact situation (I worked Customer Relations for a health-care provider for a few years, and it really really helps get problems resolved if you can provide some details of the problem trip right up front)

It sounds like you got the worst of the worst service -- which is not typical. So please try again - by email, snail-mail, or phone. Only if Amtrak learns from your bad experience will there be any chance that they can fix the problem you endured.

Thank you for posting, and I (and most of us here) hope you get your problem resolved.
 
Andrew J. said:
I think some of you either did not read through my whole comment or did not understand it. My issue is that it takes better part of an hour & customer relations doesn't answer the phone the three times I have tried to call them AND I was told that they are more than six weeks behind by a regular phone agent!!!
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Are you sure you're calling Amtrak? I have never had to wait more than a few minutes for an Agent, and when the Agent transfers me to Customer Relations, they promptly pick up (no six weeks to talk to someone).

My experience is just like that by The_Traveler, and I would suggest following his instructions:

the_traveler said:
That is not logical. (I'm not saying anything against you.) You call the regular Amtrak number (1-800-USA-RAIL) and when "Julie" (the computer) answers, say "agent" or hit -0-. Yes you may then have a wait, but as soon as the agent answers say "May I be connected to Customer Relations" and you'll be transferred. Customer Relations will answer within a minute at most!
Click to expand...
 
I've had Amtrak pick up immediately. However, I've also had to wait a long time on occasion. I presume most phone delays are related to something involving the NEC and are thus largely unknown and unpredictable to the rest of us. When you have to wait too long just hang up and call again at a different time and day. I would not wait for Amtrak to contact you back as you could be waiting a long time if you ever hear anything back at all.
 
I'm not familiar with such a book... Is that something you old people used to use? :D
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Watch your mouth, young whipper-snapper. Some old geezer is likely to smack you with his Funk and Wagnall!
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:giggle: Should I be embarrassed that I remember that (& not in reruns)? :eek: :giggle:
 
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