Most pleasant and effective AGR call ever ...

[chuljin]

Since there's some talk here and in Another Place about what Carlson's mysterious successor is doing wrong, I thought I'd balance it with what they're doing right.

To balance this post internally, though, it's worth mentioning that the average travel-post lag has steadily but slowly increased recently: 6.59 days for trips in October; 7.35 for November; 8.19 in December. But I digress: this post is meant for praise.

I've just finished what I can say is my most enjoyable call with AGR ever.

I'd called to report (and hopefully correct) issues with two tickets:

• One traveled on 12/21, which still hadn't posted, because of the Metrolink TVM stupid 'WELCOME/ABOARD' issue;
  
• One traveled on 1/5 and posted today, which, despite being one of only three on that day, all on different trains, posted as 0.
  

I called, and got a person within some 30 seconds of pressing 6, in this case, 'Jan' who was courteous, and efficient and professional but not stuffy.

I said that I had two tickets with posting issues. I started with the WELCOME/ABOARD one. I just told her that 'for some reason' the name on the ticket was WELCOME/ABOARD, rather than mentioning Metrolink (which most Canadians would probably not have heard of), superfluous and confusing. She asked for the ticket number, then the date. I asked if she meant the issue date (12/2) or the travel date (12/21) (because of the way I buy tickets, it can be weeks between the two, and historically as long as 11 months). She said it'd be posted.

Then, without my even volunteering it, she said 'and I guess the other one is this ticket that posted for 0 points. What's up with that?' and agreed that all was in order for it to be 100+50, then noticed it had posted today, and said 'wow, you're really on top of this, aren't you?'.

She made sure to wish me a Happy New Year as we ended the call.

So it all went off without a hitch. None of the accusatory backbiting of similar calls this time last year.

The two tickets were corrected even before I had a chance to log into AGR, but in slightly strange ways:

• Since she asked for the issue date of the WELCOME/ABOARD ticket, that's what I gave her (12/2)...when she posted it, that's what she put as the travel date instead of the real travel date, 12/21. I wonder if I should call back and ask why I didn't get the fall double points since 'travel' was within the promo period.
  
• As she mentioned during the call, she couldn't correct the 0+0 ticket to 100+50; she instead made up a new ticket number by changing the last digit, and posted the new phantom ticket as 100+50.
  

This new outfit seems to be doing OK.

 

[jackal]

I called, and got a person within some 30 seconds of pressing 6, in this case, 'Jan' who was courteous, and efficient and professional but not stuffy.

So, ya called, eh? And ya got a Canuck, eh? I wonder if she'd ever beeeen on an Amtrak train, eh? I'm sure ya told her Amtrak's a beauteeful experience, eh?

Such a pleasant experience that you'll call back a-gain, eh?

Much better than calling Carlson. After a call with them, you'd want to tell 'em, "Take off, ya hoser!"

 

[the_traveler]

I also called AGR to ask about 2 tickets that did not post, and also to make an award reservation. (The LLLOONNNGGG way - is there any other way? ) First I got an agent (I forget her name) who said that I had to wait a little more to see if they will post (from 12/10/08). When I also said that I wanted to redeem, she had to transfer me. I'm glad she did!

The agent who answered was Jan (could it be the same Jan? :huh: ) - who was very helpful! She made my complicated award reservation with no problem. Then I also mentioned the ticket posting issue. (There were 2 separate tickets that did not post for my account, and 2 for my sister's account that also did not post. To make matters worse, it was during the double points period and 1 train was an AE in First - and between select city pairs! So the missing points are 1,700 for each of us! ) Jan said she would see that they post!

 

[chuljin]

Since she asked for the issue date of the WELCOME/ABOARD ticket, that's what I gave her (12/2)...when she posted it, that's what she put as the travel date instead of the real travel date, 12/21. I wonder if I should call back and ask why I didn't get the fall double points since 'travel' was within the promo period.

I was just joking, but it did! (Today. IME, elite bonuses post the same day as the rail points, promo bonuses show up the day after, but are back-dated to appear to have also posted that same day.)

I called, and got a person within some 30 seconds of pressing 6, in this case, 'Jan' who was courteous, and efficient and professional but not stuffy.

So, ya called, eh? And ya got a Canuck, eh? I wonder if she'd ever beeeen on an Amtrak train, eh? I'm sure ya told her Amtrak's a beauteeful experience, eh?

Such a pleasant experience that you'll call back a-gain, eh?

Much better than calling Carlson. After a call with them, you'd want to tell 'em, "Take off, ya hoser!"

Actually, I did detect a slight accent, but nothing stereotypically caricaturely Canadian...in fact, I wouldn't have realized it was probably a Canadian accent were it not for the rumors that that's where AGR now is.

 

[the_traveler]

A (well deserved) edit to my earlier post:

In the 2 hours since making the earlier post, the missing tickets DID POST! (The double points always post the following day, so there's hope! )

Related note, while looking at my account, there is 250 points for "My Interest Nov 08" - does anyone recall or know what that was? I'll take the 250 points but I don't recall what is was for.

 

[chuljin]

A (well deserved) edit to my earlier post:
In the 2 hours since making the earlier post, the missing tickets DID POST! (The double points always post the following day, so there's hope! )

Related note, while looking at my account, there is 250 points for "My Interest Nov 08" - does anyone recall or know what that was? I'll take the 250 points but I don't recall what is was for.

Yeah, I saw that too. I vaguely remember (though of course I can't find it now) getting an email from AGR inviting me to update my interests for 250 bonus points. You go in and say you like fruit or some such (survey nonsense), and I guess these 250 points are (finally) the result.

 

[Ispolkom]

Since she asked for the issue date of the WELCOME/ABOARD ticket, that's what I gave her (12/2)...when she posted it, that's what she put as the travel date instead of the real travel date, 12/21. I wonder if I should call back and ask why I didn't get the fall double points since 'travel' was within the promo period.

I was just joking, but it did! (Today. IME, elite bonuses post the same day as the rail points, promo bonuses show up the day after, but are back-dated to appear to have also posted that same day.)

I called, and got a person within some 30 seconds of pressing 6, in this case, 'Jan' who was courteous, and efficient and professional but not stuffy.

So, ya called, eh? And ya got a Canuck, eh? I wonder if she'd ever beeeen on an Amtrak train, eh? I'm sure ya told her Amtrak's a beauteeful experience, eh?

Such a pleasant experience that you'll call back a-gain, eh?

Much better than calling Carlson. After a call with them, you'd want to tell 'em, "Take off, ya hoser!"

Actually, I did detect a slight accent, but nothing stereotypically caricaturely Canadian...in fact, I wouldn't have realized it was probably a Canadian accent were it not for the rumors that that's where AGR now is.

For what it's worth, when I made an AGR reservation at the beginning of the month, the reservationist was located in the Twin Cities, but was brought up in North Dakota. I know this because the reservation was WAS-MOT, and she asked why I was going to Minot. You know, I've never been asked that before. In the end, we decided that we didn't have any common acquaintances.

 

[the_traveler]

Upon checking my account again, I see that the missing points AND the double points did post! And all it took was 1 quick call to AGR! I'm very happy!