Currently on a journey from hell on a Cross Country train from Stockport to Bournemouth and thought I’d share with you all the email I’ve just fired off to their Customer Services department in utter disgust.
It felt very liberating 
Anyway:
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To Whom It May Concern:
Dear Sir, Madam,
I am writing to you from my unreserved seat on the 16:35 Cross Country “service” from Stockport to Bournemouth via Reading (my destination).
My journey originated in Wilmslow today on the 16:17 service to Manchester Piccadilly via Stockport where I changed onto this train to Bournemouth via Reading.
My company had booked my train tickets for me as this is not something I would normally deal with and had placed me on the 19:35 from Stockport to Reading. A combination of factors had led me to arrive at Wilmslow train station in time for an earlier train and, aware how pernickety train companies can be about changing times, I asked a Rail Network employee (whom I believe to be the Station Manager) if it would cause a problem for me to catch the earlier train and if there would be a cost.
He assured me that I needn’t worry, to get on the train to Stockport and board the next train through Reading. Let me make the point: had he told me that there would be a problem and it would have cost me money I would have stayed in Wilmslow til my scheduled train and had a few drinks in the pub while I waited rather than getting involved in the circus your train company seems to keep.
Reassured by the employee of the Rail Network, I boarded the train to Stockport and then continued on my journey from there to Reading.
I had not been sat in a seat for more than ten minutes, having only just bought an overpriced sandwich and orange juice from the food trolley, before Frederic – the train’s ticket inspector – turned up. Not expecting any problem, I gave him my ticket, reservation, Young Person railcard, and photo ID.
Immediately he tells me I’m on the wrong train.
When I explain what I was told by the station master, Frederic’s response was “Oh, a platform guy. You shouldn’t listen to them – they don’t know what they’re talking about” and told me I had to either pay the difference or get off at the next station.
Pay or get off. No apology for the misunderstanding, no attempt to sympathise. Just pay or get off. If I were to speak to any of my clients like that I’d be out of a job quicker then you can say “customer relations” but obviously Cross Country are working from a different set of rules.
Well let me tell you that someone in the employment of the rail company doesn’t know what they’re talking about and has cost me an additional £52.05 in excess charges! On a ticket that cost £22.45 in the first place!
Absolutely ridiculous. Frederic’s attitude was rude, abrasive, and completely unhelpful and, further, made me feel like I had transgressed purposefully when I had actually gone out of my way to check that my journey would be okay with YOUR staff before boarding the train.
I am thoroughly annoyed at the outlay of money I have had to make; it would have been cheaper for me to drive to Wilmslow and back. You talk about encouraging people to use the trains to see the world but is it any wonder that there is such widespread apathy amongst the public towards the lot of you?
Further, I was supposed to be taking my girlfriend to see the midnight showing of Harry Potter in 3D tonight as a celebration of her new job but that plan has had to be shelved in the light of your company’s utter incompetence. Godknows how I’m going to fix that one but, thanks to your platform staff telling me something in direct opposition to the train staff, that responsibility falls on me to tell her we’re not going. Or eating out for dinner tonight.
I can assure you that I will not be using Cross Country again for work travel and will be speaking to our HR department to ensure that all colleagues are aware of the nefarious practices you employ to pull more money out of weary travellers. What a money-making scam you have going on – it’s incredulous! In all my years of travel I have never known such utter incompetency in a train company (and that is saying something in of itself); from GNER to Virgin to South-West Trains, all have a modicum of customer service that Cross Country seems to lack. Frederic not only blamed me for not reading the T&Cs (even though I explained the tickets were booked through and by work) but then went on to blame his poor colleague stood on the platform at Wilmslow. With such a severe lack of corporate responsibility and the ability to shift blame to others I’m surprised that Cross Country is not a subsidiary of News Corp.
I would to know what you would like to offer me in light of the horrendous experience I have had and am continuing to have on this journey. I was told on attempting to buy a bottle of wine to calm my nerves that my card may be declined because a transaction had already gone through – what?!
For your convenience:
£48.90 for the original return ticket;
£52.05 for the excess on the return journey;
£6.45 for a chicken & bacon sandwich and a bottle of orange juice;
£4.50 for a small glass of wine.
I would like to know what further compensation you would like to offer me for the sheer embarrassment of being made to look like a fare dodger in my suit in the middle of a crowded train carriage.
This whole situation and experience has been thoroughly unpleasant if not the most unpleasant train journey I have made in recent years. If this is the level of service that Cross Country provides as standard then it’s no wonder people dislike public transport.
It is very easy for you to make a simple gesture of goodwill to resolve this situation – I hope you take the opportunity to do so.
I look forward to hearing from you.
Yours faithfully,
Mr Tommy Gilchrist
Cc: Cllr Daisy Benson, Reading Borough Council
Sent from my iPhone
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