James Farrar wrote:
On Sun, 24 Jul 2005 20:27:40 +0000 (UTC), "Brimstone"
wrote:

James Farrar wrote:
On Sun, 24 Jul 2005 21:18:41 +0100, Ross
wrote:

On Sun, 24 Jul 2005 09:52:38 +0100, Ian F. wrote in
, seen in uk.railway:
"John Turner" wrote in message
. ..

My wife and I run a small model shop where we are totally reliant
on the good will of our customers. We've been doing that for
almost twenty years, but not many customers come back if you
treat them with contempt, so we have to treat them well.

The difference is that bus drivers, TOC staff et al know full well
that we *have* to use their services

No you don't, any more than you *have* to use Woolworths, a company
which IMX wouldn't know what customer service was if it was tied
to a wet fish and slapped around their face.

A shockingly false analogy.

Woolworths has no monopoly.

In the main, TOCs *do* have a monopoly. Certainly, for my journey to
work, I can catch a Southern train, or I can take about three hours
travelling on multiple buses. Since I don't propose to spen a
quarter of the day commuting, I have no option.

Why not use Southern's main competitor?

Which would be what?

The car. Failing that a motor or pedal cycle.

On Sun, 24 Jul 2005 21:18:30 +0000 (UTC), "Brimstone"
wrote:

James Farrar wrote:
On Sun, 24 Jul 2005 20:27:40 +0000 (UTC), "Brimstone"
wrote:

James Farrar wrote:
On Sun, 24 Jul 2005 21:18:41 +0100, Ross
wrote:

On Sun, 24 Jul 2005 09:52:38 +0100, Ian F. wrote in
, seen in uk.railway:
"John Turner" wrote in message
. ..

My wife and I run a small model shop where we are totally reliant
on the good will of our customers. We've been doing that for
almost twenty years, but not many customers come back if you
treat them with contempt, so we have to treat them well.

The difference is that bus drivers, TOC staff et al know full well
that we *have* to use their services

No you don't, any more than you *have* to use Woolworths, a company
which IMX wouldn't know what customer service was if it was tied
to a wet fish and slapped around their face.

A shockingly false analogy.

Woolworths has no monopoly.

In the main, TOCs *do* have a monopoly. Certainly, for my journey to
work, I can catch a Southern train, or I can take about three hours
travelling on multiple buses. Since I don't propose to spen a
quarter of the day commuting, I have no option.

Why not use Southern's main competitor?

Which would be what?

The car. Failing that a motor [cycle]

Sure, if someone wants to buy me one.

or pedal cycle.

After pedalling for however long it would take across London, I would
not be in a fit state to work. We have no showers available.

--
James Farrar

September's coming soon

James Farrar wrote:

A shockingly false analogy.

Woolworths has no monopoly.


Woolworths doesn't make any profit, either.

It is not exactly the most successful of the high street retailers -
which probably has something to do with the poor customer service,
fully supporting John Turner's original point.

"Brimstone" wrote:

James Farrar wrote:
On Sun, 24 Jul 2005 20:27:40 +0000 (UTC), "Brimstone"
wrote:
Why not use Southern's main competitor?

Which would be what?

The car. Failing that a motor or pedal cycle.


The car does not compete with Southern, at least not north of the M25.
When I lived in Haywards Heath and commuted to central London, my
journey by rail took 1h 10m. By car, it took at least 2h, and much
longer if I left home later than 05:30.

Uncle Fester wrote:

Ian F. wrote


The difference is that bus drivers, TOC staff et al know full well that we
*have* to use their services - we can't take our business elsewhere at a
similar cost - so they can treat us with as much derision, contempt and
sneering bad-attitude as they like and we are powerless to do anything about
it.

On the odd occasion when I have reported to a company an instance of
appalling behaviour, I have no doubt that, despite the palliative letters
and promises that it would be dealt with, no mention of it would ever have
been made to the offenders.


Public transport finds it difficult to keep staff. Something to do with
being treated like **** by passengers.


It has much more to do with unsocial hours, especially the shift work.

"Ross" wrote in message
...

No you don't, any more than you *have* to use Woolworths,

What a fatuous analogy! There are dozens of shops that sell the same items
as Woolworths.

And yet they don't seem to have any problems making a profit

I think you'll find they do!

rest of post snipped due to lack of credibility

Ian

"Ian F." wrote in message
...
"Ross" wrote in message
...

No you don't, any more than you *have* to use Woolworths,

What a fatuous analogy! There are dozens of shops that sell the same items
as Woolworths.

Just as millions of people find alternative methods of travelling to the
train.

In article , John Turner
writes
Try murdering fanatics, not sure about the cowardly bit, although any
*honest* soldier would wear a uniform.

Like Violette Szabo?

--
Clive D.W. Feather | Home:
Tel: +44 20 8495 6138 (work) | Web: http://www.davros.org
Fax: +44 870 051 9937 | Work:
Please reply to the Reply-To address, which is:

A few weeks back I found myself on a tube train with somebody who was S
Byers double. I hadn't quite got the nerve to ask if he was Byers and
to ask why Ministers were such lieing ****s.

Kevin

"Clive D. W. Feather" wrote

Like Violette Szabo?

New one on me - never heard of him/her.

John.