Customer Relations Really Busy?
Jun 3, 2014, 4:41 pm
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: May 2008
Location: WAS
Programs: AA Ex Plt
Posts: 1,630
Customer Relations Really Busy?
Just received the following in response to my second correspondence relating to an event in Nov. Has service been that bad and/or have there been that many complaints such that no one is available to reply? I write this while I pass the 15+ minute mark on hold waiting for a live person at Customer Relations (which is a menu and a hold b/f one is redirected to CR)
Edit: 30 min hold time but what a great CR rep. Really impressed and a happy resolution.
Cheers -
Edit: 30 min hold time but what a great CR rep. Really impressed and a happy resolution.
Cheers -
Dear Mr. thegrailer:
Thank you for your email and your patience in waiting for a response.
Regrettably, the past few months have seen several service disruptions throughout our system. This has caused a significant increase in not only our call volume, but with the amount of letters and email received as well. Since all of our responses are processed in date order, we have been unable to respond to these as quickly as we would like. Please accept our most sincere apologies for the delay in response.
We are eager to answer your questions and to resolve any issues of concern to you, but are unable to reach you by phone. We would like to talk with you personally. Please call us at your earliest convenience and we will provide you with immediate, courteous and personalized service.
Please call our toll-free number, 1-800-USA-RAIL (872-7245) and ask for Customer Relations. We are available Monday through Friday from 7am until 10pm Eastern Time. Please refer to the case number below.
We look forward to hearing from you.
Sincerely,
Amtrak Customer Relations
Thank you for your email and your patience in waiting for a response.
Regrettably, the past few months have seen several service disruptions throughout our system. This has caused a significant increase in not only our call volume, but with the amount of letters and email received as well. Since all of our responses are processed in date order, we have been unable to respond to these as quickly as we would like. Please accept our most sincere apologies for the delay in response.
We are eager to answer your questions and to resolve any issues of concern to you, but are unable to reach you by phone. We would like to talk with you personally. Please call us at your earliest convenience and we will provide you with immediate, courteous and personalized service.
Please call our toll-free number, 1-800-USA-RAIL (872-7245) and ask for Customer Relations. We are available Monday through Friday from 7am until 10pm Eastern Time. Please refer to the case number below.
We look forward to hearing from you.
Sincerely,
Amtrak Customer Relations
Last edited by thegrailer; Jun 3, 2014 at 5:05 pm Reason: got through
Jun 14, 2014, 8:50 pm
#2
Moderator: Delta SkyMiles, Luxury Hotels, TravelBuzz! and Italy
Join Date: Oct 2001
Location: Los Angeles
Posts: 26,543
"Thank you for contacting us.
We apologize that it has taken longer than expected for us to reply. We have had an unusually high number of e-mail requests. Your patience is appreciated.
We have forwarded your e-mail correspondence to our Customer Relations Department. A Customer Relations representative will contact you as soon as possible. Please be advised that a response may take several weeks."
Our train from LAX to La Jolla (Solana Beach station) was interrupted 2 stops out of Union Station, at Santa Ana. Our ETA for Sol was 10:40. My husband had an appointment at UCSD Med Center for Medical Procedure. The train sat at Santa Ana for, at least 30 minutes, before a staff member explained that a Metrolink Fire two stops ahead (Irvine) had caused this delay and they had no idea how long the delay would be. Also, we were advised (in biz class car) that if any of us had important appointments along the way to find alternative transportation.
I hit my Uber X app and was on my way to La Jolla within 2 minutes. The trip was 76 miles, and 1 hour and 7 minutes. Cost $118.00
Not looking for Uber refund but do want a OW refund from Los Angeles (LAX) Union Station to Solana Beach.
I subsequently learned that the train arrived at our destination 2 hours late. Had we remained on the train my husband would have missed his doctor's appointment and surgery.
We apologize that it has taken longer than expected for us to reply. We have had an unusually high number of e-mail requests. Your patience is appreciated.
We have forwarded your e-mail correspondence to our Customer Relations Department. A Customer Relations representative will contact you as soon as possible. Please be advised that a response may take several weeks."
Our train from LAX to La Jolla (Solana Beach station) was interrupted 2 stops out of Union Station, at Santa Ana. Our ETA for Sol was 10:40. My husband had an appointment at UCSD Med Center for Medical Procedure. The train sat at Santa Ana for, at least 30 minutes, before a staff member explained that a Metrolink Fire two stops ahead (Irvine) had caused this delay and they had no idea how long the delay would be. Also, we were advised (in biz class car) that if any of us had important appointments along the way to find alternative transportation.
I hit my Uber X app and was on my way to La Jolla within 2 minutes. The trip was 76 miles, and 1 hour and 7 minutes. Cost $118.00
Not looking for Uber refund but do want a OW refund from Los Angeles (LAX) Union Station to Solana Beach.
I subsequently learned that the train arrived at our destination 2 hours late. Had we remained on the train my husband would have missed his doctor's appointment and surgery.
Jul 1, 2014, 7:46 pm
#3
Join Date: Mar 2012
Programs: Amtrak
Posts: 75
It's queuing theory 101. Whenever a system's response time increases, either the arrival rate has increased or service rate has decreased, or both.
So when you experience the "Due to unusually high call volume, we are experiencing long delays", you know that something is causing the unusually high call volume or the they just laid off a bunch of phone reps, thus reducing the service rate.
So when you experience the "Due to unusually high call volume, we are experiencing long delays", you know that something is causing the unusually high call volume or the they just laid off a bunch of phone reps, thus reducing the service rate.
Jul 20, 2014, 10:23 pm
#4
Moderator: Delta SkyMiles, Luxury Hotels, TravelBuzz! and Italy
Join Date: Oct 2001
Location: Los Angeles
Posts: 26,543
"Thank you for contacting us.
We apologize that it has taken longer than expected for us to reply. We have had an unusually high number of e-mail requests. Your patience is appreciated.
We have forwarded your e-mail correspondence to our Customer Relations Department. A Customer Relations representative will contact you as soon as possible. Please be advised that a response may take several weeks."
Our train from LAX to La Jolla (Solana Beach station) was interrupted 2 stops out of Union Station, at Santa Ana. Our ETA for Sol was 10:40. My husband had an appointment at UCSD Med Center for Medical Procedure. The train sat at Santa Ana for, at least 30 minutes, before a staff member explained that a Metrolink Fire two stops ahead (Irvine) had caused this delay and they had no idea how long the delay would be. Also, we were advised (in biz class car) that if any of us had important appointments along the way to find alternative transportation.
I hit my Uber X app and was on my way to La Jolla within 2 minutes. The trip was 76 miles, and 1 hour and 7 minutes. Cost $118.00
Not looking for Uber refund but do want a OW refund from Los Angeles (LAX) Union Station to Solana Beach.
I subsequently learned that the train arrived at our destination 2 hours late. Had we remained on the train my husband would have missed his doctor's appointment and surgery.
We apologize that it has taken longer than expected for us to reply. We have had an unusually high number of e-mail requests. Your patience is appreciated.
We have forwarded your e-mail correspondence to our Customer Relations Department. A Customer Relations representative will contact you as soon as possible. Please be advised that a response may take several weeks."
Our train from LAX to La Jolla (Solana Beach station) was interrupted 2 stops out of Union Station, at Santa Ana. Our ETA for Sol was 10:40. My husband had an appointment at UCSD Med Center for Medical Procedure. The train sat at Santa Ana for, at least 30 minutes, before a staff member explained that a Metrolink Fire two stops ahead (Irvine) had caused this delay and they had no idea how long the delay would be. Also, we were advised (in biz class car) that if any of us had important appointments along the way to find alternative transportation.
I hit my Uber X app and was on my way to La Jolla within 2 minutes. The trip was 76 miles, and 1 hour and 7 minutes. Cost $118.00
Not looking for Uber refund but do want a OW refund from Los Angeles (LAX) Union Station to Solana Beach.
I subsequently learned that the train arrived at our destination 2 hours late. Had we remained on the train my husband would have missed his doctor's appointment and surgery.
Sep 28, 2014, 5:44 pm
#5
Join Date: Mar 2012
Programs: Amtrak
Posts: 75
... I asked CSR how to enter the numbers in order to use the credit and was told I could only do that by talking to Customer Relations I explained the difficulty in speaking to Customer Relations and I was told (nicely) that I had no other recourse. ... Also, I learned that it is not transferable.
For that matter, I don't see any business reason either.