No freeform comments on an Amtrak satisfaction survey
Nov 16, 2015, 12:05 pm
#1
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No freeform comments on an Amtrak satisfaction survey
I did my one (and based on the experience, probably only) Amtrak trip as a "bucket list" thing a few weeks ago, taking the California Zephyr from Denver to Sacramento to see the great canyons and beauty of the Rockies and Sierra Nevadas. Booked a sleeper.
Pretty much all I can say is "meh." Service onboard the train was mediocre at best. I had perhaps two conversations with the porter onboard, and I had to seek him out to get the sleeper set up at 9 PM for the overnight leg. No offers to bring food to me, as one example. (He missed out on some good tips.) Heat in the sleeper stopped about halfway through the trip and was never fixed.
Now, some three weeks later, comes an invite from Amtrak to fill out a survey. But it's 100% fill-in-the-bubble. No allowance for freeform comments whatsoever.
That, to me, is a good indication that Amtrak is doing their surveys out of a sense of obligation, not out of any sense of actually wanting to see what's going on out there on the rails.
Too bad. And now that this item is off my bucket list, I don't see any compelling reason to ever consider Amtrak again for any kind of trip.
Pretty much all I can say is "meh." Service onboard the train was mediocre at best. I had perhaps two conversations with the porter onboard, and I had to seek him out to get the sleeper set up at 9 PM for the overnight leg. No offers to bring food to me, as one example. (He missed out on some good tips.) Heat in the sleeper stopped about halfway through the trip and was never fixed.
Now, some three weeks later, comes an invite from Amtrak to fill out a survey. But it's 100% fill-in-the-bubble. No allowance for freeform comments whatsoever.
That, to me, is a good indication that Amtrak is doing their surveys out of a sense of obligation, not out of any sense of actually wanting to see what's going on out there on the rails.
Too bad. And now that this item is off my bucket list, I don't see any compelling reason to ever consider Amtrak again for any kind of trip.
Nov 16, 2015, 12:34 pm
#2
Join Date: Apr 2003
Location: United States
Programs: UA, AA, DL, Amtrak
Posts: 4,647
I agree that lack of freeform comments are a problem on those surveys. I suspect that allowing those comments would significantly drive up the cost of processing them, so there may be some bean-counter factors at play.
All that said, there are plenty of ways to contact Amtrak via traditional means or via social media. It's not that hard to let them know your thoughts about a particular experience.
All that said, there are plenty of ways to contact Amtrak via traditional means or via social media. It's not that hard to let them know your thoughts about a particular experience.
Nov 16, 2015, 7:46 pm
#3
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jun 2002
Location: n.y.c.
Posts: 13,988
I did my one (and based on the experience, probably only) Amtrak trip as a "bucket list" thing a few weeks ago, taking the California Zephyr from Denver to Sacramento to see the great canyons and beauty of the Rockies and Sierra Nevadas. Booked a sleeper.
Pretty much all I can say is "meh." Service onboard the train was mediocre at best. I had perhaps two conversations with the porter onboard, and I had to seek him out to get the sleeper set up at 9 PM for the overnight leg. No offers to bring food to me, as one example. (He missed out on some good tips.) Heat in the sleeper stopped about halfway through the trip and was never fixed.
Now, some three weeks later, comes an invite from Amtrak to fill out a survey. But it's 100% fill-in-the-bubble. No allowance for freeform comments whatsoever.
That, to me, is a good indication that Amtrak is doing their surveys out of a sense of obligation, not out of any sense of actually wanting to see what's going on out there on the rails.
Too bad. And now that this item is off my bucket list, I don't see any compelling reason to ever consider Amtrak again for any kind of trip.
Pretty much all I can say is "meh." Service onboard the train was mediocre at best. I had perhaps two conversations with the porter onboard, and I had to seek him out to get the sleeper set up at 9 PM for the overnight leg. No offers to bring food to me, as one example. (He missed out on some good tips.) Heat in the sleeper stopped about halfway through the trip and was never fixed.
Now, some three weeks later, comes an invite from Amtrak to fill out a survey. But it's 100% fill-in-the-bubble. No allowance for freeform comments whatsoever.
That, to me, is a good indication that Amtrak is doing their surveys out of a sense of obligation, not out of any sense of actually wanting to see what's going on out there on the rails.
Too bad. And now that this item is off my bucket list, I don't see any compelling reason to ever consider Amtrak again for any kind of trip.
Hopefully you enjoyed the scenery, the mountains and canyons, though. It's a great trip.
(And, to be honest, dinner in the sleeper is kind of a drag.
)
Nov 16, 2015, 9:02 pm
#4
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The scenery was indeed wonderful.