Boo to Eurostar!

RadoJo

OP - if the compensation for out of pocket expenses that they have offered is more than the cost of upgrading you, then why not take the compensation, pay for the upgrade and spend the rest as you want?

I can understand why they can't just exchange the compensation they have offered with an upgrade as the compensation they've offered you will probably be provided by their insurance and come along with a lot of caveats on how it is to be administered. As much as you think they're being needlessly difficult for not doing what you want, they probably see your refusal to accept the compensation and attempts to gain an upgrade instead when they have made it clear that it's not what they are offering as equally so.

rl290

dmg24 wrote: »

You have paid for a service. Eurostar is fulfilling their contract with you and providing you with that service. If you want something extra, you will need to pay for that. I don't see why you think that you deserve special treatment?

*Sigh*
Eurostar screwed up. Yes, you are right, they offered compensation as per the contract. BUT, being intelligent moneysavers, we know better than that.

Plenty of companies will go above and beyond "contractual obligation" when the need arises. Whether this be free upgrades for newly weds on airlines, or a complementary bottle of champagne at a hotel suite, such gestures go a long way towards building brand loyalty and getting guests back.

In this case, Eurostar had even more of an incentive to go above and beyond - they screwed up in the first place, and here was their chance to redeem themselves. And they didn't. You're right - they didn't have to. But they could of....

R

[Deleted User]

rl290 wrote: »

*Sigh*
Eurostar screwed up. Yes, you are right, they offered compensation as per the contract. BUT, being intelligent moneysavers, we know better than that.

Plenty of companies will go above and beyond "contractual obligation" when the need arises. Whether this be free upgrades for newly weds on airlines, or a complementary bottle of champagne at a hotel suite, such gestures go a long way towards building brand loyalty and getting guests back.

In this case, Eurostar had even more of an incentive to go above and beyond - they screwed up in the first place, and here was their chance to redeem themselves. And they didn't. You're right - they didn't have to. But they could of....

R

That's my point really. Regardless of whether they screwed up in the first place, pro-active and positive customer service has fallen by the wayside slightly. Customer Service has become a reactive process...but some companies are starting to view it as an outward pro-active process. Those that don't (e.g. Eurostar) look like dinosaurs in comparison.

An interesting comparison for you would be between Virgin Trains and Eurostar:

Recently, a guy got stuck on a Virgin Train, so he tweeted about his experienced. Someone in Customer Services picked it up, identified the train in question (that was stuck in a tunnel, somewhat ironically) and everyone on the train was given a free coffee. When the train reached its final destination, everyone on board was given one free single ticket to say sorry. They didn't have to do it...but this is Virgin, and they do this sort of thing because it's a great PR story.

Eurostar just don't seem to get the idea that consumers are talking about their brand. Whereas other train companies go that little bit further, Eurostar hold back:

http://twitter.com/VirginTrains/status/8186978601

http://www.google.co.uk/#hl=en&safe=off&q=eurostar+tweet&meta=&aq=&oq=eurostar+tweet&fp=ee5043e2c838adbf

http://socialmediainfluence.com/2010/01/08/who-does-a-guy-have-to-tweet-around-here/

purcel

Just for your info if one of the Eurostar trains is one hour or more late they automatically issue every single one of the passengers another ticket for a single journey for free. However it is very rarely that the trains are late and their service is always great. Even after the events that took place this winter I am still going to use them because they provide a quick journey, no hassle and a great price.
From my point of view they have done great and they have no obligation to do more.

[Deleted User]

Hi All,

Just to let you know that following my email to the Chief Executive I received the following response:

Dear Mr XXXXXX,

Thank you for your e-mail to our Chief Executive, Richard Brown. He has read it and asked me to contact you on his behalf.

I am happy to confirm that I have now arranged for both legs of your journey to be upgraded to Leisure Select, the highest class of service available on our direct trains to Marne-La-Vall!e (Disney). Your booking reference stays the same, so when you arrive at the station please follow the same advice you were given when first you changed the dates of your booking.

I am sorry that our customer service staff with whom you spoke about this were somewhat lacking in flexibility. It certainly would have been a nicer gesture on our part if it had been granted at the first time of asking, or even without your having to ask if you had already mentioned why this trip was so special. Some of the training courses we have planned for 2010 include trying to develop the intuition of our staff, and this would have been a good example.

I hope that the upgrade will make your trip as special as it could possibly be, and that everything goes to plan. Please do contact me if you have any questions.

Best regards,

XXXXXX
Chief Executive’s Office

hartcjhart

Equaliser123 wrote: »

Well let's hope he personally greets you - or better still, puts on a whole Eurostar just for you. And when you get off, doubtless there will be a ticker tape parade.

I'm sure the CEO will interupt his busy day to provide all of this and more for someone who in their opening post has described his company as "rubbish".

When I proposed to Mrs E, I paid for a bottle of champagne - plus a few other rather nice little touches. Why don't you rather than trying to blag something for free from the back of the train?

ooppss do you feel a bit silly now;)


another result for hart:T:T

mountainofdebt

Congratulations on your result but I still think you were a cheeky so and so for expecting Eurostar to do this - so what if you were going to propose - does that make you a special case?

As I remember all those affected had a free trip given to them and a refund and compensation............some people want everything handed to them on a plate without paying.

As for the treatment given by Virgin to their customers what do you think would have been the response of HO if the decision had been made on the train to hand out free drinks? I bet the poor member of staff would have had to have paid for them out of his/her own pocket.

and btw who do you think ultimately pays for these freebies???

Equaliser123

hartcjhart wrote: »

ooppss do you feel a bit silly now;)


another result for hart:T:T

Don't feel in the slightest bit silly. I would have been proud to pay for the upgrade given the occasion. I don't think I have it in me to try and scrounge for something.

For me, I get what I pay for and am happy to pay for what I expect to get.

Not been on Eurostar on anything other than Business Premier.

Not sure what your result is????

Equaliser123

So OP, are you going to do the decent thing and change your posts decsribing Eurostar as "rubbish"?

OlliesDad

Equaliser123 wrote: »

So OP, are you going to do the decent thing and change your posts decsribing Eurostar as "rubbish"?

Well their customer service was still rubbish, so i don't think it is neccesary.

OP, try to ignore all the people who seem very abrupt with their responses. The people on here are quick to advise on consumer rights, but they only see in a one dimensional way and fail to realise that when a company messes up (as they have admitted themselves), then some good customer services may be necessary.