Virgin - who to complain to?

zzzLazyDaisy

I had a terrible journey from Glasgow to Crewe, with long delays and having to change trains on a supposedly direct train. (I am disabled and had chosen this route as I did not want to have to change trains) We eventually arrived very late at night. We asked about compensation for delays and were directed to the ticket office, which was closed.

I made a complaint by e-mail to virgin the next day. I received a response with a reference number and was told they would investigate and get back to me. That was over a month ago. I have followed it up twice this week, but have just been given two new reference numbers!

Does anyone know where I should go from here? I don't want to just let it drop as I think they should be taken to task for their poor customer service.

Thanks

RichyRich

Virgin Trains' Customer Service is abysmal.

I had trouble with them last year and it took four or five letters to them to get them to offer an appropriate outcome to my complaint.

I would suggest the following (it worked for me):-

Draft a complaint letter to VT outlining exactly why you are upset. I would suggest that using a structured letter, numbering each point in turn is a good idea, otherwise they will reply to you addressing only some, or even none, of your points. In your letter, explain what you would like them to do to compensate you for your journey. Insist that they follow your numbering system and reply within fourteen days. Send your letter to VIRGIN TRAINS, FREEPOST BM6613, BIRMINGHAM, B5 4BR.

You may find that VT do not respond within your fourteen day time limit. Do not be in any way surprised at this, as they hope that you will forget you wrote to them and not follow it up. If they don't reply, write back explaining that they have failed to provide a satisfactory response within the time limit permitted and as such you feel that you have no option but to refer your complaint to Passenger Focus. Send copies of your letter to VIRGIN TRAINS, FREEPOST BM6613, BIRMINGHAM B5 4BR, SIR RICHARD BRANSON, C/O VIRGIN GROUP PLC, 120 CAMPDEN HILL ROAD, LONDON W8 7AR, and PASSENGER FOCUS, FREEPOST WA1521, WARRINGTON, CHESHIRE WA4 6GP.

You will probably find that VT respond to you after this second letter, apologising for their delay but denying any responsibility whatsoever. You will also probably find that they failed to follow your numbering plan, and missed out about two thirds of your complaint. Do not be surprised if they also misread your letter resulting in inaccuracies in their response. Do not accept this response. Write back to them, sending copies to all the above addresses, explaining that you are unhappy with their response, what they got wrong, what they failed to answer, and how they suggest that they can make things right. Suggest your suggested compensation package to them again. Use a numbering plan, and insist that in order that they do not send a further inadequate response, they use it.

They will no doubt send further inadequate replies. The only way to get your desired response is to continue corresponding, expressing dissatisfaction at their responses, until the complaint is referred to a manager. At this point you will probably find you will receive an apology and a halfway decent offer of recompense.

I hope that this helps you deal with our friends in Birmingham.

Richard

ticketcollector

Follow RichyRich post to the letter (or number). Virmin are the worst for using scripted responses.
You have to make it simple and yet so hard for them to forget a bit of your letter.