Queensland Rail - Customer Charter launched

[ozbob]

--> http://www.queenslandrail.com.au/AboutUs/CustomerCharter/Pages/CustomerCharter.aspx

Customer Charter

Queensland Rail's Customer Charter

Our customer charter sets out our commitment to provide customers with the service they have the right to expect.

The charter addresses seven key areas you have told us are most important to you. While we aim to continually improve in each of the areas, these are the service commitments we can make to our customers right now for our City network and Traveltrain network services. You can find out more about each service commitment by clicking on the headings below or to the side.

[Derwan]

Customer Service Officers were out in force today at a number of stations, handing out a copy of the charter plus water and a K-time bar.

[colinw]

Customer Charter

Queensland Rail's Customer Charter

Our customer charter sets out our commitment to provide customers with the service they have the right to expect.

Unless they live on the Sunshine coast, Doomben line, or west of Ipswich, in which case they will be waiting for an hour or more (if a train runs at all!), or in the Sunshine Coast case sitting cross-legged on a train with no toilet and no stops long enough to relieve themselves.

Customer charters, vision statements and fine words do not make a service.  Actual services, fit for purpose, do.  Until the muppets who run our public transport system start to realise that, then we are going to keep getting fed the same 3rd rate rubbish.

I use public transport a lot, I'm really ****ed off, AND I VOTE!

[Derwan]

They're talking about customer service - not facilities or train frequency, which is largely out of their control.

The "no toilet" situation is something they should be looking more closely at though - from a customer service perspective.

[colinw]

They're talking about customer service - not facilities or train frequency, which is largely out of their control.

The "no toilet" situation is something they should be looking more closely at though - from a customer service perspective.

Yeah, I get that, however the "service" that really matters to me is the one that travels on wheels.

The other stuff - particularly sensible call centre advice, etc. is important, but unless it is backed up with the provision of actual services that we need then it is pointless.

[#Metro]

I absolutely agree with Colin W

While the customer charter is all nice and part of the good stewardship of any modern corporation nowadays, the service that people care about is the one that comes on wheels. I agree that this is out of QR control (but perhaps not influence) but I disagree that frequency isn't part of customer service.

If I walked into a fast food shop and was told that I would have to wait 30 minutes for service, or if I had to queue at a bank for 30 minutes, or if I went to a restaurant and had to wait 30 minutes, I would not be happy with the customer service.

Services on wheels are the main products these companies sell.
If that isn't frequent, then there goes most of the customer service.

[#Metro]

We will do everything we can to:
a.    

Maximise the number of services that arrive on time.
b.    

Minimise the number of services cancelled.

Frequency
Connections

I guess that those two things should be TL/Minister

[longboi]

I have to disagree with you both there. Even in the past 5 years there has been a massive change in the customer service culture which has made a big difference to passenger attitudes. Things like frequency upgrades are now reality (CRR etc.) and until then I see the time as a chance to really revolutionise rail for the long-term.

[somebody]

Things like frequency upgrades are now reality (CRR etc.)

Huh??  There has been no frequency upgrades on rail.  Looks like there will actually be no frequency upgrades on rail, other than what the Richlands branch has virtually necessitated.  CRR is only really needed for the peaks.

[colinw]

What frequency upgrades?  I've had lots of concrete & nice orange TransLink signs, even a 3rd track, but the train is still half hourly and the ticket office is attended less than it was 5 years ago.

If you wrap a t%rd in gift wrapping, it still stinks!

[Barbar]

Customer charters and/or vision statements as presented by Queensland Rail management are nothing more than lipstick on a pig...yep... its still a pig   

[longboi]

Things like frequency upgrades are now reality (CRR etc.)

Huh??  There has been no frequency upgrades on rail.  Looks like there will actually be no frequency upgrades on rail, other than what the Richlands branch has virtually necessitated.  CRR is only really needed for the peaks.

When CRR comes to fruition.

[Stillwater]

There is nothing wrong with having a charter -- most big organisations have one.  The fact there is a charter is good, and it should be welcomed.  This charter falls into the common trap of not giving people a benchmark against the seven key areas whereby QR can be judged.  For instance, in relation to information, the charter should say something like ... 'in a survey of our customers, our information dissemination efforts will rank a score of 8.5 or above.'  In safety, we will achieve xyz reportable safety incidents'  ... or ... 'we will beat last year's level of safety by a further 10 per cent'.  That would make the charter far more meaningful and reveal an organisation that wants to go jyst stating the motherhood stuff.

[somebody]

When CRR comes to fruition.

CRR in no way guarantees that off peak frequencies will be increased.

[Jonno]

Customer Service Officers were out in force today at a number of stations, handing out a copy of the charter plus water and a K-time bar.

They were not just CSO's they were also the senior management of Queensland Rail.

[BrizCommuter]

Ironically BrizCommuter saw one of QR's timetablers at the customer service launch.
http://brizcommuter.blogspot.com/2010/12/qr-customer-charter.html

[Fares_Fair]

I have to disagree with you both there. Even in the past 5 years there has been a massive change in the customer service culture which has made a big difference to passenger attitudes. Things like frequency upgrades are now reality (CRR etc.) and until then I see the time as a chance to really revolutionise rail for the long-term.

I agree, QR's customer service and attitude are resplendent and a credit to them.

So where is TRANSLink's customer service or charter ?
QR are under contract to TRANSLink and so they are limited in what they can achieve.
TRANSLink hold and control all the monies.
IMO it is they who should create a charter, not a sub-contracted entity limited by it's financial donor.

It is almost like a good cop (QR) bad cop (TRANSLink) scenario.
and no offence to our serving officers in the police force.

Regards,
Fares_Fair.

[#Metro]

There is little point in having "the world's best customer service" if you cannot run enough trains to entice commuters from their cars. Unfortunately, however much QR would like to run a decent train service, they are limited by funding from the Queensland Government and spin outlet TransLink. In 2011, Brisbane commuters will be paying similar fares to commuters in Perth. In Perth there is a train every 15 minutes off-peak, compared to every 30 minutes in Brisbane. In Perth there are frequent and regular peak services compared to a random mess of a peak timetable in Brisbane. Brisbane's rail commuters are sick and fed up of paying ever increasing fares for an infrequent rail service, whilst being bombarded by a barrage of spin from TransLink about how their service is supposedly improving. Delaying the timetable changes by a year, and not having the new timetable ready for the opening of Richlands station have very little excuse.

I agree BrizCommuter! 

World class infrastructure, but world's worst class services! What is the point???

Let's demand a decent service frequency charter!!!

FREQUENCY!

[WTN]

Nailed it right there TT!

[Fares_Fair]

From the new charter ...
is it just me or have they moved the goal posts ?

A Gold Coast, Rosewood or North Coast service is classified as 'on time' if it arrives less then 6 minutes late   at its destination, all others if it arrives less then 4 minutes late at its destination.

Regards,
Fares_Fair.

[longboi]

When CRR comes to fruition.

CRR in no way guarantees that off peak frequencies will be increased.

Always the pessimist 

[somebody]

Always the pessimist 

What's with the "roll eyes" there???

We have plenty to be pessimistic about in SEQ regarding the CityTrain service!  And in particular, plenty of precedent for new infrastructure not resulting in improved services.

[#Metro]

What's with the "roll eyes" there???

We have plenty to be pessimistic about in SEQ regarding the CityTrain service!  And in particular, plenty of precedent for new infrastructure not resulting in improved services.

Count me in the pessimist club!!!
Trains still not frequent enough, we have been banging on about this for years, only a trickle of change on the rail system.

[longboi]

Always the pessimist 

What's with the "roll eyes" there???

We have plenty to be pessimistic about in SEQ regarding the CityTrain service!  And in particular, plenty of precedent for new infrastructure not resulting in improved services.

Like Caboolture-Beerburrum or Richlands? They don't compare to the scale of CRR. CRR is being built in direct response to the need for more train paths (read: more services). In conjunction with new sets being delivered,

[Golliwog]

I see being pessimistic as pointless. Always looking for the worst outcome means you'll probably get it. Yes the network and services have been a bit neglected over the last decade, but I'm still optimistic that it will get better soon. It already looks like with the 2 stages of timetable changes that most lines will have 15 minute off peak for most of the line, if not all.

[Fares_Fair]

I see being pessimistic as pointless. Always looking for the worst outcome means you'll probably get it. Yes the network and services have been a bit neglected over the last decade, but I'm still optimistic that it will get better soon. It already looks like with the 2 stages of timetable changes that most lines will have 15 minute off peak for most of the line, if not all.

Hello Golliwog,

You say it may be pointless to be pessimistic, but it's a reflection of how things actually are.

Optimism needs to be based upon facts or progression of improvement - where are the facts to back your frequency claim ?
With all due respect, I find it somewhat inconceivable that you could claim 15 minute off-peak frequency for most of the lines after Stage 2 of the Timetable changes.
I think you are just saying that to provoke a reaction. 

I speak mainly on behalf of the Sunshine Coast line - arguably the worst in the entire network,
and I have the 50% weekday rail-bus services (because no capacity for trains), single line track from Beerburrum, NO improvement at all to services from the Caboolture to Beerburrum duplication and 3/4 hour to 2 hour frequency to prove it.

You really should have excluded the Sunshine Coast line in your wild statement above.

Regards,
Fares_Fair

[#Metro]

You say it may be pointless to be pessimistic, but it's a reflection of how things actually are.

I'm optimistic, and I agree with Golliwog, but for different reasons.   Sorry about this extremely long post.

This government is gone IMHO. People are upset in Ipswich, Sunshine Coast commuters
are upset (people can see that a lack of infrastructure to allow capacity for expanded
SC services are behind the timetabling), Gold Coast LRT is happening within a safe LNP
seat so not much votes there, the Greens are zoning in on the inner suburbs with LRT
proposals at each election, there are zero votes for things like Yarrabilla and Ripley
because no-one lives there at the moment anyway, Kippa-ring is a mixed bag because
it is being delivered, but likewise it took so long and many times the residents were
told that "it was not viable" so there is an element of people feeling they have been "gamed" for votes.

Rail services (note, SERVICES not infrastructure) are looking pretty poor when
compared to the stark contrast of Perth, other cities like Melbourne and Sydney (belatedly)
are moving with LRT and metro frequency trains.

The current custodians of the PT system have done a good job on the infrastructure front,
and also re-working the organisational side of things with TransLink and GoCard
(I know lots of people complain about TL and GoCard, but compared to what it was like in 2004, this is so much better).

But it's the services that people experience. Full buses. No services on Saturday and Sunday.
Buses go to and from town, but not around town. No trains at the platform for 30 minutes (my pet hate).
Railbus services on the Sunshine Coast line which people perceive as deeply inferior to trains.

The great paradox is this: lots of infrastructure going up and engineering projects.
But people feel like they are not getting the benefits of this through increased services.
The spin is also having the exact opposite effect-- people are very cynical, and when you combine that with a feeling of "these guys have been around for so long, why haven't they fixed it yet", the picture isn't looking good at all.
(BTW, IMHO the Lord Mayor is taking a lot of credit for the new ferries and BUZ services, current gov't is failing to take credit for those things IMHO).

Richlands is a case in point. Great infrastructure, but the starting timetable might not be so frequent.
So there is going to be an element of let down there when people come to use it with
all these expectations and find that the service is 30 minutes and possibly a shuttle requiring transfer.
Could Ferny Grove be another one?

There are many things that could be done to improve PT without having to buy lots of concrete or spend lots of money.
Things like 15 minute buses and trains. And I think that people understand this, and can tell the difference between
an infrastructure improvement that looks good and a service improvement that
is good. People have become accustomed to not taking notice of plans and studies anymore, particularly post-Kippa Ring IMHO.

I think the failure to catch on to this subtle but important thing will, among
other things such as being in office so long, will be the ultimate downfall of
the gov't at the polls. (Not that the alternative has advanced much in the way
of policy either, last time I looked at their "plans" it was motherhood statements
that were everything in general and nothing in particular).

And if the other side gets in, I highly suspect one of the first things will be CAMCOS to the Sunshine Coast.

Just my 2c!

[somebody]

This government is gone IMHO.

They looked that way at the last election though.

[ozbob]

From the Brisbanetimes click here!

Is Queensland Rail on the right track?

Is Queensland Rail on the right track?
Daniel Hurst
December 21, 2010 - 6:07AM

Queensland Rail's new performance standards are "not just easy giveaway" targets, the organisation says.

The government-owned railway operator launched its customer charter last week – but clearly has more work to do on four of the eight targets it set for itself.

Queensland Rail has identified a range of areas it believes customers feel are important, namely safety, comfort, train and station cleanliness, on-time services, accurate information about disruptions, personal service and timely feedback.

They are accompanied by measurable targets, including some which are required under Queensland Rail's contract with TransLink.

For example, 93.01 per cent of City network trains should arrive on time during peak periods, which Queensland Rail exceeded in the July to September quarter with a 93.46 per cent result.

However, Queensland Rail failed to meet its 85 per cent on-time target for the Traveltrain network in the same quarter.

Queensland Rail also aims to respond to 90 per cent of customer feedback within 10 business days, a goal it met with the Traveltrain network in November but failed to achieve with the City network.

It aims to begin using two new trains on the City network every month, but achieved only one last month.

Queensland Rail also fell short when it came to the safety benchmark, with 3.1 reported assaults per million customer journeys compared with the organisation's zero target.

The executive general manager for corporate and external affairs, Martin Ryan, said the new benchmarks were "stretch targets" designed to encourage the organisation to improve.

"They're not just easy giveaways; they are things we really want to achieve," he told brisbanetimes.com.au.

"We're only as good as our last train trip."

Mr Ryan said passengers would have noticed improvements in services over the past 12 months, including giving customers plenty of detail when the network was affected by disruptions such as the storms last week.

"On-time running [performance] is really our biggest challenge and we do a lot of things to make sure we do that ... but when we aren't successful our customers want us to communicate what is happening and the alternatives," he said.

Mr Ryan said Queensland Rail had drawn on feedback from customer reference groups to draw up the customer charter, and had also looked at passenger complaints, market research and interstate operators.

Robert Dow, from commuter lobby group Rail Back on Track, said the "aspirational" targets reflected issues that were important to people.

Mr Dow said Queensland Rail previously had internal standards it aimed to meet, but this was the first time some of these targets had been put into the public arena.

"Now it's really specific and you can go there [to the website] immediately and see what the results are and what their targets are," Mr Dow said.

"We're generally supportive but the bottom line is you need frequent rail services.

"We're waiting now to get that translated into increased frequencies."

Mr Ryan said frequency was something customers often wanted to see improved, and he said Queensland Rail was currently doing a full timetable review.

"Yes, it is important, but what we do need to deliver first and foremost is to run them to the schedules we're telling them now ... then we have to look at increasing capacity and giving people more [train] sets."

He said the charter was about making sure people could turn up at their local station and expect to find it clean and safe with their train arriving on time.

The Liberal National Party's new public transport spokeswoman, Tracy Davis, said last week commuters were concerned about a range of issues including frequency of services and costs.

"In the main the greatest concerns are reliability, overcrowding, particularly with trains, matters of connectivity between bus and train services, and removal of services without consultation," she said.

[johnnigh]

Grumpy ar*****es still infest Citytrain crew  The 12.57 Shorncliffe service out of Corinda on Jan 7 ignored a passenger just 20metres from the nearest door, closing them in her face after she had called out 'wait for me', to which his reply was 'no way' (or 'get f*****d', in other words). The train was not late (most unusual); the next one was, of course.

No use telling Translink about this sort of issue; is there a QR number to call to complain?

[somebody]

No use telling Translink about this sort of issue; is there a QR number to call to complain?

They have a feedback page on their website.  Have a look, there might be a number too if you would prefer to do it that way.

[johnnigh]

Thanks, Somebody,
I've forwarded my feedback, appropriately edited and await any reply with interest. It is, at least, a chance for QR to demonstrate its commitment to the Charter by responding quickly and with an explanation, and even an apology for the guard's inappropriate response.