Amtrak onboard personnel variability

The safety videos United had even included a cameo of their then-CEO, Oscar Munoz, who incidentally came from CSX to head up "my airline of choice".

The incumbent CEO? Well, as an FA friend said to me "really!!!"

If I recall, the current safety videos on Professor Norman's preferred airline haven't been reshot since covid. They did edit out the now retired CEO.

Sent from my SM-G981U using Tapatalk

I spent several decades in the hospitality business hiring, training and supporting customer-facing employees. I've been pleasantly surprised by the number of good to excellent employees I've interacted with at Amtrak. But I'm never surprised when I encounter unsatisfactory or appalling customer service from Amtrak, either.

Hiring
Amtrak's essential challenge is that it has to maintain a safe and welcoming environment for its customers and employees. Airlines have as many safety concerns as Amtrak, but the airlines know that the safety rules can be taught to someone with the right attitude and motivation. From my perspective, Amtrak seems to do a terrible job of screening out the wrong type of employee. Maybe there isn't a deep pool of people who want to work railroad schedules, but it's really hard to teach attitude and motivation to people that don't come in the door with an abundance of both qualities.

Training
I've seen copies of old and, I hope, outdated Amtrak training manuals. Way too much focus on how well employees wear the uniform and not enough focus on building the company's customer service culture. I think Amtrak had a real challenge in proper training of its hires due to geography, but Zoom and Teams should be fixing many of those challenges.

Support
If you hate having a grumpy conductor on your once-a-month trip, think of all the other Amtrak employees who have to go to work every day with that a-hole. It's a drain on everyone's morale and motivation and inspires the good employees to leave. Does Amtrak study Toyota's kaizen or continuous improvement philosophy? Employee training is just the beginning of customer service. The safety and service culture requires constant support and improvement. As a customer, I would rate Amtrak's performance poorly on this metric.

Amtrak could look through its customer feedback and poll its employees and find some places where changing company policies would improve customer service. And I don't mean Amtrak could find ways to spy on employees or teach them to be smiley-subservient all the time. I mean identifying and eliminating common causes for conflict. My guesses:

1. Make the boarding system at Chicago (and maybe some other big terminals) more uniform, more understandable by passengers, and more responsive to passengers' reasonable hopes and needs. (Lots of complaints on this forum seem to start in CUS; the only really appalling service situation I ever saw was there, when a conductor called the police on a family who were trying to help their elderly mother onto the train; they didn't have tix but I SAW and HEARD them ask the employees at the platform door, who said it was OK. When I told the conductor that, he was pretty angry and basically told me to but out. Awful.)
2. Sell specific reserved seats on the all-reserved trains. (But tell conductors and attendants to let people move temporarily for sightseeing, and to tell people politely but directly if they need to move back to their seat because a bunch of people are about to get on or some such.)
3. Have more nearly uniform hours for food service, post these hours clearly, and staff adequately to maintain them.
4. Possibly pay food and sleeper staff (or someone else) for an extra hour after arrival to get the cars ready for their next trip, so that, for example, a sleeping car attendant won't refuse to make down beds at 4:30 am in Effingham because they have to have the car all ready when the arrive in Chicago at 9:30 (CONO). Or else have the reservation system notify anyone buying a sleeper ticket after x:00 am that they won't get a bed, and reduce the price accordingly. (The worst service I ever had and the worst customer I ever was involved a fight with a sleeping car attendant about that very situation.)
5. Either mark cars with prominent signs telling what destinations should sit in that car, or tell all employees to be pleasant to pax who board the wrong car by mistake and try to walk down to the next car.

First, it would help if Amtrak paid people for good performance.

Perhaps pay everyone who works on a train more if customer satisfaction scores or revenues or some other measurement goes up.

Second, many of the on-board employees' duties are not necessary.

I don't need someone to take my dinner order; that can be done online or through the app.

I don't need someone to direct me when I board; getting people to the right car can be done by having numbers along the station platform, car numbers written on tickets, signs on cars or in a range of other ways. Or if someone sits in the wrong coach- so what?

I don't need a wake-up call.

Since there's a good chance that any interaction with a crew member on the Crescent will be negative, it would help the customer experience to simply eliminate many crew interactions.

Arborwayfan wrote: ↑Sun Oct 30, 2022 4:05 pm 5. Either mark cars with prominent signs telling what destinations should sit in that car, or tell all employees to be pleasant to pax who board the wrong car by mistake and try to walk down to the next car.

The Pennsylvanian can use portable signage saying "BOARD HERE FOR HARRISBURG, PHILADELPHIA, AND POINTS BETWEEN" and "BOARD HERE FOR BUSINESS CLASS" at Pittsburgh.

According to the Rules and tradition, the Conductor is in charge of the train, not some flunky behind the President's desk. If the Conductor want to make everyone walk the platform to the far other end of the train where he or an Assistant Conductor can collect tickets before the passengers are allowed to board at the only open door, that's his right.
I also had this experience at Chicago's Union Station. I was attendant for an elderly lady. We had Business Class tickets for a St. Louis train and found ourselves at the end of that long line stretching up towards the engine. As we came beside the end of the last car, I noticed that it was a Cafe and saw an employee standing on the trap in the open rear doorway. I asked where Business Class seats were, and he opened the trap and helped us on and to seats in that section in the rear of the Cafe Car. After departure, the Conductor came back to claim a table in the Dinette end of the Cafe and was quite angry to discover us already behind the curtain in Business Class seats. He had not yet made an announcement that the Cafe was open or that Business Class passengers could walk back to their section. As for the Cafe attendant, he seemed more interested in possible tips from decently dressed customers than in pleasing the Conductor. (I believe that a gentleman travels 1st Class and that he should dress like he belongs there.)

Arborwayfan wrote: ↑Sun Oct 30, 2022 4:05 pm Amtrak could look through its customer feedback and poll its employees and find some places where changing company policies would improve customer service.
4. Possibly pay food and sleeper staff (or someone else) for an extra hour after arrival to get the cars ready for their next trip, so that, for example, a sleeping car attendant won't refuse to make down beds at 4:30 am in Effingham because they have to have the car all ready when the arrive in Chicago at 9:30 (CONO). Or else have the reservation system notify anyone buying a sleeper ticket after x:00 am that they won't get a bed, and reduce the price accordingly. (The worst service I ever had and the worst customer I ever was involved a fight with a sleeping car attendant about that very situation.)

Sometimes Sleeping Car rooms are sold for Day Occupancy.
No matter what the hours of pay, they will still leave as soon as their work is done, even if they have to chase passengers out of Northbound rooms at Trenton, New Jersey so the attendant can be done and leave the train at Newark, New Jersey.

JimBoylan wrote: ↑Mon Oct 31, 2022 5:07 pm According to the Rules and tradition, the Conductor is in charge of the train, not some flunky behind the President's desk. If the Conductor want to make everyone walk the platform to the far other end of the train where he or an Assistant Conductor can collect tickets before the passengers are allowed to board at the only open door, that's his right.
I also had this experience at Chicago's Union Station. I was attendant for an elderly lady. We had Business Class tickets for a St. Louis train and found ourselves at the end of that long line stretching up towards the engine. As we came beside the end of the last car, I noticed that it was a Cafe and saw an employee standing on the trap in the open rear doorway. I asked where Business Class seats were, and he opened the trap and helped us on and to seats in that section in the rear of the Cafe Car. After departure, the Conductor came back to claim a table in the Dinette end of the Cafe and was quite angry to discover us already behind the curtain in Business Class seats. He had not yet made an announcement that the Cafe was open or that Business Class passengers could walk back to their section. As for the Cafe attendant, he seemed more interested in possible tips from decently dressed customers than in pleasing the Conductor. (I believe that a gentleman travels 1st Class and that he should dress like he belongs there.)

The current posted Amtrak job description for conductor includes responsibility for safety and this: "providing a safe, efficient, and pleasant environment for our passengers and ensuring compliance with various regulatory agencies, state and local officials and Amtrak standards and guidelines. This is accomplished through dedication, attention to detail, a professional appearance, and cheerfulness." Note providing a "pleasant environment for our passengers" and "cheerfulness", etc. That implies that the conductor shall ensure all onboard employees the conductor supervises perform likewise.

JimBoylan wrote: ↑Mon Oct 31, 2022 5:07 pm (I believe that a gentleman travels 1st Class and that he should dress like he belongs there.)

Mr. Boylan, wouldn't it be great if this custom and courtesy was observed today throughout the entire commercial transportation and travel industries?

During '57 - the first time I was on an airplane, suit and tie!!!

Trans-Atlantic sailings '60; suit and tie for Dinner; jacket for Lunch.

During 1962, the Super Chief most definitely had a jackets, tie, and dresses dress code for Dinner; Lunch "a bit more relaxed"; no tie required.

Cruises back when I took them (last '88) best have a Tux for Formal nights; I understand nowadays on the low and mid-markets, "sports bar attire" for any meal.

Airplanes and Amtrak nowadays - class of service notwithstanding - "let's not go there".

The system still had its rewards even later. I was checking in at Frankfurt for a flight home on Lufthansa wearing suit and tie, including a pearl stickpin, and the agent apologetically informed me that they were oversold in economy but could offer me a seat in business class, although it wouldn't be a window seat. I said I could live with that. The guy in sweats who checked In just ahead of me was not offered a free upgrade. (And it wasn't even a real pearl.)

Collecting some thoughts:

I believe Mr. Norman made a comparison of 6 hour flights with 50 hour train rides. I don't find this comparison at all apt. For one thing: flight attendants can work multiple shifts and up to 18 hours a day (and in most cases are only paid for the time the doors to the plane are closed. So if they're stuck at the terminal gate with the door open for 2 hours due to a delay, they're not necessarily getting paid. And on the flip side, the vast majority of my Amtrak travels have been either ALB-NYP or NYP to points beyond (generally preceded by a ALB-NYP leg). This means day trains where the crew is either flipping and sleeping in their own bed at the end of the night, or generally the next night. the point being they're not on the train for 50 hours or more. Of course on LD trains you have the OBS folks how may be there for that long). But in either case, I don't think actual service hours should matter.

Someone else mentioned the conductor's principal job is train safety and I don't deny that. However, flight attendants are also responsible for safety and while in-flight they are primarily in the customer service business, a very important part of their job is still safety. Besides the aforementioned safety videos, they're also making sure items are secured, folks seated in exit rows can perform their duties, aiding in evacuations if necessary, and of course dealing with irate passengers. So in terms of crew duties, they're a bit more similar than I think some give credit to.

Also mentioned was sending folks to training and not punishing. Generally I agree. Rarely does "punishment" result in a better employee.

I mentioned corporate culture and I'm reminded of a recent change at my alma mater: RPI here in Troy. The outgoing president, Dr. Jackson had an impressive set of credentials and she accomplished a lot while here, including a massive infrastructure expansion plan. By some metrics she was very successful. But, morale SUCKED. There were many reasons. The new president has already improved morale. He's started at the top. First of all, he insists on going by his first name. Some may not like such informality, but after over two decades of a president who NEVER EVER let you forget her title and all her credentials, it was a refreshing change. His first week on campus he went to the book store to buy himself a sweatshirt and politely inquired about the employee discount. This was in contrast to the former president who, as far as anyone knows never stepped foot in the bookstore and almost certainly sent staff in her place (and knowing her personality made sure the staff would insist on the employee discount). She also surrounded herself by people similar to her. I had an encounter with the VP of Communications. One of the most arrogant, condescending people I've met in a professional setting. But that was the tenor. I haven't met the new VP of Communications, but the student I talked to (who had also met the previous one) said he was much friendlier, outgoing and open to dialog.
Overall, employees are MUCH happier and students are happier.

The point of this is that you really do need it to come from the top.

Now someone else mentioned consistency. I have to agree, though I'd couple this with both flexibility and having a clear rational. I think Amtrak is fairly close to this, but could get better. Have, as much as possible, consistent goals for boarding. But, allow flexibility. If an employee allows a passenger to board in the wrong place, roll with it and then the conductor can talk to the employee privately. ("Hey Joe, I know you let the customer board in the cafe, but that just messed up my boarding. Try not to, but if you do, just let me know as soon as you can".) Don't take it out on the passenger.

I'm rambling now, but overall:
Start form the top. Make it clear what the tone should be.
Try to be consistent, but allow for flexibility and if there's a problem, handle it privately and discretely.
When given the choice between enforcing a rule and making a customer happy, as long as safety is not involved, make the customer happy.

Here's a copy of the current Amtrak Service Standards Manual for Trains Service and Onboard Employees
https://www.amtrak.com/content/dam/proj ... dacted.pdf

Thank you, this version of the Amtrak Service Standards Manual includes information about the new Venture cars.
I have 2 older electronic versions of this manual that may have been part of a National Transportation Safety Board investigation or report. Should they be posted somewhere for our historical purposes?

The latest version of the Service Standards Manual is pretty similar to what I've seen in the past. It contains the "hard skills" that an Amtrak employee will need to be trained on to perform their job properly: how to evacuate passengers from a train stopped in a tunnel, how to fill out a plethora of forms, how to deal with a broken freezer while enroute, how to inspect wall menu frames, etc.

What isn't in the Manual is training on the "soft skills" that make a passenger's trip pleasant and comfortable. Does the crew anticipate issues that might arise from late arrivals? Does the crew know how to de-escalate tense situations caused by rude or thoughtless passengers? Can the crew make the trip memorable for passengers? It's the "soft skills" of the crew that most passengers remember when they're sharing the story of their trip, not the "hard skills". As a passenger, it's not important to me how well a crewmember fills out “Temperature Monitoring Report” (NRPC 3513). But I do care if my train is 4 hours late and the crew is in a foul mood.

Nevertheless, the hard skills are important and it's vital that the crews know how to react in emergencies. I remember being on a flight over northern CA when the plane ran into severe turbulence during drink service. The crew instantly flipped the switch from smiling their way through a casual drink service (soft skills) to an emergency situation with the plane bouncing around in the sky with possible injured passengers (hard skills).

Bottom line: almost any customer-facing employee with the right attitude can learn the hard skills, but it's real hard to teach the soft skills to someone that doesn't have the right attitude.