It is a well known truth that the customer is always right.
The basis of that statement is that even if the customer is categorically wrong you should be spending your time gently guiding towards the right viewpoint as opposed to categorically dismissing their intelligence.

Unfortunately London Midland, one of many UK train carriers have really gotten it wrong. Although not actually National Rail, London Midland comes under the authority of National Rail, the UK’s overriding governing body for train services. Thus, given my want of a catchy press style title, I used their name instead !

So, a bit of background (for those not in the know). The UK train service offers a railcard system for the young (16-25), and the old. These are sold with the line ‘Up to 1/3rd off rail fairs’. If you travel by rail regularly, then the £24 cost of a railcard is well worth it.
On a recent trip from Liverpool Lime Street, I ran to jump on the train towards Crewe. The next train would have been an hour later. I sat, out of breath, and opened a book. Moments later the train left.

As is custom, 5 minutes later a big burley man came walking down the aisle exclaiming ‘Tickets Please’. When he arrived at me, I asked for a one way ticket to Crewe with a railcard, and got the response back of ‘No!’.
At first I thought maybe I don’t need a ticket, regardless I checked. He then burst into a long, stern, and extremely rude statement of how I had sneaked past a barrier to get on the train without a ticket, and how I should have bought a ticket before hand. Therefore I would have to buy a normal ticket.

Now I took the time to politely point out that in fact there was no barrier, and that I had only just managed to get on the train, thus I had no opportunity to get a ticket. What is more the policy has always been buy a ticket before boarding unless you cannot. I could not.
After a back and forth (to my embarrassment), I gave in and simply bought a normal ticket for £10. This thug publicly embarrassed me, and called me a liar.

I have lied in the past, who hasn’t, but on this occasion I spoke the complete truth. What did not seem to figure with him was that I got no benefit from getting on the train without a ticket.. I still intended to buy a ticket, as I always do, and as is common practice on trains.

My feeling on the matter is that I bought a railcard but cannot use it. Thus I want my £24 back. What is more, I am disgusted at the customer service, or lack thereof that I received, and am thus going to be pursuing some sort of compensation.
The service was more like verbal abuse ! To put a point home, I am requesting compensation for every train ticket I have purchased: in excess of £500. My point being you should treat customers properly, especially loyal ones. After all, they pay your wages!

This extends to any, and all businesses. If you make a lasting positive impression on a customer, then they will likely utilize your services or product again. In some businesses, 1 loyal customer can be the difference between make, and break. In this case however National Rail have a monopoly over the train service market because, well… they are National Rail.
If I could, I would boycott usage of these services, sadly I cannot.

It is similar to the franchise model. A franchisee can technically do what he wants with his particular shop, or business BUT at the end of the day if the franchiser does not do a good job and monitor/maintain the respective franchisees, then the reputation of the business as a whole is affected.
This was the fault of London Midland, but National Rail should not be letting it happen !