Me vs. Amtrak...The Saga In Summary

Below is a series of e-mails I have exchanged with Amtrak's customer service. What will happen next? Wait for the next episode.

My original message:
Message:
(Late January - Greater DC Area)
Dear Amtrak I am a long-time but soon to be ex-customer. This past weekend, due to frequent Amtrak delays on my trains from Washington DC to New York, I decided to take a bus. However, to get to the bus-stop, I took the local regional MARC train. My MARC train was delayed 30-minutes because the Amtrak train in front of it broke down. Because your train broke down, when I reached Union Station in DC, I had to buy an Amtrak train ticket to get to New York because my bus had already departed. Being the reasonable fellow that I am, I went to Amtrak customer service and requested that you at least discount the modest price of my bus ticket ($25) from the price of the train to New York ($139) that I was forced to take because your train broke down. YOUR AMTRAK CUSTOMER SERVICE AGENT TOLD ME MY REQUEST WAS FAIR but that I would have to call an authorized customer service supervisor on your phone line. I did this, and the authorized agent RENEGED on my verbal agreement with your station customer service agent, saying BECAUSE THE TRAIN I WAS ON THAT WAS DELAYED WAS NOT AMTRAK'S, EVEN THOUGH AMTRAK CAUSED THE DELAY, THAT I WAS NOT ELIGIBLE FOR SUCH A REFUND. Let me explain to you why this is a bad business decision by you. You take on negligible variable cost in letting me on your train versus not letting me on. However, because of the shabby treatment, I am unlikely to ever use Amtrak again for my frequent DC to NY trips. This represents a considerable net loss to you, Amtrak. Since you refused my more than reasonable request for a small discount at the point of sale for my trouble, the price to retain my business has gone up and is now a full refund of the ticket price - $139. My reservation # is (withheld). I look forward to a timely resolution of this matter.

AMTRAK'S RESPONSE - FEBRUARY 1:
Dear Customer,

Thank you for contacting Amtrak. We respond to online inquiries 7 days a week between the hours of 8 am and 11 pm (ET). You can expect a response to your inquiry within the next 24 hours.

Please do not reply to this message.

Sincerely,
Amtrak Customer Service

COMMENT: One might think this would lead to a speedy resolution. 24 hour turnaround...well, what did I receive from Amtrak within 24 hours? The following.

Thank you for contacting us.

We have forwarded your e-mail to our Customer Relations Department. They will contact you as soon as possible in the order that the e-mail was received.

Due to a higher than normal volume, it may take up to eight weeks to receive a response to your e-mail. Please be assured your inquiry will be addressed as soon as possible.

If you prefer, you can contact them through our toll free number, 1-800-USA-RAIL (1-800-872-7245). Select the number '0' immediately to avoid the automated information menu, and an agent will transfer your call. The Customer Relations Department is staffed Monday through Friday between 7am -10pm (ET).

Thank you,

Sincerely,

William
Amtrak Customer Service

COMMENT: 8-weeks to reply to an e-mail? Surely they are just setting the bar low so that they can deliver earlier than that. There's no way it takes 8 WEEKS to respond to an e-mail. It's not like their customer relations department is lost in the Brazilian hinterland looking for El Dorado. Many animals have gestation periods shorter than 8 weeks. Nonetheless, here it is, April 3, and Amtrak still hasn't gotten back to me. So here was my response today:

Dear Amtrak "Customer Service"

As you will see, it has now been more than 8 weeks since I contacted you and politely requested just compensation in line with the promises made by your customer service agent. I believe that 8 weeks is more than sufficient for you to make a determination about my request...it it is enough time to decide the national collegiate basketball champion, certainly it is enough time to read an e-mail and submit a refund.

Since making my request, there have already been 3 occasions on which I would have taken Amtrak, but instead took alternate means of transportation because you have not resolved this incident. In other words, you have already lost money thanks to your inability to handle this simple request.

I am willing to wait another 2 weeks. If this matter is not resolved at the end of that time, my asking price will go up, and I will be forced, against my will, to start a facebook group dedicated to Amtrak's poor service that I will only take down when I am justly compensated for my trouble.

I already got their automated, "We'll respond in 24 hours" email again. What will they really say? We'll find out soon.