Meet the Manager (online via Coffee Shop), Autumn 2024

[whole diary]

[grahame]

I have been offered (and accepted in principle) a "Meet the Manager" session with a GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway) Director to take place in a couple of months time.  Checking availability of the manager and also of our own team members who run this, we have two options - either a Thursday afternoon from around 14:30 or a Wednesday morning from around 10 a.m.

We are planning for the session to be much more interactive than in the past. That is subject to testing and making sure we're all happy with how it will work, and also to us being sure that a recording / log / archive will be available after the event for members who can't make  daytime session to read / observe the meeting.

[TaplowGreen]

Could be interesting.

I have indicated Thursday afternoon but it's tentative - the timings are a bit difficult for those of us who work full time, but I get that you probably have to work round what you get offered!

[grahame]

I have indicated Thursday afternoon but it's tentative - the timings are a bit difficult for those of us who work full time, but I get that you probably have to work round what you get offered!

Yeah - I know. Yes, working with what we are offered AND setting up so that at least the session is recorded and the questions and answers are available afterwards - that (in my view) is paramount.

[IndustryInsider]

Let’s hope we get a few members able to attend this time.  It’s a great opportunity to ask directly for an explanation on the issues of importance to you.

The turnout last time with Mark was embarrassing frankly.

[grahame]

Let’s hope we get a few members able to attend this time.  It’s a great opportunity to ask directly for an explanation on the issues of importance to you.

We are taking steps to have a busy session - more than just "hope".

[rogerw]

i have voted for either, although my  attendance will depend on my being in the country at the time

[broadgage]

Let’s hope we get a few members able to attend this time.  It’s a great opportunity to ask directly for an explanation on the issues of importance to you.

The turnout last time with Mark was embarrassing frankly.

I would consider taking part, on line, not in person.
However I have little faith in the usefulness of these events. As is well known, I have two significant concerns regarding GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway) services.
Firstly, the effective absence of catering on GWR. I and many others have raised this in the past. I believe that the position may be summarised as follows.
Buffet cars-"no way" will these return despite the facility to retrofit a buffet being an "essential requirement" of the IETS.
"Greatly improved trolley services" sunk without trace.
"Hot food served in cattle class" also sunk without trace, after a brief trial that produced the expected result that it was not worthwhile.
Two trolleys on full length trains, and one in each portion of a 5+5  train. Very seldom achieved, indeed we are lucky to get a single trolley, usually static. Various promises have been made but little if anything achieved.

I could raise these issues yet again, but does anyone really expect any improvements to result ?

My other main concerns are the endless short formations, and consequent declassification of first class/ general overcrowding. Various promises have been made, but as with catering does anyone really expect any improvements to result.

[grahame]

I would consider taking part, on line, not in person.

However I have little faith in the usefulness of these events. ...

It WILL be online.  There will be a maximum of 2 admins / moderators there from the Coffee Shop team, and most likely just one.

These events ARE useful in my view, but usually as one step in a process. It is a 2 way one of us informing GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway) of what is important to us, and GWR informing us and keeping us informed of what's happening.  There are occasions when the follow up from interactions has been rapid, though much more often any follow up activities from GWR take time and lots of parallel activities make it hard to know which tipped a balance.  Personal follow up from the customers?   Yes - both in the emotion of having been listened to, and also practically of being able to make better use of rail by learning about something.

There are a number of us on certain topics - you on catering, [name redacted] on accessibility, myself on service reliability who have concerns which are well know, and which we *do* need to bring up, but in measured and moderated volumes, to ensure that they are not lost off the radar.  For certain issues (there are a couple of others as well) you may get sympathy from the manager who, however, perhaps has their hands tied or perhaps has to say "no".  And it does us best if we move it on within the session rather than getting jammed on our passion.

[TaplowGreen]

For those of us who are working and/or unable to attend for other reasons, will we be able to submit questions via the moderators or those who are attending?

[grahame]

For those of us who are working and/or unable to attend for other reasons, will we be able to submit questions via the moderators or those who are attending?

It is planned as per previous Coffee Shop "Meet the Manager" sessions that question will be [predominantly] pre-selected and submitted to GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway) a few days ahead so, yes, that won't be a problem. The intent is to get substantive answer rather that knee-jerk reactions to questions that come as a surprise, though I accept that such an approach does remove a spontaneity that may itself be informative.

[ChrisB]

If you are running it that way, surely having a 'live' audience is rather plastic-y? Why not simply request questions, vote on selection, pass them to GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway) & post the answers?

Unless there's going to be a chance to ask last-minute questions, that is....or maybe follow-up questions to the answers given?

[grahame]

If you are running it that way, surely having a 'live' audience is rather plastic-y? Why not simply request questions, vote on selection, pass them to GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway) & post the answers?

Unless there's going to be a chance to ask last-minute questions, that is....or maybe follow-up questions to the answers given?

Thanks for your input, Chris.  It won't be "plasticy" I can assure you.  It will be useful for replay / viewing afterwards by those who can't make it, though not as good as them being interactive there.  What it will not be is a "spring obscure questions on an unprepared manager" event.

[ChrisB]

But there isn't anything that those present can get interactive about either? So why bother is my question?

[grahame]

But there isn't anything that those present can get interactive about either?

I haven't said that, Chris

So why bother is my question?

You have made an assumption that's not the case.

[ChrisB]

You indicated that by saying all questions to be asked in advance. Giving us nothing there to be interactive about - unless we can ask follow-up questions IF our question gets selected initially?