Why won't delay repay forms work when I stray outside of a TOC's territory?

[crehld]

Earlier this year I had cause to claim delay repay from Great Northern for a journey between Cambridge and Crewe. However I was unable to use the online form as it claimed Crewe station didn't exist and wouldn't let me click the submit button until I selected a valid station (defined by Great Northern as a station they serve). Instead I emailled Great Northern, explained the delay, told them about the trouble I had in using the online form and suggested they get someone to look into it, and attached scanned in copies of my tickets. RTVs arrived within a week and I thought nothing else of it.

Well for the second time this year (pretty good going if you think about it) I've had to put in a delay repay claim, this time with Virgin Trains (West coast) for a journey between Buxton and Crewe. However it will not let me select Buxton as my origin. I am instead offered the suggestions of Carlisle, Chester, Coventry, Crewe etc etc. (all served by Virgin). I am unable to submit my claim until I select a 'valid' station.

Now of course I'll email virgin instead. But bearing in mind you claim for the journey not individual legs thereof, why aren't these online forms allowing you to select stations outside of a TOCs network? Is it a programming oversight? Do TOCs not know what other stations exist (doesn't seem plausible given most TOCs will sell me a ticket to any station), or is it some sort of conspiracy to confound the average punter and make them think they're not entitled to claim if they stray outside of a TOC's network (the cynical argument)?

 

[yorkie]

My theory is most people will not bother sending in a claim manually and will give in and just select the leg of the journey that was on that operator, thus saving the Train Company money. There's no effective regulator or proper ombudsman who has the nous to do anything about it.

 

[najaB]

My theory is most people will not bother sending in a claim manually and will give in and just select the leg of the journey that was on that operator, thus saving the Train Company money. There's no effective regulator or proper ombudsman who has the nous to do anything about it.

But you have to submit a scan/photo of your ticket so that would only affect people with split tickets.

 

[iphone76]

I noticed this problem with GN/Thameslink last month, however, when I claimed for a delay coming back to Wickford over the weekend I noticed the issue had been fixed and all stations appear to be there now.

http://www.thameslinkrailway.com/contact-us/delay-repay/claim-form/

 

[bb21]

A good software developer or web designer will tell you that usability testing is not always properly carried out. The vast majority of websites were designed the way the owners wanted them, and not what is most appropriate for the intended users' needs. This is the primary reason why the vast majority of websites out there are absolutely tosh.

It is a general phenomenon that does not exist exclusively in the railway industry.

 

[Harpers Tate]

Unless I'm missing something here:
a) the Delay Repay sum awarded is calculated using a formula that relies on the face value of the ticket (fare paid) as its basis. Thus the actual start and end points of the total journey are merely a side issue
b) at a guess - the TOC from whom you are claiming delay repay will be interested specifically in which of THEIR trains you used that was the cause of your delay - which would tend to indicate you needing to choose THEIR start and/or end points

 

[Haywain]

Unless I'm missing something here:
a) the Delay Repay sum awarded is calculated using a formula that relies on the face value of the ticket (fare paid) as its basis. Thus the actual start and end points of the total journey are merely a side issue
b) at a guess - the TOC from whom you are claiming delay repay will be interested specifically in which of THEIR trains you used that was the cause of your delay - which would tend to indicate you needing to choose THEIR start and/or end points

You are missing something here. The length of the delay is the crucial factor, and connections come in to the equation the end point of the journey, in particular, can be crucial. For example the delay could be caused by one operator's service being a non-qualifying 10 minutes late, but the resulting missed connection to somewhere served by another TOC could result in a qualifying delay of 60 minutes or more. In such a case, the TOC with the 10 minute delay will need to know the final destination in order to verify the level of compensation due (if any).

 

[Tetchytyke]

In fairness, useability works both ways. The vast majority of Delay Repay claims will be for journeys on one TOC, especially with a London commuter TOC, and cutting the list of stations makes the form more useable for these people. The chances of someone submitting a claim to GN for a train from Kyle of Lochalsh are slim, so getting rid of the option makes the website easier to use for everyone else.

 

[infobleep]

In fairness, useability works both ways. The vast majority of Delay Repay claims will be for journeys on one TOC, especially with a London commuter TOC, and cutting the list of stations makes the form more useable for these people. The chances of someone submitting a claim to GN for a train from Kyle of Lochalsh are slim, so getting rid of the option makes the website easier to use for everyone else.

Perhaps they need to have an option which says if you station is not listed here then please enter it. That isn't technically difficult to do.

 

[talldave]

Perhaps they need to have an option which says if you station is not listed here then please enter it. That isn't technically difficult to do.

When it comes to websites, TOCs struggle with even the simple things. My experience of Southern's incompetence was that it took months to implement a simple fix, even when I'd provided them with a single corrected parameter for the HTML code on their site which I'd previously tested. And that was for an error that was preventing them selling First Class tickets on Gatwick Express, so was potentially losing them money!

 

[Haywain]

Most TOC websites are outsourced to the likes of Worldline, so making what might appear to be a simple change can actually be very expensive.

 

[infobleep]

Most TOC websites are outsourced to the likes of Worldline, so making what might appear to be a simple change can actually be very expensive.

Is that why most of South West Trains Web Site isn't mobile friendly, including parts that would be useful to mobile customers?

If changes are so expensive then perhaps TOCs should bring their web design in house or retender their contracts so that changes are not so expensive.

I understand about someone's time costing but sometimes in a business that uses outsourcing there are charges beyond and above someone's cost and a reasonable profit. This means that somethings don't get done when otherwise they would.