Do You Have a Disability?

A lot of people do suffer from some sort of disability, and should be treated a little differently than others when traveling. VIA Rail believes that people that suffer from a disability or is special needs, should get some useful features when traveling with them. Priority boarding, special meals and medication, reduced mobility, additional assistance or occupy two seats are just some of the features that will help a person with disabilities enjoy their riding experience a lot more comfortably. Everyone should feel like there just as important as the person next to them. I have a grandmother that can not walk, and when i heard her story on how VIA Rail put her first when it came to her disability, it proves that they do honor everything they state and believe in. They offered her help whenever the possiblilty arrived, brought her to the bathroom and back to her seat, and so forth. Next time when traveling with a person with disabilities, they should choose VIA Rail, because VIA Rail has them covered.

Traveling with Children

Kids do not do well when traveling. VIA Rail has created some great activities while traveling with young children. Its not surprise that kids love trains and VIA Rail loves them back. On most of their routes kids are entitled to special touches that will enhance their journey and make it more enjoyable. VIA Rail offers kids and activity book, as well as special activities in the Skyline car. If your kids like to colour then VIA Rail knows there going to love their activity book. The activity book contains a variety of cut-and-paste and colouring activities that will help set their imagination free.The Skyline car throws some awesome activities to keep your kids busy during 7:30 - 1030am. The activities usually include games for kids, fun activities and or video showings. With all this said, next time when traveling with young children, choose VIA Rail, they have your kids covered.

Onboard the Train

When traveling for long periods of time, we all know it can get pretty boring just sitting in the same spot, VIA Rail has many amenities to help us enjoy our ride a lot more comfortably. VIA Rail offers on-board menus, browse VIA destinations magazine, has activities for the kids, wireless internet access and social networks. This blog will discuss the perks for business travelers when riding VIA Rail trains. Business travelers have the option to use their cell-phone at any given time, have unlimited use of wireless internet, at your seat power outlets, in-station comfort, cuisine, on-board comfort, priority boarding and suburban stops. Those are just some of the benefits that business travelers can enjoy when riding on a VIA Rail train. Going by train allows business travelers to save time and work while on the go. Taking VIA Rail trains allows one to get to their destination almost at the same speed as a car but with a car, one will never know if there will be any traffic or accidents along the way. Trains allow for a more productive and efficient way for business travelers to prepare and or work on any projects that need to be completed at any given time. These trains also allow commuters to talk on the phone, which is a great benefit since its not allowed on planes as well as driving a car. VIA Rail is a great way to start ones way to work no matter what. Next time your work is trying to plan their way to their next work function they should choose VIA Rail.

VIA RAIL - Beyond Customer Expectations

 You’re planning a trip, and something goes wrong. Weather you didn't get treated the way you anticipated or just had terrible customer service with the service you have chosen. About 80% of travelers feel that customer service is never what it seems to be when commercials or websites provide details on how great their customer service is. VIA Rail continues to prove that this is not the case with their company. Jean Lemyre, senior manager, customer relations, wants to change this thinking with most travelers. Jean deals with many calls from customers and wants to make customers know that VIA Rails mission is to work together to provide a travel experience that anticipates the needs and exceeds the expectations of their customers. Whenever somebody calls to complain, VIA Rail takes every call as important as anything else that happens in a business. The staff is trained to handle problems as they arise, so that every customer feels as respected as they can be. VIA Rail wants to ensure that everyone goes in and leaves happy with their services, and wants to come back and ride again. About 50% of customer issues are handled by phone, and if someone calls, VIA Rail will try and call them back within a day - talk about good customer service. If someone leaves a complain through e-mail, VIA Rail will try and respond within three days. VIA Rail feels that the more inportant part of complaints is that the customer feels that the company cares about customers concerns and issues. When VIA Rail responds they always apologize, whether they are at fault or not, then they try to reassure the customer that they will try to remedy the issue. Depending on complaints, VIA Rail may do what is called a "recovery measure," such as offer refunds or a complimentary certificate. No matter what, VIA Rail loves it customers and wants to make sure they are as happy as they can be. They always put the customer first and weather the issue or problem VIA Rail is there to help.  

REFERENCES

Mary Ellen Guffey, Kathleen Rhodes and Patricia Rogin. (2008). Business Communication: Process and Product, Sixth Canadian Edition. Toronto: Nelson Education Ltd. .

VIA Rail Revisited

 "It’s not simply about getting there, it’s about offering a traveling experience to our customers," - Keith Moulton, VIA Rails regional director, Eastern Services.
The quote above states that customers are not only getting the service to where they need to go, but they are basically getting the best traveling experience that they will ever encounter.

In addition to its regular routes, VIA Rail partners with Niagara Fallsview Casino to add a special summer season route from Toronto to Niagara Falls, another way VIA Rail helps its clientele with the best customer service and traveling deals. While on board, passengers can enjoy a wine tasting and gaming lessons. The train company provides many offers on upgrades, as one of them can include a "sleeper touring class," which, in addition to VIA Rails usual amenities, provides travelers with information about the culture, history, and cuisine of the Maritime's.  The company’s website - http://www.viarail.ca/en/main offers great packages for wine lovers, nature lovers, sports enthusiasts, and those wanting to relax at a spa. Customers are also able to pick from great options, such as; a short urban stay in Toronto or Quebec or a winter vacation on "The Snow Train to Jasper." The winter vacation package is a great package to choose from because it lets customers explore and see the great landscape of the Canadian Rockies while enjoying a landscape of towering White Mountain peaks, snowy river valleys, herds of elk, and breathtaking, stunning canyons of ice. VIA Rail also provides a more accessible travel experience for passengers with special needs, the company worked with the Canadian Transportation Agency, the Council of Canadians with Disabilities and experts in accessible design. When VIA Rail teamed up with Canadian Transportation agency they basically prepared a preliminary design approval for their Renaissance cars by increasing the space for wheelchairs as wells as washroom space. The company takes pride in looking at all angles of this industry and wants to make sure their customers are getting the best possible service in the train industry and continues to make each ride a customer’s best ride. VIA Rail continues to take customer feedback as a very important aspect to their business and in return provide customers with a safe transportation experience in comforting way that not many transport carriers are able to do.

REFERENCES

Mary Ellen Guffey, Kathleen Rhodes and Patricia Rogin. (2008). Business Communication: Process and Product, Sixth Canadian Edition. Toronto: Nelson Education Ltd. .

VIA Rail: A More Human Way to Travel

VIA Rail: A More Human Way to Travel.

VIA Rail was established by the Canadian government in 1977 as an independent crown corporation. VIA Rail's vision is to be the leader of service excellence in passenger transportation - as they operate trains all over the country, from the Atlantic to the Pacific and from the Great Lakes to Hudson Bay. VIA Rail has many great top standards, some of them include; customer focus, respect and passion and it mandate to provide "efficient, environmentally responsible and cost effective passenger transportation service" in Canada's business passageway and rural inaccessible regions of Canada. The company focuses on its customers largely through the use of their web site, which allows customers to look at information packages, e-newsletters, and special fare packages aimed at families traveling with young children, youth travelers (18 - 25), business travelers and so forth. VIA Rail also focuses on the customer by gathering customer feedback, which was introduced in 2008 for their Renaissance passenger cars for express travel service between Montreal and Toronto - VIA Rail surveyed these customers for their responses as it helped VIA Rail recognize areas that needed improvement in the equipment but also established that customers would respond well to their Renaissance option. The company also continues to consider the diversity of its customers by providing official language of their choice, weather it was on the telephone, a situation or on board VIA Rail trains - which allows customers a more comfortable way of traveling, knowing that there will not be any language barriers. The train company also allows its employees can speak the language of their choice in regions that are designated as bilingual. The official communications are written in English and French but the company uses both languages in its business practices. With this said, VIA Rail is a great way for humans to travel.

REFERENCES

Mary Ellen Guffey, Kathleen Rhodes and Patricia Rogin. (2008). Business Communication: Process and Product, Sixth Canadian Edition. Toronto: Nelson Education Ltd. .