LIBRARY PC BOOKING

(Image: http://www.kent.gov.uk/)

Tue, Aug 14, 2012 at 5:24 PM

To: libraries@kent.gov.uk

This afternoon – at 16:30 - I asked a male member of staff in the Tunbridge Wells Reference Library for extra time on the library PCs; having used my daily allowance of one hour in the morning.

I was told there were no free computers until 17:00 and he did not book any for me at that time.

Having had this same problem with this same member of staff some time ago, I went downstairs and asked a female member of staff to book me on to one of the library’s PCs. She booked me on to PC 1 at 16:44.

The latter booking proves there is no rule about not pre-booking extra time, as implied by the first member of staff’s refusal to offer me that option. It also proves that there is no consistent policy here regarding the booking of extra PC time; meaning that staff can do as they please; that is, use their discretion. Sadly, this can also easily become discrimination against customers for undisclosed reasons.

When anyone is allowed to engage in such prima facie discrimination, there will always be some who will seize the opportunity to vent their personal problems on customers. The inconsistency here is obvious and White staff should think more before acting inconsistently since inconsistency can easily be misconstrued as White supremacy.

Only a clear policy – preferably one programmed into the booking software – can ensure transparent and consistent staff behavior - for the benefit of all residents of Tunbridge Wells and not just the White ones.

Regards,

Copyright © 2012 Frank TALKER. Permission granted to reproduce and distribute it in any format; provided that mention of the author’s Weblog (http://whitesghetto.blogspot.com/) is included: E-mail notification requested. All other rights reserved.

Sainsbury’s

(Image: http://en.wikipedia.org/)

Store Manager
SAINSBURY'S
TUNBRIDGE WELLS
TN2 5QL

Thursday, 12 July 2012

Recorded Delivery

OFFICIAL COMPLAINT: Customer Service

This afternoon I was using one of your self-service machines when it stopped processing my shopping transaction halfway through. A white female member of staff approached me and ordered me to stop holding the Sainsbury's carrier bag into which I was placing my scanned items. A "Please" is always helpful in these matters, but none was forthcoming. (I was holding this bag to keep it open on the frame to which unused bags are attached.)

It would be easier to persuade customers to use these machines if the staff were more courteous when customers have a problem. And also if they did not assume customers are idiots for not understanding the correct use of machines whose interfaces are not intuitive.

Moreover, this woman clearly does not think much of the intellectual abilities of Black people as she simply repeated - robot-like - her instruction to remove my hand from the shopping bag; becoming more inappropriately aggressive in the process. She offered no explanation as to why I should obey her - although whatever problem this caused was thereby solved - and moved away without further comment. If she treats Whites in the same way then that is even worse customer service.

Shopping at Sainsbury's would be so much easier and so much more pleasant if the staff were more helpful than the machines they operate - otherwise, how would poor customers be able to tell the difference? Making your machines easier to use would also obviate the need for staff to help with them in the first place.

Regards,

PS: I attach a copy of the relevant receipt, if this helps.

Copyright © 2012 Frank TALKER. Permission granted to reproduce and distribute it in any format; provided that mention of the author’s Weblog (http://whitesghetto.blogspot.com/) is included: E-mail notification requested. All other rights reserved.

South Eastern Railways

(Image: http://www.southeasternrailway.co.uk/)

I boarded a Railway Replacement bus 514 yesterday morning at 08:40 after being told that it was going to Hastings by railway staff at Tunbridge Wells' station.

The driver never fully inspected my ticket so I asked him if he was going to Hastings to make sure and was brusquely told that he was going to Wadhurst followed by something spoken too quickly to be heard. He pointed at the sign in the bus as if I were a fool without explaining how I would get to Hastings. I replied that I was told otherwise and he merely replied with even greater sarcasm surliness, inappropriate aggression and menace that the bus was going to Wadhurst and that I should change there for the train to Hastings. I replied: 'I see.'

I have never used a rail replacement service before and do not know the area well - so needed simple instruction and help which I never received.

This is poor customer service as well as racist.

The service at Wadhurst station was somewhat better even though the train indicator for Hastings was displayed on the wrong platform and the ticket office was closed. When the train arrived at the opposite platform, train staff ensured passengers had time to cross the footbridge and board the train.

Copyright © 2012 Frank TALKER. Permission granted to reproduce and distribute it in any format; provided that mention of the author’s Weblog (http://whitesghetto.blogspot.com/) is included: E-mail notification requested. All other rights reserved.

Morrisons

(Image: http://en.wikipedia.org/)

Stuart MARLOW
Manager
MORRISONS
Vale Road
TUNBRIDGE WELLS
TN1 1BT

Thursday, 10 May 2012

RECORDED DELIVERY

COMPLAINT

At about 07:40 this morning, I politely asked a woman whose name I do not know standing, writing; in front of the tills whether a till was open. She curtly replied that the self-service tills were - as if I were stupid for asking.

I asked because I saw no staff manning any till and because I am not confident in using self-service. For some reason, this common problem with the idea of self-service was not obvious to her, so I was offered no help in the use of such machines.

This rudeness and lack of helpfulness - and, given that I am Black, potential White racism - shocked me in coming from an organization that offers unusually-high standards of customer service. More surprising than it was offensive.

Kind Regards,

PS: If it helps, I attach a copy of my till receipt for the date and time in question.

Copyright © 2012 Frank TALKER. Permission granted to reproduce and distribute it in any format; provided that mention of the author’s Weblog (http://whitesghetto.blogspot.com/) is included: E-mail notification requested. All other rights reserved.

‘Two-Day Festival of Culture’

(2012)

(Image: http://www.thisiskent.co.uk/)

The problem here, of course, is that nobody wants to determine with research whether or not Tunbridge Wells actually gives a damn about the Arts. The fact that Arts venues here are publicly-funded proves there is no business case for such a festival. And where there is no such case, there is no possibility of economic regeneration through activities few care for or about.

Copyright © 2012 Frank TALKER. Permission granted to reproduce and distribute it in any format; provided that mention of the author’s Weblog (http://whitesghetto.blogspot.com/) is included: E-mail notification requested. All other rights reserved.