Commuters given free chocolate as apology for poor service

7:00pm Sunday 27th January 2013 in News By Chloe Chapman

c2c staff wearing t-shirts saying “Sorry for last Thursday” handed out 20,000 chocolates to passengers at London Fenchurch Street c2c staff wearing t-shirts saying “Sorry for last Thursday” handed out 20,000 chocolates to passengers at London Fenchurch Street

COMMUTERS were given a sweet treat as an apology for poor service.

c2c staff sported sorry t-shirts and handed out 20,000 chocolates to apologise for delays which affected thousands of customers last Thursday, January 17.

Passengers faced delays of 90 minutes on the line which connects Shoebury to London Fenchurch Street after the 7.03am train broke down near Limehouse, in East London.

The line was out of action for an hour and normal service didn’t resume until 3pm that afternoon.

Train staff made up for it exactly a week later by wearing t-shirts saying “Sorry for last Thursday” and handing out bags of chocolate buttons and mini eggs.

Stuart Smith, 23, of Belle Vue Place, Southend, who was more than an hour and a half late for work last week, said: “Although it was just a little bag of sweets, it’s still a nice gesture and proves that they are attempting to show they are sorry for the incident which occurred.”

Julian Drury, c2c managing director, said: “c2c is the most punctual train operator in the country because we make sure disruption like that is rare, but on this occasion we have to hold our hands up and say sorry – and here’s a little something from us.”
 

Comments (19)

7:26pm Sun 27 Jan 13

Lesley says...

Nice! You get the square root of bog all on Greater Anglia.
Nice! You get the square root of bog all on Greater Anglia. Lesley

7:47pm Sun 27 Jan 13

shotgate76 says...

I hope they don't start doing this on GA. I'd be obese if they handed out sweets after every delay.
I hope they don't start doing this on GA. I'd be obese if they handed out sweets after every delay. shotgate76

8:13pm Sun 27 Jan 13

daninorth says...

Very sweet gesture, but with the price rises I think I'd rather they brought the price of our ticket down .
Very sweet gesture, but with the price rises I think I'd rather they brought the price of our ticket down . daninorth

9:32pm Sun 27 Jan 13

rattiegyal says...

Yeah how much did it cost printing all the dumb t-shirts and the buying of chocolates? They would've been better off giving the commuters a free days travel really.
Yeah how much did it cost printing all the dumb t-shirts and the buying of chocolates? They would've been better off giving the commuters a free days travel really. rattiegyal

10:18pm Sun 27 Jan 13

SARFENDMAN says...

Think if other unmentioned certain transport companies offered this "sweetener", there'd soon be a shortage of chocolate supplies in the UK.
Think if other unmentioned certain transport companies offered this "sweetener", there'd soon be a shortage of chocolate supplies in the UK. SARFENDMAN

10:36pm Sun 27 Jan 13

Major Incident says...

What were diabetic passengers offered?
What were diabetic passengers offered? Major Incident

10:51pm Sun 27 Jan 13

Soouthchurch59 says...

Major Incident wrote:
What were diabetic passengers offered?
Intercity insulin injections?
[quote][p][bold]Major Incident[/bold] wrote: What were diabetic passengers offered?[/p][/quote]Intercity insulin injections? Soouthchurch59

5:04am Mon 28 Jan 13

pendulum says...

Major Incident wrote:
What were diabetic passengers offered?
Diabetics can eat chocolate in small amounts - it's not a problem.
[quote][p][bold]Major Incident[/bold] wrote: What were diabetic passengers offered?[/p][/quote]Diabetics can eat chocolate in small amounts - it's not a problem. pendulum

9:52am Mon 28 Jan 13

Major Incident says...

pendulum wrote:
Major Incident wrote: What were diabetic passengers offered?
Diabetics can eat chocolate in small amounts - it's not a problem.
Don't want a medical debate about this but that's not strictly true for all diabetics....I know because I'm married to one. The comment about interciity insulin might be nearer the mark!
[quote][p][bold]pendulum[/bold] wrote: [quote][p][bold]Major Incident[/bold] wrote: What were diabetic passengers offered?[/p][/quote]Diabetics can eat chocolate in small amounts - it's not a problem.[/p][/quote]Don't want a medical debate about this but that's not strictly true for all diabetics....I know because I'm married to one. The comment about interciity insulin might be nearer the mark! Major Incident

11:56am Mon 28 Jan 13

Monkeytennis1 says...

Major Incident wrote:
pendulum wrote:
Major Incident wrote: What were diabetic passengers offered?
Diabetics can eat chocolate in small amounts - it's not a problem.
Don't want a medical debate about this but that's not strictly true for all diabetics....I know because I'm married to one. The comment about interciity insulin might be nearer the mark!
Good grief…Talk about off “TOPIC”
[quote][p][bold]Major Incident[/bold] wrote: [quote][p][bold]pendulum[/bold] wrote: [quote][p][bold]Major Incident[/bold] wrote: What were diabetic passengers offered?[/p][/quote]Diabetics can eat chocolate in small amounts - it's not a problem.[/p][/quote]Don't want a medical debate about this but that's not strictly true for all diabetics....I know because I'm married to one. The comment about interciity insulin might be nearer the mark![/p][/quote]Good grief…Talk about off “TOPIC” Monkeytennis1

12:49pm Mon 28 Jan 13

Tj Lady says...

shotgate76 wrote:
I hope they don't start doing this on GA. I'd be obese if they handed out sweets after every delay.
Yes.anyway the fought was nice for them to do this,But why could they not hand out a nice small salard roll which is more healthy.
[quote][p][bold]shotgate76[/bold] wrote: I hope they don't start doing this on GA. I'd be obese if they handed out sweets after every delay.[/p][/quote]Yes.anyway the fought was nice for them to do this,But why could they not hand out a nice small salard roll which is more healthy. Tj Lady

1:41pm Mon 28 Jan 13

Rob777 says...

That reminds me I have to complain to these idiots about something else from last week.....

On that note @ to be fair they are quite good if you complain about things, they refunded me £20 a few months ago as the machine stole my money.
That reminds me I have to complain to these idiots about something else from last week..... On that note @ to be fair they are quite good if you complain about things, they refunded me £20 a few months ago as the machine stole my money. Rob777

2:38pm Mon 28 Jan 13

Shoebury_Cyclist says...

rattiegyal wrote:
Yeah how much did it cost printing all the dumb t-shirts and the buying of chocolates? They would've been better off giving the commuters a free days travel really.
Four T-shirts and packets of chocolate bought in bulk. Probably works out to 20p or less per packet per passenger.


Free travel for a day per passenger would have cost them a lot more.
[quote][p][bold]rattiegyal[/bold] wrote: Yeah how much did it cost printing all the dumb t-shirts and the buying of chocolates? They would've been better off giving the commuters a free days travel really.[/p][/quote]Four T-shirts and packets of chocolate bought in bulk. Probably works out to 20p or less per packet per passenger. Free travel for a day per passenger would have cost them a lot more. Shoebury_Cyclist

5:12pm Mon 28 Jan 13

Cosmo Spring says...

I wonder if headteachers etc will be handing out free chocolate to kids for not being open on snowy days?
I wonder if headteachers etc will be handing out free chocolate to kids for not being open on snowy days? Cosmo Spring

5:30pm Mon 28 Jan 13

Carnabackable says...

Being a share holder of c2c, I hope these extras, are passed on to the cocky passengers
Being a share holder of c2c, I hope these extras, are passed on to the cocky passengers Carnabackable

9:56pm Mon 28 Jan 13

Nebs says...

Carnabackable wrote:
Being a share holder of c2c, I hope these extras, are passed on to the cocky passengers
Be careful what you wish for. I have heard that there are plans afoot to restrict dividend payments for train companies that do not reach targets, with the money that would have been paid in dividends instead being spent on improving the service to reach targets.
[quote][p][bold]Carnabackable[/bold] wrote: Being a share holder of c2c, I hope these extras, are passed on to the cocky passengers[/p][/quote]Be careful what you wish for. I have heard that there are plans afoot to restrict dividend payments for train companies that do not reach targets, with the money that would have been paid in dividends instead being spent on improving the service to reach targets. Nebs

9:03am Tue 29 Jan 13

Steve H says...

Chocolate, thats nice.

Ask the person who missed an important job interview, hospital appointment or event, I am sure they will be really pleased to be offered a chocolate as an apology.......not!!
Chocolate, thats nice. Ask the person who missed an important job interview, hospital appointment or event, I am sure they will be really pleased to be offered a chocolate as an apology.......not!! Steve H

1:08pm Tue 29 Jan 13

JessyJar says...

shotgate76 wrote:
I hope they don't start doing this on GA. I'd be obese if they handed out sweets after every delay.
wishful thinking that they would bother doing this...
[quote][p][bold]shotgate76[/bold] wrote: I hope they don't start doing this on GA. I'd be obese if they handed out sweets after every delay.[/p][/quote]wishful thinking that they would bother doing this... JessyJar

1:21pm Wed 30 Jan 13

Ugly says...

I didn't see these people giving out chocs!

Was it just at the main entrance/exit or the both ?

As many have already posted, I'd prefer a cheaper ticket price than a bit of chocolate.
I didn't see these people giving out chocs! Was it just at the main entrance/exit or the both ? As many have already posted, I'd prefer a cheaper ticket price than a bit of chocolate. Ugly

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