It’s not always easy being an SNCF agent

A Well-Meaning Campaign, but for Whom?

I came across this campaign in a train station, encouraging passengers to show more respect toward staff. Yet, I can’t help feeling it’s aimed more at the agents themselves than at customers, a kind of internal message disguised as public support: “Management stands by you.”

Let’s be honest: a customer who insults an agent won’t suddenly become more respectful after seeing these posters.

Still, it’s a positive managerial signal: a reminder that customer pressure shouldn’t come at the expense of team well-being.

When Customer Satisfaction Takes a Back Seat

During my TGV trip yesterday, however, I noticed at least two contradictory signals. Real-life situations that show, despite the stated intentions, customer satisfaction isn’t always the company’s true priority.

A Delay That Highlights a Paradox

• We were 30 minutes late departing, and the delay only grew worse along the journey for a staggering reason announced over the intercom: “Because of our delay, we have to yield to other trains at crossings, we’re no longer a priority; on-time trains are.”
• Too bad, but at least I’m entitled to 25% compensation. Except when I see the bureaucratic nightmare involved in claiming it, I obviously won’t bother. Can someone explain why SNCF doesn’t automatically refund delayed passengers? Don’t tell me it’s pure cynicism, I’d like to think there are regulatory reasons preventing it.

In any case, here are agents caught in the middle of a TGV delay, bearing the brunt of management that’s still not customer-focused enough…

While management may want to support agents against rudeness, they should also support them with the energy, strategic choices, and technical means to deliver better service.

Author: Guillaume Antonietti