Unsuck DC Metro: Metro Greeter gets Mixed Reviews

Wednesday, October 6, 2010

Metro Greeter gets Mixed Reviews

We heard from several people about the Metro employee greeting riders at Farragut West. It drew mixed reviews.

According to Metro, "The expectation is that all station managers greet and communicate with customers during their shifts."

From Colin:

What is this Walmart? Yesterday morning at the Farragut West station, a Metro employee was standing on the other side of the turnstiles wishing everyone a "good morning" or a "happy Tuesday" in much the same way that the greeter at a big box store might welcome you.

As nice as this is, my first reaction was to say, as I passed by, "Good morning, make the trains run on time."

A fellow Metro prisoner in front of me heartily agreed in a heavy German accent, expressing his outrage with the system which stranded us between Arlington Cemetery and Rosslyn for about 10 minutes this morning.

"The system sucks and what do they do?," he asked. "They make the effort not to fix anything but to have someone wish us good morning."

The question posed to us in the Express yesterday was "What can Metro do to make the system better without spending additional money?" I've got a few suggestions and putting greeters in the stations is not one of them.

I realize that putting the trains back on automatic control may be too much to ask, but it would be nice if they tried to figure out where the trains are in relation to one another. That would make my mornings much more enjoyable.

Matt had a different take:

Yesterday morning, at Farragut West, the manager was greeting every customer at the faregates saying good morning. It was really nice to see.

JW was mixed:

1) around 7:10pm last Wednesday I arrived at Clarendon. Of course, when I tried to leave, my Smartrip card had the "see station manager" error. After not being able to find a station manager or any other Metro employee for several minutes, I just went through the exit gate.

2) There was a Metro employee at Farragut West yesterday morning greeting all the passengers almost like a Walmart greeter. "Good morning everyone," "smile," etc. It may be a nice thought, but it seems like there are plenty of other things that the station employees should be doing. See 1 above.

Other items:
Va. bid for more Metro board seats appears likely to be defeated (WaPo) Examiner
Metro ridership declining fast (TBD Video)

Comments (58)

Logging you in...

Dashboard | Edit profile | Logout

Logged in as

+8 Vote up Vote down

anon · 755 weeks ago

This is hilarious, and not in the good way. I don't know how it is with most stations, but at the ones I use we're already inundated with people giving away those free newspapers. So we're "greeted" incessantly by people who are - no joke - blocking the tops of stairways and escalators. It's sort of a miracle that no one's been jostled to the point of stumbling down the stairs.

I guess what I'm saying is that after having to run that gauntlet I was then cheerily greeted by a should-be-doing-something-helpful-for-someone station manager, I wouldn't exactly be happy.

+7 Vote up Vote down

Ever and Anon · 755 weeks ago

" fellow Metro prisoner ..." I agree, this is one hilarious moment. It won't ever really work. Both my entrance and exit stations have attendants who won't even look me in the eye. Say hello? They'd faint or choke on the instruction to do so. But I have noticed at Ballston they are no longer hiding in the kiosk. There is at least 1 attendant standing right by the faregates watching during rush hour. I've seen him jump quickly when someone's card doesn't work. Small steps. Metro needs big leaps but I'll take that small step. And if they are having greeters, best make sure that poor schmuck knows more about what's going on than just how to say hi.

+4 Vote up Vote down

Sizzle · 755 weeks ago

Yeah, they're doing the same thing at Navy Yard now.

I'm set to receive Metro's automatic "something's f-d up" emails when there's a delay on the Red or Green lines. It used to work fine but within the last 3 weeks or so, I haven't been getting the emails until way after the delay has been resolved.

Example: yesterday morning around 6:45 or so, I was on the GL from Ft. Totten to Navy Yard. Our train was stopped and held at Shaw / Howard Univ. for almost 20 minutes because of a broken train at L'Enfant. I didn't get an alert on my Blackberry until 8:30 - almost two hours after the incident had been resolved!

What the hell, Metro? Even your system for telling riders how much you suck sucks!

1 reply · active less than 1 minute ago

+5 Vote up Vote down

@kara_h · 755 weeks ago

I signed off of that system months ago. It would always email me about delays ... after I was already in the station ... or sometimes even after I finally got to my destination. Their form was messed up too: it was saying to enter an email or a # for texts ... but would not accept phone numbers as valid entries.

+1 Vote up Vote down

Corresponding Toads · 755 weeks ago

Unsuck, you are too funny. And two funny because:

1. You always complain about Metro's lack of communication and...

2. You now complain when they sincerely open up to passengers via hearty good morning hello's

Negative thinkers always have negative things to say about openly positive people. The only thing these people (99.9% of metro riders) hate more than themselves is seeing other people happy.

I am of the self-loathing type, and every time that Express guy tries to hand me a newspaper with a hearty "GOOD MORNING", my soul pukes all over itself.

P.S. I'm looking for a vocalist for a music project I'm working on. just throwing that out there along with my soul barf

8 replies · active less than 1 minute ago

+9 Vote up Vote down

Andrew · 755 weeks ago

Sorry, but having someone say "Good Morning" to you is not opening the lines of communication. I would rather someone stand out front and tell me they hate me every morning when I come into Metro if it meant trains being on time, accurate PID (they are getting ridiculous lately, yesterday at Metro Center, it said two Orange trains were coming and the first train that rolled in was a blue), and less roller coaster type rides.

+3 Vote up Vote down

@FixWMATA · 755 weeks ago

In his defense... UnSuck was providing an objectionable view with both sides of the story.

+7 Vote up Vote down

Anon · 755 weeks ago

And we all already know Toads is the self-loathing type.

0 Vote up Vote down

Sam · 755 weeks ago

I'd rather have someone saying hello to me than a station manager thinking that I'm a burden to his relaxing day if I need help with something. Granted, I don't often ask for help; I know how Metro works. But sometimes, the SmarTrip readers and fare machines are not operating correctly and having someone who is available to help is good.

Think of the busiest stations and how they get at rush hour. I commute from Franconia-Springfield and there are a LOT of non-locals who don't know how to use the Metro. Having someone (with people skills, unlike station managers) in the station to be able to help load farecards, assist customers in how to use the turnstiles, etc. is a good improvement.

Some people will always find something to complain about. Metro can give everyone a free ride and someone will complain that it wasn't fast enough. But I support this idea 100%.

-2 Vote up Vote down

Anon · 755 weeks ago

Do ya really think that greeter will be able to do any of those things you describe, Sam? Best hedge your bets and... think again... There is already one post mentioning a greeter claiming "trains are on time, no rush!" when it was exactly the opposite.

+8 Vote up Vote down

@VeggieTart · 755 weeks ago

By lines of communication, they don't mean having someone saying "Good morning/afternoon" to you as you try to catch your train. Considering I'm usually listening to my music anyway, I just want people to get out of my way so I can get to the train I need to ride.

No, by opening lines of communication, they mean informing people of delays in a TIMELY manner so people can try to find alternate transportation (yeah,right) or keeping people apprised of any issues, such as elevator/escalator outages, etc.

And one more thing: If only one escalator is operational and the other is frozen to be stairs, doesn't it make more sense to have the operational escalator going UP? My boyfriend and I were coming home from a concert last night, and we took a train to Gallery Place so we could walk to 11th Street to catch our bus. From the Red Line platform to the mezzanine, there was a frozen escalator and another one going down. Yeah, that makes a whole lot of sense.

+5 Vote up Vote down

keekerdc 1p · 755 weeks ago

There's a difference between superficial nonsense and actually being communicative about the core of their business.

It'd be another thing if station managers were spontaneously spending extra time they had in this manner, with said extra time existing because things were running so smoothly. Since this is obviously not the case and this is some brilliant directive coming down from a PR department...I think the eyebrow bowing at this is pretty valid, even if it's a bit cynical.

+4 Vote up Vote down

Sam · 755 weeks ago

Station managers would rather use their extra time to go to McDonald's or talk on their phones. Every single time I've ever asked a station manager a question (even when my ST card says to see the station manager), I've been treated like I'm burdening him/her. Station managers have an aversion to doing work and have absolutely no people skills; I wouldn't want them spending their extra time even going near a customer.

-6 Vote up Vote down

mom5150 · 755 weeks ago

Be safe METRO employees. You don't want to get hurt on the job!

0 Vote up Vote down

Meredith · 755 weeks ago

I like this idea. I think that, per the third person in the original post, having someone acting as a greeter could potentially circumvent these issues. Using the Wal-Mart example: When walking through Wal-Mart, I can rarely find an employee. But you know where I can always find one? At the front door. If someone is designated to be at the faregates, then you can go to that person. Of course, this will only work if this is a new policy that they enforce across the board.

That being said, to the people who don't want to be told "Good morning..." Seriously? Yeah, maybe they're being told to stand there and talk, or maybe he just felt like being friendly. I know Metro sucks and I know the mornings are irritable for most people, but come on! Say "good morning" back and stop being an asshole. It's approximately .5 seconds of your life to be friendly, pleasant, and polite to another human being. No, Metro is rarely polite and accomodating to us and they're supposed to be providing the service, but do unto others.

4 replies · active less than 1 minute ago

-2 Vote up Vote down

Corresponding Toads · 755 weeks ago

I don't want to be told "Good morning..."

Seriously.

I am an asshole who is incapable of caring about anyone but myself. I just want to get to my terrible job in the morning and get to my terrible house at the end of the day. I don't want to read the Express. I don't want a guy saying "G'MORNING!!" and shoving a copy of the express in my direct path every morning.

If a Metro employee ever said "Hello" to me, I would cry.

0 Vote up Vote down

Ever and Anon · 755 weeks ago

I would bust out laughing, myself. Wouldn't even be able to talk to try to explain what I found so funny. Perhaps my "You've got to be kidding me?!" expression as I shook my head and walked on by would say it for me

-1 Vote up Vote down

Andrew · 755 weeks ago

Unfortunately the greeters in Wal-Mart are the ones who aren't bright enough to work anywhere else in the store...not sure what that says about the metro greeters.

0 Vote up Vote down

anon · 755 weeks ago

"That being said, to the people who don't want to be told "Good morning..." Seriously? "

Yes, seriously. My mommy told me not to talk to strangers.

Besides. They're being forced to do it. It's insincere and therefore insulting. On the long, long, long list of Crap They Fuck Up All The Time, "not greeting people" does not appear.

If someone at work says good morning to me, they're doing it because they are genuinely wishing me a good morning, hence they get one back. Not giving them one back does make me an asshole (or inattentive). Someone a METRO saying good morning to me is not doing so for that reason and hence doesn't deserve one in return. Not giving one back does not make me an asshole. Do you see the distinction?

+7 Vote up Vote down

TAllen · 755 weeks ago

Having a greeter is fine so long as there is nothing else the greeter needs to be doing, such as assisting people having trouble with the fare gate. Wal-Mart can have greeters because you know that behind the greeter is a well-oiled machine. You can't say that about Metro. If he has time to be a greeter, the station manager has time to look around and make sure there is absolutely nothing else that needs taken care of.

+3 Vote up Vote down

@Rizzz · 755 weeks ago

You overcharge me for a continually inferior product and you think I want a hello in the morning?

Oh hell no.

1 reply · active less than 1 minute ago

0 Vote up Vote down

Ever and Anon · 755 weeks ago

Good one, Rizzz!!!

+8 Vote up Vote down

@FixWMATA · 755 weeks ago

I think this is a GREAT idea! Can they carry me and my luggage up the escastairs?

+4 Vote up Vote down

Ever and Anon · 755 weeks ago

At Ballston if there is a fare greeter placed there s/he will in the way of the fare attendant who might help if the card gets stuck. Thus, the greeter becomes yet another obstacle to moving smoothly through the system while providing no benefits or improvements to the problems with the system. Is my increased fare costs paying that additional salary, health care and vacation? If so, my money is not being well spent.

+3 Vote up Vote down

Aaron · 755 weeks ago

They were there for the evening rush hour, too, and as I approached we got "don't worry, no rush, trains are all running on time!" as our greeting.

And then, of course, they not only weren't running on time but they were not matching up to the PID AT ALL. Blue Line, 1 minute actually meant Orange Line right now.

So yeah. Nice gesture, but just as clumsy as the rest of the organization.

+4 Vote up Vote down

Joanna · 755 weeks ago

I honestly wouldn't give a damn about the greeter--except that at Farragut West, she's IN THE WAY. She should NOT be standing in the bottleneck where traffic from both sets of turnstiles is squeezed into a hallway that's partially obstructed by the lines of recycling bins.

Good morning, now stand the hell aside. Impeding the flow of traffic is unacceptable.

+1 Vote up Vote down

Matthew · 755 weeks ago

People always complain about Metro employees not "caring" about the riders and that is generally true. A Metro goes out of their way to try to make someones day better and you all jump on her for doing this. Shame on all of you. It may not be much but I am happy that a Metro employee is trying to fix the one thing they can have some power over.

10 replies · active less than 1 minute ago

+1 Vote up Vote down

@Rizzz · 755 weeks ago

They have power over other aspects, WMATA isn't a bunch of helpless babies.

Fix the systemic issue, then feel free to waste your time greeting people.

0 Vote up Vote down

Meredith · 755 weeks ago

Certainly there are other things that Metro needs to fix, but I think Matthew has a point. Station managers can't make the trains run/run on time, PIDs be accurate, force fare gates to accept your SmartTrip, or make your SmartBenefits download on the first of the month. What CAN they do? Be polite, friendly, helpful, and quick to respond to issues. Far too many of them fail in these basic responsibilities, and at least some of them are trying to do things better.

+3 Vote up Vote down

@Rizzz · 755 weeks ago

I think both you and Matthew are missing the point - these aren't station managers. And quite honestly, the station managers should be getting the essentials of their jobs down before even venturing into the polite and friendly territory - see also Unsuck's various posts on sleeping SMs or aggro SMs.

+5 Vote up Vote down

Ever and Anon · 755 weeks ago

Rizzz hit the point. Does anyone really think Metro is showing "they care" with these greeters? Can they fix farecards stuck in the turnstile? Can they fix machines that take your cash but don't give you the card update? Hey! Can they call 911 when someone is laying unconscious on the platform? oh wait.. no they are not on the platform to even know. Adding unnecessary staff, wasting money, causing more issues for smooth flowing traffic is not showing they care. It is showing they still Do Not Get It.

-4 Vote up Vote down

Matthew · 755 weeks ago

So a Station Manager does something nice and we turn on them? What the hell do you all want? You are the same people who want to yell at the cashier for the prices on food being to much. All that a Station Manager can do is make the experience at their station the best they can. The one Station Manager that does this you all shoot down as a waste of time. Friendly service is key to good service.

+1 Vote up Vote down

Ever and Anon · 755 weeks ago

The greeter is not the Station Manager. The greeter, by virtue of not being a Station Manager, would not have the authority or training to do anything a Station manager would/should/could do.

I do not yell at cashiers. I do not yell at Metro employees either. (Why, do you?) But should I really be expected to pay a salary for someone who has no serious benefit to improving a dangerous and pitiful transportation system? If so, will they hire my dog? I could use the extra cash since I am spending so much more now on bad trains, dead escalators, closed elevators and nonresponsive card machines.

+1 Vote up Vote down

Anon · 755 weeks ago

What station manager? These greeters are not Station Managers. They do not have the training or authority to do what you seem to be describing. I do not yell at cashiers. I do not yell at Station Managers. I do not yell at Metro employees. But I have heard them yell. At lots of people.

"Our members go to work every day cognizant of their responsibility to perform a job on behalf of our customers – the riding public.”

+1 Vote up Vote down

@kara_h · 755 weeks ago

They are not spending their time responding to issues though, that is the point.

0 Vote up Vote down

@kara_h · 755 weeks ago

Fixing means doing something not greeting. I would choose a surly manager who ran the station smoothly over a peppy one that let in continue to go to h*ll.

+1 Vote up Vote down

anon · 755 weeks ago

No, shame on you for being stupid enough to think they're going "out of their way to make someones day." I really hope you're just trolling. The employees are being mandated to do this. Do you understand what that means? It means the opposite of their "going out of their way." The opposite.

+9 Vote up Vote down

KWM · 755 weeks ago

What's the point of placing yet another clueless employee in everyone's way? It's a nice thought, but utterly pointless. Kind of like like placing fresh flowers in a hotel room that hasn't been cleaned in a month. Here's an idea: How about some of these over-paid, under-performing WMATA executives stand in some of our stations themselves at rush hour, greet people if things are going well, AND be prepared to deal with issues or field questions and concerns while they're there?

3 replies · active less than 1 minute ago

-3 Vote up Vote down

Meredith · 755 weeks ago

Now THAT'S a great idea!

+3 Vote up Vote down

@VeggieTart · 755 weeks ago

Assuming you can get a Metro executive--or board member--to even ENTER a Metro station.

+4 Vote up Vote down

@kara_h · 755 weeks ago

Well, one did ... then slipped on a wet tile.

+4 Vote up Vote down

@ChrisHowdy · 755 weeks ago

Lipstick on a pig.

1 reply · active less than 1 minute ago

-12 Vote up Vote down

Corresponding Toads · 755 weeks ago

ChrisHowdy on a blog.

See? How do you like it? Metro doesn't appreciate your snide comments.

+4 Vote up Vote down

@deafinthecity · 755 weeks ago

And how much is metro paying those greeters? No one wants to hear "Good Morning" or "happy ass crack on the pole day" when Metro is falling apart and raising fares.

-3 Vote up Vote down

gooner71 · 755 weeks ago

The larger point missed by a lot of patrons here is that the METRO employee was not in their usual cocoon and instead was outside where they would be more accessible.

This is not a solution to any problem other than the one of making METRO employees more able to assist patrons.

2 replies · active less than 1 minute ago

+1 Vote up Vote down

anon · 755 weeks ago

"This is not a solution to any problem other than the one of making METRO employees more able to assist patrons." Well, you're half right. This does not help Metro employees to assist patrons, as the greeter really can do little more than greet.

0 Vote up Vote down

Colin · 754 weeks ago

I actually did see the Greeter yesterday help out a few people who were having troubles with the fare card machines so that was nice to see.

+5 Vote up Vote down

krikket · 755 weeks ago

This morning, at the top of the esclator at Bethesda I heard loud, angry voices at top -turned out to be the Express/Examiner guys going at it..lol I would have loved to stay to watch, but had to get to work.

This was after I had to wait for the third elevator to go up to the station level. I walk with a cane so non-function escalators are of little use to me. It amazes me how many young people will knock me down just to get in the elevator. I know you can't tell a handicapped person by looks alone, but I think probably some of the 30 or so people who pushed me back were healthy enough to walk up the 25 steps from the platform to the station. Oh well, I made it to work on time, and God willing, will leave on time too..lol.

Happy Wednesday y'all.

5 replies · active less than 1 minute ago

+2 Vote up Vote down

Joe · 755 weeks ago

I'm trying to stay hopeful about Bethesda but patience is necessary. We have been without ANY working platform escalators for many moons. One escalator was rehabilitated in the spring/summer and the second one of being rehabbed now. The escalators will both be new and operational when the second is back online on October 18 - oops, that has already slipped to October 25.

Anyway, WMATA/MoCo seem disinclined to add another escalator (or stairs) to the existing mezzanine so we will be dependent on the two we have for now. Great patience will lead one to the eventual construction of the new south entrance for the Bethesda station, which will ease the burden of the existing entrance/escalators and will provide a link to the Purple Line. 2018? Maybe.

Having greeters is not the worst idea that WMATA has come up with but it doesn't move the needle. Please tell me that this is not costing WMATA any money. Today's PID at McPherson Square: 6 car orange line in 6 minutes, 6 car blue line in 6 minutes, 6 car orange line in 6 minutes. Sixess wild!

0 Vote up Vote down

@kara_h · 754 weeks ago

Of course with them having one escalator taking all of the traffic so long soon after they finish working on the second escalator the first one will be due for repairs too.

0 Vote up Vote down

Anon · 755 weeks ago

I feel for you krikket.

New Carrollton is seeing a regular occurance now of a dead escalator and a dead (tiny) elevator at the same time. Only option - walk up the stairs. No announcements made ahead of time. Emails and calls result in "thanks for letting us know."

0 Vote up Vote down

anon · 755 weeks ago

Yeah, I just don't get the elevator thing. I have seen people literally walk past a down-going escalator on their way to an overstuffed elevator. Are they so lazy that they can't ride down stairs? Seriously.

0 Vote up Vote down

@kara_h · 754 weeks ago

It was explained to me that some people are afraid of heights so they take the elevator. Which to me is just insane ... if that were your worry I think you would rather have solid rock under you than a few cables.

I just think they are plain lazy and inconsiderate. Priority should go to seniors and the handicapped. Second tier to people with luggage and things like groceries. Everyone else can hoof it.

0 Vote up Vote down

Guest · 755 weeks ago

Damned if they do
Damned if they don't

+1 Vote up Vote down

Andrew · 754 weeks ago

Wow guys, you're never going to like anything they do, are you?

1 reply · active less than 1 minute ago

-1 Vote up Vote down

@Rizzz · 754 weeks ago

Let's see - safe, reliable trains and service at reasonable rates ... or a greeter.

Oh yeah, we're totally just a bunch of malcontents. *insert eye roll here*

+1 Vote up Vote down

Bill · 754 weeks ago

I like the idea of the station staff/managers getting out from their booth and assisting with patrons (or expediting the flow of people), but simply acting as greeter is pointless.

The bad managers act put out by reasonable requests. They especially like to reflexively blame customers for cards that don't read or some other accusation like not entering/exiting the gates properly (ie customer fault). For the good managers, it's redundant to tell them to get out from behind the desk because they do not sequester themselves to begin with.

0 Vote up Vote down

J83 · 701 weeks ago

Metro greeters fall into 2 categories: 1). The ones that stand around and politely ask for you to take a paper 2). the others that bullrush you like they're selling door-to-door insurance.

I've run into a TON of the group falls in category 2 as of late. As a matter of fact after 7 years of riding Metro, I had my first encounter with one that was pestering me so badly I asked "What?" and then shouted back irritated.

First time in over 2,000 trips I've expressed anger at a greeter and that is really saying something. Especially for the stressful ride known as Metro.

Get over yourselves. You give out FREE newspapers. No one's making a buck over it and it only hurts the environment using paper anyway.