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The transport company should have listened better to the story about Soumaya.

Soumaya has to go to the hospital for an appointment with her doctor. For this she takes the train. She does not have a public transport card and tries to buy a ticket in the machine with her bank card. Unfortunately that doesn't work. When the train arrives at the station, she goes straight to the controller. Before she gets in, she asks if he can write her a ticket. That is possible, but with a fine of 50 euros. A big problem for Soumaya because her money is managed by an administrator.

setbacks

Soumaya* has had many setbacks. The shoe store where she worked as a saleswoman has gone bankrupt. She is also divorced from her husband. And she had to pay back surcharges. All this caused her to accumulate large debts. For that reason, she has been assigned an administrator. Soumaya tells administrator Sonja* about the fine she received at the station. She must pay these within two weeks. Only then can she object to that fine. Because she had to go to her appointment, Soumaya got in anyway.

to object

Administrator Sonja thinks the attitude of the transport company is very lame. Before boarding, Soumaya politely indicated that it was not possible to buy a ticket. It was therefore not a check that showed that Soumaya did not have a valid ticket. Sonja therefore lodges an objection against the fine. That objection is rejected. Soumaya did not have a valid ticket is the reason. Sonja disagrees with this decision. But she can no longer object. She is referred to the National Ombudsman.

Money Back

Sonja picks up the phone and calls the National Ombudsman. Employee Leonie listens to her story. She then contacts the complaint handler of the transport company. Then something crazy happens. Leonie receives a response by e-mail in which it is immediately announced that the fine of 50 euros will be refunded to Soumaya's account. Without explanation. Good news! Still, we would like to know how things went.

listen better

We think that the transport company should have listened better to the story about Soumaya. Then they could have made a better choice about how to deal with the complaint or objection. Employee Otmar contacts the transport company again to discuss this further. Because we are there for the citizen if things go wrong with the government, but we also help governments to look differently at their services in order to improve them.

As a researcher in the Security, Migration & Mobility sector, Otmar helps to solve problems between citizens and the government. In that context, he handles individual complaints from citizens and conducts project-based research into structural problems.

The person in the photo is not the person in the text and the name is not the real name of the traveler or administrator. This column is appeared on the website of the National Ombudsman. Is it also going wrong between you and a government agency? Can't figure it out together? Then call for free National Ombudsman +0800(33)55 - 555

* Not real name

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