To be mad that this Eurostar staff member punched my arm

[Bunnyhipsdontliegrl]

Last week, I was taking the Eurostar at St-Pancras. I was going to the machine where you put your passport for a check (sorry, no idea how you call it it. The automatic doors that open after your passport is scanned). There was barely anyone so no chaos. A lane was empty and I walked towards it with my passport and started to put it to be scanned when the agent working there punched me in the arm, saying I have to wait. I was a bit shocked and half asleep so I didn't say anything and took a step back. He then grabbed my passport and put it in the machine for me. I might have tried to put it too early, it was the first time I used those doors, but still not a reason to hit me.
I walked away and after some minutes, my arm still aching. I went to complain at the desk. The Eutostar employees told me he shouldn't have done that and gave me an email to complain to. I did send an email soon after.

In the evening I realised I had a little bruise.

I haven't heard back from Eurostar yet

AIBU to be so upset that he did this to me? Eurostar staff are always a bit aggressive but I always put up with it as it must be a stressful job. But I really think punching my arm, from behind with no reason (np interaction before or argument -not that it would excuse anything) is unacceptable. Or am I being a precious snowflake and I should just leave it at tha (I wasn't dragged out of the train after all, wink wink)?

So many companies have this problem; they cannot seem to understand that a thoughtful, caring response is often all someone wants. The complainant also might feel that by raising a complaint they hope to improve the company's service so to be ignored/fobbed off when they are trying to help gets my goat. I think they are so afraid of admitting liability for anything/saying sorry because then this may jeopardise a case/compensation later. Another ploy - I had a problem recently with a company, they knew they were at fault, they had all the details but they would not take matters any further unless I made a formal written complaint. They were hoping I would not bother as then the problem could be ignored as I had not met their criteria for an investigation.

Like many companies they seem to have an automated complaints system that needs fine tuning so words like 'punch', 'assault' and 'abusive' mean a complaint gets forwarded to a human immediately. They are hoping 99% of people just give up after getting their little form email.

That is ridiculous. As is their staff having a reputation for being aggressive.

Make sure you know what you want to get out of this. Whether an abject apology, copies of training records so you know staff have been trained on not punching people (that this needs to be done at all is appalling), the cost of your ticket refunded, or their assurance of cooperation with the police investigation together with the name of a manager at the station you can the police should get in touch with.

I deal with a number of written complaints, do you know what works best....I phone them for a chat about it, friendly but professional naturally. Most (not all) of them are so surprised that their whole attitude changes from strongly worded complaint to "thanks Maddiemookins, we feel much better already". I still respond formally of course as we need a email/paper trail etc.
Nobody speaks to people these days about some things.

That's awful! You've done totally the right thing in going to the police.

I've just had a response to a complaint, the smug idiot replied saying that everyone else had nothing but praise for them. So minimising, and then trying to twist it round so it's me who's wrong and weird somehow.

I think very unpleasant people get drawn to this kind of stuff. And some of them like to hurt people when they are vulnerable.

Blimey WellThisIsShit.....that's really not true in most cases and I've done this job for two decades. A lot of people who handle complaints try really, really hard and, believe me, take a huge amount of abuse (I've been called a C*nt and worse on many occasions and more than one customer has found me on FB and messaged me with abuse - before I changed my settings!).

Sorry maddie I didn't mean you, you sound very thoughtful and helpful.

I have sadly come across a few bad attitudes to complaints over the years that has made me very leery of complaining when it's something that has really effected me, as by definition, I'm not able to cope with the nastiness if it happens.

That's ok. If you need any advice I'm also an excellent complainer (I know what to say to get the best response if that makes sense). In fairness, complaining doesn't come easily to most people, it's upsetting, confrontational and the complainant often feels the underdog when dealing with some companies. There are however ways to make it easier. 😺 (Cat picture because I can't find the MN flowers).

I like cats better than flowers

I complained to Aldi as they had been rude to my 90 year old clients I was taking shopping, they were all over it like a rash and wanted time, place and description of the staff member !!

maddiemookins16mum why don't you work at Eurostar. You sound so respectful.
You are right about feeling bad about complaining. I do feel guilty about that man because I do not want someone to lose their job or get into too much trouble for what might be just a stupid mistake. Even though the second he did it, I knew he crossed a boundary and shouldn't have done it, I still feel guilry nnd petty for complaining.

I don't know what I am after. Not being totally ignored would be a good start. That they drop that attitude.and apologise would be great. I feel like they added humiliation to the incident... It would be totally forgotten and never even mentioned here or on twitter had they give me a bit of consideration in the way they dealt with this

Because yes, they pretended to be really concerned by DM two days ago then they went silent again....