26.03.09
Customer Consulting helps First Great Western to improve its customer information process
First Great Western (FGW), one of the UK’s Train Operating Companies (TOCs), is implementing a ‘customer information during disruption’ (CIDD) process designed by the specialist customer and change management company Customer Consulting Ltd (CCL).
Starting with a detailed ‘cross-departmental’ fact-find during February 2008, CCL spent three months developing a robust plan to enhance the flow of customer information across the organisation - taking into account all the various users of the information. CCL then worked with an FGW team to develop the customer information flow processes and procedures which could enhance the flow of information delivered to staff and customers.
During the second half of 2008, CCL worked with FGW to map out these processes and also detailed the procedures required to deliver clear, concise, timely and accurate information to the correct destinations when it was most needed. This involved creating ‘buy-in’ at all levels to create the necessary sustainable change.
By Christmas 2008, FGW had designed a User and Reference Guide, enabling it to implement the new improved processes and procedures systematically – enabling the enhanced delivery of information to both staff and customers, particularly in times of disruption.
This is just the latest manifestation of CCL’s work with TOCs – begun in 2004 – to improve customer information and customer satisfaction levels.
CCL’s Managing Director, Simon Rustom, explained: “Much of CCL’s work with TOCs revolves around helping their staff to make more effective use of the Tyrell system - where workers type messages and the system distributes these messages to the relevant people.
“Currently, we’re working on helping TOCs’ staff to adopt a relationship-based approach, rather than a transactional-based approach, to customer service. In particular, communications between the TOCs and Network Rail, which controls the UK’s railway tracks, have not always been at their most efficient and effective – and this has implications for the railways’ customers.”
He added: “Every six months, Passenger Focus - an independent public body set up by the Government to protect the interests of Britain's rail passengers - carries out a National Passenger Survey (NPS), which looks at levels of customer satisfaction with the UK’s railways. Interestingly, FGW’s National Passenger Survey (NPS) score for the ‘how the TOC deals with delays’ category increased significantly from 32 per cent satisfaction rating in Spring 2008 to 42 per cent in Autumn 2008.”
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