Heathrow Express
Customer Service Training
Opportunity
As the UK’s first high speed rail airport link, Heathrow Express models its service on the best of the airline industry. It wants to be seen as providing a higher standard of service than the rail industry in general, and believes that it can attract (and retain) new customers through consistently high standards of customer service.
Approach
Heathrow Express identified the customer service provided by its staff as the key to its long-term strategy of persuading those travelling to Heathrow Airport to leave their cars at home and use Heathrow Express instead. As a result, MSB’s training focused on customer service, as well as the safety and technical aspects of rail travel.
We designed and delivered an intensive 10-week ‘Welcome’ training programme for newly-recruited Customer Service Representatives. Customer service was the key focus of the training, which encouraged staff to put themselves in the customers’ shoes. The programme covered all aspects of the participants’ role – from assisting people at stations to providing friendly service on board the trains.
The programme was co-delivered by MSB customer service training specialists and Heathrow Express team leaders who had been coached by MSB. This cost-effective approach improved the confidence and abilities of Heathrow Express’ own management team and ensured that responsibility for training is where it should be – in the company’s own hands.
|
“All employees participated in an on-going customer service programme
which, unlike traditional ‘smile campaigns’, aimed to develop into a
distinctive customer focused culture, clearly identifiable by customers
and employees as the way that Heathrow Express does business.”
- Marketing Director, Heathrow Express |