For the second time, Merseyrail has been awarded the ‘Customer First’ accreditation, the national standard for customer service, underscoring the Liverpool-based rail operator’s commitment to continually improving the passenger experience.
In 2013, we were the first train operator to receive this plaudit and there are still only three rail operators to have done so.
Customer First aims to improve standards within business services and is focused on building customer relationships, maximising market awareness and developing people.
Assessors held meetings with around 70 members of staff from around the business, representing 10 per cent of the people in scope for assessment. They travelled extensively around the network to find out first-hand what it was really like to be a Merseyrail customer.
Jan Chaudhry-van der Velde, Merseyrail’s managing director, said: ‘It’s great news to be recognised in this way, not once, but twice now. Making the network better, more reliable and a more pleasant environment is our absolute priority. Just a fortnight ago, we got the highest National Rail Passenger Satisfaction score among franchised rail operators, and achievements such as these confirm how important it is that we continue enhancing the service we provide.’
Councillor Liam Robinson, chair of Merseytravel, added: ‘Following on from the great results in the NRPS, this is further testament of the work we have done together to make travelling on the Merseyrail network a more enjoyable and stress-free experience.’
Ted Stone, chief executive of Customer First, concluded: ‘Customer First UK is proud to recognise Merseyrail for their continued dedication to Putting the Customer First within their organisation. From our initial meetings to their recent re-accreditation, we have found the management and staff at Merseyrail to be consistently dedicated to improving the customer experience at every opportunity. They are a testament to excellence both within Customer First UK and the wider transport sector.’