GB Railfreight (GBRf) is backing the Outstanding Customer Service Award at this year’s RailStaff Awards.
In an industry with a high ratio of customer-provider contact, the award is one of the most important. Examples of good customer service on trains and stations are regularly featured in the supportive railway press. However, equally important is the hard work put in by rail industry suppliers often to tight timescales and difficult deadlines set by an exacting rail industry customer base.
Good customer service is at the heart of the GBRf success story. With 600 staff now, GBRf operates over 1,000 trains a week, moving 15 per cent of Britain’s rail freight with 99 per cent reliability.
GBRf has a fleet of 58 locomotives and over 1,000 wagons, transporting goods for customers including E.ON, Network Rail, EDF Energy, MSC UK, UK Coal, Merrill Lynch, Tarmac, Drax and Crossrail Ltd.
A team of train managers and drivers keep in touch with freight forwarders boosting the concept of customer contact to new levels for the wider rail industry.
John Smith, managing director of GBRf, said, ‘GB Railfreight prides itself on its level of customer service and ability to be innovative and flexible in the face of new and variable challenges.
‘It’s for this reason that we recognise the importance of developing client relationships and supporting quality service delivery across the rail industry.
‘The RailStaff Awards 2015 allows us to celebrate the achievements of suppliers and we are delighted to be sponsoring the Outstanding Customer Service Award.’
Says Tom O’Connor, managing director, Rail Media, ‘Good customer service is the essential element in railway success. Clear communications and an empathy with the passenger, freight forwarder or supplier guarantees success for an industry under tremendous pressure to perform and deliver against a backdrop of expanding demand.
‘Major projects, constrained capacity and the onward march of new technologies make it essential to concentrate on good customer relations. GBRf shows us how it can be done and we thank John Smith and his team for backing this important award.
‘We wish every nominee every success on the night itself and in their continuing careers with the rail industry.’
