2 May 2008

Dear Colleagues,

It is as important that we invest in our people as in fleet or facilities.  Public transport is different from most other service industries in that we are able to meet with our customers and talk to them up to ten times a week.  Even in supermarkets they will not see their customers nearly that often.
 
Part of the enjoyment of working in public transport is meeting different people all the time, but this can also be a challenge.  Face to face contact is the single most important thing which shapes what people think of us and our service and makes them come back again or not.  

So it is important we have the skills to do this part of our job well and leave customers with a positive story to pass on to friends and family about their journey with us.  When we introduced the C3K trains we invested in a training programme for all rail staff which dealt with understanding what different customers need and how we can best assist and provide a service.  This training was very successful – passengers tell us they see the difference - and it has been of great value in making everyone’s job easier and more enjoyable.
 
During this year we are doing the same sort of training programme for all 750 bus drivers, inspectors and managers in Belfast.  Theirs can also at times be a challenging job, coping with the pressures of congestion and the frustration this can cause for customers.  Trade Union colleagues have been involved in designing the programme and the trainers have been out seeing what the job is like on the ground.

Again, we do not want to just put in place a standard ‘have a nice day’ approach.  The training will show how to understand what different passengers need – for example carers with young children or those with disabilities - and how best to assist and provide the service they want.  This may seem obvious but when you are dealing with hundreds of people each day we must get it right every time.  
 
I hope those doing the training find it enjoyable and valuable.  It is important to remember it is what all of us say and do when dealing with customers which determines what the public think of us.

Catherine Mason,
Group Chief Executive