c2c staff to be given smartphones to keep customers up to date

2:00pm Thursday 7th March 2013 in Local News By Emma Thomas

c2c staff to be given smartphones to keep customers up to date c2c staff to be given smartphones to keep customers up to date

TRAIN staff are being given smartphones to help keep passengers up to date.

National Express train operator c2c, which runs the line between Shoebury and London Fenchurch

Street via Tilbury, has given out 100 HTC Desire phones as part of a £20,000 scheme to make sure customers can always get the latest information.

c2c employees will use the phones to get direct updates from c2c’s train management centre on any delayed services.

Hugh Jennings, c2c head of retail, said: “Rail companies used to give their staff watches to ensure the trains ran on time, but we have brought that concept into the 21st Century. Passengers already say our staff are the best in the country at handling their questions, and now they’re better equipped to provide you with an immediate answer than ever before.”

The train company’s Twitter account, @c2c_rail, is already popular with more than 13,400 followers using it to check on train times, delays and engineering works.

Mr Jennings added: “The biggest improvement will be during those rare periods of disruption, when we’ll be able to reach more of our staff on platforms instantly with the very latest updates. We think our customers will notice a real difference – although we will do our best to make sure it will be a long time before they need to find out.”

Comments(10)

Carnabackable says...
2:01pm Thu 7 Mar 13

Fantastic news

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BinDipper says...
2:05pm Thu 7 Mar 13

Brilliant - well done C2C - it's not often things go badly wrong on the line but when they do it's always communication to passengers that cause the most grief. This will fix that at a stroke.

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Sean4u says...
2:41pm Thu 7 Mar 13

"c2c employees will use the phones to get direct updates from c2c’s train management centre on any delayed services."
---
I don't understand how this is an improvement over electronic signboards / loudspeaker announcements at stations.

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andy:) says...
2:47pm Thu 7 Mar 13

Wow..staff using mobile phones..welcome to the future !. This will beat the smoke signals they use at present !

To infinity and beyond !

Andy

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smiffy1980 says...
2:56pm Thu 7 Mar 13

The twitter updates are very good for the rare times C2C is delayed so if you can follow em.

@Sean4u. Some stations are not allowed to use the loudspeakers before 7am due to the neighbours.

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Cvh says...
3:42pm Thu 7 Mar 13

Which language willl the smart phones be in ?

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Mattster says...
8:07pm Thu 7 Mar 13

Anything's better than the current situation. 'Dunno mate' is the usual response when the service goes pete tong.

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ThurrockResident says...
11:13pm Thu 7 Mar 13

Pity they didn't spend the money on better staffing on the ticket counters and better use of announcements over the Tannoy and on signage.

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d_2da_ougle says...
11:20pm Thu 7 Mar 13

its a fair point to say their only as good when the stations are staffed so they look after the peak hour passengers and after 4pm or 5 pm your **** they all go home

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C.E.R. says...
1:02pm Fri 8 Mar 13

ThurrockResident wrote:
Pity they didn't spend the money on better staffing on the ticket counters and better use of announcements over the Tannoy and on signage.
I must say that I agree with all the comments already made.
I just hope the cost of supplying the phones isn't another waste of money just like extending the platforms to accommodate a 12 carriage train that hasn't been seen on the Chafford Hundred line which would be greatly accepted by many a passenger having to repeatedly standing day in day out.

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