No more queueing for assistance with First TransPennine
Express
Tuesday 10 January 2012
First TransPennine Express (FTPE) is launching a brand new
form of customer assistance and removing the need to sit in
a call centre queue.
The train company is today announcing its brand new twitter
account @tpeassist, a revolutionary twitter feed that will
provide customers with help, advice and support.
Unlike the usual call centre based customer services,
@tpeassist will be manned by a team of FTPE's front line
staff.
FTPE are the first train company in the country to adopt
this approach of providing customer assistance from experts
who work outside of the corporate call centre.
Colleagues from FTPE's Stations, Revenue Protection and
Control teams will respond to customer queries in a quick,
friendly and informative manner.
FTPE have been tweeting via @tpexpresstrains for nearly two
years and have close to 5,000 followers. This account will
continue to provide promotional and travel information.
@tpeassist will provide a dedicated service where customers
can ask questions about FTPE's train service, get ticket
enquiries answered and find a response to anything else
that might spring to mind.
Nick Donovan, FTPE's Managing Director commented;
"FTPE is a customer service business that just happens to
run trains and I am delighted that we are the first to
launch this type of expert assistance.
"I'm sure that customers who follow us on @tpeassist will
really benefit from getting answers to their questions in a
quick, friendly and informative manner.
"The team responding are real employees with a massive
amount of experience and customer service know-how and they
will provide real time help and support."
Customers using @tpeassist will be able to get answers to
their questions in real time and on the move. The first of
its kind service will be manned seven days a week between
0700-1900hrs.
Josh Taylor, who works at Manchester Airport station is one
of the team that will be manning @tpeassist and he said;
"This is a really exciting opportunity. It makes sense for
us to be responding and helping customers, it's what we
do.
"I am proud to work for a company that is so focused on
helping customers and @tpeassist will provide another
opportunity for us to support our passengers.
"Working at Manchester Airport I meet customers every day
and answer their questions and it is going to be great to
be able to share my knowledge with even more people. I am
delighted to be able to help."
Ends
http://www.tpexpress.co.uk/campaigns/tpeassist/
For more information contact Matthew Hay, Media Relations
Manager for First TransPennine Express, on 0161 2288475
www.tpexpress.co.uk
twitter.com/tpexpresstrains
twiiter.com/tpeassist
facebook.com/firsttranspennineexpress
Notes to Editors:
First TransPennine Express - run by First Group plc in
partnership with Keolis SA - operates inter-city services
on three main routes:
* North TransPennine - including Newcastle to Manchester
Airport, Middlesbrough to Manchester Airport, Scarborough
to Liverpool and Hull to Manchester Piccadilly.
* South TransPennine from Cleethorpes via Doncaster and
Sheffield to Manchester Airport
* North West and Scotland - from Windermere, Barrow in
Furness and Blackpool North via Preston and Bolton to
Manchester Airport; Edinburgh, Glasgow, Carlisle, Penrith
and Oxenholme to Manchester Airport.
* Destinations served by First TransPennine Express include
Newcastle, Middlesbrough, Darlington, Northallerton,
Thirsk, York, Malton, Scarborough, Hull, Selby, Leeds,
Huddersfield, Cleethorpes, Grimsby, Scunthorpe, Meadowhall,
Doncaster, Sheffield, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Carlisle, Barrow
in Furness, Blackpool, Lancaster, Preston, Bolton,
Manchester, Manchester Airport, Warrington and Liverpool.
www.tpexpress.co.uk
