FirstGroup plc : No more queueing for assistance with First TransPennine Express

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