Press release -
New hand held ticketing devices to improve customer service
- New tablet technology issued across Virgin Trains network
- System will issue tickets and provide further support such as onward travel
- Known as Avocet – the rollout follows successful trials at major stations
Virgin Trains customers can now skip ticket office queues and buy directly from station staff using new hand-held ticketing devices.
In an industry first, the long-distance operator has issued the new tablet technology across its network in a bid to improve customer service.
The move mirrors changes in banking and other retail sectors where staff have moved from behind screens to interact directly with customers.
The system will be able to issue digital tickets to a mobile device, reducing paper usage.
It will also allow Virgin Trains staff to be more responsive to customers’ needs and to provide more immediate support around ticketing, directions, onward travel advice and in assisting passengers with mobility issues.
The technology, known as Avocet, was rolled outacross the West Coast network in Augustfollowing several successful trials at major stations.
Director of digital projects at Virgin Trains, Nick Dodd, said: “Avocet is giving us flexibility. Our people can work behind a window, on the concourse, on the platforms or within the ticket machine vending area.
“We have also used the system in station car parks so customers do not have to walk to the ticket office. It’s about opening up our ticket offices and ensuring customers have better access to our frontline teams as well.”
He added: “This approach has been successfully adopted in banks and on the high street so it makes sense to introduce it at our stations, but we are taking this a step further as we are focusing on face to face engagement whilst making best use of the technology in a customer’s own pocket – their mobile phone.”
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About Virgin Trains
Stagecoach and Virgin are working in partnership to operate the West Coast inter-city route under the Virgin Trains brand, revolutionising travel on one of the UK’s key rail arteries.
The network connects some of the nation’s most iconic destinations including Glasgow, Liverpool, Birmingham, Manchester and London.
Virgin Trains is committed to delivering a high speed, high frequency service, offering shorter journey times, more comfortable travel and excellent customer service. Customers consistently rate Virgin Trains ahead of other long-distance rail franchise operators in the National Rail Passenger Survey (NRPS) commissioned by industry watchdog, Transport Focus.
Virgin Trains has a proud record of challenging the status quo - from introducing tilting Pendolino trains, to a pioneering automated delay repay scheme, introducing the industry-leading onboard entertainment streaming service, BEAM, and becoming the first franchised rail operator to offer m-Tickets for all ticket types.
Virgin Trains operated the East Coast route between March 1, 2015 and June 24, 2018. In that time, we invested £75m to create a more personalised travel experience, including over £40m in the existing fleet. Customers have benefitted from 48 additional services between Edinburgh and London every week, and an extra 22 Saturday services between Leeds and London – a total of 1.74 million additional seats since May 2015.
Working together, the partnership railway of the public and private sectors has published a long-term plan, called In Partnership for Britain’s Prosperity, to change and improve Britain’s railway. The plan will secure almost £85bn of additional economic benefits to the country whilst enabling further investment and improvement, and contains four commitments which will see rail companies: strengthen our economic contribution to the country; improve customers’ satisfaction; boost the communities we serve; and, create more and better jobs in rail. For more information go to Britain Runs on Rail.
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