Customer Service Assistant - Platform (HHE)

Govia Thameslink Railway; Haywards Heath; On-site; GBP 25,000 - 29,000; Full time

Job summary

A UK train operating company is seeking a Platform/Gateline Assistant to provide outstanding customer service at stations. The role involves assisting passengers with tickets, ensuring safety, and maintaining a welcoming environment. Ideal candidates will possess strong customer service skills and a proactive approach to customer needs. This full-time position requires 35 hours of work per week and involves shift work, including Sundays.

Benefits

Free travel on our network

Privilege rate oyster card

Up to 75% off travel on other TOCs

Final salary pension

Comprehensive training opportunities

Qualifications

• A proactive customer approach with the ability to support the team.
• Exceptional levels of customer service in all situations.
• Experience managing customers effectively in challenging environments.

Responsibilities

• Assist passengers with tickets and provide general advice.
• Deliver high-quality service and information to customers.
• Maintain a safe and attractive station environment.

Skills

Proactive customer approach

Exceptional customer service

Effective communication

Customer management in difficult environments

Decision making

Job description

£25,300 rising to £28,200 + Regional Allowance + Sundays

Contract: Full Time, averaging 35 hours per week + Rostered Sundays

Roster: Platform HHE - Early/Late/Nights shifts pattern providing 24hr coverage

Are you passionate about delivering outstanding customer service?

This is your opportunity, as you will often be the first and last person our customers will meet on their journey and it is therefore a vital role for making our customers' day!

Key to your role, at all times, is being visible and anticipating the needs of the customer to meet their expectations.

As a Platform/Gateline Assistant you can do just that. You are responsible for:

• Assisting passengers with tickets, including checking them, general advice and making sure the gates work.
• Providing the highest possible standard of advice, information and service to our customers
• Delivering a safe, attractive retail station environment, with general cleaning, de-icing
• Participating in the safe running of trains and a safe station environment by complying with procedures
• Promoting all relevant marketing literature and usefulinformation

These roles may cover 24 hour operation, so due to the shift times you must live in the local area and have available transport to ensure that you arrive at the station for the first shift and work your last shift as required as there may not always be a train service available.

All roles may involve standing for long periods of time, working weekends and bank holidays.

Platform based roles are safety critical due to the direct involvement with the operational railway.

Experience / Skills

• A proactive customer approach coupled with passion and ability to support the team.
• Exceptional levels of customer service, each and every time – you will be a role model for others to follow.
• Demonstrable experience of managing customers effectively in difficult environments.
• An effective communicator and must be able to demonstrate this both through your application and or assessments.
• Live in the local areato be able to get to and work and home.
• Able to make decisions in a customer focused manner and carry out instructions effectively.

In return, you'll be rewarded with an interesting and varied work schedule, in an environment wherelearning and progressionis actively encouraged. You'll enjoygreat company and industry benefits, as well as the support of a passionate team.Along with comprehensive and ongoing training, your benefits will include free travel on our network, privilege rate oyster card, up to 75% off travel on other TOCs (train operating companies), final salary pension and much more.

“I work as part of the Fleet Infrastructure team, which means ensuring our 18 Engineering locations operate safely and efficiently. We oversee all building and track maintenance works as well as various minor and major projects across the network.”

“I started in a small ticket office back in 1996 and have continued to work my way up ever since. A previous manager told me about a job he’d seen advertised for a trainer. ’d never considered a job in HR or mentoring before then, but he said I’d be perfect for it and I haven’t looked back since!”

Zoey Hudson
Head of Talent, Diversity and Inclusion

“Since April, I’ve helped to support our Kickstart Scheme. It’s been a really rewarding process to be part of because I know first-hand how tough it can be to find work once you’re out of it.”

“I love the freedom that comes with being a train driver. Obviously, there are rules and regulations to follow as well as duties and commitments to carry out, but in a way, you’re sort of your own boss, which is nice.”

“I’m a Thameslink passenger host and team leader based at Luton station and I’m currently doing a Level 3 Supervisor apprenticeship so that I can improve my skills even further. I was hesitant to do the apprenticeship at first because of my age – I left school over 60 years ago without any qualifications! It’s been hard to get back into the routine of learning again.”

“It was my brother’s suggestion to join the railway. He was already working in the industry and knew I had some university bills to pay off so told me to give it a go, get out of debt and see what I wanted to do next. After a while, it just felt like actually – this is exactly where I’m meant to be. I’m part of a great team and the on-board department as a whole are brilliant to work with. I feel at home here.”

Tonderai Matizha-Johnson
Area Operations Manager

“When I saw that GTR was advertising places for its apprenticeship scheme I looked into it straight away because I thought it was a great opportunity to learn whilst getting real life experience in a 9-5 job. I applied for a level three business administration apprenticeship and was thrilled to find out I had a place on the course! I was so excited that I didn’t even mind it was based 250 miles away from where I lived.”

“Working for GTR is very rewarding and fulfilling. You really feel like you're making a difference to customers, no matter what role you're in as at the end of the day they're the heart of our business. I’ve had lots of opportunities to explore other aspects of the business including supporting our station staff and gaining my Train Dispatch Licence which has been enriching for my experience here.”

“If you’ve always had an interest in rail, or maybe you’re just curious to find out what working in the railway might look like, GTR is the operator to go for. Not many companies do an official work experience program and this unique opportunity will give you a good grounding with varied activities to help you find the best place in the railway for you. It certainly did it for me.”