Southampton Central – Assistance Resource Trial

Scope
Commencing on 14 August, Southampton Central will trial a method of working which will
see three gateline colleagues operating on a stand-alone roster to proactively manage the
needs of those requiring Assisted Travel.
The trial is planned to run until the end of September but is subject to review and may be
modified, cut-short or extended subject to the needs of the business.
Operation
During the trial, three gateline colleagues will move into a temporary assistance role and the
gateline shifts will be back-filled with agency staff.
At the start of a shift, the assistance list should be collected either from the early turn
colleague or from the SCP (who have been asked to print out up to date lists at 0600 and
1400). Any pending (but incomplete) assists about which there is information should be
passed on so this information is not lost.
If the agency staff requested do not turn up to cover the gateline and the level of assistance
allows, then the trial staff should, where possible, operate the gateline as workload and
customer flow allows.
When not dealing with an assist, trial staff should position themselves in the booking halls so
they may offer customer care, help with TVMs and also any gateline issues which may
emerge. It is important to appear accessible to our customers so standing talking in close
proximity to colleagues for the duration of this “down-time” is discouraged.
Objectives
The objective of the trial is to improve the capture of booked and unbooked assist data, both
to improve adherence to our business objectives but also to establish whether there is a
business case for enhanced assistance cover at Southampton Central in the future The
overall goal is to improve the customer experience and ensure we offer a more accessible
railway to those that may need our help.
Role of the SCP
The assistance list now evolves much more quickly than previously with many more short
notice bookings. The SCP will now be asked to provide an up to date list at 0600 and 1400
so that late alterations are captured.
It is understood that if there is early morning disruption, this may not be straightforward, so
as a fall-back it is suggested that the late night list is still produced in case it’s not possible in
the morning. If you are content that you will be able to provide a list in the morning
regardless, then this task can be omitted, subject to agreement with your SCP colleagues.
Whilst the SCP will continue to have a significant role to play with managing assists, it is
anticipated this will be reduced as trial colleagues start to log their activities using either the
smartphone or web-based apps.
Role of Trial Staff
Ensure the assistance list is collected at the start of the shift and is checked to identify where
additional resources may be required for particular trains and/or specific time bands.
Liaise with the Station Supervisor and Ambassador Team Leader (in good time) to ensure
that sufficient resources are available to manage the situation.
Ensure records of both booked and unbooked assistance are properly updated via
smartphone or web-based app.
Where actions are necessary from colleagues in the SCP or from the Station Supervisor,
liaise as appropriate to ensure proper messages are relayed in good time to ensure the
assistance is carried out effectively both at Southampton Central and at the destination
station.
Be alert for any late notice changes or additions.
When not carrying out assistance or logging/passing on information, trial staff should locate
themselves in the booking hall
At the end of your shift ensure all captured information has been recorded and where
applicable, passed on to other colleagues who will need to act upon it.