A TRAIN company has been recognised for achieving the national standard in customer service.

South Western Railway (SWR) was awarded the “Putting the Customer First” accreditation by Customer First UK in January.

This comes after every aspect of SWR’s customer facing department underwent 18 months of “rigorous” examination.

Over 250 members of staff were surveyed or interviewed by Customer First assessors, who visited the company’s operations facilities in Basingstoke.

They also conducted numerous secret shopper visits at some of the busiest stations on its network, including Southampton Central, Basingstoke, London Waterloo and Clapham Junction.

The award recognises the companies dedication to delivering for its customers at every stage of their journeys, from booking tickets, to interactions with staff.

Christian Neill, SWR’s Deputy Customer Experience Director, said: “Government lockdown restrictions mean many customers are not currently using our services, but this doesn’t mean we’re resting on our laurels.

“We’re doing all we can to deliver a great experience for customers at every part of their journey in preparation for when they return in better times.”

As well as improving customer service, SWR has spent the last few months investing heavily in its network.

New Island Line trains, part of a £26m investment, recently arrived on the Isle of Wight, a £1.5m station repainting programme is underway and following investment in digital infrastructure, all stations now offer free Wi-Fi.

Ted Stone, Chief Executive of Customer First UK, said: “This is a great accolade for any organisation during normal business cycles, but the determination demonstrated by SWR to continue their efforts during the pandemic is particularly impressive.”