Bluestar is beginning a new educational course to all 170 members of our driving team to help them excel in customer service.  The new programme is in addition to our existing new starter training and ongoing Driver CPC (Certificate of Professional Competence) courses, which take place regularly, and is being delivered alongside Tourism South East.

Gill Heighington, Training Manager at Tourism South East, explains that the course being delivered is through Welcome Host training, part of the popular, widely recognised, Welcome to Excellence scheme.

“The drivers will learn the essentials of service excellence, how to create a positive first impression, and to look at things from a customer's perspective,” said Gill.
“The course covers communication skills, the basics of welcoming customers of different ages, with access needs and from other countries and cultures as well as dealing with difficult situations.

The drivers will sit a one hour, multiple choice examination following the course and, if successful, can gain the City and Guilds Level Two Award in Welcome Host (Customer Service) which is a fully accredited qualification.

Bluestar’s Jane Warren and Gary Nicholls were the first to receive the qualifications and will act as Bluestar’s own in-house trainers.

Following the first course held at the company’s Eastleigh headquarters, Bluestar’s Operations Manager Alex Hornby said that he was delighted with the initial positive reaction received from participants, which included a selection of the company’s driving team and Bluestar's new City Centre cleaner Miriam Chafe who will keep buses free from litter during the day in between arrivals and departures in Southampton.

“We are delighted to be able to offer this additional training,” said Alex Hornby. “Anyone who offers a service to the public in often stressful conditions may find that their enthusiastic approach to customers can be eroded in time. The effort by Bluestar and our team shows that we are keen to raise our game and achieve new standards for our customers. We have a good team of drivers and are pleased that they are excited about taking part in this course and - whilst being well established at hotels and retailers nationwide - we believe we are one of the first bus operators to embrace it.”

For further information from Tourism South East Training and Skills or visit www.welcometoexcellence.co.uk