Customer Services Assistant
Customer service assistants, also known as passenger support crew, passenger service agents or conductors, provide customer support, check tickets and passes and sometimes collect fares for journeys on trams, metros and light rail systems. Some customer service assistants are also required to drive trams and metros as part of their role.Customer service assistants may work on the trams/metros or may work at stations or stops. They will deal with passenger enquiries about destinations and timetables and may have to help passengers to get on or off the tram or metro.
The starting salaries for new customer service assistants are around £16500. This will rise after completing any relevant training and with experience.
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Working environment
Customer service assistants spend a lot of their day on their feet out and about. They may be based at one location, or may move between stops, stations and depots, on the transport.Most companies operate tram/metro service every day of the week, including public holidays. They usually run for about 18 hours a day, from 6am until midnight meaning that shift work can be necessary. The working week for a customer service assistant is usually around 38 hours a week.Go Back
Skills and interests
Customer service assistants must understand the importance of good customer service.The skills that a customer service assistant requires are:
- good communication, especially interpersonal
- assertiveness, to deal with any difficult passengers
- well organised and patient
- literacy and numeracy, for dealing with timetables and fares.Go Back
Entry into the role
There are no specific academic requirements for people wishing to work as customer service assistants. Employers will however expect a good general standard of education, usually including GCSEs (or national equivalent) in maths and English.Many employers will look for candidates who have experience of working in a customer service environment, and who have confidence in their ability to deal with people and to speak with members of the public. Those organisations that employ customer service assistants to drive trams/metros as well will also require that applicants have held a driving licence for at least 12 months.
Positions are advertised in local press and on individual company websites. Some vacancies may also be advertised by employment service such as Jobcentre Plus.
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Opportunities
Customer service assistants may progress to being full time drivers. They can also move into more operational roles, such as managing and monitoring customer service satisfaction.There are several industry related qualifications that customer service assistants can study for:
- City & Guilds level 2 award – welcome host (customer service)
- EDI level 2 certificate – road passenger transport.Go Back
Useful links
- Light Rail Transit Association
- Blackpool Tram
- Croydon Tramlink
- Docklands Light Railway
- Glasgow Subway
- London Underground
- Manchester Metrolink
- Midland Metro
- Nottingham Express Transit
- Sheffield Supertram
- Tyne and Wear Metro
- Tramways and Urban Transit (magazine)
Case Studies
LIGHT RAIL, TRAM & METRO - tram inspector
See an interview with a tram inspector for Manchester Metrolink, Kellie Mathews (links to Jobs4U careers database)
View case study (external website)