South Western Railway (SWR) has been recognised for achieving the national standard in customer service.

Every aspect of SWR’s customer facing departments underwent 18 months of rigorous examination before being awarded the ‘Putting the Customer First’ accreditation in January 2021 by Customer First UK.

SWR is now part of a select group of train companies to undertake assessment and receive this prestigious accreditation.

Wandsworth Times:

Over 250 colleagues were surveyed or interviewed by Customer First assessors, who conducted numerous secret shopper visits at some of the busiest stations on its network.

SWR has spent the last few months investing heavily in its network to prepare for the return of more customers.

Investments include a £1.5 million station repainting programme and ensuring that all stations now offer free Wi-Fi.

Wandsworth Times:

Christian Neill, South Western Railway’s Deputy Customer Experience Director, said: "We’re delighted to have been awarded the Putting the Customer First accreditation as it recognises how we’re putting the customer experience at the centre of everything we do.

“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."

"We are proud to welcome SWR to the collective of accredited organisations and look forward to working with them in future as they continue expanding their customer-centric offering."