First agency self-ticketing pilot with Capita-Great Western link-up

[whole diary]

[Chris from Nailsea]

From Conference News:

First agency self-ticketing pilot with Capita-Great Western link-up



Capita Travel and Events, has become the first agency to pilot First Great Western^s self-print ticket service on journeys between London Paddington and Bristol.

Self-print provides travellers with the ability to print their own rail tickets using a standard printer. 

The agency is piloting self-print with customers who have a significant number of employees using the London routes. The scheme builds on First Great Western^s existing print-at-home service, which allows customers to purchase tickets for selected routes from its website.

The only requirements for travellers to use the service are a PDF reader, a black and white or colour printer, and a valid form of identification, corresponding with ticket payment details.
 
Raj Sachdave, Head of Rail Product UK^▸ (United Kingdom) and International, Capita Travel and Events, said: ^The way businesses buy and book travel is changing and we^ve been actively encouraging train operators to accept new business travel innovations, such as self-print, ahead of our predicted demand increase. The service can help save businesses money by encouraging the booking of advance, more cost effective fares and reducing the cost of fulfilling a ticket. It also improves traveller convenience which helps drive compliance to a company^s travel policies. We^re delighted that our strategic partnership with First Great Western has aided this development and that Capita Travel and Events has been invited to pilot the service on such an important business travel route.^
 
Jonathan Willoughby, Head of Sales and Commercial, First Great Western Trains, added: ^Technology has fundamentally changed the way that we travel. Not only distances covered, but in the way we access information about services and in our ability to purchase ^smart^ tickets while already on the move. As one of the UK^s leading transport providers, First Great Western is committed to providing innovative solutions to keep people moving. That is why we have further developed our self-print products, ensuring we continue to put our customers first and help communities to prosper.^

[SDS]

Nice use of the wrong company train. Typical news reports that cant even get the right picture.

[JayMac]

So, that's FGW^▸ (First Great Western) tie-ins/outsourcing with both Capita and Serco now.

Two highly respected companies they are working with there. 

[SDS]

First Info was taken over by Indian company Intelenet Global with their 6 locations abroad. (http://www.intelenetglobal.com/global_locations_India.html).

Serco took over Intelenet so I wouldn't say that First originally planned to work with them. FGW^▸ (First Great Western) are also taking twitter back in-house away from serco.

Crapita I suspect want the 9% (or is it 5% now??) commission on ticket sales with a mind to taking over other areas of First. Payroll and HR^▸ (Human Resources) spring to mind. FGW payroll already process for TPE^▸ (Trans Pennine Express) and HT^▸ (Hull Trains) as well as GW^▸ (Great Western)

[Chris from Nailsea]

Nice use of the wrong company train. Typical news reports that cant even get the right picture.

Frequent readers of this forum will know that I sometimes take a rather mischievous delight in quoting news items including their chosen illustrative images just to entertain our readers ...