March 2013


Journeycall at million Railcards parliament celebration

Directors of North East Scotland contact centre operator, Journeycall, attended a parliamentary reception in London on 20th March to celebrate over one million Senior Railcards issued annually.
 
Journeycall Business Development Director, Lesley Stewart, said: “Since taking over the management of online National Railcards issuing in 2012, we are delighted to be playing a key role in the Senior Railcard success story.  Journeycall has introduced a series of improvements to make it easier for people to purchase and renew Senior Railcards online.  These include introducing additional ways of carrying out verification checks for seniors who don’t have a passport or driving licence, meaning they can purchase online for the first time, rather than having to go in person to the station, as well the ability to sign up for auto-renewals rather than having to remember to renew each year.  Customers can also purchase a three-year card online which is not available elsewhere, giving them even greater savings over buying one-year cards.”
  
The Parliamentary reception was organised by the Association of Train Operating Companies (ATOC) and Age UK, and was attended by parliamentarians, representatives from across the rail sector and older people’s organisations..  The event was sponsored by Louise Ellman MP, Chair of the Transport Select Committee, and hosted by Baroness Joan Bakewell.
 
Journeycall won the online National Railcards three-year contract in 2012 against stiff opposition from UK based and global contact centre operators.  It will issue over one million National Railcards bought online annually, including the Senior Railcard.  “Both Journeycall and ATOC are determined to increase online sales of Railcards substantially,” continued Lesley.  “We realise how important it is for people to be able to buy Railcards from the comfort of their own home, and we are working hard to continue to see annual increases in web sales to 2015 and beyond.”
 
The Railcards range includes the Senior, Family & Friends, and 16-25 Railcards, enabling millions of holders to obtain discounts on most off-peak National Rail fares.  Journeycall has already successfully issued the Disabled Persons Railcard on behalf of ATOC since 2008, growing sales by over 50%, to just under 150,000 card holders.
 
Journeycall, in association with parent company, ESP Systex, have developed a bespoke Card Management System (CMS) to handle the large number of online Railcard customers, making the customer buying experience easier and quicker than before.  Their CMS is already in use by a large number of clients including London Councils for the Freedom Pass, and the Scottish National Entitlement Card scheme.  Other Journeycall contact centre clients include Perth based Stagecoach and Transport for London (Oyster Card).



                                   Pictured left to right: Lesley Stewart, Baroness Joan Bakewell and
                                   Terry Dunn (Journeycall Chairman)

                                  Below left to right: Terry Dunn, Trisha Pirie, Journeycall Managing Director, 
                                  and Association of Train Operating Companies Commercial Director,
                                  David Mapp, at Senior Railcards parliamentary reception

14 February 2013

Journeycall achieves Best Companies "One to Watch" award status
For the second year running, Journeycall has achieved "One to Watch" status in the Best Companies accreditation standards which acknowledge employee egagement and excellence in the workplace. The award came after in-depth surveys of Journeycall staff and their views on working for Journeycall.  Accreditation is an integral component of an organisation's achievements and growth, with "One to Watch" status reflecting the strong commitment of Journeycall staff to its continuing success story.  The award reflects an outstanding year for Journeycall when it was chosen by Britain's train companies to handle the prestigious National Railcards online sales service.
                                                                                   




29 January 2013
Would you like to join the Journeycall Operations team?
We're recruiting for several new roles including Sales Executive, Business Development Assistant and Production Manager.
Go to http://www.journeycall.com/recruitment.htm for more information
 


4 December 2012

Journeycall Highly Commended in Ambassador Business awards

Journeycall were awarded Highly Commended status in the 2012 Entrepreneurial Angus awards category.

“The entries were of an incredibly high standard,” revealed Provost Helen Oswald, chair of the judging panel. “From highly-talented youngsters to groups of volunteers working together to organise events in their communities to companies building on their success in difficult economic times, there was no shortage of examples of just how much the people, businesses and organisations of Angus are helping to increase the gloss on our county’s shining reputation.

Results were announced at the Angus Ambassador Award Ceremony at Carnoustie Golf Hotel on Friday, 23 November.  The Business awards, sponsored by Enterprise North East Trust, recognise businesses which have demonstrated innovation, ambition and enterprise.

The Angus Ambassador Awards are part of Angus Ahead’s Angus Ambassador Programme, which encourages individuals, organisations and companies to formally declare themselves as Angus Ambassadors and positively promote Angus both within and outwith the county.  Many of Journeycall's high calibre, intelligent contact centre team live in Angus, whether they work in Journeycall's Brechin or Laurencekirk contact centres.




21 August 2012

Donna joins Journeycall following Railcards win

North East Scotland contact centre operator, Journeycall, has appointed Donna Steed as Account Manager for National Railcards, based at its Laurencekirk headquarters.

Trisha Pirie, Journeycall Managing Director, said: “I’m delighted to welcome Donna to the Journeycall team. As a highly experienced Account Manager, Donna will be managing the £35m a year National Railcards online issuing contract we won against fierce competition.  We have increased sales of the Disabled Persons Railcard by over a third since taking over issuing for the Association of Train Operating Companies (ATOC) in 2008 and our goal is to replicate this success for ATOC’s Senior, 16-25 and Family & Friends Railcards, where over a million cards are issued annually.”

Donna’s previous experience includes over 20 years in client relations and business development in the banking, commercial and retail sectors.  Commenting enthusiastically on her new role, Donna said: “National Railcards is a blue chip contract for Journeycall.  I’m looking forward to taking online issuing from strength to strength as people increasingly realise how convenient it is to buy and renew Railcards online from the comfort of their home.”

Journeycall handles over 6000 phone calls, emails and letters daily through its Brechin and Laurencekirk offices.  It specialises in telesales, customer support, smartcard and sales fulfillment services for business clients including Transport for London (Oyster smartcard issuing and support helplines), Stagecoach, London Councils, Go-Ahead and ATOC. 

Journeycall’s Hull based parent company, ESP Systex, works closely with it on complementary services, including development and delivery of smartcard systems, systems integration and provision of card bureau services for the transport, leisure, education and security sectors.  They are currently developing the systems to be used for the National Railcards contract.




18th July 2012


Journeycall delighted to win National Railcards contract                                      

North East Scotland contact centre operator, Journeycall, has been awarded a major contract by Britain’s train companies to issue National Railcards to customers throughout Great Britain.

The 3-year+ contract will create around 30 new jobs in Aberdeenshire and Angus.  Journeycall will be responsible for issuing over 1 million cards per year with an initial annual value of around £35 million.  Journeycall’s Business Development Director, Lesley Stewart, said “Both Journeycall and ATOC (the Association of Train Operating Companies) have huge ambitions to increase online sales of Railcards substantially and are aiming for online sales of over £50 million by 2015.   We will work closely with train companies to realise these goals and we want to make it even easier for customers to benefit from reduced fares on the railways.  Rail travel is the ideal way to avoid the stress of driving on often congested roads, and it’s good for the environment.”

The contract was awarded to Journeycall following a highly competitive tendering process.  The National Railcards range includes the Senior, Family & Friends, and 16-25 Railcards, much valued by millions of holders as a means to ensure discounts on most Off-Peak National Rail fares.  Journeycall has already successfully issued the Disabled Persons Railcard on behalf of ATOC since 2008. ATOC’s Head of Marketing, Andrew Robertson, explained “Journeycall presented a robust and detailed proposal for the online retailing of Railcards based upon an improved service provision and underpinned by the excellent customer service we have experienced for the Disabled Persons Railcard. We’re really excited about the opportunities created by this collaboration.”

Journeycall, in association with their parent company, ESP Systex, will develop a bespoke Card Management System required to handle the large number of online Railcard customers as well as online transactional pages to make the customer buying experience easier and quicker than before.  Their Card Management Systems are already in use by a large number of clients including the Disabled Persons Railcard and London Councils for their Freedom Pass scheme and are in the process of being implemented to manage the Scottish National Entitlement Card scheme.

The National Railcards contract win follows Journeycall’s recent success in being re-awarded the Transport for London (TfL) Oyster Card issuing and support contract. Journeycall is also supporting TfL during the potentially extremely busy Olympics period by answering travel information calls from passengers.

Journeycall Managing Director, Trisha Pirie, added: “This new National Railcards contract win caps what has been a phenomenally successful period for Journeycall.  The company launched less than ten years ago and has grown quickly, becoming one of the region’s largest employers and defying the recessionary gloom through a highly trained staff team skilled in customer contact and getting the detail right first time, whether by phone, online, post or social media.  Our contract win endorses Journeycall’s ethos: the highest quality customer contact services at a reasonable price, delivered in the UK.”

Picture below (left to right): Lesley Stewart, Business Development Director; Trisha Pirie, managing Director; Theresa Wishart, Director of Call Centre Centre Services

12th June 2012


Journeycall help London transport users during the Games

Aberdeenshire and Angus based contact centre operator, Journeycall, is recruiting additional staff to handle a travel information support contract for Transport for London (TfL).

TfL has appointed Journeycall to answer extra travel information calls expected to be generated by the London 2012 Games. 

Journeycall MD, Trisha Pirie, said: “We’re gearing up for an exceptionally busy few months and are delighted that TfL selected Journeycall to assist in answering the additional calls. 

We’ll be giving call centre support and information to TfL customers before, during and after the Games period, with the aim of ensuring passengers have the information they need to travel around the capital.  Journeycall already issue Oyster Cards and provide customer support for TfL, and this additional contract will further cement our partnership working.”

            
           Managing Director, Trisha Pirie 

           
            Journeycall contact centre advisors                                                        



5th June 2012                            

Best Companies award accolade for Journeycall

Contact centre operator, Journeycall, has received a recognition trophy for achieving “One to Watch” status in the annual Best Companies awards.

The North East Scotland customer contact services supplier achieved this prestigious accreditation standard for successful staff engagement, on only the second occasion that it entered the awards.

Receiving the recognition plaque, delighted Journeycall Managing Director, Trisha Pirie, said: “This is a great achievement and reflects how much our high calibre intelligent staff are proud to be part of the successful Journeycall team. It also reflects our business success despite the recession: both Transport for London Oyster Card and several train operators have recently extended contact centre support and sales contracts with us. 

The Best Companies results are a strong indication that the effort we’re putting in to make Journeycall an attractive employment option is really paying off.  This is especially true as the Best Companies survey goes out to every one of a company’s employees, covering all departments and all grades of staff.”

Journeycall is a Laurencekirk and Brechin based customer support, telesales and fulfillment specialist, with expertise in the transport and smartcard fields. Its other clients include London Councils, Stagecoach, Go-Ahead, ATOC, the Irish Health Service Executive and the Football League.

Along with parent company, ESP Systex, Journeycall is a leading UK provider of expertise in development, delivery and support of ticketing and smartcard services for transport, leisure, education and security companies.

 

Journeycall Managing Director, Trisha Pirie, and management team with the trophy