Attention to detail

12 December 2011

The then managing director of Cross Country trains, Chris Gibb, once told me he spent 20 consecutive Saturdays at Birmingham New Street watching exactly what was happening with the trains trying to understand why hold ups occur.

The ghastliness of arriving at Heathrow from abroad turned out to be a false worry recently. Much work done to improve Terminal One, swiftly through Immigration, only to wait for ages at the baggage carousel. Coming on an international flight many other passengers were held up in immigration. The baggage appeared swiftly but, as many passengers were stuck in immigration, few bags got taken off. As few bags got taken off the carousel choked up and no more bags could get on. – so, we all were slowed down to the lowest speed of exit. A simple act of tidying up the carousel got many more bags on and people away but this only happened after a passenger complained.

Attention to detail counts for much in public transport. Cows on the line on First Great Western the other day – one announcement then 25 minutes silence. Attention to detail.