Approach

Capabilities

Expertise

Team

Context

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Daniel Gallego

Photographer

Sleeper train services are no ordinary train services. They need to meet an elevated level of comfort, dignity and joy, to ensure customers can experience a successful night’s sleep on board and realise the benefits of choosing a train over a car or a plane. We want sleeper train customers to be rewarded for making that choice.

That means making sleeper trains and the experience of being on board a sleeper train, the most human-friendly, user-informed and considerate of any other train service. Understanding what customers need and want from a sleeper train service, now and in the future, becomes more than a customer experience point; it reconnects travel with being human.

International Sleeper Trains (IST) Ltd optimises sleeper travel with behavioural and operational insight. We do this by combining the technical and operational expertise you expect from a sleeper train consultancy with powerful behavioural science and user insight, to create solutions that are socially as well as functionally successful.

Management and Operations

(What)

• Customer Experience Strategy and Implementation
• Competency Management Systems and Training Programmes
• Standard Operating Procedures
• Catering and Cleaning Propositions
• Recruitment Strategies and Processes
• Product Design and Product Development
• Rostering and Resourcing, Resource Efficiency

Engagement and Insight

(Who and Why)

• Accessibility and Inclusion
• Employee and Industrial Relations
• Trade Union Negotiations
• Stakeholder and Community Engagement
• Policy Engagement and Development
• Strategic Communications
• Behavioural Insight and User-Oriented Design
• Innovation and Market Research
• Organisational Design

Strategy and Planning

(How)

• Sustainability and Responsible Procurement Strategies
• Business Strategy and Planning
• Programme and Performance Management
• Benefits Realisation and Business Case Development
• Social Value and Wider Benefit
• Optioneering and Appraisals.
• Visioning/Blueprints for reimagined and recast sleeper services

Thought Leadership

We can develop insight, undertake research and analysis, develop communications and corporate narrative, engage and obtain feedback from stakeholders.

Behavioural Insight

We can embed intelligence, innovation and insight from behavioural science and user-oriented design methods to design of services, solutions and plans to better consider and meet customer needs and future demands.

Procurement

We can provide expertise and support to both commissioning authorities and operators and suppliers for all aspects of the procurement process from procurement and bid planning, management and strategy, to bid drafting, reviewing and evaluation.

Operation

We can add capacity to teams across key operational areas, provide interim leadership, support change management and transformation, provide critical friend and independent reviews.

Delivery

We can help you to plan for mobilisation, build the team and workforce, manage implementation of plans, processes and structures, coach teams to deliver.

Recruitment

We can support recruitment processes, design training and competency programmes and build leadership teams.

Cheryl Fox, Managing Director

• Brought her extensive knowledge of developing and delivering overnight services within the ferry industry, as Customer Experience (CX) Director for NorthLink Ferries (Scotland mainland to Orkney & Shetland), to develop key CX propositions for the winning Caledonian Sleeper (CS) bid (Scotland to London services).
  
• Her expertise and experience delivering and transforming the customer proposition, marketing, hotel, retail, and shore services inspired the “hotel on wheels” concept that successfully translated to the CS service.
  
• Led the CX transformation of the CS operation with the introduction of luxury new trains, including working closely with the train manufacturer to develop and complete CX and operational training.
  

Richard Garland, Business Development Director

• Has extensive experience of the “Night Riviera”, and as the UK West of England Service Manager he had overall responsibility for customer experience on board the sleeper service.
  
• Respected transport industry Subject Matter Expert (SME) in CX. This is demonstrated through his work as a strategic advisor to the UK Department for Transport (DfT), where he is an integral part of the UK rail reform team. He also evaluates CX under current DfT rail contracts.
  
• Has EFQM expertise and is an experienced bid adviser, from franchise bid component leadership, plan writing, internal and external bid plan evaluation, and successful contract mobilisation. Recent bids he has led have included a focus on future sustainability through zero emissions bus transportation.
  

• An urban planner by background and social entrepreneur in practice. She works as a consultant and adviser on urban sustainability.
  
• Advocates “Considerate Urbanism” to transition from car-based urbanism to care-based urbanism which is more human oriented. Liane specialises in building positive social value outcomes from the built environment.
  
• Her experience includes thought leadership and developing solutions, and drafting and developing strategy, policy, and plans for development consultancies, public sector, community groups, and infrastructure providers.
  
• Member of the Mayor of London’s Infrastructure Advisory Panel, High Streets Task Force, and is an Expert Advisor for Crossrail
  

Liane Hartley, Sustainability & Inclusion Director

There has been a resurgence of interest in sleeper trains in Europe in recent years, as a growing awareness and concern over the climate change emergency means customers are looking for more sustainable and convenient ways to travel and explore.

Environmental concerns:

Sleeper trains offer a lower-carbon alternative to flying, with new experiences to transform customer’s bedtime, sleeping and morning rituals, and the magic of waking up to a new landscape along the way.

Comfort:

Modern sleeper trains offer a high level of comfort and amenities, with private cabins, dining cars, and lounge areas, as an attractive option to relax and enjoy the journey as well as the destination.

Cost:

Sleeper trains can be a cost-effective option for travel. This can be particularly true for budget-conscious customers, who may be able to save money on accommodation costs by sleeping on the train.

Convenience:

Sleeper trains can also be more convenient than air travel or other forms of transportation, particularly for longer distances, without the need for additional travel time or accommodation costs.