Virgin Trains Marketing Principles

Task 1.1:

Virgin Trains' vision is:

'To become the most safe, consistent, reliable and profitable of the train operating franchises in a climate that respects different views and people need not be afraid to be open and honest'. This vision reflects Virgin Trains' forward-thinking style. This may stand the company in good stead in any future franchise bids. Virgin Trains seeks to differentiate itself from other rail competitors in order to increase customer satisfaction and develop a train service fit for the twenty-first century.

This is a very clear vision:

1. It sets out the values of the company, e.g. safety and reliability.

2. It sets out clear commercial targets - profitability.

3. It sets out the relationship between the organisation and its people - respecting different views and encouraging openness and honesty.

This vision reflects Virgin Trains' forward-thinking style. This may stand the company in good stead in any future franchise bids. Linked closely to vision is the organisation's culture. The culture of an organisation is the typical way of working within an organization as demonstrated by the behaviours of the people that work for it. This includes how approachable managers are and how they treat subordinates, the care for customers and how formal systems and procedures are.

Mission Statement:

A vision enables an organization to move forward with clarity. It links the business' specific objectives and targets with the core values that govern how the business will operate in order to meet those targets. It therefore goes further than a mission statement.

A mission statement sets out the purpose of an organization. For example, for Virgin Trains, this is to run a high quality, efficient and cost-effective rail service. A vision goes further. It paints a picture in clear language of where the organization is going, linked to the behaviors it expects of everyone in the organization.

Objectives:

A key objective for Virgin Trains is to be a profit-making organisation. A good way of making a profit is to satisfy customers who will use services over and over again. To achieve this objective it is essential that Virgin Trains' staff deliver a first-class service.

Task 1.2:

Virgin Trains' people drive its strategy of focusing on customers. The regional structure enables staff who are in direct contact with customers to contribute to and shape the business' strategies.

Regular 'priorities meetings' are held by groups of staff across the regions to identify best practices, share concerns and discuss what the priorities should be. Feedback from customers identifies the priorities and includes issues such as what menu options should be on trains or what ticket options are available in stations.

Managers then take these ideas and support workers to improve the services they provide. This develops good relationships and increases employee confidence that managers will follow up on ideas and feedback from front-line workers. Every Virgin Trains employee is encouraged to buy into the vision and values of Virgin Trains by:

* giving and receiving constructive feedback

* dealing with change and welcoming it

* challenging the ideas of others in an appropriate way.

All employees have an opportunity to find out about (and become part of) the vision by attending a voluntary three-day facilitated workshop. The workshops focus on how to give and receive constructive feedback. They also help Virgin Trains people to see what leadership looks like in the workplace and how it affects individuals.

* The workshop provides a good opportunity to share ideas and to influence

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