Categories & Criteria

For the UK train operator providing the most outstanding customer service and demonstrating overall business excellence.

Eligibility: The award is open to any passenger or freight train operator within the UK rail industry.

Criteria: The judges will look for excellence in the following areas:

• Service to customers 
• Revenue growth
• Development and introduction of new services and products
• Performance improvements
• Safety and security achievements
• Effective communication with customers
• Examples of integration with other transport modes such as bus, coach, tram, bike, air, marine, road freight and the pedestrian.

 

For civil, mechanical or electrical engineering projects or services within the rail industry.

Eligibility: The award is open to any company that conducts business within the UK rail industry. 

Criteria: The judges will look for evidence of:

• The development of innovative technical ideas, methods, products or services
• The benefits to railway performance
• The financial benefits
• The benefits to the business of the company
• Adherence to budget and timescales.

For the most outstanding business manager working within the UK rail industry.

Eligibility: Any company that conducts business within the UK rail industry may nominate a manager.

Criteria: The judges will look for a proven ability in one or more of the following:

• Identify and address key business issues faced by the company
• Contribute to the growth of market share or development of new business
• Provide direction and leadership within their individual sphere of influence within the company
• Play a key supporting role in helping to achieve the company's goals.

For the company demonstrating overall rail freight business excellence.

Eligibility: The award is open to any business operating within the UK's rail freight industry

Criteria: The judges will look for excellence in one or more of the following areas:

• Development and introduction of new services and products for the rail freight industry
• Adaptation of current services and products
• Attraction of new freight to rail
• Innovation and flexibility in meeting customer requirements
• Communication with customers and suppliers
• Customer comment
• Performance improvements
• Revenue and business growth; jb creation .

For the development and introduction of the most successful environmental innovation within the UK rail industry.

Eligibility: The award is open to any company within the UK railway industry that can demonstrate a leading commitment to reducing environmental impact through environmental innovation in areas such as product, service or system.

For the introduction of the most successful new idea or outstanding business performance at a UK passenger rail station.

Eligibility: The award is open to any company involved with the provision or introduction of any product or service at a UK passenger rail station.

Criteria: The judges will look for examples of:

• improvements to the station environment including better waiting facilities or new retail outlets
• improved access (particularly for the disabled)
• information services
• safety and security improvements
• innovation 

• improvements to the station environment including better waiting facilities or new retail outlets
• improved access (particularly for the disabled)
• information services
• safety and security improvements
• innovation

• creation of additional revenue streams
• aesthetic improvement
• increases in customer numbers
• efficiency improvements

For the company demonstrating excellence within the UK rail industry's supplier network.

Eligibility: The award is open to any business - including suppliers, consultants, manufacturers, logistics or transport companies - providing products or services within the UK rail industry.

Criteria: The judges will look for evidence of one or more of the following:

• Provision of quality services and products to the industry
• The positive impact on the industry of the company's services or products
• Innovation in the use of technology to improve supplier/supply chain efficiency
• Positive benefits of collaboration with partners
• The reduction of the impact of supplier's operations on the environment
• Improved business performance and cost management following process improvements.

For the company demonstrating excellence within the UK rail industry's supplier network.

Eligibility: The award is open to any business - including suppliers, consultants, manufacturers, logistics or transport companies - providing products or services within the UK rail industry.

• Provision of quality services and products to the industry
• The positive impact on the industry of the company's services or products
• Innovation in the use of technology to improve supplier/supply chain efficiency
• Positive benefits of collaboration with partners
• The reduction of the impact of supplier's operations on the environment
• Improved business performance and cost management following process improvements.

For the introduction of the most successful railway safety or security improvements.

Eligibility: The award is open to any company involved with the introduction of any safety or security development, product or service into the UK rail industry.

Criteria: The judges will look for examples of:

• introduction of new products and services
• improved systems of work or work environments
• new training standards
• improved company safety performance such as falling accident rates
• innovative application of existing products and services
• impact on staff and customers alike

Evidence of security improvements and enhancement through:
• introduction of new equipment, products and services
• application of technology, products or systems from other industries
• benefits to staff, passengers, customers or neighbours
• business benefits.

For information technology projects, products, systems or services within the rail industry.

Eligibility: The award is open to any company that conducts business within the UK rail industry.

Criteria: The judges will look for evidence of:

• A clear vision of what the IT project, product, system or service had to achieve
• How the IT projects, products, systems or services were developed
• How the use of IT facilitated business growth or gave an advantage to you or your customers
• How the relevant parties worked together to identify and solve problems and achieve success
• Gains in revenue or market share
• The overall benefits to the industry or its customers

For the most successful PR campaign.

Eligibility: This award is open to any company that conducts business within the UK rail industry.

Criteria: The judges will look for evidence of:

• Context in which the campaign was developed
• Pre-campaign planning and organisation buy-in
• The quality and innovative use of the techniques employed during the campaign
• The thinking behind how and why target audiences were selected
• The business benefits of the campaign including reputation and awareness
• Return on investment demonstrating value for money for budget spent
• Evaluation of the campaign's success including a review of key message delivery and measuring against strategic objectives

For the most successful marketing campaign.

Eligibility: The award is open to any company that conducts business within the UK rail industry. 

Criteria: The judges will look for evidence of:

• The commercial and/or communications context in which the campaign was developed
• The marketing techniques used in creating and structuring the campaign
• Communication effectiveness and the originality of the messages and materials
• The versatility and effective use of various media (both external and internal if appropriate)
• Indications of approximate costs involved
• The results/benefits realised through the campaign - including awareness, sales, profit and development of new markets
• Above average return on investment/demonstration of value for money for budgeted spend
• Key learnings including post campaign evaluation and measurement against tactical/strategic objectives.

For the most successful internal communications strategy/campaign by a company.

Eligibility: This award is open to any company that conducts business within the UK rail industry.

Criteria: The judges will look for evidence of:

• Communications programmes that promote improved organisational effectiveness and therefore business performance, through staff engagement
• A detailed outline of communication goals and objectives at the start of the project, actions taken and appropriate measurement and evaluation at the end of it
• The effect the programme has had on improving organisational behaviours and business performance.