Avanti - Customer Service Roles (Stations) - Recruitment Discussion

[7828odney]

I’ve got an interview next week for customer service on Crewe station. Got a mild understanding of what it intales but it does say various roles and cannot find the complete list of what they include. Does anyone know what sort of questions they will ask on this don’t want any hiccups

 

[390136]

There will be a lot of safety related competency questions.

Name a time you had to deal with something under pressure, what did you do?

Name a time you made a decision which was not the normal procedures, and why?

Name a time you went above and beyond for a customer?

Name a time you had to lead a team / work as a team?

Just to name a few

 

[DaveChooChoo]

Does anyone know if you get a confirmation email once you have accepted your position offered to join the avanti talent bank?

I replied to the email telling them I would love to go on it a month ago now but not had any confirmation. I sent 2 emails chasing too after the first two weeks but nothing!

Does anyone know if I’m on and just wait or should chase?

Thanks

 

[BrandonB17]

Hello everyone,

Just coming on here to ask if anybody has any understanding/experience of the Avanti talent pool.

I am currently mid way through the application process to become a CSA/Dispatcher at a station near my home, I have completed the preliminary assessments (Competency, and H&S), and are due to have a digital interview this week.

I am slightly concerned that I have misinterpreted the meaning of 'talent pool', and that if I pass this interview (and any other additional assessment criteria), that they will merely say to me "you are fit for the job, but we do not have an open vacancy for you yet". Can anybody whose experienced this inform me if my suspicions are correct, and if so, how long does it take on average for the position that you've applied for to become vacant (ideally someone who has applied for this same role).

Many thanks!

 

[GPR]

I’d guess the answer is ‘how long is a piece of string’ unless someone on here works for Avanti in that role and knows the staffing levels at the present moment.

Where I work, at a different TOC, the company recruited for a talent pool a few months back.
I know there are a couple of vacancies that need filling right now and possibly in the future too with people being in talent pools for other TOCs.

 

[Two-Wheeler]

Hi everyone,
I've got to do a virtual interview this weekend for an Avanti customer service platform assistant. Any one done this before and if so what kind of questions should I expect? What are they looking for? Any hints or tips?
Any info would be greatly appreciated. Cheers in advance

 

[Hrav1656]

Hi everyone,
I've got to do a virtual interview this weekend for an Avanti customer service platform assistant. Any one done this before and if so what kind of questions should I expect? What are they looking for? Any hints or tips?
Any info would be greatly appreciated. Cheers in advance

Take a look at the company values they will most likely be a question on that, otherwise it will be the routine questions ‘why do you want to work for Avanti’

 

[djapp]

Yeah there was about 3 questions I had one was something like At Avanti One of our core values is Pulling Together (or something like this) what does it mean to you? Good thing with this interview online unlike other TOCs you get 2 attempts to answer and you get more than enough time to do it. It's not as scary as you think.

 

[djapp]

100% you should. Did you sort it in the end?

 

[DaveChooChoo]

100% you should. Did you sort it in the end?

Yes I finally got confirmation after chasing with emails to the main HR email and the contact who originally emailed me about the talent bank position. I had to send about 3 emails over a month before I got a response.

 

[Hrav1656]

Yeah there was about 3 questions I had one was something like At Avanti One of our core values is Pulling Together (or something like this) what does it mean to you? Good thing with this interview online unlike other TOCs you get 2 attempts to answer and you get more than enough time to do it. It's not as scary as you think.

I’ve done the online interviews last year unfortunately failed at the face to face, nerves got the better of me, I’ve reapplied this year and hoping I get the opportunity again.

 

[Connor97]

Yes I finally got confirmation after chasing with emails to the main HR email and the contact who originally emailed me about the talent bank position. I had to send about 3 emails over a month before I got a response.

Hi, are you still in the talent bank? I'm in the talent bank for wolverhampton and have been since october.

 

[DanH80]

Hi. I recently interviewed for a customer service position with Avanti at Macclesfield. I passed online tests and got the position after a f2f interview.
I’m in the talent bank, which I understand and is great. Just wondered if anyone has experience on how long before actually starting the job.
Many thanks.

 

[Horizon22]

Hi. I recently interviewed for a customer service position with Avanti at Macclesfield. I passed online tests and got the position after a f2f interview.
I’m in the talent bank, which I understand and is great. Just wondered if anyone has experience on how long before actually starting the job.
Many thanks.

Well done on passing and welcome to the forum!

Unfortunately for talent bank/pool lengths, it really is "How long is a piece of string?" This is because you need to wait for a substantive role to come up and this could be weeks or it could be years. In your case, as it is not a driver or train crew position - for which there tends to be less turnover - as a customer service role, its probably in the timeframe of weeks/months. I would if you don't hear anything after 3 months check with HR/recruitment for any updates as unfortunately talent banks are sometimes not well managed due to small recruitment teams at most TOCs.

 

[DanH80]

Ok, thanks for the reply. Not desperate to leave my current job so will keep on waiting. Kind of thought this would be the case.

 

[ayub95]

I am in the same boat as yourself, got accepted into the Talent Bank last month and was told at the interview there is a lot of churn and upheaval in these roles so you shouldn't theoretically be waiting longer than six months.

 

[Dan_solo]

Hi everyone,

I applied for platform assistant with Avanti some time ago. It is a talent bank role. I completed a virtual interview, a test that involved a few different activities and 3 weeks ago I did a Safety Awareness test by OPC. As this was 3 weeks ago, and I haven't heard anything back, I'm wondering whether I should assume I've passed? Do Avanti usually email to say if you were unsuccessful?

Many thanks

 

[comicman123]

Hi has anyone attended an avanti west coast recruitment event at Crewe before ? I have applied for the role of onboard customer assistant I have done the application the psychometric test and the digital interview I was expecting the next stage to be a face to face interview but I've been asked to attend a recruitment event consisting of a welcome then an introduction then a group exercise followed by an interview can anyone please tell me what to expect for the group exercise ? Thanks

 

[Driver2379]

Hi everyone,

I applied for platform assistant with Avanti some time ago. It is a talent bank role. I completed a virtual interview, a test that involved a few different activities and 3 weeks ago I did a Safety Awareness test by OPC. As this was 3 weeks ago, and I haven't heard anything back, I'm wondering whether I should assume I've passed? Do Avanti usually email to say if you were unsuccessful?

Many thanks

Congratulations on getting this far. I have just been invited to complete the Safety Awareness Test by the OPC via e mail today. I applied for the CSA Platforms at Birmingham. Did you find the test particularly difficult? Hope you get the right result.

 

[Dan_solo]

Congratulations on getting this far. I have just been invited to complete the Safety Awareness Test by the OPC via e mail today. I applied for the CSA Platforms at Birmingham. Did you find the test particularly difficult? Hope you get the right result.

Well done. I didn't find it too bad. It was similar to a hazard perception test for cars. You have to think outside the box a bit. Some hazards are more obvious than others. I think 1 or 2 pictures had no hazards on at all, so make sure not to click if there are none, as you get marked down for non valid clicks. You'll be fine. I've just had an email saying I passed it and they are organising the next stage of recruitment. Good look

 

[CBD123UK]

Well done. I didn't find it too bad. It was similar to a hazard perception test for cars. You have to think outside the box a bit. Some hazards are more obvious than others. I think 1 or 2 pictures had no hazards on at all, so make sure not to click if there are none, as you get marked down for non valid clicks. You'll be fine. I've just had an email saying I passed it and they are organising the next stage of recruitment. Good look

Congrats on passing the SAT! I'm set to do this test- what would you advise re: clicking on things like the stairs, escalators and stiles? They could always pose a hazard but I don't know if that's too obvious and not what they are looking for. Did you click on those things? Many thanks! And hope your recruitment journey is still progressing well!

 

[Driver2379]

Hi everyone,

I applied for platform assistant with Avanti some time ago. It is a talent bank role. I completed a virtual interview, a test that involved a few different activities and 3 weeks ago I did a Safety Awareness test by OPC. As this was 3 weeks ago, and I haven't heard anything back, I'm wondering whether I should assume I've passed? Do Avanti usually email to say if you were unsuccessful?

Many thanks

Hi I applied for the talent bank role of Customer Service assistant form B'ham international and have just received an e mail late this evening confirming that I have passed to Safety Test and have been invited to station tour and interview on the 2nd July. Hopefully you have passed and receive the same e mail confirmation?

 

[comicman123]

Hi does anyone know if applying for multiple customer service roles at avanti west coast is frowned upon ?

 

[djapp]

I would

Well done. I didn't find it too bad. It was similar to a hazard perception test for cars. You have to think outside the box a bit. Some hazards are more obvious than others. I think 1 or 2 pictures had no hazards on at all, so make sure not to click if there are none, as you get marked down for non valid clicks. You'll be fine. I've just had an email saying I passed it and they are organising the next stage of recruitment. Good look

If its for Birmingham Int Platforms then I think a few of us on here have got Interviews on the 1st July? Where was yours for?

 

[jo76]

Hi all, I’ve been asked by avanti to do an assessment for a customer service roll and a welcome host position. What am I to expect regarding questions and does anybody have any tips for me please?

 

[djapp]

They will ask you to give examples of when you have worked as a team, safety awareness and dealt with situations throughout your working life. I suggest making a note of various examples you can use in your interview.

 

[hi2u_uk]

I am in the same boat as yourself, got accepted into the Talent Bank last month and was told at the interview there is a lot of churn and upheaval in these roles so you shouldn't theoretically be waiting longer than six months.

This is an interesting way to recruit, basically you are assuming a fair number of staff leave. Why do staff leave so often and does this not worry you as an applicant

 

[comicman123]

This is an interesting way to recruit, basically you are assuming a fair number of staff leave. Why do staff leave so often and does this not worry you as an applicant

From what I have been told by several Avanti West Coast employees is your first 6 months is your probation period and you can't apply for other roles during this time once you have done 6 months you can apply for roles with better pay hence why they say talent Bank waiting is around 6 months

 

[djapp]

So today I had an email from one of vacancies (talent pool) that I had not been successful on the interview and that they won't give no individual feedback. This was my 2nd interview within a few months as I went for a similar role at a nearby station (one of the managers was the same) which I was also unsuccessful on! It's been a real demoralising experience to be turned down not once but twice! Has anyone in particular for platform staff roles had any success with their interview. What was the examples you used and what went well? I prepped, was confident in my answers and felt my examples were strong and unsure what I could've done better. Has anyone had any successful outcome if so what is the advice you can give? I doubt i'll go for another vacancy similar to this with Avanti again I thought I did well to get to 1 interview let alone 2 so I must be showing some potential? Is anyone on the inside looking out even have some advice going forwards? Really in a confused and demoralised state at the moment!

 

[andrewguk]

So today I had an email from one of vacancies (talent pool) that I had not been successful on the interview and that they won't give no individual feedback. This was my 2nd interview within a few months as I went for a similar role at a nearby station (one of the managers was the same) which I was also unsuccessful on! It's been a real demoralising experience to be turned down not once but twice! Has anyone in particular for platform staff roles had any success with their interview. What was the examples you used and what went well? I prepped, was confident in my answers and felt my examples were strong and unsure what I could've done better. Has anyone had any successful outcome if so what is the advice you can give? I doubt i'll go for another vacancy similar to this with Avanti again I thought I did well to get to 1 interview let alone 2 so I must be showing some potential? Is anyone on the inside looking out even have some advice going forwards? Really in a confused and demoralised state at the moment!

I work for Avanti (platforms) at a station based in the Midlands.

If I'm being honest perhaps the person interviewing you didn't fancy you for the role. I'm convinced I got my job with Avanti as my face seemed to "fit" as it were.

You were probably just unlucky. Any other person interviewing you maybe would've offered you the job.