Customer Service Vacancies

[kelv]

After seeing a couple advertised for Despatch & GPR I'm wondering what GPR actually stands for, may seem a daft question to some of you that already work on the Railways.
Also wondered why the GPR role has a higher wage than Despatch when Despatch is Safety Critical ? Would've thought being Safety Critical would've made it the other way around.
If anyone can explain the different roles that'd be great thanks.

Having not got anywhere yet with other applications I'm thinking that a Customer Service role although paying less would be a good starting point with 1 of the TOC's.

 

[Urban Gateline]

GPR stands for general purpose relief, it can be used for most frontline positions, the most common is for Ticket Office staff but there are Dispatchers that are GPR and even Platform/Ticket Office Supervisors!

It means that you are not permanently based at one station but will be moving around to cover shortfalls in whichever areas deemed necessary, that also means no set roster, normally only find out on a Thursday what you are working next week.

So it is no surprise that GPR roles are higher paid than their "static" equivalent as it is a flexible role, some even get paid meal/travelling allowance!

 

[185]

GPR is well known in booking office circles as Gets Passed Round :P

You mostly end up at a group of 3/4 stations, but that's never set in stone.

 

[kelv]

There are GPR roles at 3 stations close to where I live, small stations as well so would it be more a case of having a variety of roles as they are stations that wont have many staff to start with, so probably not an amount that could afford to lose someone to another station e.g. Garswood.
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GPR stands for general purpose relief, it can be used for most frontline positions, the most common is for Ticket Office staff but there are Dispatchers that are GPR and even Platform/Ticket Office Supervisors!

It means that you are not permanently based at one station but will be moving around to cover shortfalls in whichever areas deemed necessary, that also means no set roster, normally only find out on a Thursday what you are working next week.

So it is no surprise that GPR roles are higher paid than their "static" equivalent as it is a flexible role, some even get paid meal/travelling allowance!

Would you still tend to get an 'even' spread of shifts ?
or is it quite possible that you'd keep getting the shifts that are less favoured by other staff members ?

 

[ItchyRsole]

I was a GPR for a few years working in booking offices. Much preferred it.

Not getting spied on, or bored at one location. Nice to flit around to different places. Few grand more in your wages. Only downfall as mentioned is getting a week to week roster. Hard to plan things, although you can work out your days off from a grid.

 

[kelv]

I was a GPR for a few years working in booking offices. Much preferred it.

Not getting spied on, or bored at one location. Nice to flit around to different places. Few grand more in your wages. Only downfall as mentioned is getting a week to week roster. Hard to plan things, although you can work out your days off from a grid.

so is it quite possible you get the late shift on the same night every week, or have to work the weekend every week ?

Just wondering because have 3 kids, 2 of which play a lot of football/sport.