WHSmith shakes up its customer service at Heathrow

WHSmith plans to introduce a raft of fresh initiatives to selected Heathrow stores to improve the travel experience

UK. News and books specialist WHSmith is revamping several stores across London Heathrow Airport in a bid to offer passengers an enhanced level of customer service before they fly.

The British retailer plans to introduce a raft of fresh initiatives to its Heathrow stores to improve the travel experience.

From this summer passengers will be able to use self-service check-outs at selected WHSmith stores to provide customers with more payment points and reduce queuing times.

“˜Here to Help’ staff will assist shoppers with last-minute travel needs to ensure they find what they want as quickly as possible.

Passengers will be able to use self-service check-outs at some stores to reduce queuing times

Events for the whole family

WHSmith will also host a series of events in its Heathrow stores targeted at all the family – from key calendar dates such as Chinese New Year and Thanksgiving, to meet-and-greets with authors.

In addition the stores will be supporting Global International Literacy Day and World Book Day, as well as the upcoming London 2012 Games.

Plans are under way to host a week-long event at Heathrow to celebrate WHSmith’s exclusive partnership with the Richard and Judy Book Club, the popular UK-based book club founded by TV personalities Richard Madeley and Judy Finnigan.

Heathrow Commercial Director John Holland Kaye welcomed the initiatives. “WHSmith is the one-stop-shop for many passengers that fly through Heathrow so we are delighted with the initiatives being introduced,” he said.

“Offering passengers an improved level of speed and convenience particularly ahead of the busy summer holidays not only makes their travel experience easier but supports our long-term goal of making every journey better than the last.”