TICKET office clerk Sandra Hider treats all her passengers as she would wish to be treated herself.

And that’s why the popular railwaywoman at Beckenham Junction station in south-east London has just been voted the local Queen of Customer Care.

Sandra, who joined the railway four years ago after being made redundant from her
previous company, won one of the top awards at Beckenham’s ‘Night of Honour’.
She was one of ten people whose work in the community was recognised by the London Borough of Bromley.

Sandra said: “I was invited to this big champagne reception and heard then that I had won one of the categories.

“I felt very humble – I didn’t know anything about it. I love the job I do and know many of the regular passengers. I speak to people how I would like to be spoken to myself.”

Sandra, who lives near to Biggin Hill, Kent, and has a grown-up daughter, was presented with an etched glass trophy and will be customer service ‘queen’ for a year. She was also given a bouquet and a voucher for a local business centre.

She shares the ticket office work at the busy Southeastern station with two colleagues, all working shifts “which I don’t mind at all.”

With one award already presented to her, Sandra was chosen by her company to receive another.

Beckenham Junction’s Secure Station accreditation was handed to her by local MP Jacqui Lait.

The secure station scheme, managed by the Department for Transport in partnership with the British Transport Police, helps reassure passengers and staff about their safety on the railway.

More than 20 of Southeastern’s 180 stations have now achieved the Secure Station accreditation.

Southeastern’s managing director Charles Horton said: “This is another significant step, both for Southeastern and for our passengers. “Safety and security remain our highest priorities.”