ScotRail Taps TP for Major Digital Customer Service Overhaul

GLASGOW, Scotland – April 29, 2026 – In a significant move to modernize passenger support, ScotRail has awarded a new multi-year contract to Teleperformance (TP), a global leader in digital business services. The three-year agreement will see TP overhaul ScotRail's customer contact centre operations, signaling a strategic shift towards a more technologically advanced and multi-channel approach to passenger engagement across Scotland's railway network.

The partnership follows a competitive tender process where ScotRail sought an "innovative partner" capable of introducing digitally enabled ways of engaging with its customers. TP will take over a diverse range of services including customer relations, delay repay administration, and telesales, aiming to create a simpler, faster, and more efficient experience for passengers.

A New Era for Passenger Engagement

While ScotRail has recently touted high overall satisfaction rates in independent surveys, with a reported 91% satisfaction in a recent Transport Focus poll, the passenger experience is often a tale of two realities. Public forums and customer reviews frequently highlight persistent frustrations with overcrowding, cancellations, and the process of seeking redress for service disruptions. One historical report noted that less than one in four customers were satisfied with complaint outcomes, a pain point that led to the introduction of the Rail Ombudsman.

This new partnership appears designed to bridge that gap between high-level survey data and the lived experience of individual passengers, particularly when journeys do not go as planned. By outsourcing to a specialist like TP, ScotRail is moving away from its previous customer service structure, which was operated by Transport UK Group's subsidiary Solvd following the end of the Abellio franchise. The transition marks a deliberate effort to leverage specialized expertise to enhance key touchpoints like complaint handling and delay repay claims—areas critical to rebuilding trust after a service failure.

Services will initially be delivered across voice, email, social media messaging, and traditional mail, with a clear roadmap to introduce additional digital channels in the future. This multi-channel strategy is crucial for meeting customer expectations in an era where passengers expect seamless communication on their preferred platform.

The Technology Driving the Change

At the heart of this transformation is a powerful combination of technology and expertise. TP will implement the award-winning ServiceNow platform, managed by its technology partner UP3, an elite ServiceNow specialist with extensive experience in the rail sector.

The ServiceNow platform is designed to unify customer interactions and automate complex workflows. For ScotRail passengers, this could translate into a radically improved experience. The platform's AI and machine learning capabilities can streamline and even automate the often-cumbersome Delay Repay process, ensuring valid claims are processed quickly. Furthermore, it enables proactive communication, potentially allowing ScotRail to notify passengers of disruptions and even initiate compensation without requiring the customer to file a claim first.

The potential impact of this technology is not merely theoretical. UP3's previous work with another major UK train operator, Southeastern Railway, demonstrates a clear path to success. By implementing ServiceNow, Southeastern automated 70% of its Delay Repay claims and used AI to resolve 75% of webchat queries, leading to a significant reduction in case handling time and a corresponding improvement in customer satisfaction.

Gary Slade, Chief Commercial Officer, EMEA at Teleperformance, noted the synergy of this approach. "This contract reflects ScotRail's commitment to deliver high quality customer engagement and TP's ability to combine skilled people, innovative technology, and flexible delivery models to achieve that vision," he stated.

Local Investment and Hybrid Work Models

Beyond the technological enhancements, the contract brings tangible economic benefits to Scotland. TP will deliver the services from its Cuprum site in Glasgow, creating approximately 30 new customer service advisor roles within the first year. These positions will be supplemented by a Scotland-based work-at-home team, reflecting a modern, flexible approach to employment.

The creation of these jobs, though modest in number, represents a welcome investment against a backdrop of reported low confidence in Scotland's economic prospects. By establishing both a physical hub in Glasgow and a distributed network of remote workers, the partnership leverages local talent and contributes to the regional economy beyond a single urban center. This hybrid model aligns with post-pandemic work trends and expands the pool of potential talent for supporting Scotland's national railway.

An Industry-Wide Shift to Digital Outsourcing

ScotRail's decision is part of a broader trend within the UK rail industry, where train operating companies are increasingly turning to specialized BPO providers to manage customer relations. The complexity and cost of developing and maintaining cutting-edge, AI-powered customer service platforms in-house have made strategic outsourcing an attractive proposition.

Firms like Teleperformance bring not only technological infrastructure but also deep-seated expertise in customer experience management. TP's existing portfolio already includes contracts with Southeastern Railway, National Rail Enquiries, and National Rail Card services, giving it a significant footprint and a wealth of data-driven insights into the unique challenges of the rail sector.

Kathryn Allen, VP Business Development at TP, commented on this accumulated knowledge, stating, "ScotRail and their customers will truly benefit from our extensive expertise within the rail and passenger sector that we have built over 15+ years. These are really exciting times for the rail sector and I am looking forward to TP playing a role through our client partners in shaping the future customer service model."

As the partnership gets underway, passengers, industry observers, and local stakeholders will be watching closely to see how this blend of global expertise, advanced technology, and local talent reshapes customer engagement on Scotland's railways.