TTC appoints Chief Customer Service Officer

The Toronto Transit Commission today announced the appointment of Chris Upfold as the TTC’s first Chief Customer Service Officer.

A Canadian, Mr. Upfold has spent almost 10 years working in the UK for London Underground in a variety of roles, most recently as Head of Revenue and Inclusion where he was responsible for planning, developing and delivering improvements focused on customer perception and satisfaction for one of the world’s oldest, and most renowned, subway systems. Mr. Upfold also headed London Underground’s Customer Experience department where his leadership helped create a marked increase in customer satisfaction in information delivery and employee engagement. The London Underground has an annual ridership of just over 1 billion rides.

Mr. Upfold will begin his new role with the TTC on May 30.

“On behalf of the City and the Commission I am excited about the arrival of Chris and the work he will do to implement a customer service plan, and overall renewed customer service focus our riders have requested,” said TTC Chair Karen Stintz. “I look forward to working with Chris to implement recommendations from the Customer Service Advisory Panel and the many excellent ideas I receive daily from our loyal customers.”

The TTC took on a renewed customer service focus in 2010, striking an independent panel to review customer service in Toronto – North America’s third largest public transit system. The Customer Service Advisory Panel report’s first recommendation was the creation of a Chief Customer Service Officer position with a focus on customer engagement, training and strategy development to improve the TTC experience for its 1.5 million daily riders.

“Chris brings impressive credentials to this new role,” said TTC Chief General Manager Gary Webster. “His experience and insights from London will benefit the TTC, its customers and its employees tremendously. I look forward to working with Chris as we forge new ground in Toronto, striving to make the TTC a world-leader in customer service.”