Customer Satisfaction is Just a Ticket Away

16 September 2019

By John Clarfelt

All too often we focus on the art of the possible, but not how we are best going to make use of the technology when delivered.

So, how can we apply this rationale to current and future technologies in order to drive customer satisfaction and improve the customer journey?

The first thing we should question is ‘who is the customer’? A customer for Ticketer is both the operator and the passenger.

Passenger and operator needs are intertwined, and technology for each should be commercially viable, transparent and should simplify the passenger experience. While there are countless ways to improve the passenger journey, the best technologies are often those that are invisible to the customer.

For the operator it is a requirement for immediate visibility of operations – we should not forget, information is key, leading to focussed, better value services – running on time and with optional additions such as DRT.  Operator satisfaction ultimately flows through to the passenger in terms of buses running on time, or dare I say it – cheaper fares!

And there’s a massive opportunity now – Millennials and post-Millennials are most likely to use non-car transport (60% and 69% respectively, vs 50% average)[1]

So, what can technology deliver now and into the future?

It can simplify travel for the passenger – by passengers knowing fares and routes in advance and being able to pay with multiple methods such as contactless, mTicketing, and tap on / tap off.

It already improves the passenger experience – by putting information in the hands of the passenger. With schedule data, passengers can be advised of any delays to journeys due to accidents or congestion. Predictions are based on current running times which can be displayed at bus stop displays and passenger apps.

And by warning the driver at bus stops when it is too early to leave – preventing ‘early running’ which is arguably the biggest, avoidable, bugbear for passengers.

It delivers increased operational efficiency for the Transport Provider – by knowing how many passengers have tapped in and out there is awareness of loading and, with that knowledge, passengers can be advised if the next bus is half empty or rammed. By equalising passengers, passenger comfort increases, and boarding times flatten out.

It can improve revenue for the Operator – by adding passengers and reducing the potential for fraud.

And it can cut pollution through enhanced operational efficiency – by better use of buses per passenger.

And finally;

It is the integration of multiple technologies, in themselves perhaps only addressing a subset of the factors above, that is required for the greatest increase in customer satisfaction. Multiple technologies operating in isolation are not the answer

No, it’s not a pipedream. More than 90% of the technology already exists, and we, or others, will deliver the balance, and more, over the coming year.  The bus industry is already benefitting from technology on a par, or better, with any available to any of the competing transport modes.

 

[1] https://www.cellpointmobile.com/about/resources/us-ground-transportation-mass-transit-survey-part-1

Some of the things we have won

WINNER OF ‘BEST BUSINESS INNOVATION’ AND SHORTLISTED FOR ‘EMPLOYER OF THE YEAR’ AT THE NEWBURY WEEKLY NEWS BEST BUSINESS AWARDS, 2023

Received 'Most Innovative Public Transport Technology 2022' award, by the UK Transport Awards.

Winners of the 2022 Euro Bus Expo Innovation Challenge Bronze Award.

Winners of the 'ROSCO Silver Award for Contribution to Safer Driving' 2022

Profit Track 100 2021

Ranked in The Sunday Times BDO Profit Track 100, acknowledging the impressive performance and contributions of the featured companies to the economy and society during the pandemic

Transport Ticketing

Winner of the Transport Ticketing Awards 2021 'Digital Champion' Category

Ticketer Award Megabuyte

Listed as 3rd in the Megabuyte Emerging Stars Awards which recognise the top 25 best-performing scale-up Companies of the Year in the UK, for industry-specific software

Ones to Watch award

Named as “One to Watch” in the European Business Awards

Ticketer Award Thames Valley

Thames Valley Chamber of Commerce Business of the Year & High Growth Business of the Year

Gold Winner of the Coach and Bus Innovation Challenge 2019 for our passenger app Kazoot

Read more on our press page

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