Improving customer experience in public transport

CUSTOMER EX PERIENCE IM PACTS revenue either positively or negatively. The Airports Council International (ACI), a global association of airports, in a 2016 research report showed that customer experience is the single best way to increase non-aeronautical revenues (revenues other than those from regulated charges levied at the airport). The Airport Service Quality data revealed that an increase of one per cent in global passenger satisfaction (as defined in the ASQ survey) generates, on average, a growth of non-aeronautical revenue of one-and –a half percent.

Public transport in Nigeria leaves a sour taste in the mouth of customers. So much so that people who have travelled to Europe and America and use public transport would vow not to do same here. Poorly maintained vehicles, altercations between passengers and driver or conductor or both, uncomfortable buses that expose passengers to rain and sunshine, poor driving culture, poorly maintained roads, extortion of drivers by government agencies on the roads, limited choices of passengers to choose other means of transport and absence of training of bus drivers are some of the challenges of public transport and especially the bus transport. Innovation to bus mass transit in the city of Lagos has resulted in Bus Rapid Transit lines, light rail (still in progress) and the Cowry Card service providers among others. To achieve the goal of innovation, critical success factors for innovation must be identified and tracked. Metrics for operational management as customer intimacy, operational excellence and financial performance are critical among others. A mass service like the bus service has little room for interaction and customization but high in labour intensity. The customer interaction across all the buses must be consistent. This comes from training and continuous emphasis on customer experience. All staff must always remember that customer experience impacts revenue. If it is positive the increase in customer satisfaction will result in increased revenue. And if it is negative revenue losses will occur. Delay in waiting for the bus to reach a predetermined capacity before leaving is a dissatisfier, especially for those going to work. And if the bus keeps the engine running while loading, the cost of burning fuel while waiting will need to be matched with the triage effect intended to give the customer a feeling of an intention to move. An area of waste may be seen here both for the customer (waiting time) and the company (fuel costs) that will affect financial performance of the bus company.

Errors in card processing for charges are also another source of distress that affects customer experience. When a penalty is charged on the card of a customer for not clocking out of the bus with the card when the card reader malfunctioned it is a fine that is unfair to the customer. After many attempts, the driver would immobilize the system for passengers to check out especially in the morning rush hour. This is a negative form of customer experience.

Response time to customer complaints is also important for a positive customer experience. The customer should feel that the bus company cares and is not just out to make money. Complaints must be capable of being received across multiple channels - online, phone, face- to- face and on paper complaint boxes, among others. Response and follow – up as well as follow through to ensure that complaints are resolved is vital.

One innovation to customer communication - beyond pressing the bell at a stop by the passenger, the driver announces the bus stop and a voice bids you goodbye, that voice can be customized to our accent. For now the accent is foreign.

There is need for mass transit companies to take data of passengers stopping at various bus stops and enquire into where their likely destinations are. Profiling and building personas of customers is important to be able to know the customer and understand what the customer wants in order to meet them.

Cleanliness of buses, consistency in signages across all buses, an emphasis on continuous improvement by the bus companies, paying attention to the requirements of the physically challenged, standardization of procedures in a sustained manner will make for operational excellence.

Regular customer satisfaction surveys are advised, and some compensation should be attached to it for staff if a target customer satisfaction score is achieved. Customer experience is for all staff and stakeholders in the transport industry value chain. They must not only give it but must experience and benefit from a positive customer experience before they can give same to the customer.