A term used frequently within the service industry, customer experience is a person’s perception of the way a brand or business handles their needs and expectations. Measuring it takes many forms. From customer service surveys and social listening (monitoring online conversations to understand what customers are saying about you), there are lots of tools to surface feedback that could help you understand customer experience and improve or differentiate your brand, product, or service.
In terms of the rail industry, there are regular reports which detail how Train Operating Companies (TOCs) perform. The latest is a passenger survey from Which?: Rail firms ranked: which train companies failed to impress stressed commuters? Are you a TOC near the top of that list? If not, what could you do to improve your customer experience and reduce any stress felt by your travellers?
Well, the latest report from the ORR (Office of Rail and Road) provides a good steer. It shows that 23% of traveller complaints relate to punctuality/reliability. It’s the biggest area of concern standing above things such as on-board facilities or space/seats. Although the challenges TOCs face mean that solutions are often not a quick fix, compensation for delays is with TTCS.
Raising awareness
The ORR report shows us that the share of complaints about ticketing and refunds is high enough to act. But the Rail Delays and Compensation 2018 Report claims that not everyone knows about the Delay Repay process or their entitlements:
26% of eligible passengers were unaware they could claim compensation under the DR30 scheme.
35% of passengers chose not to claim for their most recent DR30 eligible journey.
28% of passengers didn’t even think about claiming.
7% chose not to claim even though they knew they were eligible to do so.
And in October 2018, the Government released a Report on the actions that train companies take to improve passenger awareness of compensation.
Helping passengers have a good understanding of Delay Repay would enable TOCs to demonstrate an empathy that could reduce the sting of delays / cancellations. And this nod to customer experience would be even better if TOCs’ claims processes are quick and simple. How?
Do you have the right technology in place?
Make the process easier for your travellers. Yes, you’ll pay more compensation, but your key franchise objectives are likely to include improving customer experience. Having the right technology in place, vastly reduces the man hours needed to process claims. And automation helps ensure you pay correct entitlements, reducing the risk of making over-payments.
Our clients work more efficiently using our industry-leading software. It improves their effectiveness through automation and full life-cycle management of Delay Repay claims and customer enquiries. This results in significant positive impacts and gains in the entire customer experience.
Don’t let it be a burden
Delay Repay isn’t going to go away, it’s only going to become more prominent with the Government actively raising its profile. Make sure you have the right technology in place to be confident in meeting the criteria set out by the Government. Then, it’s time to let people know you’re doing it; be ahead of the game and don’t let the competition show you up.
Contact TTCS to find out more about our bespoke technology and why we’re the leading software as a service provider operating in the UK Rail Industry providing delay repay claims management solutions to Train Operating Companies, and how we can help support your travellers customer experience.