Research
strategies can confuse and deter passengers. For more than half of the survey, for respondents who said they experienced booking difficulties, finding the cheapest option poses the biggest hurdle. Respondents had few opportunities to conduct comparative pricing within a rail company (e.g. peak vs. off-peak travel). While the ability to offer sophisticated
pricing options remains important to rail companies’ strategies, lack of visibility into the best prices can lead passengers to switch operators or transport modes in favour of clearer pricing and perceived best value. Operators that can clearly communicate a price position – in the same way that retailers often guarantee the lowest price – will differentiate themselves.
Consumers would welcome price alerts A large majority of respondents would welcome the opportunity – after they have already booked tickets – to receive price alerts via e-mail or text with better ticket offers. For instance, a family who booked their holiday tickets three months in advance, thinking that they would get the best price, may be dismayed to find that the price has been halved days before departure.
Refunds can be a block for consumers More than half of the respondents in the 45–74 age groups said they had incurred challenges booking or using online platforms. The most frequently cited problem was refunds. All age groups felt very strongly about improving refund mechanisms. Many operators are wrestling with the question of whether better pricing strategies and transparency can play a role in helping them maintain their position as key distributors of their products and the survey highlights the challenges in this area.
3: Rail operators need to provide real-time multichannel information to improve the passenger experience throughout the journey
Travellers no longer see their journey as starting at one rail station and ending at another. Passengers want to plan their journey before, during and after train travel. The majority of respondents wanted more information about their destination when booking, with information about local transport modes, availability and timing of on-going travel and maps of the destination city centre the most popular. Having an integrated journey planner with distance, time and GPS readings available at booking time interested the majority of respondents, particularly the 18–44 age range. Accenture believes that rail operators are uniquely positioned to integrate all
of the relevant travel information and provide a valuable service at the point of need. But operators would need to position themselves as the natural choice for the travellers to turn to when they are planning trips or looking for travel information en route to their destination. By doing so, they can maintain their connection with travellers beyond the booking and journey.
Social media One channel that could aid the demand for better information dissemination is social media. Given social media’s relatively low cost, ease of use and scaleability, rail operators can employ it to engage with communities of existing customers and attract new ones. It can also help rail operators provide door-to- door services with reliable and consistent information before, during and after the trip. The research points toward a growing demand for multiple channels of information.
4: Most passengers are willing to pay to enhance their on-board comfort, and being connected to their mobile devices and having access to infotainment are top of the list
The on-board experience remains key to customer satisfaction – and mastering the basics is essential. The majority of travellers welcomed more frequent cleaning of toilets above all other amenities, followed by sun shades. Deeper shelves for overhead luggage also ranked highly. Older travellers (ages 45–74) placed greater value on cleaner facilities, as well as cars banning the use of mobile phones. While passengers still want rail
operators to improve the basics, they are seeking better levels of service and more comfort. Whether in economy or premium class, the majority of travellers, particularly younger and frequent passengers, think that connectivity and entertainment should be provided for free or be included in the price of their package.
Toc's working closely with rolling stock manufacturers Rail operators may need to work more closely with rolling stock manufacturers to enhance the design to meet evolving consumer expectations. In addition, operators can offer passengers different ambiences or service/comfort levels, like the new Italian train company NTV. It runs state-of-the-art 'Italo' trains linking Italy’s major cities and offers enhanced services, including passenger Wi-Fi, an on- board entertainment portal and a cinema carriage. Services such as wireless internet
connectivity on trains can be a competitive advantage over other transport modes and can attract business
passengers. Since Wi-Fi services and electrical points would likely become the norm rather than the exception in a few years, rail companies will need to hone other service offerings to improve the travel experience for their passengers. Operators can also tie the service offerings into ancillary purchases and extended door-to-door services offered through multiple channels.
5: To enhance loyalty, rail operators will need to offer customisation and rewards
Travellers expect customised offers, and the majority of respondents are willing to share preferences If rail operators wish to compete successfully with other travel modes, they must meet passenger expectations, particularly those of younger and frequent travellers. They want to see the same level of customised travel information and special offer that they see in other industries. Consumers are becoming less tolerant of a 'one-size-fits-all' solution. Thanks to the increasing use of analytics in the retail and consumer industries, passengers are accustomed to receiving a variety of personalised offers based on past behaviour and interests. It is only natural that consumers expect rail operators to refine their traditional segmentation beyond age groups and engage them with customised travel information, promotions and offers. Accenture’s research showed that the
majority of travellers are willing to receive this customised information and offers if they are based on preferences or past travels. Overall, 82 per cent of respondents would volunteer travel preference details, enabling rail operators to personalise offers and information with passengers’ cooperation. Harnessing traveller data will help rail operators create greater intimacy with passengers and deliver the kind of customer experience they want.
Passenger expectations have evolved As the survey findings indicate, rail consumer expectations have evolved and will continue to do so at a rapid pace. Operators should recognise the significant challenges they face as they adopt a consumer-oriented approach in a liberalised market, and transform their operations accordingly. Those that increase agility and adapt will maintain a competitive advantage.
1. To read Accenture’s rail and public transport research go to:
www.accenture. com/publictransportation
Mark Elliott is director, Infrastructure and Transportation Services at Accenture.
www.accenture.com He also chairs the UK Intellect Transport Management committee
July/August 2013 Page 73
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64 |
Page 65 |
Page 66 |
Page 67 |
Page 68 |
Page 69 |
Page 70 |
Page 71 |
Page 72 |
Page 73 |
Page 74 |
Page 75 |
Page 76 |
Page 77 |
Page 78 |
Page 79 |
Page 80 |
Page 81 |
Page 82 |
Page 83 |
Page 84 |
Page 85 |
Page 86 |
Page 87 |
Page 88 |
Page 89 |
Page 90 |
Page 91 |
Page 92 |
Page 93 |
Page 94 |
Page 95 |
Page 96 |
Page 97 |
Page 98 |
Page 99 |
Page 100 |
Page 101 |
Page 102 |
Page 103 |
Page 104 |
Page 105 |
Page 106 |
Page 107 |
Page 108 |
Page 109 |
Page 110 |
Page 111 |
Page 112 |
Page 113 |
Page 114 |
Page 115 |
Page 116 |
Page 117 |
Page 118 |
Page 119 |
Page 120 |
Page 121 |
Page 122 |
Page 123 |
Page 124 |
Page 125 |
Page 126 |
Page 127 |
Page 128 |
Page 129 |
Page 130 |
Page 131 |
Page 132 |
Page 133 |
Page 134 |
Page 135 |
Page 136 |
Page 137 |
Page 138 |
Page 139 |
Page 140 |
Page 141 |
Page 142 |
Page 143 |
Page 144 |
Page 145 |
Page 146 |
Page 147 |
Page 148