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JUST THE TICKET
In her latest quarterly column Daisy Chapman-Chamberlain, alongside her colleague Matt Mullen, looks at the priorities in enhancing the customer experience
The future of the customer experience
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hat do railway customers want? This question crops up in almost every meeting, is a topic at every conference, and is a common focus for questionnaires, community engagement, and beyond. According to Transport Focus (2022), the top issues that matter the most to rail passengers across Great Britain range from tickets offering good value for money, to the reliability and regularity of services, to real-time information, security and seating, and cleanliness. As we can see, in many ways, the expectations of rail travellers have not changed since the very first passenger services nearly 200 years ago. But what has changed are the ways in which we can enhance the experiences customers have onboard rail services, enabling smarter, connected, and truly inclusive journeys.
With this in mind, how do we provide the best possible customer experience looking to the future of rail? The scale of the challenge ahead is significant; 2024 research by consultancy Steer for the Railway Industry Association has found that rail passenger numbers could double by 2050, and leisure travel is now the largest market share of rail journeys according to the Great British Railways Transition Team. The growing number of passengers we can expect in the future necessitates intelligent, personalised solutions to long-standing challenges, such as wayfinding and information provision. Creating a seamless customer experience is therefore crucial in this rapidly evolving and growing market. Using the principles of EPIC (Easy, Personalised, Intuitive, and Contextual Experiences) we can craft customer journeys that are seamless
July 2024
and engaging. The rail industry, particularly EWR, faces a unique opportunity to amalgamate isolated innovations into a unified and connected customer proposition. By applying systems thinking and focusing on both the macro and micro elements, we can develop a rail system that is reliable, consistent, and user-friendly, ultimately building trust and loyalty among customers. EPIC is the cornerstone of a truly inclusive customer experience, with principles that could transform the rail industry: Easy: Simplifying the user experience at every touchpoint, from booking tickets to navigating the station, builds a strong accessibility foundation for all customers. Streamlining these processes reduces friction, minimises delays, and enhances satisfaction.