Give passengers the information they need quickly and efficiently with our CX App

Introduction

Happy New Year everyone and here’s hoping for a better 2021.

Welcome back to our blog, as the final part of our ‘introductions to’’ series, we’re going to tell you about our CX App.

What is the CX App?

The CX App was conceived in 2016 as a practical solution to improving frontline customer service for the rail industry.

The CX app provides frontline staff with the latest train arrival and departure information for a particular TOCs network, as well as real-time station information on a mobile device or tablet to help them deliver immediate customer service information to passengers.

The app is modular, which means different features can easily be added, removed, or created. It also allows the functionality of several apps to be combined into a single user interface to reduce the number of apps staff need to consult. The CX App contains a complete knowledge-based reference library of information ranging from ticket prices and station or PIDD manuals via rail planners as well as rail replacement bus information to give station staff the information they need at their fingertips in seconds.

In the event of a disruption, the CX App is able to provide the latest disruption information, and if desired, staff can be given key information before passengers so they are informed before any passengers start to enquire.

It will also be able to help frontline staff advise passengers of alternative routes, to help customer satisfaction.

The app can integrate with an individual TOC’s existing in-house digital software, such as CRMs and IT systems, and can collate these into one, easy-to-use application that saves time and will help manage disruption more effectively.  For example, the app could integrate the latest control team messaging via an ‘API’.

Companies who have already deployed apps based around our CX solution include London Overground, MTR Elizabeth Line, and Northern Rail.

What problems does it solve?

The CX App solves the problem that front line staff often don’t have information at their fingertips when dealing with passenger inquiries at busy stations at peak times. This can lead to passengers being given inadequate or inaccurate passenger information during disruption, a leading cause of passenger dissatisfaction.

Results from the most recent passenger survey show that the national average of people satisfied with train time information at stations is around 85% and 71% are satisfied with the attitudes of staff in a station. These results are good, however, the average percentage of passengers satisfied with how TOCs deal with delays is on average 45%, so communication to passengers around these issues is something that needs to be rectified.

The CX app can help TOCs to improve response to these disruption issues by effectively planning alternative routes, so that station staff are not out of the loop when helping solve a passenger query, thus speeding up communication and creating more satisfied customers.

The app can also bridge the communication gap between control teams and frontline station staff, which historically has escalated disruption and not given station staff the information that they need when talking to customers. Poor handling of customer information during disruption has adversely affected customer satisfaction KPIs which has been a widespread issue in the industry for decades.

A further issue is that station staff are often faced with poor UI’s, which decreases the likelihood of them using the app, or even the effectiveness of the app. Often what happens, TOCs will find new app solutions that have better UI rather than revisiting old apps. The CX App can integrate some of these apps so as not to waste money spent, where the money can be used in other areas.

What are the benefits?

• It streamlines communication by collating all information into one app, this allows for one-person communication which will reduce passenger time as well as increasing customer satisfaction
• Reduces training needs as a result of an easy to use and intuitive UI, meaning minimal training needed, thus accelerating onboarding time for new staff
• Planning alternative routes in disruption will both increase customer satisfaction and reduce time spent manually re-routing passengers
• Bridges the communication gap between control and customer service staff so information is received more promptly
• Integrates with in-house IT systems which will save time for those who work in Control and Customer Service positions
• Can be customised for any TOC, from a largely commercial ‘off the shelf’ solution

Final thoughts

If you’re interested in adopting the CX App for your TOC or organisation, or would just to find out more about it, please contact Emlyn James at emlyn@jnction.uk.

Once again, we hope you have a better 2021.  We will be blogging regularly during the year on new ways to improve passengers’ experience of using the railways which we hope will be of interest.