How Important is Customer experience in public transport?

In the bus transport industry, focusing on the customer experience is a game changer even when it does not happen from day to day, it is a process.
Therefore, in such a period of continued incomparable interruption and increased competition, the bus operators plus all other bus stake holders like Ugabus.com are in the search for distinction. The distinctive positions could help them attain efficiency and profitability.

According to a KPMG commissioned study, they state that “across multiple sectors, the top 25 customer experience leaders achieved 5 times the earnings growth and 7 times the revenue growth of the bottom 25. While 80% of transport companies agree to this thought and claim to focus on improving customer experience, 85% admit to the lack of clarity in defining a differentiated customer experience. “

As more companies rise and participate in transport service provision, and users continuing to expect better experiences, connectivity then forms the base of a heightened customer experience agenda with the bus operators having two key challenges to address:
1- Knowing and comprehending a good customer experience.
2- Re-orienting the entire company about the customer and ensuring a better consistent experience.

Analysis from KPMG’s 2019 Global Customer Experience Exellence Report shows that “customer experience is one of the main factors to drive engagement, satisfaction, loyalty and profitable growth.”

Great customer service equals to a greater customer experience while they interact with a company. Poor customer service has the ability to drive people away from a brand. For example if a passenger uses social media to tell people of a poor customer service, it breaches the reputation of that given brand which is difficult to regain. However, apologies make out a difference. If something goes wrong, such as a bus arrives late or a rude response from the staff, swiftly understanding the error and apologizing sincerely can dissuade any complaints and potrays that a company minds about and cares for their customers.

Having respect for the passenger, apologizing, acknowledging errors and fixing problems is what it takes for good customer service. Improving efficiencies and making transport convenient helps operators to satisfy time-sensitive travelers. Focusing entirely on customers, having their relationship first, enables the bus operators to ensure that customers feel valued and want to continue traveling with that company.

For bus operators, e-ticketing fits into this wider picture by enhancing a better customer experience. Passengers now want “frictionless travel”, and a “frictionless experience”. By embracing smart ticketing provided by tech start-ups like Ugabus.com, passengers have the ability to follow up their desired buses, they are also informed if their journeys will be delayed or the time the bus will arrive.

The alerts provided give passengers time to adjust such as getting to the bus park in time or searching for other options. This kind of customer satisfaction and service offers a company a way through the competition and enhances customer or brand loyalty.
The bus sector is full of bad experiences which is a role for all operators to change and as customer discovery never ends, so does customer expectation. Therefore, there’s need to observe and adapt accordingly.

From the future I envision, one day it might be possible for road transport standards in sub saharan africa to be as efficient as the airline industry. This is not a matter of if but rather when!

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NOTE: If you are passionate about public transport in emerging markets, tweet me on @hakiza256