customer service action plan all a part of a system-wide customer service action plan designed to...
TRANSCRIPT
Customer Service and Operations Committee
Information Item III-A
June 14, 2012
Customer Service Action Plan
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Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority
Board Action/Information Summary
Action Information MEAD Number:Resolution:
Yes No
TITLE:
Customer Service Action Plan
PURPOSE:
To provide the Customer Service and Operations committee an overview of Metro's action plan to improve customer service.
DESCRIPTION: Dozens of actions are underway throughout Metro to improve customer service ranging from changing communications practices to replacing and rehabilitating escalators, training station managers and improving bus schedules. The programs and initiatives are all a part of a system-wide Customer Service Action Plan designed to improve day-to-day service.
Development of the plan began last fall. The central approach is to view Metro through the eyes of our customers. Accordingly, staff looked at each of the steps that our customers take along their journey and identified key customer touch points within each step.
As a first step, research was conducted with customers and employees to define good customer service and to identify priorities of the customers during their journeys with Metro. Focus groups were convened with frequent and infrequent rail and bus customers and with bus operators, Metro Access riders, rail station managers and call center representatives. Intercept interviews were also conducted with tourists. The research results identified customer priorities and preferences and where Metro performed well and needed to better concentrate efforts to better serve customers.
With the research in hand and a better understanding of customer priorities, a Customer Action Plan was developed. The plan includes actions that were already underway, as well as new actions identified through the research. Just as a customer’s journey crosses many departments of Metro, the plan contains action items from various Metro disciplines, including Public Relations, Rail, Bus, Metro Access, Finance and Metro Transit Police.
To measure and communicate our progress, two important tools have been developed: a customer satisfaction index and a mystery rider program.
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The presentation will provide an overview of the plan’s approach, framework, actions and measurement program. As the program evolves and as some work is completed, it is expected that new actions will be added over time.
FUNDING IMPACT:
There is no impact to funding. All projects undertaken are already contained in the Board-approved budget.
Project Manager: Barbara Richardson/Lynn Bowersox
Project Department/Office:
Customer Service, Communications and Marketing
RECOMMENDATION:
There is no recommendation for this informational committee item.
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Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority
Customer Service Action Plan
Customer Service and Operations Committee
June 14, 2012
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Purpose
Provide an overview
of the action plan to
i timprove customer
serviceservice
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Customer Journey
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Focusing on Customer Service
• Learn customer expectations– Frequent, infrequent bus and
rail riders
MetroAccess riders– MetroAccess riders
– Visitors
• Listen to frontline employees• Listen to frontline employees
• Identify gaps, build action plansp
• Measure progress– Mystery Ridery y
– Satisfaction Index
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Metro Customers Like…
Rail• Clean and easy to use• Map and PIDS praised• Gets me out of traffic
• “More on-time than not”
Bus• Can multitask/work en route• Micro-community among riders• Close to my home/don’t have to driveClose to my home/don t have to drive• Eco-friendly• Online trip planning praised• New, clean busesNew, clean buses• Next Bus/real time information
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Metro Customers Like…
MetroAccessMetroAccess
• Convenience
D d i• Door-to-door assistance
• Independence
• New, clean vehicles
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Frontline Service Delivery – Rail
Customers on station managers:• Safety, security role• Serve only tourists• Inconsistent experiencesInconsistent experiences• Availability
From station managers:• Overwhelmed during problems• Peers recognize some deliver poor
serviceservice• Need information
Condition of rail cars:• Stains
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Action Plan –Frontline RailFrontline Rail
Improve service delivered by station managers Develop training program for supervisors,
managers Distribute instructions about rush hour presence• Train 105 supervisors by June• Train 558 station managers by December 2012
Provide information to station managersg Assess computer skills Provide needed computer training Launch station manager web site Launch station manager web siteImprove rail car cleanliness• Install resilient flooring in 7K series
In e e off pe k t ff le ning• Increase off-peak staff cleaning• Complete testing of resilient flooring for 5K/6K
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Frontline Service Delivery – Bus
Customers about bus operators:• Main job: drive the bus• Safety and security role• May or may not assist passengersMay or may not assist passengers • Do not expect much interaction• Inconsistent appearance
I i t t t i d li• Inconsistent customer service delivery
Bus operators:• People chat with operators, lots of p p ,
noise, distracting• Fare machines inoperable, slow service• Bus schedules not accurateBus schedules not accurate• Interested in customer service training
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Action Plan –Frontline BusFrontline Bus
Improve service delivery by bus operators• Develop customer service training program by July
• Train 500 bus operators by December
Enhance onboard securityEnhance onboard security• Install closed circuit television on all buses by July
• Install bus shields on 100 buses by end of summer
• Detail 30 more officers in 2013
Address schedule challenges• Begin Better Bus improvements by April 2013• Begin Better Bus improvements by April 2013
• Reflect feedback in service planning and scheduling
• Resolve in-service incidents
• Collaborate with local transportation departments to repair and improve streets and bus stops
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Frontline Service Delivery –MetroAccessMetroAccess
Customers on MetroAccess:• Praise for drivers• Improved reservation process• Frustration with dispatchFrustration with dispatch• Inconsistent experiences/service levels• Confusion on fares
l f db kEmployee feedback:• Some customers do not understand or follow
policies- become frustrated• Gap between expectations and service
delivery• Punctuality and ride-sharing issuesPunctuality and ride sharing issues
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Action Plan –MetroAccessMetroAccess
Improve service delivery by dispatch and operatorsp y y p p Monitor and coach communication among dispatch,
operators and customers
Conduct sensitivity training
Recertify job skills
D l l d hi Develop leadership programs
Focus on brand image standards
Purchase new vehicles Purchase new vehicles
Develop customer satisfaction survey
• Create fare calculatorCreate fare calculator
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In-System Communications
• Announcements not clear – stations, t i btrains, or buses
• Multi-tasking Passenger Information Displays (PIDs)p y ( )
• Bus route confusion: “Where is that bus going?”
f b l (• Perception gap of bus timeliness (+5 min, cannot be early)
• Perception of MetroAccess tardinessp
• Unavailable estimated time of arrival
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In-System Communications
• Customers want constantcommunication throughout Journey
– Prior to arrival – “is my train/bus on time, how should I get there”time, how should I get there
– At every juncture – transfers, delays
– Departing the system – “where do I p g yexit”
• Call Center
– Positive customer interactions once on the phone
– Employees need informationEmployees need information
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Action Plan – CommunicationsBefore EnteringBefore Entering
All Modes Launch Metro Alerts – February
Publish monthly GM column in “Express” – June
• Update mobile web – December
Rail Establish Incident Communications Protocol – February
• Install static signs – July
R l h d itt i ith t d d t k• Replace handwritten signs with standard stock
Phase 1; 8 signs
Phase 2; 6 signs by late summer– Phase 2; 6 signs by late summer
• Install digital flat screen signs at 75 stations by late Fall
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Action Plan – CommunicationsBefore EnteringBefore Entering
Bus Locate communicators in control center;
introduce Bus Alerts – Nov./Feb.• Integrate MetroAlerts with Nextbus – December• Install 1500 new static bus stop signs a year –
begins 2013; complete by 2015 • Install real-time information bus stop signs –Install real time information bus stop signs
begins 2013; complete by 2018
MetroAccessI t ll M t A t i t j• Install MetroAccess stop signs at major locations – begins 2013
• Develop online vehicle location system – 2014• Increase functionality of web and interactive
voice recorder system – 2014
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Action Plan – CommunicationsIn SystemIn System
Improve clarity and quality of in-system announcements• Rail
Review, revise station and operator messages f R h+ b J 18for Rush+ by June 18
• Review station announcements for optimal length and frequency
• Upgrade station Public Address systems
– Upgrade all underground stations – 37 of 51 complete
– Begin upgrade at above ground stations within next year
• Bus
Review, revise operator messages
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Action Plan – CommunicationsIn SystemIn System
I i f llImprove responsiveness of customer call center Conduct an independent performance assessment
E t bli h f t Establish performance measurement program
Reorganize management
• Launch e comment process review by end of June• Launch e-comment process review by end of June
• Conduct industry benchmarking by end of July
• Establish customer feedback program this fallEstablish customer feedback program this fall
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Action Plan – Employee CommunicationsCommunications
Improve Employee/Contractor Communications
Improve Metro Weekly – May/ongoing
Initiate General Manager’s Forums – Spring
Establish Senior Staff E-network – 2011
Create employee email list serv – February
Launch customer recognition program –November 2011
Update electronic bulletin board – June Update electronic bulletin board – June
Launch safety communications campaign –January 2012
• Upgrade MetroWeb – Spring 2013
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Security Issues
• Generally, customers feel safey,
• Security concerns:– Bus, rail and MetroAccess
– Disruptive youth behavior before and after school, weekends
Riding at night and weekends– Riding at night and weekends
• Presence of uniformed officials importantp– Police
– Bus operators
– Visible station managers
– MetroAccess road supervisors
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Action Plan – Security
Coordinate Daily Metropolitan Police; District of Columbia youthMetropolitan Police; District of Columbia youth
services and public schools; Montgomery and Prince George’s county police, and other governmental entities
Deployment – bus and rail Adjust transit police deployment to manage
pending incidents Utilize high-intensity target enforcement Position station managers outside of kiosks• Detail 60 more officers in 2013
Community involvement Attend back-to-school nights, school assemblies,
and community meetings; Participate on task forces: Truancy, Anti-
Bullying, Anti-Gang, and School Anti-Violence • Complete focus groups with students by July
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Fares & Collection System
• Cards become inoperable
• Fare machines difficult to useFare machines difficult to use
• Refund process unclear & slow
• Fares confusing• Fares confusing
• Difficulty adding fares on bus
• Rail expensive
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Action Plan – Fares and CollectionCollection
Improve operability of SmarTrip® equipment Replace obsolete card readers in high ridership Replace obsolete card readers in high ridership
stations Fall 2011 Resolve software issues on bus fare boxes• Replace all card readers by end of next yearReplace all card readers by end of next year
Enhance Website Capability Allow report of lost/stolen cards; transfer balances
between cards – January 2012 yImprove use of fare vending Load SmartBenefits at fare gates – December 2011• Introduce threshold autoload – purchases of passes p p
or stored value by September • Install SmarTrip® dispensers at all stations by end of
SeptemberImprove refund process Reduce backlog of fare adjustment requests Increase call center staffing
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Station Environment
• Escalators and elevators
• Need better lightingg g
• HVAC system – station and rail cars
• Platforms crowded concerns during events and rush hours• Platforms crowded, concerns during events and rush hours
• Wayfinding issues
N d i f ti l i t ti i t f i t t– Need information leaving stations: points of interest
– More maps
– Accessible to all
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Action Plan –Station EnvironmentStation Environment
Improve escalator/elevator performance Ch ti fi ti Change operating configuration• Develop remote monitoring of elevators- all complete by FY14• Employ additional resources for preventive maintenance compliancep y p p• Rehab 105 escalators; replace 94 escalators• Rehab 32 elevators
Increase station lightingIncrease station lighting Extend Judiciary Sq pilot to 3 stations by end of FY13• Enhance lighting at 14 stations by end of FY13Improve accessibility Enhance elevator features for visually-impairedImprove wayfindingImprove wayfinding Upgrade bus sign information • Initiate rail wayfinding inventory – 2013
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Action Plan –Station EnvironmentStation Environment
Improve station HVAC:Improve station HVAC:
Maintain 6°F temperature differential
Increase preventive maintenance Increase preventive maintenance cycles
• Implement remote temperature monitoring at 47 stations by mid-July
Improve vehicle HVAC
Perform more intense seasonal vehicle HVAC campaigns
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Measurement—Mystery Rider
• Program developmentProgram development
• Quarterly summary reports– Train/station environment/station managers (125 per quarter)Train/station environment/station managers (125 per quarter)
– Metro Transit Police
– Bus stops/bus, including operators (120 per quarter)g
– ADA compliance for fixed route system, including bus stops
– Fare media performance
• Weekly/Daily “hot” alerts
• Online database for specific research/analysis
• Senior Management Reports
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Measurement—Satisfaction Survey
• Begins Summer 2012• Begins Summer 2012
• Interview 400 bus, 400 rail customers each quartereach quarter
• Ask about customer service, security, wayfinding signage climatewayfinding, signage, climate, cleanliness, fare media, and call center
• Customer service index will be created• Customer service index will be created for multiple groups and tracked
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