Exceptional Care for Your Valued Client ?

Today's blog is about the world of Dutch public transportation (OV)

Once upon a time... long time ago....you could buy a public transportation ticket at desk with a friendly perseon who even could tell you what time and platform your train / bus was coming. Then the fast world of technique was introduced, ticketmachines with a top-up card and with electronic check-in and check out, in train and buses.

GREAT! One card for one service for all public transportation! If you are a regular users....Well we have even a discount for you if you register your profile. It even would help to gain insights about travel behavior and therefor the PT is able to get more or less buses and trains on certain line. Also a marketing plan was launched  to get the people back in to public transportation so that the car is less used.

Exceptional Care for Your Valued Client. A company was founded to get this OV Card as its called up-and-running. The big sign says: Together we create one OV Card

At train/metro stations these check-in/check out's were installed (pic ANP) Many compaints about failing technique, bad readble screens and a lot of people forgot to check out.

"Dont forget to check out" is in Dutch: Vergeet niet uit te checken .... How little do they know about the brain if you call 2 action: "don't forget...."

One day....our public trasportation, in line with EU regulations was opend for compition and new companies arrived to the market...and created their own check-in/check out's.

On one journey check in/check out ...and check in/check out with the other company....

Exceptional care?......Ahum...What was the purpose of this card again?.......

Hurrayyyyy another company came to public transportation....Even more check in and check out's...All with the same messege....DONT FORGET to Check out!

Guess what the biggest problem is? People queuing up...have no clue if they are check in or out, getting fined because they travel with out a check in.....

If you presented the card..you have to wait 3 minutes before can present the card gain...now that's great during rush hour.....and you want to catch your train....

As part of their "excellent" service...they forced the customers to use the OV Chip card by simple accepting ONLY the OV Card, NO other options to buy a ticket...Welcome to the Netherlands!

More and more complaints came in about people forgetting to check out. An unregistered card will cost you € 7,50 a full profile card will cost you nothing. Unregistered have no options to get the money back in case of failure with the check out as they are unable to trace it..... and still they are thinking why people having trouble accepting this card....

So what do you do about these "stupid customers" who forget to check out all the time? You launch another marketing campaign with the same message...but with a small addition:

Big print: "Hopefully you forgot this by tomorrow".... and in the small print...."But don't forget to check in/out with your card"
According to google the number of complaints are still rising...wonder why ;-)

 Do they nothing for their Valued Clients?... Ofcourse they do, they start a new campaign about the check out problems, they make a new department to handle all the complaints. (now thats a real additional business cost for what?) Its easy solved this sigh says...trust me, even for a Dutchie is hard to understand.







RTI trained people instantly would investigate the source of all the trouble but top-down-thinkers create a solution for the symptom...We already know how this will end right? ;-)

But Cornelis...You always talk about customers...where are they?...Well here they are with a huge sign "Stop the Chaos" and the small print: " I want 1 desk for all my complaints" now you have to go to all the public transportation companies in case of check out failure because nobody can see where it went wrong.... A very very clear sign of the customers I would say!

Actually the client us saying: I want trouble free public transportation!

Solutions? YES ofcourse there are! Get it done by the source! Make one clear sign like this pic....100% RTI proof message!

OV Chip Card
Check ALWAYS IN and OUT!

In black and white...no fancy colors..just do it one time right....there is no other option....



Above example is one of the book "How to be very successful in failing" or it could be from the book: "Help! I got a customer!"

UPDATE: May 21
The public Transportation companies announced today that they have decide that there is no paper ticket available anymore from July 2014, if you are tourist or want to travel without OV Card you can purchase a PAPER Ticket with an additional cost of 1 euro and you have to check in and out with the paper OV ticket. .....Left or right...you want our service.....

Exceptional Care for Your Valued client is more then forcing a service you have designed to make a profit....its an business attitude and a mindset to strive for the best experience for your clients. More sales, more service experience, more repeat business, happy clients!

As always, I hope this inspires you to think about your Exceptional Care and how you could improve it.  Leave your message below if you want a slogan, part of text re-written and get it RTI Proof! Free of Charge!

Have a great day!
Cornelis

PS: We start a new RTI course on June 3, sign up at our facebook page! 3 coaches, 3 books and all the help you can get for just $ 249 and with a monthly payment plant $ 3x 100