Directions A Simple Guidebook for Integrating Market and Customer Research into Transit Decision-Making to Become Customer Oriented (1998) / Chapter Skim
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Contents of Report
Contents of Report
Pages 1-29
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DISCLAIMER The opinions and conclusions expressed or implied in the report are those of the research agency. They are not necessarily those of the TRB, the National Research Council, the ETA, the Transit Development Corporation, or the U.S.
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How are data on customer satisfaction disseminated at your agency? Your Response The Response of a Customer-Oriented Agency Whenever we are considering a decision to add, improve, or delete programs and services, change our fare structure, or change our policies or strategic directions.
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One day or less. Our employees - from top management to front-line personnel - are empowered to make immediate responses to changes in our operating environment when such a change is responsive to a customer's ~ ~ ~existing or potential - need, want, or lid .
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Top management at the agency is committed to serving the needs and expectations of the customers but only if those needs and expectations can operate within the constraints of offering traditional public transportation services or within a certain political climate or under certain budgetary constraints. No market mentality.
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Embrace a set of customer-oriented values and beliefs that top management supports. Top management support is so important that Theodore Levitt, in his seminal statement of the marketing concept argued that customer needs must be the central focus of the firm's definition of its business purpose, and that this is the primary responsibility of the firm's senior management.
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CUSTOMER AND PARKE RESEARCH FUNCTION /I/~(JST: Help all internal customers hear the voice of the market by providing information and the support necessary to use it effectively in the decision-making process. AS A ROSIN A: The quality of agency wide marketing is enhanced.
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Moreover, the scope of these past efforts is limited and is seldom used to direct major policy decisions. Most research efforts at transit agencies are directed at assessing customer attitudes or satisfaction with services and public opinion about agencies' performance or image.
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This has long been the primary use of market and customer research. However, with the escalating rate of change and the increased focus on the customer and customer service, organizations are recognizing that a research function that continually surveys the marketplace allows them to take a more proactive stance in the marketplace.
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, annual customer satisfaction surveys (500 telephone interviews) , tri-annual work travel censuses, focus groups and "quick response" surveys go from macro to micro levels in a hierarchy, from examining overall community transportation priorities and determining how transit is viewed by the public; through identifying system-wide issues about service development; to more focused issues like passenger amenities.
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purposes; they tend to be mostly dependent on public transit. Capital Metro continued the project with their customers' guidance.
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"If research indicates that security is of growing concern, the budget will reflect an emphasis on this problem," said Director of Strategic Planning & Research Joel Freilich. Example Gateway Sports & Entertainment Complex {in c/.
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Examp/es Public /nvo/vement in Long Range Plan: As part of RTD's Decide the Ride program, over 20 public meetings were planned regarding future service development. The Panel provided guidance regarding potential transit scenarios that would be presented at these community meetings.
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and a Total Quality Management program, top management recognizes that their main concern must be front-line workers and their customers. The "Long Island" says its mission is not just to run the railroad, but to enhance mobility by attracting people out of their cars.
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Comparec! to You To better serve this growing city of 92,000, a total quality management program (TOM)
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Examp/e Service Based Markef Development Study: To relate services to consumer preferences (regarding importance / performance ratings, benefits and trade-offs) and then implement the services which have the greatest potential to increase ridership, METRO commissioned focus groups and a telephone survey of 1,800 households in Maryland, Virginia and D.C.
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From the research, WrA developed good products and a significant marketing program using direct mail, newspaper and special programs at the university and mall. Though the addition in service hours was marginal, WrA's ridership increases are setting transit industry records.
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After that, R&MS took on other internal roles: improving Metro's ridership forecasting models, collecting data for federal requirements, and assisting with goal setting for top management. R&MS offers suggestions to other larger agencies' research sections: Build a reputation for high quality research and a "can-do" attitude; 2)
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Now there is an annual onboard customer satisfaction survey. As performance and customer confidence improved, MTA Metro-North determined that pushing for ridership growth requires developing and understanding new customers.
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If there isn't time for research, LYNX is apt to try things and then find out what happens-with surprising success. Compared to You The 140-bus LYNX system-or Central Florida Regional Transportation Authority provides transit to a population of 1.2 million in its service area of Orange, Seminole and Osceola Counties.
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~r - .e.a. ~ : ~ ; ince creating a market research department five years ago to test and evaluate advertising, the Metropolitan Transit Authority of Harris County (METRO)
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They are concerned with the: · Extent of management commitment, · Research design and focus, · Technical quality of the research, · Degree of trust in the research process and in those conducting the research, and · Organizational structure and culture. Transit agencies must change to survive and grow to meet today's challenges.
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This means that the agency must allow time for reflection and analysis, to think about strategic plans, dissect customer needs, assess current work systems, and develop new products and services. Top management must explicitly free up employees' time for the process of research.
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In turn, greater value will lead to ongoing support and commitment from top management - the central ingredient to a sustained market and customer research function. I D I LO reposition l: Establish an Objective and tndepenclent Research Function Establishing a research function that allows those responsible for planning and conducting the research to maintain their objectivity and independence is an important first step to increasing the value of market research.
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reconcile diverse points of view, (2) identify critical information needs and avoid unnecessary research, and (3)
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reposition IX: Identify Critical Information to Reduce Unnecessary Research One of the most significant services a market research function can provide is to help managers identify and challenge their own assumptions and examine alternative perspectives on what they know. This process highlights important areas where knowledge is lacking and where market or customer research will have greater value.
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As the level of trust between managers and researchers increases, managers will be increasingly open to new and surprising results. The research function has an opportunity to assist in this area by providing leadership in challenging thinking about assumptions and decisions.
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Constantly evaluate the effectiveness of the research function and the way in which the agency learns and uses research to aid in decision-making. Having a better understanding of the research function and its relationship to decision-making, and making improvements in the organization of the research function as it becomes more integrated with decision-making will insure its success and increase its future value.
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This has occurred largely because of the separation of the research function from decision-makers. In contrast, less has been done on the process of using information and the quality of thinking.
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Source: Robin M Hogarth, Judgment and Choice Integrating market and customer research into transit decision-making will bring transit agencies through this revolution and to the light at the end of the tunnel.
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