Mobile-ticketing driving revenue
View the above podcast to learn more about our progress with the key
Go-Ahead has been leading the field in its approach to smartcard technology and marketing for some time. More recently, the Group has begun to see the benefits of another type of ticketing. Mobile-ticketing (m-ticketing) has been operational across the Group for little over a year and has already delivered good results. Over £1m of revenue was generated through m-ticketing in less than 12 months.
This revenue has been generated via 65,000 ticket downloads. Usage statistics show that almost half of the m-ticketing travel apps downloaded by our customers resulted in a sale. From its fast take up, it is clear that this retail channel is proving hugely popular with our customers, making it easier for our passengers to buy and use their ticket, removing the need to carry cash or queue to buy tickets.
M-ticketing allows people to download tickets via their smart phones instantly. First trialled at Go North East for six months, it was quickly introduced at Plymouth Citybus, Go South Coast, and Brighton & Hove and has proved a great success, especially on student routes.
M-ticketing is just one part of Go-Ahead’s continual development in improving our understanding of what our customers want. Most of our rail and bus websites are now responsive so they are easy to use and display information correctly, no matter what type of device customers are using.
Our online customer database can be used for effective, targeted marketing campaigns across our bus and rail businesses and now has almost four million registered customers.
The data gathered through this channel enables us to gain a fuller understanding of passengers’ travel habits and purchase preferences. This means we can provide them with relevant information and products to suit their needs.
A better understanding of our customers
This greater understanding of our customers means we’ve moved from transporting largely anonymous passengers to being able to communicate with many of them in a more personalised manner. We can remind also them when there’s a special offer on a journey they’ve made in the past. And if we know they’re likely to have children then we can promote ‘family’ days out and activities for them.
Knowing our customers means we’re able to tailor our services to suit their needs. Wifi is now available on our Konnectbus buses going to Norwich city centre - as we know this is adds to the appeal of traveling by bus on this 25 minute-or-so journey - as oppose to using the car. It’s in these small ways that greater affinity with their local train or bus provider is created.
And it’s more and more likely that we’ll be reaching our customers as they’re on the move. While m-ticketing is primarily been developed for the Group’s bus companies - there’s also great opportunities for us to make a connection with our rail customers through their mobile devices too A recent survey by advertising firm JCDecaux shows that 56% of rail commuters are likely to own and use a smartphone. People can sign up for email alerts for the specific train they travel on and, if there’s a delay, then we can let them know in advance, All our rail companies have real-time travel information updates so that customers have information direct from rail operations’ control rooms. All our rail companies have embraced Twitter as a great way to provide up to the minute information to rail passengers and also provide customer service contact through this new relatively new social media platform.
Go-Ahead continues to invest in making sure we remain at the forefront of the transport industry and will keep looking for smarter ways to improve the service we offer customers to make it as easy as possible for them to travel with us.
Key facts
- 120,000 - key transactions a day
- 420,000 - key cards being used by passengers
Key progress
- Smartcard machines installed on all of our 2,000 buses outside London.
- Over 58% of Oxford Bus Company's journey's are using the smartcard
- Over 200 ticket machines upgraded to sell smartcard products at 130 railway stations
- Introduction of first interoperable commercial smartcard scheme in Oxford in partnership with Stagecoach
- First company to launch integrated Plus Bus ticketing for smartcards in Brighton and Crawley
- Testing well underway ahead of the launch of the key smartcard for Southern Railway customers inside London alongside Oyster card this autumn
- The Key is now Britain's most widely used transport smartcard outside of London
If you would like more information about the key at our companies or would like to buy key products, please click on the relevant logo below:
Read more about Go-Ahead's progress with the key in a recent article in Transport Times: ‘The key to joined-up travel’