wheel of customer service

Wheel of Customer Service

Olaf KinardDirector of Marketing &

Communications Charlotte Area Transit System

December 6, 2012

Do your customers tell you…..


I was on hold for 20 minutes and then they hung up? Its okay, I like listening to new renditions of easy listening Madonna.

I was transferred 8 times before getting to the wrong person, I like meeting new people, I can add them to Facebook.

Two more calls and I’ll have the entire city employees as friends.

It’s enjoyable riding a bus without air conditioning in 95 degree heat, it my hot yoga session.

I like for drivers to get lost on the route, its such an adventure.

. . . .Sounds Silly doesn’t it!

Do your customers tell you…..

I love solving puzzles, that’s why I read the schedule.


Do you design your services to receive these types of responses from customers?

How do you know when you have met or exceeded customers’ expectations?

What goals does your organization and employees have that measures customer satisfaction?

What type of customer service culture are you creating within your organization?

Do you know what is Important to a customer?


What kind of business is public transportation?

Transportation Public Service


What kind of business is public transportation?

Retail Service

Customer boards our vehicles They pay a price They expect a safe, convenient and enjoyable ride

This basic business model has not changed!


Does being Government funded determine your customer service Strategy?

Will you be less nice?

Will you sometimes do preventative maintenance?

Will you be less accurate with schedule information?



Source: Bureau Of Economic Analysis

The customer must be at the CORE of Your customer service strategy.

Your organization must be aligned to focus on serving the customer.


City of Charlotte

Overall Customer Satisfaction

2011201020072006200520042003200220000%

10%

20%

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40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

100%

Satisfaction with Quality of Service

LYNX Express Local STS Gold Rush Overall Customer Satisfaction

City of Charlotte

Region and Community Value

2011201020072006200520042003200220000%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

100%

Regional Need and Value to the Community

Value to Community Regional Need

City of Charlotte

Managing and Planning System

201120102007200620052004200320020%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

100%

How Well CATS Manages the System and Plans for the Future

Planning for the Future Managing System

City of Charlotte

Customer Loyalty

201120102007200620052004200320020%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

Percentage of Customers Riding 1+ years

City of Charlotte

Continue As A Customer

201120102007200620052004200320020%

10%

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60%

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80%

Likelihood of Riding CATS in the Future

City of Charlotte

2011 Top 10 Importance Items

Importance Previous Years

1. Safe Drivers (2)2. Valuable service to the community (1)3. Stations/ Stops are conveniently located (4)4. Safe from Crime onboard (8)5. Service runs on time (12) 6. Schedules / maps are on the website (3)7. Reasonable travel time (6)8. Passes sold at convenient locations (13)9. Easy to get route info on the phone (15)10.Schedule info at stops/stations (7)10. Drivers are Knowledgeable (9)

City of Charlotte

2011 Importance and Performance

Importance Performance1. Safe Drivers (2)2. Valuable service to the community (1)3. Stations/ Stops are conveniently located (6)4. Safe from Crime onboard (13)5. Service runs on time (14) 6. Schedules / maps are on the website (3)7. Reasonable travel time (11)8. Passes sold at convenient locations (7)9. Easy to get route info on the phone (4)10.Schedule info at stops/stations (9)10. Drivers are Knowledgeable (5)

City of Charlotte

Quadrant AnalysisOverall mean importance = 4.26 / Overall mean performance = 3.92

3.57 3.67 3.77 3.87 3.97 4.07 4.17 4.27 4.373.89

3.99

4.09

4.19

4.29

4.39

4.49

4.59

a

c

f

k

n

q

uw

Performance

Quad 1: High Importance/ High Performance

Quad 4: High Importance/Low Per-formance

h

Quad 1: High Importance/ High Performance

Quad 4: High Importance/Low Per-formance

Quad 3: Low Importance/Low Per-formance Quad 2: Low Importance/High Performance

e

Impo

rtanc

e

s

r

v

t

pom

l

j

i

g

d

b

City of Charlotte

Quadrant Analysis

k. Drivers are safe driversq. System provides valuable servicec. Stations/stop conveniently locatedm. Route schedules, maps on websitej. Drivers are knowledgeablep . Easy to get info on the phoned. Passes at convenient locationso. Schedule info at stops/stationsr. Route/schedule changes communicated

Quadrant 4High Importance/ Low Performance

These areas need improvement. High priority for attention and resources.

Quadrant 1High Importance/High Performance

Performing as riders expect. Essential to maintain performance.

Quadrant 3Low Importance/ Low Performance

Could improve in these areas, but low priority for additional effort or resources.

Quadrant 2Low Importance/ High Performance

Maintain performance, but no new attention or resources are necessary.

a. Service runs on timet. Feel safe from crime onboardf . Travel time reasonablew. Feel safe from crime at stops/facilities

e. Riding is relaxingl. Transit center clean, well maintainedb. Buses/trains won’t pass byg. Waiting times reasonablen. Quick response to complaints/suggestionss. Fares reasonablev. Benches/shelters at stops/stations h. Drivers are courteousi. Vehicles clean insideu. Stops/stations well lighted

No attributes in quadrant two for total weighted sample of riders.

City of Charlotte

Largest Gap between Importance and Performance

• Feel safe from crime at stops/facilities• Service runs on time• Feel safe from crime onboard• Travel time reasonable

High Importance / Low Performance

Bus Stops

3,800 + bus stops across Mecklenburg County

No route informationNo time point infoOnly phone number

Information at bus stops:• 10th in importance• 37th in performance

Bus Stops

Next annual survey revealed:

Performance jumped to 7th best

Gap between Importance vs. Performance: insignificant

Never Do: Never commit to a service level you can not meet

On time every time Never give lip service to customers Never think you can always resolve everything for the

customer Never create goals that are unrealistic for the

organization and employees Never establish standards and a philosophy and fall

short on communicating and training employees.


Keys to success

Top Management committed to philosophy Conduct research on what is important to

customers Establish customer service measures as an

organization Communicate philosophy to employees Exchange communications with customer Respond quickly to customer’s complaints Review processes that affect customers Recognize employees for meeting and exceeding

customer’s expectations


wheel of customer service

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