CalACT Conference April 2008 The Art of Managing Customer Behavior Ashish John San Mateo County Transit District San Carlos, CA

CalACT Conference April 2008 Content Results – Why control no-shows? Policy and principles The “art” of managing customers Techniques

CalACT Conference April 2008 Why have a no-show process? Reducing no-shows and late cancels adds capacity to the system at low cost (compared to buying more vehicles) Reduced no-shows and late cancels can also be used to improve efficiency and service quality Other customers benefit from reduced no-shows / late cancels Helps educate customers about service policies and requirements Year 1 results: No-shows reduced 50%, late cancels reduced 70%

CalACT Conference April 2008 Policy and Principles Policy: customers who no-show or late cancel (Less than 1 hour before the ride) three or more times within a 4-month period will have their service suspended for 30 days. The goal is to get customers to use the service responsibly, rather than to suspend them Strong emphasis on education - inform customers of how the service works & how to make it work for them

CalACT Conference April 2008 Principles related to administration Sound evidence is the starting point for discussion with a customer Understanding what is within the customer’s control is key to determining an appropriate response Health status must be considered Continuity of contact with customers through one person making calls

CalACT Conference April 2008 Process to respond to customers Gauge the customer’s attitude Acknowledge the customer’s experience Inform / remind them of policy Encourage them to take personal responsibility for their actions Recognize their desire to do the right thing Select the best solution to produce a change in behavior

CalACT Conference April 2008 The “Art” of Managing Customers Active two-way conversation Determine what is within customer’s control Identify the best solution Broaden the customer’s perspective and transform their thinking process Give and take between service features and customer needs Know your customer history Willingness to be flexible based on new customer revelations Insight into how to clarify the customer’s understanding of policies Know how to involve support people

CalACT Conference April 2008 Techniques Active listening Verify what happened using recorded phone calls, MDT’s, AVL, other departments, other resources Get the customer to actively participate in conversation Involve family members, social service agencies, others if appropriate Keep records of conversations Ask them for possible solutions

CalACT Conference April 2008 Additional Techniques Be an asset, not a threat Build rapport with the customer and build a relationship over time Be patient and keep perspective and a sense of humor

CalACT Conference April 2008 Conclusion Disciplined, yet compassionate approach yields results A variety of techniques are needed to be effective Customize the response to each individual Education is the key to empowering customers to stop being a no-show or late cancel

CalACT Conference April 2008 For more information Bill Welch Manager, Accessible Transit Services SamTrans Ashish John Customer Relations Specialist SamTrans