Transforming Transit Union Employees into Transit Evangelists

The unexpected TTC Strike in April 2008 precipitated a new low in transit union - transit customer relations.

The Problem

Daily customer interactions with TTC union members working on the front lines indicates a lack customer service oriented. Many union members are interested in customer service and public service.  For example, GO Transit union employees have a greater positive relationship with ther customers, based on good service. 

The question is how do we encourage front-line union employees to provide better customer service ?

How do we develop a culture where quality and customer service is everyone’s job ?

Are there ways to cultivate a better experience for both driver and passengers? 

The Issues

1) TTC has a virtual monopoly in the Toronto are, therefore customers usually cannot express their dissatisfaction with the level of customer service by selecting a different service.

2) The TTC front line employees are too focused on operational details and by law enforcement, often at the expense of good customer service.

3) There is, at least as perceived by customers, an "I just work here" attitude rather than a "How can I help you" attitude from Transit Union employees.

4) There is a "chicken and egg" problem of sour relations between TTC employees and customers. For example, drivers tune out due to rude customers throughout the day, while the driver may become repository of frustration felt by the customer.  A process is required to reverse the negative customer relations spiral into a postive one.

5) Transit employees are incented to provide mediocre service, job satisfaction is low.

6) The union is perceived as having an "old boys club" insular culture. 

7) A transit union strike, which is an instrument of last resort, cripples the economy, enrages customers sometimes to the point of violence, and reduces the number of people who would be future users of trasit across the region.

The Privatization Option

One option is to implement privatization of part or all of the transit service.  This may improve customer service and might save costs.  The evidence on transit privatization on both customer service and cost fronts is not conclusive, and may be just transforming existing problems into new problems.  At an employee level, transit privatization, with associated union-busting antagonistic processes, is a fear based "stick" approach rather than an incentive based "carrot" approach.  For example private sector employees often provide good customer service, not only becasue there are rewards in place to encourage such behaviour, but there are also risks of losing ones job if one falls below a required level of performance. Are there better more cooperative approaches to solving transit customer service problems ?

POSSIBILITIES

Operational Issue: Policing Transfers 

Using a transfer at another stop/intersection - this interaction with the driver creates a hostile relationship between drivers and passengers. This makes the driver a front line gatekeeper. This is because of the bylaw that you can only transfer at specfic nodes and stops. Solution: create an open 2 hour transfer system.

Operational Issue: Policing Fares

A smart card, like Presto, can unify the GTA transit systems, and allow people to get on and off vehicles without interacting with operators.  If there is a card reader outside the rear doors of a bus, people will even be able to get on there if there is the appropriate value on their card.  This would make getting on and off quicker and more convenient and would reduce customer/driver conflicts.  Alternatively, pilot an "honor system" for fares like Gio Transit, with escalating fines for repeat offenders.

Enabling Customer Feedback

Establishing shorter feedback loops  for good customer service incentives (think of customer and taxicab driver).  Tip your driver if you feel they've earned it  Solution: Provide a tip box on each bus/streetcar/subway. 

Post a phone number on every transit vehicle to report positive or negative experiences with transit operators. (think about "how am I driving stickers on trucks").  Alternatively, distribute "smiley face" and "frowny face" tickets with passes, tickets and tokens that can be placed in the fare box at the end of one's trip to signify a positive or negative experience. Reward transit operators that receive large numbers of commendations and/or smiley faces.

Humanizing the Transit Experience

Train a select group of transit riders in the intricacies of transit system by-laws and policies so that they can support operators (or customers, as appropriate) during times of conflict.

Allow transit customers to learn more about individual transit operators by dialling an automated phone system with information about their commendations (or complaints) and perhaps even some information about their personal histories and likes and dislikes--just to put a human face on them.

Many transit users use regular routes  - Do you know your bus driver ?

Provide Jobs that employees can take pride in

Can employees be multi-skilled with sufficient job variety to provide them with a cross organizational view of customer service.  e,g.  Can the role of 'ticket taker' be more ?  Research indicates higher burout among employess with limited job scope, while employees with broader job variety contribute more towards continual improvement.

Ensure that automation of processes include retraining of employees s that automation is not about "taking away jobs", its about utilizing technology and changing jobs to provide better customer service.

When hiring and training new transit employees, there could be a focus on customer service. Training of transit employees typically focuses on technical skills, such as driving. 

Profit Sharing/Gain Sharing for employees

Establish a cost-recovery threshold and share any revenue earned above that threshold among front line staff, as a good customer service dividend. Most transit employees would want as big a dividend as possible and would improve customer service to earn it.

Profit sharing is a term typically used to describe sharing of profits with employees at for-profit organizations, but "Gain sharing" is a term used to describe the "Gain" from reducing costs/losses.  An employee that saves the organization (and hence the customers and tax paying public) a substantial level of costs should be finacially rewarded for these cost savings, and not just get a pat on the back. 

Provide avenues for constructive dialogue

Hold an unconfernce for transit employees and customers in order to gain valuable inside information on how to improve transit systems, Both employees who know the internals of the system and customers can come up with many great solutions and ideas to improve service. 

Non unionized trsit workers should be involved as well, since not all transit workers are unionized. Although there may be management led cross functional teams internal to the organization, broad customer involvement, and open space processes will provide the opportunitities for creative solutions from people who havent been able to provide sufficient input thtough established channels. 

Lets get talking !

The leverage transit employees have on the whole economy can be utilized positively. Improving transit customer service is not just about an individual choices, it affects the whole stack of long term transportation options for the regional population.  Customer service is a key stepping stone to the tipping point of greater transit usage.