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7. The Customer Experience
• Customers still have little sense of what TfL stands for. While they appreciate
the improvements we have made and recognise that we contribute to the
quality of life in London, awareness of our responsibilities – particularly on
roads – is still quite low; there is low appreciation of our values (that every
journey matters and we care about our customers); and a perception that we are
not always as open and honest as we could be. For example, sometimes we tell
them there is a good service on the Underground when they are experiencing
delays; or they are sitting in a traffic jam caused by roadworks but there is no
information on how long the works will take to complete.
TfL has identified five ‘core experience principles’ that contribute to the overall
travel experience and drive customer satisfaction (figure 7.3). The impact and effect
of these principles differ by mode of travel.
Figure 7.3
Five core experience principles that make up the holistic travel experience.
Source: TfL Customer and Employee Insight.
• Reliability – and therefore congestion on the roads – is at the heart of customer
experience. Customers want to get from A to B, know how long their journey
will take, and not to be delayed or disrupted.
• Ease of journey – it should be easy to plan a journey, to know where to catch
the bus or find the station, and buy a ticket or pay the Congestion Charge. If
there are diversions or delays it should be easy to find an alternative route and
be reassured you can complete your journey.
• Stress levels – crowding, not being able to get on the first Tube or bus, lack of
information and the behaviour of other customers or road users all contribute
to stress levels.
• Human – all our transport systems should feel like they are designed for people,
not just for machines. Customers appreciate it when we recognise the impact
we have on them emotionally when they travel. They want a pleasant
environment that is welcoming, such as well-lit stations or green spaces and
well-designed town centres. And, of course, staff can have a big impact on
customers, especially when they are approachable and helpful.
126 Travel in London, Report 8