Focusing on customers to deliver 21st century services for the 21st century passenger

Arriva, one of Europe’s leading transport operators, is radically changing the travel experience for its customers in Denmark.

Passenger information tailor-made to the needs and demands of the individual passenger. That is what Arriva Skandinavien is set to introduce through MyArriva – an innovative new concept which was part of Arriva’s winning bid to retain its Jutland rail concession for a further eight years.

MyArriva will see the introduction of realtime information, free Internet access and infotainment on trains and at stations. It is at the heart of the concept to heighten the passenger experience and in turn attract more passengers to the railway.

Arriva has been at the forefront of innovative rail travel ever since entering the Danish rail market in 2003 – winning the first ever tender for rail services in Denmark. Since then, Arriva has set new standards for punctuality and passenger satisfaction in the country.

During 2009, 98.6% of all of Arriva Skandinavien’s trains ran on time – an all time record for any rail company operating in Denmark. Even when delays not caused by Arriva – typically problems with rails and signals – are entered into the equation, the punctuality was still at 97.8%. This is also far better than any other rail company in Denmark.

Punctuality has been consistently high and in 2008 Arriva decided to formalise its performance commitment and introduced a new and improved punctuality guarantee.

On 1 January 2008, Arriva started to offer compensation to its regular passengers if more than 1% of train departures are cancelled and if more than 3% of departures are delayed. This is the most extensive guarantee in public transport in Denmark, and yet resulting compensation required only amounted to 12,000 Danish Kronor (€1,600) among our 1,100 season-ticket holders in 2009. The guarantee is both a pledge to our customers and a statement of Arriva’s commitment and ability to deliver a high standard of service for customers every day.

Arriva Skandinavien has 29 Alstom Coradia Lint 41 trains and has ordered another 12 trains that are to be delivered over the next six months. The first trains were delivered in 2004 and all trains were delivered on schedule – a first in Danish railway history.

Punctuality at large

These results have been made possible only through a constant focus on quality – with punctuality at the heart of the efforts. Punctuality is – and has always been – at the top of the list when passengers are asked to name their list of priorities when using public transport. With that in mind it is no surprise that satisfaction among Arriva passengers is at an all time high.

During 2009, passenger satisfaction broke the magic boundary of 4.0 on a scale from one to five and was an impressive 4.02 – making Arriva passengers the most satisfied train passengers in all of Denmark.

In addition to ensuring our customers get what they expect and deserve, the all-time high figure was important to Arriva Skandinavien from an economic point of view.

Passenger satisfaction has been at more than 3.5 at every survey since they began in 2003. This has earned Arriva an economic bonus from the contracting authority – The Danish Public Transport Authority – but achievement of the full bonus set out in the concession contract had escaped Arriva until last year.

In 2009, passenger satisfaction was above 4.0 and punctuality continuously above 97.0% – fulfilling both criteria that make up the prerequisites that Arriva has to meet in order to obtain a full bonus as part of its concession. This made 2009 the best year ever for passengers and in Arriva’s history in Denmark.

Obtaining a full bonus has only been possible through the continuous effort and commitment of a conscientious workforce of more than 370 rail employees in Arriva Skandinavien – and employee involvement and satisfaction is therefore a key priority within Arriva.

In October 2009, Arriva put employee satisfaction to the test through a survey among Arriva employees across the UK and mainland Europe. The results showed that employees within Arriva Skandinavien’s rail division – Arriva Tog A/S – are among the most satisfied.

Seventy six per cent of train employees participated in the survey and as much as 75% of respondents said that they were satisfied or very satisfied with their job within Arriva. This is a very welcome result and is undoubtedly one of the reasons why Arriva is able to make its trains run on time on such a large scale. Any business is only as good as the people behind it. Having a workforce which is motivated means that we are better equipped to meet the needs of our customers and in turn make the business a success.

MyArriva – a new level in customer service

Good results are always nice to have but should not be dwelled upon for too long. And we certainly don’t do that in Arriva. Instead we prefer to move on to the next challenge or opportunity in order to continually improve the services we provide.

Arriva Skandinavien is preparing to introduce in December 2010 a new generation of customer information – taking passenger rail services firmly into the future.

Through MyArriva it will move beyond delivering outstanding performance. It will add value and enhance the customer experience from the minute they book their ticket, to arriving at the station, travelling and reaching their destination. Increasingly the average 21st century customer is more discerning and MyArriva will help meet their growing expectations by providing easier access to relevant passenger information, entertainment and online access.

Ticket machines can be found at all of Arriva’s 81 train stations. The machines are owned by the National Danish Railways (DSB). Arriva is responsible for maintenance.

In simple terms, MyArriva is a real-time passenger information system available through a dedicated website, TV screens and WIFI hotspots at stations and on-board Arriva’s Danish trains. Representing a €4 million investment, it provides passengers with information about the exact location of all trains as well as information about connecting buses and trains.

In addition, MyArriva offers a personalised website tailor-made to the interests and needs of the individual passenger. The future of passenger information is focused around providing our customers with readily available information at the right time, making the time spent by passengers in the public transportation system more productive and enjoyable.

In order to further facilitate the passenger experience MyArriva is also making it easier to access information and purchase tickets online – either via the MyArriva website or the dedicated information terminals at all stations.

On the train, real-time information will be available on TV screens in each carriage. Besides passenger information the TV screens will broadcast TV news as part of the on-board entertainment aimed at making the journey more pleasant.

In order to give passengers the power to choose, there will be no sound coming from the TVs. Those who prefer to enjoy peace and quiet on-board the train are able to do so. Should one of our customers wish to hear the sound that accompanies the news and commercials shown on the TV screens they simply have to tune any radio receiver into a dedicated FM frequency which Arriva is broadcasting.

A country first – free Internet access for all

The desire to have online access while travelling remains important to many customers and represents added value on their overall passenger experience.

In 2008, Arriva became the first rail operator in Denmark to introduce free access to the Internet on-board its trains. Now Arriva Skandinavien is taking it a step further and introducing free Internet access on all trains and at all stations. This will provide passengers with the opportunity of either surfing the Internet or checking e-mails while waiting for the next train service, again making the time spent at stations or on the train as productive and worthwhile as possible. In addition, train stations served by Arriva trains will be equipped with online accessible surveillance cameras to further enhance passenger safety – and assist police in the solving of any potential crimes on the network.

New cash-free ticket machines will also be available at all train stations – making it possible for passengers to purchase tickets using their mobile phone.

Enhancing comfort

Passengers can also look forward to a better indoor environment on-board the trains.

Approximately €36 million will be invested in new rolling stock as Arriva has ordered 12 brand new Alstom Lint 41 trains. It is also upgrading its existing 29 Lint 41 trains with an improved air conditioning system, more comfortable seats and additional power sockets facilitating the use of laptops on-board the trains.

The contracting authority – The Danish Public Transport Authority – is also contributing to making rail travel more attractive by introducing a new fast service on the main line between the metropolitan areas of Herning and Aarhus. The express train, operated by Arriva, will call at key stations along the route reducing the overall the travel time between the two cities by 18 minutes to 1 hour and 15 minutes. This will further enhance the train’s ability to compete with private cars – especially during rush hour.

The new improvements are all part of Arriva’s winning bid for the rail lines we have been operating since 2003. They will be introduced by December 2010 when Arriva enters into its new eight-year contract.

Delivering a 21st century service for the 21st century customer

While delivering punctual services should always remain a top priority for any transport provider, the 21st century customer rightly expects to see more from transport operators.

We must rise to this challenge – especially if we are to compete with other modes of transport like the private car.

Understanding of the environmental benefits of travelling by rail instead of car is increasing but in order to change more people’s perceptions into real action they need to see the train as something that enables them to move around efficiently, enjoyably and productively. Through concepts like MyArriva, we are able to show our customers – and contracting authorities – that Arriva is going the extra mile to make rail travel more than just a journey from A to B.

With a committed and experienced workforce, we believe we are equipped to meet the challenges ahead and seek out new opportunities that will enhance rail travel in Scandinavia, deliver value for money for contracting bodies and ensure the business’s continued success.

Arriva Skandinavien – the story so far

Arriva Skandinavien is part of the Arriva group – one of Europe’s leading European passenger transport operators.

Arriva employs more than 42,300 people (including share of associate companies) and provides more than one billion passenger journeys every year.

The group provides transport services including buses, trains, commuter coaches and water buses, in 12 European countries: Czech Republic, Denmark, Germany, Hungary, Italy, the Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Slovakia, Spain, Sweden and the UK.

Arriva entered the Scandinavian transport market in 1997 with the acquisition of bus operator Unibus Holdings which had operation in Denmark and Sweden. In 2003 it entered the rail market after winning the first ever tender of Danish rail services – an eight-year concession serving Jutland. In 2007 it entered the Swedish rail market with a nine-year contract to operate regional train services in the Skåne region in Southern Sweden.

In March 2009, Arriva secured its Jutland concession for a further eight years by winning the re-tender of services. The new contract starts in December 2010. Operating as Arriva Tog A/S, the services constitute 15% of the operated track kilometres in Denmark – corresponding to around eight million kilometres. Close to seven million people travel with the Arriva’s Danish trains every year. In June 2009, Arriva Skandinavien also extended its Swedish rail operations after winning a new contract to operate trains between Göteborg and Örebro.

Arriva has consolidated its position in the Scandinavian transport market over the past 13 years. Arriva Skandinavien now has more than 1,500 buses, 47 trains and 4,500 employees in Denmark and 580 buses, 38 trains and 1,800 employees in Sweden.

About the Author

Thomas Eybye Oester

In 2007, Thomas Eybye Oester joined Arriva Skandinavien as Business Development Director and is today the company’s Commercial Director with executive responsibility for all tenders for rail and bus contracts in Scandinavia. Thomas Eybye Oester holds a Master’s Degree in International Business from Copenhagen Business School and has previously worked for A.P. Moeller Maersk and ISS.