A coffee-table chat with… Emmanuel Colin, Director of Customer Services at RATP Dev Mobility Cairo

c: RATP Dev Mobility Cairo

How does train service reliability, frequency and crowdedness compare to pre-COVID levels, and how are you adjusting service to respond to changes in travel demand?

At the height of the global pandemic, RATP Dev Mobility Cairo assumed responsibility for line 3 of the Cairo metro. From the outset, RATP Dev Mobility Cairo implemented a series of measures to reassure passengers, including access control at all metro station entrances, mandatory mask-wearing, the sale of masks at stations for passengers arriving without them and continuous cleaning and disinfection of stations and trains throughout the day.

The Capital Train was launched after the COVID-19 pandemic.

What are train riders telling you about security on the system, and what strategies are most effective at helping customers feel secure?

In less than two years, RATP Dev Mobility Cairo has achieved remarkable results in passenger satisfaction on Green Line 3. The satisfaction rate among surveyed passengers reached 95%, while the Net Promoter Score reached 98%. The top three qualities passengers cite as important are, in order: safety, quality of welcome and cleanliness.

In terms of safety, a number of measures have been put in place:

• Access controls at all entrances to all stations, with the presence of a police officer, a security agent and an X-ray machine
• A team of controllers in all stations and on-board trains
• Establishment of women’s cars: Two of the eight cars in each train are designated for women.

Real-time information is provided in stations and on trains in case of disruption on the line or in case of an incident.

In terms of quality of welcome, all station staff are part of the Customer Services Department and have undergone specific training to ensure a warm and welcoming experience for passengers. Subsequently, they underwent further training in the reception and care of disabled people.

In terms of cleanliness, cleaning staff are permanently on site in the stations to ensure exemplary standards of cleanliness are maintained. I would like to share an anecdote on this subject.

For Halloween in 2023, a competition was organised on social networks inviting passengers to photograph a spider web in the stations if they found one. Unfortunately, nobody found one.

c: RATP Dev Mobility Cairo

Capital Train

The same measures have been implemented on the new suburban line connecting Cairo with the country’s new administrative capital. Additional training has been provided for station staff in sign language, in line with the recent introduction of passenger information in sign language.

What changes are you making to fare payment to make it simpler and more convenient for customers?

On Green Line 3 and the Capital Train, all the stations have two Sales Offices and four Ticket Vending Machines.

Online payment via the website and mobile app will be available in early 2025.

How do you bring the voice of the customer into the design of new train cars? What new features will improve the customer experience?

With regard to Green Line 3, Upon assuming control of the line, RATP Dev Mobility Cairo collaborated with renowned Egyptian musician Ash to create a distinctive audio identity. The music was so successful that a playlist has since been created and is broadcast in stations and on trains.

At present, a new olfactory identity is being trialled in the stations, with the diffusion of a fragrance via the air conditioning system in partnership with a renowned brand of air freshener.

Additionally, the Capital Train offers a distinctive sound identity and playlist. From next month, one of the cars on each train will be transformed into a library in partnership with an association promoting reading, given that the average journey time is 45 minutes.

c: RATP Dev Mobility Cairo

Tell us about the role of passenger surveys in your process of identifying, prioritising, and developing remedies to pain points in the customer journey, and how does it help you gauge the effectiveness of the remedies afterwards?

Passenger surveys are essential in our process of identifying, prioritising, and developing solutions to address pain points in the customer journey. They provide direct feedback from passengers, highlighting specific issues they encounter. By collecting quantitative data, we can identify trends and common pain points across different demographics and routes. Open-ended questions in surveys allow passengers to describe their experiences in detail, offering deeper insights into their concerns.

The data from these surveys helps us understand which issues are most frequent and severe, allowing us to prioritise them based on their impact on the overall passenger experience. Understanding which passenger groups are most affected by certain issues helps us tailor our solutions to those who need them most.

With clear data on pain points, we can develop targeted solutions that address the specific needs and preferences of our passengers. Surveys often reveal new areas for innovation, such as the need for better digital connectivity or real-time information, which we can then incorporate into our service improvements.

In 2023, RATP Dev conducted an international survey in March 2023. It included 7,930 respondents from 11 countries, with 500 respondents from Cairo. These insights highlight the importance of public transport in Cairo, driven by cost savings, convenience and environmental benefits, with a strong emphasis on digital connectivity and real-time information for passengers.

By using passenger surveys, we ensure that our efforts are aligned with the actual needs and expectations of our passengers, leading to a more comfortable, efficient and satisfying travel experience.

In Cairo, in addition to the satisfaction surveys carried out each year, customer and non-user panels have been created: the customer panel is met every quarter, and the non-user panel is met twice a year.