Push notifications for coach and bus services explored
The benefits of using bespoke push notifications to communicate with customers has been harnessed by Rise Digital Media. It has added the facility to its BusHub platform for operators and associated passenger apps and believes that it is the only coach and bus industry technology agency to offer such a service.
That allows push notifications to be sent to users that opt in. Notifications arrive on a targeted basis; while the operator can issue what Rise Operations Director Chris Nice terms as “network notices” to all its app users that accept notifications, a more granular approach can also be selected. That allows messages to be targeted by route, area or region.
A further avenue for push notifications is sending them to an individual. Communication in such a scenario remains one-way, but Chris notes that it is a useful method via which to inform a customer that they have left something on the vehicle or that the driver knows that they will need assistance.
When any notification is sent, operators should treat it as a text message, he continues. “They have a 250-character limit, no option to attach a picture and no means to include any links. But all data is captured, allowing the sender to review delivery reports as far as each individual user.”
Acceptance of the concept growing, says Rise DM
Push notifications are an increasingly popular means of communication with customers in many industries, but Chris stresses that they should not replace other channels. Instead, they should complement those outlets.
Many people are now familiar with the push notification concept. That is the reason why members of the coach and bus industry should consider adopting it, Chris continues.
Rise first saw the opportunity for push notifications in the sector during the COVID-19 pandemic, when service changes were sometimes frequent. The concept was introduced after operator feedback.
Two items are key to the successful use of push notifications. One is ensuring that as many of the operator’s customers as possible have them enabled; and two is finding a balance in how often notifications are sent.
Should they be too frequent, there is a risk of customers ‘tuning out’. If that happens, then when one arrives that is relevant to them, its impact may be lost.
A further important consideration is the tone in which notifications are written. “Many alerts are likely to be about alterations to services and individual journeys, which are not matters that all passengers will appreciate,” Chris continues. “When notifications are compiled, they should always be as polite as possible. But the channel can also be used to share good news. For example, an operator could have been nominated for an award, and it may wish to tell its customers.”
Among other benefits to push notifications are that they do not get caught in spam filters, as email communications may. When the news being shared could be perceived negatively by the user – such as when a short-notice cancellation is circulated – the one-way nature of push notifications prevents an outing of anger from customers in public, as can be the case via Facebook or Twitter.
Coach and bus users’ enabling imperative for push notifications
Push notifications are only of use if customers have enabled them in the operator’s app. Rise Digital Media advocates publicising the use of notifications via other channels, including on-bus notices and digital means, in the run-up to them being introduced.
Users are also asked upon their first log-in to the app whether they consent to receiving the notifications. If they agree, they will then be ‘pinged’ when appropriate; such receipt is not reliant on them being active within the app.
For the operator, creating a notification is easy. They are asked to select recipients by group and the messages can be sent either immediately or scheduled for a time to suit. All BusHub customers have access to push notifications; a growing number are actively engaging with the channel and others are trialling it.
BusHub is complemented by Rise Digital Media’s NextStop platform. It is targeted towards services including those in the home-to-school, corporate and commuter sectors.
Automated push notifications form part of NextStop for event-driven occurrences such as seat reservations, real-time service updates and ticket renewal reminders.
Parents can be made aware via push notification that their child has boarded a service when QR code ticketing is used. For corporate and commuter services, use of automatic vehicle location data and geofencing means that passengers may be informed that the vehicle is a pre-set distance from them. Use of push notifications via NextStop is different to the bespoke approach through BusHub, but Chris notes that the concept can be equally beneficial though either platform.
Push notifications ‘add value’ to bus passenger experience
Chris adds that the introduction of push notifications represents the latest step on Rise Digital Media’s development programme. The current position with push notifications is “a starting point” that the supplier will develop from.
Part of wider work is the assembly of a panel of operators from various segments that will help to brainstorm future advancements. Such engagement is key for Rise, Chris adds. It does not have a direct relationship with coach and bus passengers, instead relying on its customers to share what is happening ‘on the ground’.
“Understanding travellers’ requirements, and changes to the operating environment, is key if we are to be able to introduce further enhancements, but we are confident that the bespoke push notification concept is something that adds real value for operators and their customers,” he concludes.
MiX Telematics at Euro Bus Expo 2022
MiX Telematics, a leading global SaaS provider of connected fleet management solutions, is pleased to announce it will be attending Euro Bus Expo from 01-03 November at the National Exhibition Centre in Birmingham, on stand T86 in the Technology Zone.
MiX Telematics will be showcasing a number of new, strategic aspects of its SaaS platform including electric vehicle and hydrogen vehicle reporting, audio and visual low bridge warning functionality, the machine learning-driven dash cam solution, MiX Vision AI and the upgraded MiX Rovi Mini that provides real-time feedback on risky and inefficient driver behaviour.
“With over 25 years of experience in providing bus-specific solutions, we are excited to share our latest innovations and return-on-investment benefits with leading industry figures at Euro Bus Exop,” says Jonathan Bates, Executive Vice President Marketing for MiX Telematics.
“We are very excited about exhibiting at this year’s Euro Bus Expo. We look forward to getting face time with both new and existing customers to showcase our solutions and guide them on the ways that they can meet their goals. MiX Telematics is proud of the upstanding reputation it has built within the bus and coach industry and are thrilled to present the newest functionalities for this sector to serve up safe, sustainable fleet management at people’s fingertips,” says Richard Adams, Sales Director for MiX Telematics Europe.
About MiX Telematics
MiX Telematics is a leading global provider of fleet and mobile asset management solutions delivered as SaaS to 838,300 global subscribers spanning more than 120 countries. The company’s products and services provide enterprise fleets, small fleets and consumers with solutions for efficiency, safety, compliance and security. MiX Telematics was founded in 1996 and has offices in South Africa, the United Kingdom, the United States, Uganda, Brazil, Mexico, Australia and the United Arab Emirates as well as a network of more than 130 fleet partners worldwide. MiX Telematics shares are publicly traded on the Johannesburg Stock Exchange (JSE: MIX) and on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE: MIXT). For more information, visit www.mixtelematics.com.
For further information:
Sharan Chadha
Marketing Executive Direct
Mobile: 07802817993
Email: [email protected]
Meet the brand: Flowbird Transport Intelligence
We catch up with Paul Rogers from Flowbird Transport Intelligence to find out about their presence at Euro Bus Expo, on stand T84.
Tell us a bit about your company:
Flowbird is a global business with a mission to make transport easier, safer and quicker for people to make better journeys, whatever the mode of transport.
Our systems are central to the successful operation of transport networks in the UK, Europe, North America and Australia, including Edinburgh – where we support Lothian Buses with Open Payments and Account Based Ticketing - and in London, Belfast, Paris, Monaco, Helsinki, Brussels, New York, Algeria and Perth (Australia).
Our ability to integrate multimodal ticketing with payments drives innovation in Account Based Ticketing, Open Payments, mobile platforms, electronic ticket machines, cloud back-office platforms and front-end retail and validation systems. We help deliver bus networks that are better integrated and more responsive to customer needs, making it easier for people to access and pay for both their journeys and a growing range of transport-related services, such as parking, EV charging and leisure attractions – all through a common user interface.
This expertise is proven to help city and transport authorities improve social cohesion, stimulate economic development and promote the modal shift that supports a more sustainable way of living and working.
Our integrated solutions – coupled with ongoing and significant investment in R&D – drive innovation to enhance urban mobility, reduce congestion and make mass and micro transit more accessible.
We are unique in transportation markets in combining fare collection and ticketing expertise with an end-to-end payment processing solution across multiple payment points (card reader, web pages, mobile app. etc).
Thanks to our omni-channel Central Acceptance Scheme, we can provide operators and authorities with a payments suite built on configurable modules. The system works in conjunction with online/mobile apps and ‘Card Present’ and ‘Card Not Present’ channels, and offers virtual-to-physical payments and vice versa.
We’re bringing the vision of seamless, smart urban mobility to life.
Tell us about your latest products, services, promotions or launches that visitors can hope to see on your stand:
Visitors to the Flowbird stand can explore a technology journey embracing ABT, Open Payments, all-in-one mobile solutions, front end retailing and validation, back office systems, and innovations in fleet management, payment services and associated markets.
• Open Payment Account Based Ticketing
Flowbird’s new Sesame Account Based Ticketing enables contactless Pay-As-You-Go travel for passengers by using cEMV bank cards (or mobile phones/ smart watches) or smart travel passes.
Customer taps are recorded and consolidated, and the fare calculation is completed in the cloud, enabling operators to apply system wide changes more easily and apply fares rules such as daily or weekly capping for regular travellers.
Our ABT and payments expertise, coupled with the CloudFare multi-vendor back-office platform, provides a foundation for integrated mobility and payments, making travel seamless.
• Mobility-as-a-Service
Our Mobility-as-a-Service mobile applications make it easy for people to plan, book and pay for travel, parking and a range of associated services. For example, in Monaco, the Monapass app provides unified access to journey planning, ticketing and payment for bus services, e-bike share, on-street parking and combined journey and destination/events. The app can also host other third party ID-based passes and subscription accounts through a new ‘open ticket portfolio’.
• Devices & Applications
Flowbird driver consoles, electronic ticket machines (ETM), handheld terminals and passenger validator solutions provide fast transactional performance required by bus operators. Based on a future-proof Android operating system architecture, all devices support contactless bank cards, open loop payments and multiple smart card standards including ITSO and Calypso, offering operators a suite of solutions for their fare collection requirements.
Options include Barcode/QR code reader, NFC mobile compatibility and BLE beacon for close proximity messaging.
Why is exhibiting at Euro Bus Expo 2022 an unmissable opportunity for you?
Euro Bus Expo is the premier bus industry event of the year – and provides opportunities for networking, meeting customers and, for Flowbird, communicating market innovations.
This year, there is a particular focus on the cost-of-living crisis and the role that bus operators will play in supporting their customers through these challenging times. Indeed, the government has just announced a £2 flat bus fare in England that will run from January to March next year.
We’re looking forward to conversations about implementing not just this flat fare environment but democratising access to best available fares through capping.
Flowbird’s Sesame Account Based Ticketing system provides a ‘pay as you go’ environment in which customers benefit equally from regular travel without needing to purchase travel passes upfront. So, for example, with Sesame, operators can set caps for a given number of journeys by day, week or month, and as soon as the threshold is reached, a cap is applied, enabling passengers to travel for the rest of the period without any additional payment.
Critically, capping is seamless from both a user and operator perspective. Whether it’s closed loop or open loop cEMV using contactless bank cards or smartphones and devices, the cap is automatically applied by CloudFare ABT, Flowbird’s modular back office.
Simply being able to ‘tap and go’ safely in the knowledge that fares are the best available – and will be capped at a certain threshold – is not only good news for consumers, it also helps operators increase ridership, collect data to improve services, and speed up passenger throughput.
Flowbird’s Sesame ABT coupled with our CloudFare ABT back office module manages the entire ‘contactless and capped’ process, with operators able to set the cap level, manage their assets, and configure fares remotely. Sesame is an enabler for BSIP plans.