February 25 2021
New CPT members Zipabout have written about their latest tech trial which aims to bring more people back to bus travel.
Zipabout’s number one priority is to use its technology to ensure the transport sector plays a significant role in the UK’s economic recovery and believes customer experience is at the heart of this challenge. Already working across the UK’s rail sector with National Rail Enquiries and supporting several bus companies, its tech offers a range of features that can get the country moving again.
Now that the PM has announced his roadmap to recovery, we’ll soon be able to get out and about and that should mean a return to buses and trains. Zipabout shares the aspirations of the transport industry – to give people the confidence to use public transport whilst encouraging growth in passenger numbers over time – and that’s what we’re working to achieve.
We all know the benefits of buses over cars – long-term sustainability, its contribution to a green-led recovery and ensuring our roads are kept moving. But how do we convince people to give up their cars and feel confident about a safe and reliable bus service?
Incentives To Travel
That’s where Zipabout comes in. We recently ran a trial with Oxfordshire County Council, the Oxford Bus Company and Pret A Manger to demonstrate how transport operators and brands can work together to kickstart the high street recovery. Our tech trial proved that our capability of linking the high street to sustainable transport choices works.
Passengers travelling on specific bus services were sent a ‘thank you’ for travelling in , delivered via Oxontime as they arrived at their stop - an innovative service proving how we can use realtime understanding to create personalisation for bus-users that works with the operators’ needs. The thank you came in the shape of a free cup of coffee from their nearest Pret, redeemable using a QR code delivered via Messenger and scanned at the till. The code was sent to their mobile just before getting off the bus and was valid for a limited time at a local outlet. It proved a success and was simple to use – a coffee on a cold winter’s day is always a welcome treat, especially when free of charge.
Bringing together brands and businesses of all sizes across the entire UK transport network and connecting them with their passengers has limitless possibilities, especially when it’s personalised; aligned to both their journey and the needs of the operator; and delivered to the right person at the right time. The scope for rewards extends beyond coffee to a host of products and, what’s more, it also creates an additional revenue stream for transport operators.
Zipabout’s technology enhances the customer experience, rewards behavioural change and develops loyalty programmes that drive growth in a way that traditional loyalty programmes and voucher schemes can’t deliver in a safe, controlled and responsible way. The feature can even be used to reward passengers for using alternative routes or less-crowded services as we slowly return to normal.
Such was the success of the pilot that we’re now talking to other brands at a national level as well as developing a platform that will allow independent operators to get involved.
Find out more about Zipabout’s Incentive To Travel by visiting www.zipabout.com