New self-service kiosks installed at Gatwick Airport rail station to improve the customer experience at this busy station.
London, 28 June 2021 – Worldline [Euronext: WLN], the European leader in the payments and transactional services industry Worldline and Evoke Creative have combined their expertise in rail ticketing solutions and kiosk design to create a new self-service kiosk to improve the customer experience and speed up the purchase of tickets for rail customers. This new ticket vending machine will be installed and trialed by Govia Thameslink Railway (GTR) at Gatwick Airport as part of the station’s redevelopment plan. For Worldline, it made perfect sense to develop a new self-service kiosk alongside Evoke given their expertise in this area for brands such as McDonald’s, Vue Cinema and JD Sports. For GTR the new, enhanced customer experience and large full-screen interface will support the ambition of the Williams-Shapps Review as part of the rail industries strategy to improve the ticket purchasing experience for customers, aligning with continued digital development across the country.
Worldline operates payment services across the world, have seen first-hand the changes in customer behaviour in recent years. The use of contactless and mobile payments was already increasing year-on-year but the last 15-months has accelerated this change significantly. For the general public, this has meant they are now carrying less cash and are more at ease using card or contactless payments for everyday purchases.
The rail industry is preparing for the most significant change since privatisation over the coming years, the new shape of the industry will be heavily focused on customer experience. Ensuring customers can easily select and purchase the right ticket for their journey is paramount and the kiosks customer interface and purchasing flow significantly simplify the process and improve the experience for customers. This will help GTR to improve their customer experience within the station and help people to pass through as quickly as possible for their onward journey.
When the world changes the best thing to do is change with it, we started this journey with Evoke during lockdown last year with our sole focus being the customer. GTR’s laser focus on the customer made them an ideal partner, through the re-development of Gatwick Airport station, to trial this industry first, customer-focused solution.
The new kiosks will help to speed up the transition of customers within the concourse area. Importantly, accessibility is at the heart of the design, ensuring that the kiosks cater for the varying needs of the huge volumes of customers who use them.
Furthermore, the kiosk, with a total of 64” of screen space, has the capability to provide useful travel information and targeted content to customers – all controlled and updated remotely. With Gatwick Airport being a major gateway to the UK, the opportunity to use this capability for advertising and attractions provides GTR with increased capability to improve the customer experience.
The key to a great customer experience on a kiosk is making the hardware and software blend seamlessly together, such that the whole transaction flows naturally. With this new station kiosk, the customer is seamlessly taken through the process of selecting and then paying for their ticket, meaning they are on their way quickly – having had a great experience. It’s having a great partnership with Worldline that allows us to make this work.
Govia Thameslink Railway is the UK’s busiest rail operator, responsible for c.23% of all passenger journeys (Pre-COVID). Continual improvement of the customer experience is a key priority, as the railways get busier over the coming months and ensuring people can travel quickly and easily through the stations is key.
These new self-service ticket vending machines are a demonstration of GTRs commitment to enhance the rail customer experience. The screen customer experience and purchase flow, aligned more with a web experience, is a positive step forward in rail retail innovation.
Worldline Press Release: https://worldline.com/en/home/pressroom/press-releases/2021/pr-2021_07_08_01.html