Online rail booking specialist TheTrainline has seen a spike in volume to its site since its revamp last autumn. While average transaction value is slipping the company has noticed an increase in traffic volumes online. Operations director Bill Hopkins attributed the trends to the current economic climate with business travellers choosing rail over air as…
TheTrainLine sees traffic grow but transaction value fall
Online rail booking specialist TheTrainline has seen a spike in volume to its site since its revamp last autumn.
While average transaction value is slipping the company has noticed an increase in traffic volumes online.
Operations director Bill Hopkins attributed the trends to the current economic climate with business travellers choosing rail over air as well as improved functionality on the site and customer relationship management.
TheTrainline introduced its Best Fare Finder for travellers, who can be flexible, to find the cheapest fares and Ticket Alert informing travellers by e-mail when they can book the cheaper fares.
Since upgrading the site the company has experienced a 30% uplift in customer registrations as well as a five per cent increase in repeat spending.
Hopkins added that theTrainline seemed to be bucking the trend with the rail industry in general reporting declining volumes.
The company continues to work with customer experience specialist RightNow Technologies on its CRM.
TheTrainline has already improved customer service using SMS and e-mail to keep customers informed.
The company is using RightNow to manage its e-mail as well as the ‘frequently asked questions’ section of the website and its customer feedback surveys.
Hopkins said that other site enhancements are planned in the coming months to further the customer experience and improve navigation.
“Only about 14% of people in the UK book rail online versus a Swedish rail company of 64% and in the US it’s in the high 40s. It’s a surprise that people have not got the message here. And, the people who are not using a website for rail would use an airline’s website. Customers need that reassurance for rail.”
TheTrainline was received a CRM Excellence award from Gartner earlier this month for work it implemented with RightNow Technologies.
