The TTC has announced the makeup of its customer service advisory panel. According to the TTC’s press release, the first work of this panel will be to review the scope of work including:
- A review of Operator, Collector and other frontline employee initial training, as well as recertification training;
- A review of the commendation/complaint process;
- A review of the selection and hiring criteria for frontline employees;
- The introduction of a customer Bill of Rights that would include employee as well as customer expectations;
- A review of current TTC plans to address customer service;
- Conducting public consultations/meetings/focus groups;
- Conducting employee consultations/meetings/focus groups;
- A public report on recommendations; and
- Advising on expertise/resources needed to achieve success, e.g. external consultants, organizational changes that could include members of the Commission, members of management, as well as private citizens to address specific areas of interest.
The panel is expected to report by the end of June.
From my own point of view, a review of how the TTC interacts with its customers is only one part of a three-part problem. Two others must be addressed in parallel. If they are ignored, then this panel’s recommendations won’t go very far.
First of the two is the relationship between the Amalgamated Transit Union and the TTC, and through them with the public. Recent media reports and “gotcha” photos of TTC staff in less-than-productive poses, coupled with public furor over the botched fare increase procedure, raised antagonism between frontline TTC staff and the public. My gut feeling from riding the system is that this is dissipating, but wouldn’t take much to become a major issue again.
If the ATU has specific issues regarding working conditions (the protocols re work hours and breaks, for example), then these need to go on the table in a public forum. If we, the public and the larger political framework in which the TTC operates, don’t know the nature or the scope of the problems, we cannot possibly assess their importance, priority or how they might be addressed.
The contentious nature of public statements by ATU leaders only serves to undermine support for the frontline workers. This may “play to the house”, but it alienates the public whose support is essential.
Second of the two is the nature of TTC management. Far too often we hear what cannot be done, not what can be achieved if only we have the will to do it. Some of the issues are financial, others are organizational. If there are ways to improve the quality of service, we need to have a public debate about how this will be achieved and at what cost, if any. The Ridership Growth Strategy was based on the premise “tell us what you can do” while placing the policy decision for what we considered “good” in the political realm where it belongs.
Meanwhile, the TTC needs to examine everything it does through a customer service lens. Will proposed changes in fare inspection annoy riders and frustrate operating staff? Are operating and management procedures for surface routes appropriate for provision of good service? Can customers and route supervisors benefit from widespread availability of real time displays of service conditions (eg: Nextbus)?
Whatever changes are made, they must not be superficial, but should bring a real sense of improvement for the riding public and for TTC staff. Riders must feel in their bones that the system is improving, and staff must feel that they can actively contribute to this process with the support of TTC management and the Commission.
Steve Munro 
While I completely agree that this Panel needs to look at things from the viewpoints of customers, workers and managers I can only really offer opinion as a customer and I would say there are a few major issues that I think worth working on.
1. Transit service should be predictable – frequent would be good but predictability is the key. (Think headway management!)
2. Buses, streetcar, subways and the stations should be clean and give an impression the TTC is well run. (No more hand-written or outdated signs!)
3. Rules should make sense and be easy to enforce. (Think timed transfers).
4. Complaints (or compliments) should be acknowleged. (Think tracking numbers.)
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I have called customer service many times to compliment a driver for their examplary behaviour. I always wondered, or worried, whether or not that positive feedback ever got to the driver in question.
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Transit should also be a good alternative to the car. Not a reluctant alternative.
Why should I take the bus, if I have to pay another fare if I stop off to do some banking? Why should I have to pay fares for my spouse and my 3, 5, and 7 year olds if I can just put them into a car for the same amount of gasoline?
That means: timed transfers. Allow 2 hours or so, use of a transfer. Allow family passes during the week, during non-rush hours if not all day.
In general, taking transit should be convenient like the car, but still be cheaper than using the car with parking.
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David, in my experience the ‘compliment’ process does eventually provide feedback to the employee. I have sent about 2 or 3 compliments via the online form, and all 3 drivers acknowledged to me (they guessed I sent it) that they received the commendation. The drivers were very thankful for the compliments and one even admitted to me he had never before had a customer send a personal thank you through the TTC. So in my opinion postive feedback works and I would encourage my fellow riders to use it whenever they come across an exemplary TTC worker.
I totally agree about the hand sign issue. Please, no more hand written signs at stations. How is someone supposed to see a handwritten sign from far away? And I really believe every TTC bus should be equipped with one blank sign (with tape) and a fat magic marker. When the electronic sign malfunctions, drivers are left scambling for a pen & paper to stick in the window.
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Why weren’t you asked to be part of this panel? I can think of nobody else more qualified, and besides, you’ve got time on your hands now that you’re retired.
Steve: I’m not sure I would have accepted even if asked. In any event, the flavour of the day at the TTC is cheerleading, and I will be intrigued to see how quickly walls are thrown up to limit the advisory committee’s access and effectiveness.
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I have a new suggestion for the customer service panel…have better hours and better options to contact their customer service department! I just got ripped off by a pass vending machine today. My receipt says 2 GTA passes at $104 and I got 2 Adult weekly passes dispensed instead. When I reported the problem, the automatic TTC response was “go to Davisville customer service”. Are they serious? I work all day in Markham and live in NE Scarborough. Why do they assume I can go to Davisville before Monday when they close at 5 and are closed on weekends? It’s not like I can hop over there on a coffee break. Why should I have to take a day off work to settle a mistake that was wrong on their end? Talk about terrible customer service!
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I am absolutely amazed that so many seem to have bought into the idea that the TTC’s issues can be reduced to “customer service” problems. Framing the matter in this way all but guarantees that some key root causes for what ails the Commission will not be addressed. In fact, I’d go further and suggest that concentrating solely on the “customer service” dimension serves to obscure the problems. Bottom line is that the TTC’s relationship with its public goes far beyond what might be termed a “customer” relationship. Passengers aren’t just customers — they are also members of the public/citizens owed accountability and responsiveness and effective stewardship of public resources. (And passengers are by no means the only public group the TTC is accountable to.) To reduce the TTC’s interraction with its publics to a “customer” relationship, as this review seems to do, is essentially to narrow the range of responsiveness the TTC sees as owing its publics.
Yes, the TTC may have problems with “customer service” (the bulk of which probably have little to do with front line worker attitudes) … but these problems would probably be better understood as a subset of a much broader problem which might be termed “responsiveness” (or rather lack thereof).
My concern is that the panel seems to have been set up to gloss over the broader problem of the TTC’s lack of responsiveness. My concern is also that even within the narrow mandate of a “customer service” review, the panel might fail to address the ways in which the TTC’s customer relationships are probably in most cases, atypical to what is the case for most service providers. Most customer relationships involve the customer being able to choose various options at various price points. I’d suggest that with many if not most TTC passengers, taking transit is not so much a choice as it is the only option. In other words, passengers have a much higher level of dependance on the TTC’s service than is typically the case in “customer” relationships.
Call me cynical, but framing the issues solely through a “customer service” lens will probably result in little improvement. But it certainly all sounds nice.
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To add to sam’s comment, “customer service” has to go beyond TTC staff smiling and saying “have a nice day”. I’d much rather have the streetcar come on time with a grumpy driver than way late with a friendly, apologetic driver. Of course, on time with friendly driver would be best, but it seems we’re at some distance from this goal right now.
Lots of companies say “we deliver great customer service”, when it really translates into “we won’t say anything rude to you, we’ll always be pleasant, but we won’t necessarily do what you’re asking for”.
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Why wouldn’t you have accepted? I don’t understand why you would rather stay on the outside and endlessly bitch about the TTC instead of getting in there, and in some small way, try to change things for the better.
Steve: First, my experience with “advisory groups” is that they are managed to death by the agency they are supposedly helping. Second, the group’s mandate clearly focuses on the customer/employee interface and does not appear to acknowledge the importance of organizational change. Third, if you think this website consists of nothing more than “endlessly bitching”, you underestimate the degree to which it is read. After all, some of my critics think I have horns and a tail, and am personally responsible for the end of good transit planning in the known universe.
There are many ways I try to change things for the better. Some are quite public, others are private, and I’m reasonably pleased with what I have achieved. Even if every policy I advocate isn’t accepted, the level of debate and general knowledge about transit issues goes up.
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Ed stated
I totally agree.
I distinguish between Customer Service and Customer Relations. I would say that customer service for TTC involves getting me where I want to go on time and in reasonable comfort. Customer relations is the smile and the apology. While obviously it would be best to have the TTC do both well, it the Service part that I think is most critical.
If the Advisory Panel focuses only on the Customer Relations portion, and ignores the Service portion, then it will be an expensive waste of time. Let’s hope that they do delve deep enough to make real changes to the Service.
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Disclaimer: I am a TTC bus Operator
I would like to throw my 2 cents worth into this discussion.
I am in total agreement with Ed and DavidH. There is certainly a difference between “Customer Service” and “Customer Relations”.
In my opinion, as an Operator, “Customer Service” means that your vehicle arrives at your stop on time (or at the very least in a timely manner, allowing for the unforseen), is operated in a safe and considerate manner (no rapid, pin you to the seats accelerations and no sudden, pitch you forward braking, no violent, throw you into the aisle turns), the operator at the very least acknowledges you when you enter the vehicle and pay your fare/show your pass/transfer or request a transfer. The primary function of the operator is the safe operation of the vehicle and the enforcement of fare policy. In addition, as a passenger, I would have the expectation that the vehicle will be in some state of cleanliness – and yes I DO ride the system to and from work on occasion (and have spent a number of years as this being my primary transportation to and from work – mainly on night buses (on their last run) to work). In addition, this operator is wearing a proper uniform that is clean and presentable.
“Customer Relations” is the cheerful operator who greats you with a “Good Morning/Afternoon/Evening” as you enter the vehicle and says “Thank-you” as you deposit your fare or show your pass/transfer.
In addition, this is the same operator who gets to know who the “regulars” are on the route and looks for them (and waits for them) at their normal stops.
I like to think that I fulfill both of the above definitions, because I do take pride in what I do for a living and I just love to hear from my family members (slight sarcasm) when these expectations are not met on their journeys (my immediate family members have Metropasses and use the system daily).
I find it interesting that the TTC management does not ask operators about how to make the system better – we above all employees deal with the issues on a day to day basis. The Advisory Panel has one Operator on it – Robert Culling, joined the TTC in 2008 as an operator. The TTC should have an internal advisory panel composed of operators and supervisors from ALL modes who would work with the external Advisory Panel. A lot of the “Customer Service” issues are beyond the control of individual operators and represent systemic problems (such as headways, traffic congestion, route run times, number of buses on route, etc.). I, unfortunately, feel that the external panel will spend most of their time focusing on the “Customer Relations” aspect and not delve into the “Customer Service” aspect.
Another important aspect that crosses both aspects will be providing surface operators with timely notification of system problems such as subway shutdowns. It is extremely frustrating for a surface operator to pull into a station only to see a “kazillion” people milling about and finding out that the subway is down and that this station is the offload and turnback location (ie. Woodbine) and that there are currently NO shuttle buses OR supervisors on scene yet.
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