Metro News Release
For immediate release: April 23, 2009
SmarTrip® customer service improvements planned
New SmarTrip® Web site and automated phone upgrades to launch this year
Accessing the balance and transaction history of SmarTrip® cards, reporting lost or stolen cards, and adding value to the cards will get easier as Metro upgrades the SmarTrip® Regional Customer Service Center telephone system and launches a new customer-focused SmarTrip® Web site.
Metro’s Board of Directors today gave the go-ahead to make the customer-focused improvements at a time when SmarTrip® cards are gaining more widespread use on Metrobus and Metrorail. The transit agency is looking to award a contract or contracts to develop a new Web site for SmarTrip® and advance the interactive voice response (IVR) system at the customer service center.
“The improvements are intended to benefit riders with easier and more immediate access to their SmarTrip® card data and also help Metro manage costs at the customer service center, as the SmarTrip® program expands,” said Cyndi Zieman, who manages SmarTrip® for Metro.
With the growing popularity of SmarTrip®, Metro is answering more calls at the customer service center and fulfilling more customer requests for information about their cards. There are currently 1.6 million active SmarTrip® cards, or cards that have been used in the past six months. Approximately 58 percent of Metrobus riders and 72 percent of Metrorail riders now use SmarTrip to pay for their trips.
“The new self-service Web site and improved IVR system at the customer service center will give SmarTrip® users the ability to do more when they call or logon to the site. They will have access to their balance and transaction history at their fingertips online or by phone, and eventually will be able to ‘load value’ onto their SmarTrip® cards online,” Zieman said.
SmarTrip® card users will begin to benefit from new customer conveniences by the end of the year, with the roll out of the advanced IVR and initial phase of the Web site. Additional features will debut in 2010 as they become available.
The first feature of the new self-service SmarTrip® Web site, which will launch by year-end, will give card users immediate access to their transaction data and card balances. Riders continually ask for their card transaction history and currently need to file a formal Public Access to Record Policy request to obtain that data.
Another anticipated feature of the Web site planned for next year will give riders the ability to load value onto SmarTrip® cards electronically. The Web site will have an “autoload” feature, enabling riders the ability to automatically have funds added to their cards once the balance drops below a designated dollar amount, similar to what EZ Pass users do. Also in the works are options for riders to register their SmarTrip® cards, and report lost or stolen cards online.
The advanced IVR will give callers more options when they call the Regional Customer Service Center, including finding out their card balance and recent card transactions. Callers will be able to get more information through the automated IVR without having to wait to talk to a customer service center representative.
Customer calls have risen more than 50 percent from December 2007, when the Regional Customer Service Center received 23,500 calls, to December 2008 when call volume reached 37,000. Last month, the customer service center handled more than 43,000 calls. It is anticipated that call volume will drop when the self-service Web site is available.
In addition to Metrorail and Metrobus, passengers can use SmarTrip® on regional bus systems including ART, CUE, DASH, Ride On, Fairfax Connector, Loudoun County Transit, PRTC, TheBus and the DC- Circulator, and for parking at Metro parking facilities.
Media contact for this news release: Cathy Asato or Lisa Farbstein at 202-962-1051.
News release issued at 12:19 pm, April 23, 2009.