While going for digitization of Railways, we should improve the customer experience everytime we make a contact as a typical service industry When do we need Railway? 1. Passenger travelling constitutes to around 27% of revenue 2. Transportation of Goods constitutes to around 67% of revenue Lets focus on Passenger Travelling as of now. When do we contact railways? And how can we create a delight for the customers?

1. While booking a Ticket a. Average delay (in mins) of the past 7 arrivals should be updated along with the available list of trains for a particular source and destination. (Performance Tracking) b. SMS update of the PNR status if the original booking was waitlisted (Customer Delight)

2. While getting ready for the train on the date of journey a. Status update through SMS if the train is running delayed, from 4 hours prior to the scheduled time of journey. This can be sent every half an hour. Can be avoided if the train is ontime, except once. (Customer Delight) b. Railway can tie up with Meru / Ola cab services for picking up the staff from their residences on call / charge basis. (Generating Revenues)

3. While at the station. Waiting for the delayed train or otherwise a. Kiosk for the platform tickets to avoid wastage of time (Time / Work Efficiency) b. Platform tickets can also be in the form of a SMS from the electronic Kiosk. SMS can be valid for 2 hours as is. A person can submit his mobile number in the machine along with a 5 Rs note for processing. He will get a SMS back valid for 2 hours. (Green Initiative)

c. AC waiting rooms can be equipped with reclining chairs / bedding services on a paid basis. (Generating employment / revenue through services) d. Waiting rooms can also be equipped with health instruments like cycling / cardio, which can be linked to a dynamo to charge battery. This will serve the dual purpose of small exercise with responsible behaviour towards the country by generating energy. (Societal responsibility)

e. Railways can also have a separate area for morning brush/bath. This may be helpful for people who book an overnight train and have a meeting next morning. They can get ready at the station itself. Railways can tie up with Indian companies like Dabur/Godrej for supplies of toiletries. This will in a way promote their product by way of wet sampling and in turn improve national economy as no royalty is paid outside on consumption of such goods. (Generating employment / revenue through services)

4. While in the train, travelling a. TC to check passenger tickets digitally through a handheld. This can show the PNR number which can be matched against the SMS received while online booking of ticked. Pancard / Voter card can also be checked from the central database stored. (Time / Work Efficiency) b. A push call button can be placed in every compartment of an AC coach. An attendant can attend the requirement of the traveller. (Customer Delight)

c. A small debate / discussion can be started via moderator, discussing some of the relevant issues prevailing. A market / opinion survey can also be conducted after this debate. This can be done in the CC bogie. As this is the best time to catch a group of qualified people to make them a part of national agenda. Some of them even volunteer at their individual capacity. (Mass Opinion gathering)

5. While deboarding the train and back to home / work a. A set up can be made inside the train between every 2-3 AC bogies for booking a cab onwards after deboarding a station. This will save off much time in making a line at the prepaid taxi booth. A driver can be made ready once the train reaches that station. (Generating Revenues & Time / Work Efficiency) b. The above can be made possible even for luggage assistance through collies

Saw this idea on quora.com http://www.quora.com/How-can-the-service-of-Indian-Railways-be-improved