Request for Information: On-Train, Station and CSC Ticketing Services

Tender description

LNER's existing on-train ticket issuing system was last tendered in 2015, and the at station and at Contact Centre system (CSC) in 2019. They currently have deployed in excess of 235 on-train devices, and around 120 at-station/at- CSC. (This excludes Ticket Vending Machines, which are not part of this tender) Since then, we have seen significant changes in the way we retail tickets, and this needs to be reflected in the next generation of retail systems we provide for our colleagues. With the success of Smart and E-tickets, the shift to season tickets on smart cards, and the planned ITSO on Mobile initiative, demand for traditional credit card-sized tickets and paper roll tickets has significantly declined. We are seeking a solution that prioritises digital ticket delivery, advances smart ticket capabilities, strengthens fraud detection, supports railcard validation, and streamlines after-sales customer service. This approach will enhance the customer experience while aligning with our vision for a modern, fully digital ticketing environment The vision for on-train and at-station is still being finalised, but what is clear is that the way that our customers are buying tickets is changing, and what is being asked of our teams is much more varied. We need to be able to provide our customers with flexible payment methods and newer ticket delivery systems, as well as having station and valuable information at our fingertips in one place. We need our systems to be integrated and to talk to each other without our teams needing to maintain logins for multiple platforms. We want our station product to be flexible to the changing environments of stations with the ability to be used both behind a counter and on the move in the station environment. We want to explore how this product can link to our other facilities in stations to deliver the best possible experience for our customers giving them a stress free and seamless journey. We want the solution to empower our frontline colleagues giving them the confidence and technology to tackle any issues they may face whether this be selling tickets, giving assistance or delivering important information. Similarly on trains, we recognise the requirement to provide more opportunities for a single app or platform to provide a much wider range of services, including offering seat upgrades, providing customer information, booking Passenger Assistance, targeted ticket checking, managing revenue protection cases, reserving seats, or securing the one they are currently sat in. In our Contact Centre we aim to deliver award-winning, seamless, and personalised customer service. To support this, we require a fully integrated solution that connects with our retail platforms and Salesforce Service Cloud, ideally as a plug-and-play solution. This integration will enhance the customer experience, reduce customer effort, and provide deeper insights into customer data, enabling us to deliver tailored sales and aftercare support whenever it's needed. Management of the devices - both in terms of the physical devices and the MDM software itself is something we would like to improve. We would like to consider better, more secure storage solutions at stations and depots for the devices themselves and the potential for more rapid direct support should things go wrong. From a technical architecture perspective, we would like to explore the potential to use the LNER Central Booking Engine as the backend for all booking processes. Being able to assist with refunds and Delay Repay would help us to streamline the process, enabling customers to be compensated more quickly. Please complete the questionnaire located at https://forms.microsoft.com/e/ycQSJELTHQ, as this will help us to structure the tender appropriately. Lot 1: It is LNER and SouthEastern's intention to re-tender their requirement for mobile ticket sales and checking devices, software and support, for on train, station-based devices (Behind counter and floorwalking) and contact centre devices. This RFI is to determine interested parties prior to the release of the full tender documents. Information about Lots: Our intention is to divide the tender into the following sections: 1. On-Train 2. Station 3. Contact Centre - Telesales, Group Bookings, Specialist Sales 4. MDM and physical device management Each Train Operating Company may decide to issue their own tender, or may embark upon a combined tender. This has yet to be decided, and interested companies are advised to include both approaches in their response. Additional information: Please complete the questionnaire located at https://forms.microsoft.com/e/ycQSJELTHQ, as this will help us to structure the tender appropriately.