Multi-channel ticket sales:
a must in public transport

Multi-channel ticket sales enables public transport companies to address different customer requirements and position themselves as modern mobility providers. No investment is required if they opt to offer mobile services using an existing platform.

Multi-channel ticket sales is a well-established concept in e-commerce, but still has plenty of room for development in public transport. For public transport companies, multichannel ticket sales means first and foremost that tickets are sold simultaneously through vending machines, service centres, sales partners (such as kiosks), and digital channels such as online shops and mobile apps. But there is a lot of catching up to do, particularly when it comes to apps.

Customers are usually offered an assortment of regional apps, while far too little thought is given to cross-regional ticketing solutions, or apps with complementary offerings, e.g. apps provided via travel operators, tourism apps, or event apps. True multi-channel ticket sales, which encompasses all possible sales channels, can be used to properly address the very specific and different requirements and needs of each customer group.

Customer behavior has become highly differentiated in the digital world, and the same applies to public transport. This means that different target groups should also be addressed in a differentiated way, insofar as this is possible. Digitalisation has created the technical framework to allow public transport companies to engage with individual needs. A modern app such as HandyTicket Deutschland makes it easy to address consistent customers who have a monthly ticket in a different way to occasional users or tourists.

Investment-free solution ensures maximum flexibility

There is naturally some work and expense required to reap the full benefits of multi-channel ticket sales, because the appropriate systems must be set up and maintained. However, this work and expense needs to be weighed against the cost of lost revenue if these channels are not used at all. This is why public transport companies should ensure that the costs of adding additional sales channels relate directly to the revenue these new channels generate.

Solution providers have appropriate models in their portfolio, e.g. there are no investment costs for signing up with HandyTicket Deutschland, Germany’s national ticketing platform. The transport operator simply pays a small commission on each ticket sold.

As an addition to an existing platform, the mobile app can also be a very cost-effective sales channel – particularly when compared to the costs of operating service centres or implementing
and maintaining an independent app. If a public transport company implements a multichannel concept only to find that very few tickets are sold via third-party apps, it should adapt its strategy. This is much easier when no major investments have been made.

The option to sell tickets via existing ticketing platforms such as HandyTicket Deutschland is a particularly interesting opportunity for smaller public transport operators to offer customers a modern and cost-effective sales channel. This also allows them to retain access to their customers and customer data. And in the digital age, proper control over customer data is vital to any company presenting itself as a forwardthinking and modern mobility provider.

Contact

Martin Timmann

Chief Revenue Officer

More information

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This article was published in our customer magazine INITiative, issue 2/2018. If you want to receive the magazine regularly per e-mail, we kindly ask you to subscribe.

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