The SNCF ticket offices overwhelmed by Internet

Internet and technology have caused a radical change of consumer behavior. Indeed, more and more consumers buy products online.

In the stations of major cities  (here, the Gare 
de Lyon, Paris), ticket offices now occupy  
a space smaller and smaller compared with
rows of self-service terminals. Photo credit: 
Sébastien SORIANO / Le Figaro

In 2011, 40% of the SNCF turnover (the National Corporation of French Railways) was made online against 29% generated by ticket offices and stores.  Nowadays, in train stations, the space dedicated to ticket offices is more and more reduced to be replaced by electronic kiosks. The problem encountered by this operation is the dismissal of employees and a lack of contact with an interlocutor claimed by some consumers not used to this new technology.  

However, the company is aware that this doesn’t suit to everyone and thinks they have to maintain all distribution channels in the stations and a human presence. Even though it's expensive, it considers that it is part of the service quality.

The goal of the SNCF is to continue to encourage people to buy online and to restore the customer relationship in the stations. To do so, the SNCF pushes its employees to do several jobs such as leaving their desk for the platform, helping travelers to use the machines, answering their questions. Also, a redeployment program has been launched in 2012 to create a deeper customer relationship. It includes a new definition of business, methods, computer systems and it will be fully implemented by 2015. For that, 6000 salesclerks will become commercial counselors to identify the needs of consumers in order to propose them adapted products.

In our opinion, the integration of electronic kiosks is not only due to the will to satisfy the “C” generation needs but also for profitability reasons and to pit its strength against its competitors. Indeed, machines can work 24 hours a day, 7 days a week compared to humans. However, they don’t suit to everyone: some people need advice, specifications and human presence reassures them, others do not want to be tracked by the government and therefore not use their credit card to pay. Moreover, the decrease of personnel has its limits and doesn’t help the economy. To us, the SNCF must stop encouraging the deficit of its workforce leading to a dehumanization of the provincial stations. In strain stations, the queue is already long, they should not discourage more people from going to the ticket offices. Or in this case we could denounce a policy which does not seek to adapt supply to demand of customers, but to format the user to the SNCF’s commercial policy. Finally, we believe that the SNCF made ​​the right decision to encourage a change in symbiosis of human presence with the digital.

Keywords : Transport, Rail, France, Arnaud Aymé, Yves Tyrode, SNCF, Voyages-sncf.com

Collet, V. (2012, January 18). Les guichets de la SNCF dépassés par Internet. Retrieved January 25, 2012, from http://www.lefigaro.fr/societes/2012/01/18/04015-20120118ARTFIG00635-les-guichets-de-la-sncf-depasses-par-internet.php