What will you design to enhance the customer experience for long train journeys?

I’d go through the following clarifying questions to scope out the problem statement.

Clarifying questions

1.       I know of trains in India that take over two days to go from source to destination. For the scope of this problem, how long does a journey have to be categorized as a long journey?

2.       Are we looking to solve for city trains, the ones people take to work every day, or are we looking to solve for longer intercity/interstate trains, which people ride less frequently?

3.       Why are we trying to enhance the customer experience? Is it based on customer feedback, internal research, or an effort to bring in new customers?

4.       What are the constraints that we need to consider? For example, can we purchase or upgrade hardware, need an app-based solution, or work on solutions not dependent on computer technology?

5.       Are there specific geographies that we are working on, are the trains usually running at capacity, what kind of telecom connectivity exists?

6.       Who would be the most persuasive alternative for travelers taking long journeys? What experience do they offer, what makes people choose the train?

7.       Can you share any previous information that you already have? For example, demographic segmentation, feasibility study of other solutions explored?

Assuming that the answers provided help narrow down to the following:

We want to build a product for journeys longer than four hours. The products required are for interstate trains. These trains have fewer frequent passengers and more often have tourists or people visiting family, students, and other leisure travelers. There are no constraints on the technology used in the solutions as these experiences are for new trains where it is possible to install requisite hardware. Passenger safety is paramount, and we need to minimize how often passengers leave their assigned seats. Lastly, the solution should transcend age barriers and apply to people from all age groups.

User Needs

-          Given restricted movement in the train, we need to keep them engaged while in their seat.

-          More than one form of entertainment and ability to engage with co-passengers.

-          Ability to browse the web and connect with their comfort zone.

-          An individual solution so co-passengers aren’t affected by their choices.

Solutions

1.       Internet connectivity: Having the train provide high-speed internet onboard will allow people to use their devices, connect to their contacts apps, consume content, and generally keep themselves occupied.

2.       Onboard Entertainment: Have an onboard server that users can connect to via personal devices. Provide own content and partner with content providers to work on freemium models.

3.       Interactive journey: We need to install an interactive interface on the train for this solution. Provide auto connectivity to onboard entertainment. Additionally, train journeys are scenic, and passengers are far more connected to their surroundings than alternative modes of transport. Using this opportunity, the company can create content that shares information about the city, town, or village it is passing, history, facts, folklore, people, etc. This feature works best on a train and considering tourism as the primary segment, it will interest many passengers.

4.       Onboard games: On the same hardware, we can preinstall simple multiplayer games such as chess, connect 5, poker etc . People can choose to play with other passengers. Moving traditional travel games online will keep people engaged.

5.       Onboard Library: We can maintain an onboard library. People can rent books from the train. People who bring their own books can also participate in the take one leave one format.

6.       People you may know: Passengers can use this service to check for other people on the train that they might know via connected social media. This might be a simple feature for those traveling alone to find someone they know.

Prioritization

Metrics:

-          #average number of travelers each day

-          #time spent on the infotainment systems

-          #repeat customers who book other journeys

-          #number of books checked out on the onboard library

Risks:

-          The cost of hardware can be higher than the anticipated increase in business

-          If the quality of content is not maintained, it will have a detrimental effect on the experience

-          The enhanced customer experience still doesn’t make the train an appealing option if flights can cover that distance in one-fourth the time.