A survey carried out by leading passenger information display system manufacturer Infotec has seen dozens of people who work in the rail industry express what they feel is currently missing from displays and what the most important considerations are when they procure new CIS equipment.
Among suggestions made for innovations are alternative journey option information during times of disruption, multi-functionality and sleeker housings.
The questionnaire was sent out as a starting point for a passenger information display forum to be hosted on LinkedIn where ideas and innovations will be shared and discussed by those with an involvement or interest in information and customer experience.
As well as overground rail, responses were invited and received from representatives of underground, local authority, metro, equipment designers, manufacturers and installation organisations.
A topic which generated a wide range of comments and ideas was disruption and following the publication of the questionnaire results report, this will be one of the first subjects examined in more depth on the forum.
To encourage responses, those taking part were offered the chance to take part in a prize draw for a £100 shopping voucher. Drawn from the hat as the winner was Daniel Barron, Information and Customer Experience manager for South Western Railway.
On hearing the news Daniel said: “That’s brilliant, thank you! Certainly looking forward to treating the other half to a new dress!”
A report detailing the questionnaire findings is to be published on the LinkedIn forum.
Commenting on the survey, Infotec managing director Tim Court said: “We are very pleased with the quantity and quality of responses that came in.
“We believe that the forum will encourage interesting discussions from which everyone, the travelling public included, can benefit. We look forward to seeing how it develops.”
Anyone who would like to become a member of the forum can search ‘Passenger information forum’ on LinkedIn, click on the group and then ‘Ask to join’, or by connecting with James Lisney and asking for an invite.