101 Photo: iStock/CandyRetriever simultaneously with the arrival of an international train at the adjacent station, was just one of the negatives which contributed to the demise of a route. What policies are in place to cultivate the haulier’s loyalty? These really do make a difference, whether it is in the provision of drivers’ lounges aboard ship and pleasant facilities in the terminals. These are the year-round customers who appreciate good treatment and influence the choice between operators, which makes a difference to profits. And in an age of growing transport bureaucracy, the ferry operator that makes life easiest for these hard-pressed people, through good technology around the paperwork, is the one that will prosper. The friendliness and helpfulness of terminal staff also differentiate the customer experience for all categories of passenger. It is a big responsibility, bearing in mind staff may be dealing with people who are in unfamiliar territory in both the terminal and the ship, or individuals who may not speak the language, but who will generally respond positively to a friendly face. This experience should begin at the booking phase, continue at the terminal reception and throughout the sea passage – and it really does make a difference. How easy is it to change a booking? How accommodating is the terminal to a late arrival? Are there financial penalties for booking changes, as there are with airlines? All of us, whether foot passenger, car driver or haulier, are well able to tell the difference between motivated staff who prioritise customer satisfaction and those who think the ferry or terminal is run chiefly for their own convenience. It might be suggested that all of this is just common sense, but if someone has been a ferry traveller for many years, they will invariably accumulate a stock of memories, both positive and negative, but they tend to remember the latter. The cancelled sailing that caused chaos on the terminal. The stormy passage which saw an unfriendly crew ignoring the distress of passengers. Shouted orders in unfamiliar languages causing confusion. Rotten food and dirty public spaces. We are all human and remember these passages, which will contrast so vividly with those where the terminal was well-run, the ship was perfection and the staff were obliging. This is why paying close attention to customer service is the most important rule of all. Passengers are more likely to return to a ferry operator if they enjoyed their journey and experienced good customer service “ Close attention to customer service is the most important rule of all”
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