10 NOVEMBER 2018 • FOGHORN FOGHORNFOCUS: CUSTOMER SERVICE M ore than ever, technological break- throughs are making huge impacts on lives. Of course, human interaction is still important, particularly in an industry like passenger vessel operations where face-to-face connections are a daily part of business. Looking at the trends associated with customer service now, many meld technology with human interaction. Let’s review what trends are likely to impact your operation. Mobile Phones Shep Hyken, a Forbes contributor, believes that mobile phones can be a powerful customer service tool for businesses. “The mobile phone is the best way to connect and interact (other than human-to-human) with your customers,” Hyken wrote in an article about customer service trends. Mobile devices are now ubiquitous for all age groups. Earlier this year, the Pew Research Group published a report stating that nearly allAmericans over the age of 18 own a cell phone, and the majority of those are Smartphones.According to Pew Research Center’s Mobile Fact Sheet published in February, “The vast majority of Americans – 95% – now own a cell phone of some kind. The share of Americans that own Smartphones is now 77%, up from Customer Service Trends: Supporting Customers Through Technology By Karen Rainbolt, FOGHORN Managing Editor just 35% in Pew Research Center’s first survey of Smartphone ownership conducted in 2011.” “Just about everybody has a mobile phone,” said Hyken. “When a customer grants you access to their phone, by sharing their number with you or installing your app, you are on your way to creating an interactive customer experience that can help you disrupt your competition.” One example of a PVA Vessel member that utilized a mobile to connect and interact with customers was a new service launched last year in New York City. NYC Ferry’s fast growing operation—leaping from 640,000 riders in the second quarter of 2017 when it was launched, to 2.1 million passengers by the third quarter, and nearly 3 million riders by the end of the year—may have benefited from the mobile app it offers passengers to download onto their Smartphones to purchase tickets and receive service alerts. Percent of U.S. adults who own the following devices © 2017 Caterpillar. All Rights Reserved. CAT, CATERPILLAR, BUILT FOR IT, their respective logos, ”Caterpillar Yellow,” the ”Power Edge” trade dress as well as corporate and product identity used herein, are trademarks of Caterpillar and may not be used without permission. See our complete offer for ferries and cruise ships at marine.cat.com See the video at storiesfromsea.com PLEASE DO NOT REMAIN SEATED Do not switch of all electronics. Please move around freely. And above all, do not miss the spectacular beauty off the sea. With Cat® high performance engines, the total time of your journey could be the same as flying. Only with better views. And without the leg cramps. cat_ad_ferries.indd 1 08/01/18 22:30