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Customer Feedback Supplies Valuable Insight  In an ongoing effort to gauge the pulse of our customers and continuously improve their travel experience, the NTTA recently held several focus groups to test customer messaging, determine their overall knowledge of the NTTA, and hear their observations about new ZipCash invoices. The NTTA also completed a Travel Survey this summer, offering another vehicle for customers to provide comment.
This customer knowledge and insight allows us to better plan for future initiatives, understand the thought process of customers, and learn what customers deem important when traveling on NTTA toll roads. We use the customer information gained from these surveys and other customer feedback tools to inform and improve promotions, strategic planning and day-to-day customer-focused operations.
Recent focus groups consisted of both TollTag and ZipCash customers and, in the case of the Travel Study, non-toll road users. Later this year, NTTA will conduct its biennial customer and stakeholder surveys to further gauge customers’ satisfaction with NTTA roads and services. Some highlights from these focus groups are highlighted below.
Roadway signage key to successful information flow
Both TollTag and ZipCash customers pointed to roadway signage as their preferred and most effective way to communicate the transition to all-electronic toll collection (all-ETC). A customer in the non-TollTag user category commented that he saw the small message signs and thought “all-ETC” meant “etcetera” and that there was more to come. In the short-term, our response was to change the way we talked about all-ETC by calling it cashless tolling instead. Long-term, we are looking for improved roadway signage and opportunities to communicate with NTTA customers.
Customers noted that they saw improvements in traffic flow in some areas and congestion in other areas due to ongoing construction. The good news is that construction on the Dallas North Tollway related to all-ETC/cashless tolling will be completed by the end of the year.
Knowledgeable Customer Base
100 percent of TollTag customers and over 90 percent of ZipCash participants were aware of the price differential between TollTags and ZipCash toll rates. The top reasons for not getting a TollTag included infrequent toll road use and more financial control. Communications efforts are underway to better inform customers of the ease and financial benefit of getting a TollTag.
Effective Billing is Colorful
Prior to launching newly designed ZipCash invoices, NTTA convened a series of focus groups to understand what ZipCash customers saw and responded to when opening and paying an invoice. ZipCash customers responded more favorably and were more likely to pay when the invoices were on a paper color other than white. The color of choice was pink. NTTA responded by changing the paper color of the first and second notices of non-payment to pink and by changing the color of the text and information for each invoice, creating a sense of immediacy and a distinct look for each invoice level in order to encourage early payment.
Feedback from the focus groups is also being used in the NTTA’s upcoming “Pay your Bill” advertising campaign. The online, radio and print ads will encourage ZipCash customers to pay their invoices on-time when no fees are added, alert them to the risks and consequences of ignoring the invoices, and highlight the advantages of opening a TollTag account. We heard from many focus group participants that they did not respond to humor so the campaign message is simple and straight forward.
TollTag benefits go beyond the cash savings – since ZipCash customers pay 50 percent more than TollTag customers. There’s also easy payment for parking at Dallas Love Field and D/FW International airports, as well as discounted rates for terminal parking and pass-through at D/FW. TollTags also can be used on any toll road in Texas without the hassle of bills in the mail.
2011 Travel Study
This summer, customers provided responses to the Travel Study’s origin and destination and the stated preference surveys in addition to providing over 100 pages of comments and observations on what they liked about the NTTA and their concerns. Although customers generally viewed NTTA toll roads as quicker, cleaner and safer, many commented on travel conditions in their specific areas. For example:
“Can you make a closer connection from U.S. 75 to Highway 121 (Sam Rayburn Tollway). Driving all the way out to Allen is ridiculous to get to Plano.”
The intersection at U.S. 75 and Sam Rayburn Tollway opened March 2.
“The survey doesn’t take into consideration about recent construction that delays not only time but adds more congestion.”
Many of the construction activities on the Dallas North Tollway and President George Bush Turnpike are winding down and in their final phases of completion.
- The Eastern Extension of the President George Bush Turnpike is expected to open at the end of this year.
- Construction activities relating to the conversion of the Dallas North Tollway to electronic tolling are also projected to be complete by the end of the year.
- The intersection of the Sam Rayburn Tollway and the Dallas North Tollway is on track to be completed early next year (see comment below).
“Please fix the DNT/121 interchange ASAP!! It is the single leading cause for me to select an alternate route.”
The interchange is expected to be completed in January 2012. In the meantime, the NTTA is making every effort to minimize traffic disruptions by scheduling major closures during off-peak hours.
Next month, NTTA staff will provide information and answers to customers’ comments and questions regarding toll road sources of funding.
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