A local bus for local people
If you’ve read my previous blogs you’ll know I’m interested in customer-centric, co-created service design.
So far the examples I have seen have been government or local government projects but I have been unwittingly been benefiting from a hyperlocal working example for a few years.
Again, if you’ve read previous posts you’ll know how much I like public transport for people watching and earywigging the conversations of my organisation’s potential customers.
If I need to be in Glasgow for an early meeting or training I catch a Parks of Hamilton coach from practically outside my house. It starts in Strathaven a few miles up the road, has a few stops through my village then goes straight onto the motorway and into Glasgow city centre. The return journey leaves at 5.15 and I’m back in the house for 6pm.
It’s a pretty much perfect service. The drivers are always courteous. Depending on the coach the seats are leather. There is a toilet. The lights are dimmed and there’s a hush reminiscent of an Emirates long haul flight. And believe me it’s a far cry from schlepping in on the service bus to then transfer onto a train. And it’s cheaper.
The Parks website has a timetable but the service doesn’t appear on Traveline Scotland and the timetable isn’t up at the bus stop. The service is legit though as it has a stance at Buchanan Street bus station.
If I need reminded of the times my port of call is the Strathaven Facebook page where someone helps me out within minutes.
So last week as I was sitting in heated luxury I wondered about how the service had started. Facebook couldn’t remember so I phoned Parks. The lovely lady who answered didn’t know but she would find for me. Two days later she emailed to say that she’d had to track down their longest-serving employee who told her it was a group of people in Strathaven who worked in Glasgow who had done their research, crunched the numbers and approached the company who decided to trial it and clearly it worked and is still working.
You may not find the service on any travel planning app but it is looking after itself and is well embedded in local knowledge. As people retire, others leave school, uni or college and start using the service. It’s a well-used and loved local secret.
It’s also service so-creation at its best.