Comprehensive operational services to free up your staff

How INIT supports the operation of ticket vending machines

INIT has established and expanded the scope of its operational services over the past few years, in close cooperation with our customers, to create a wide range of services all designed to assist you. Even after project completion, we are always on hand to help monitor the performance of your system, advise you on possible further system enhancements and even manage certain tasks, leaving you to concentrate on your core business. The range of solutions is outlined in this and subsequent issues, using case studies.

Deploying ticket vending machines: this doesn’t sound very complicated but as is often the case, the devil is in the detail. How many tasks are involved and which processes have to run in the background can only be assessed by experts who are familiar with a transport company’s operational procedures. We have a thorough understanding of those tasks and are keen to support you by taking over the monitoring, maintenance, data administration and business analysis for your VENDstation ticket vending machines as an additional service offer. Together we can define exactly which tasks you would like us to manage and which you would prefer to perform yourself.

Maintenance and monitoring

In order to secure ticket revenues, your ticket vending machines (TVM) need to be fully functioning at all times. Our device management service assists you in ensuring this by overtaking several tasks. We carry out regular and scheduled work on site, such as maintenance and cleaning of internal and external components, including banknote and coin processors. With the help of MOBILEsymon, INIT’s system for monitoring the entire ITS environment, and further tools, we can offer permanent real-time surveillance of the status information of all registered device components. Any faults that may occur such as rejection of cash or credit card payments or paper jams are automatically recognised and the support work-flow is started as part of the reactive maintenance agreed in the maintenance contract. We monitor which ticket vending machines are in use, their exact location and their status (for example, whether they are in operation, out of order, in repair, or whether a replacement unit has been ordered).

Since TVMs are one of your most important sources of income, cash handling is another essential task. Funds must be collected and there must also be change available in sufficient quantities and denominations. We can manage both of these tasks for you and can also supply your TVMs with ticket and receipt paper rolls. In order to have electronic payment methods fully functioning at all times, INIT oversees mobile phone transmission, the operation of SIM cards in TVMs, the required data volume and the appropriate conditions with the mobile network provider.

Operational services: together we can define exactly which tasks you would like us to manage and which you would prefer to perform yourself.

Data administration and business analysis

Whenever you change your tariffs, all the updated fares must be made available in your ticket vending machines. Whether you plan only minor price changes or a completely new tariff structure, we can take care of the entire data administration and the roll-out to the fleet. This also applies to any other data that the TVM requires as soon as it is installed, such as the GTFS, the timetable and the GIS data. As with all other operational services, our workflow will be based on the processes and responsibilities that we will define with you in the operating manual.

However, ticket vending machines not only require data, they also provide important information that help analyse the success of tariff changes. You may for instance wish to know if tariff changes resulted in fewer or more day, group or monthly tickets being purchased. INIT can analyse that for you and answer your specific questions. This will help you to better align your fare structure with your passengers’ needs while maximising your revenue. In addition, we are happy to advise you on the possible integration of new electronic payment methods.

Last but not least, the scope of our operational services also covers activities and responsibilities for which no fixed process may yet have been established within some transport companies. For example, we ensure traceable management of all types of keys: cards or metal keys for opening vending machines as well as virtual keys (e.g. SAM cards), which are used to authenticate chip cards at TVMs.

A comprehensive package

Whether you opt for an individual service or decide to take advantage of a comprehensive package of solutions, our objective is to relieve you of time-consuming tasks. In the operation of ticket vending machines and in many other areas.

Contact

Dr. Michael Caspari

Head of Department Support & Operations

INIT GmbH

Germany

Get in touch

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This article was published in our customer magazine INITiative, issue 2/2020. If you want to receive the magazine regularly per e-mail, we kindly ask you to subscribe.

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