Page 462 - 360.revista de Alta Velocidad - Nº 6
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Cañamero Palacios, Francisco




                 Renfe also features access to all its digital services, such as checking schedules and tickets,
                 Renfe Viajes (the new range of tourist services linked to railway), the loyalty programme +Renfe
                 or useful information on any aspect of the trip. Renfe offers this platform as well as a new
                 Marketplace for the relationship with its customers.

                 The +Renfe programme customers and those who wish to join it free of charge, as well as those
                 who travel First Class, will have direct free access to the connection and the contents. By doing
                 so, Renfe aims at the creation of a new traveller relationship model, with priority given to those
                 subscribed to its loyalty programme.
                 But it does not end here. Our engagement with customer satisfaction goes even further. For
                 this reason, Renfe introduced some months ago a new after-sales commitment for the clients
                 of  its  commercial  services  (AVE, Alvia,  Euromed,  etc.)  simplifying  the  reference  times  for
                 its punctuality commitments and adding new bonus options in the event of a delay. Thus, in
                 addition to the usual cash refund of the amount of the relevant ticket, Renfe introduced the
                 option of receiving such relevant amount plus a further 20% as a discount on the purchase of
                 the next ticket, or its accumulation with an extra 30% for the customers subscribed to +Renfe
                 loyalty programme opting for the refund in Renfe points (redeemable for tickets or other tourist
                 services from the partners engaged in the programme).
                 The new Renfe after-sales commitment relating to its commercial sales expanded the voluntary
                 punctuality commitment to any circumstances that might delay a train arrival, including also
                 those circumstances due to force majeure (adverse weather, fire, service disruption by a court,
                 government or police order, limitations stated by the railway infrastructure manager, etc.).
                 Thanks  to  this  measure,  Renfe  expects  to  keep  a  leading  position  regarding  the  level  of
                 commitment  towards  its  clients  and  improve  one  of  the  most  advanced  after-sales  models
                 among European transport companies.
                 Spain wants to travel by train
                 Between May 2016 and April 2017, 11 Renfe lines reached an all-time high in terms of travellers.
                 The  lines  are  those  connecting  Madrid  with  Barcelona,  Asturias,  Valencia,  Cádiz,  Málaga,
                 Alicante,  Pamplona,  León  and  Cantabria,  and  the  lines  Barcelona-Valencia  and  Barcelona-
                 Zaragoza.
                 All these lines reached historic levels until the end of April, positioning railway as the most used
                 collective transport in Spain, well over airplane and bus for the routes around mainland Spain,
                 where all three modes can compete.
                 Furthermore, Renfe reaches a high for its AVE and Long Distance trains during July and August,
                 when 5.8 million travellers used the company, AVE and Long Distance commercial services. This
                 data means an all-time high representing the biggest passenger volume of the company for the
                 two months of highest demand in summer, as this result shows a 2.1% improvement, 122,000
                 more travellers, compared to the same period in 2016.
                 While high-speed commercial services (AVE, Alvia...) were chosen by more than 3.5 million
                 travellers (+2.3%, 77,000 more travellers than in 2016), Long Distance services were the choice
                 of 2.3 million clients (+2.1%, 47,000 more travellers).
                 These data are complemented with public service trains, Medium Distance and Commuter, used
                 by more than 64.5 million travellers during July and August, a 3.2% increase compared to 2016.
                 This means that, altogether, the trains operated by Renfe have served 70.4 million travellers.
                 Conclusion and next steps
                 In financial terms, high speed is the most profitable current railway service. Furthermore, Spain
                 is experiencing a significant growth in line with the great infrastructure investments carried




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