Northern TVMs - Video assistant trial

[Killingworth]

Just announced this morning although I think it has been flagged up previously. Message from Northern opened when I returned from my local station after picking up tickets so unable to comment on how well it works. I gather the team answering queries is based in Sheffield.

As a result of issues raised in our meetings recently the Northern East has worked with the wider Northern Team to bring video assistant tool to the TVMs below in our region

At Northern, we’re committed to ensuring that travelling with us is accessible for everybody. Please encourage you volunteers and wider community partners to have a go at using the video assistant tool and feedback to myself and the communities’ team in East.

TVM Video assistant trial

To further support our customers and improve their travel experience with us – particularly those travelling from unstaffed stations – we’ve today started a trial of video assistance technology on a number of Ticket Vending Machines (TVMs) across our network.

The new help and assistance tool will enable customers to talk to one of our Customer Experience Centre colleagues in real time, via a video link, providing additional ways to resolve customer queries.

Customers will be able to get direct support and assistance with their ticket purchase by selecting the video assistant tool on the TVM. When a call is in progress, customers will still be able to view the TVM screen – while seeing the Northern colleague – and will be guided through the booking process (if required). The video call screen is also movable, so it can be adjusted to the customers height, making it even more accessible.

The trial will take place at 22 Northern stations – which are mostly unstaffed – and you can find a full list or trial stations below.

Following the trial period, feedback will be reviewed, and scoping will begin to consider rolling out video assistant functionality across the Northern network – at all unstaffed stations and selected staffed stations.

During the trial, the Department for Transport and Rail Delivery Group will also be conducting customer surveys at stations, to get customer feedback.

List of stations included in the trial:

East region: Saltaire, Burley-in-Wharfedale, Castleford, Knaresborough, Wakefield Kirkgate, Brighouse, Dore & Totley, Morley, Bolton-upon-Dearne, Sandal & Agbrigg, Shipley.

 

[Killingworth]

I can now report on how this is going. Inevitably it's no use at all when the TVM decides to go off offline! Fortunately within 5 minutes of taking the first picture below it sparked back into life.

After touching the 'Help and Assistance' tab on the screen I was told I was No 1 in the queue. After a couple of minutes a flustered young man appeared at the other end. It was the first morning and possibly his first video call. I could hear him, he could hear me (although he said he couldn't see me) and he noted that the nearby CIS wasn't working. It was when I left the station, probably same issue as the TVM and restored at the same time.

Subsequently a sticker has been added beside the 'Press for assistance' button. The operator can now see the user, a small picture will appear at top left of the video screen.

So far on every test the No 1 in queue message has come up. It advises to hang up after 5 minutes and I've done that once. With only 22 trial stations installed so far that may become a problem at times of service pressure. I was careful not to try it with genuine travellers waiting. In 5 minutes that could be delaying 5 or 6 other potential ticket buyers or collectors.

One person was observed trying it when they couldn't get their card to work to collect tickets. Not sure if they managed to find the right card themselves before the adviser told them.

 

[bob007]

These stupid machines already cause delays thanks to a myriad of issues such as unresponsive touch, crashes, confusing UI, shiny screens hard to use in sunlight, being hard for the elderly to use, card being read but not accepted without an error shown .. and now we are going to have to stand there while someone waits in a queue to have a nice video chat. What an absolutely cretinous idea.

Make a better machine and get better hardware and software developers instead of adding even more nonsense features to it

 

[yorkie]

Those machines must waste a lot of power and resources.

The sooner all tickets are available online, as e-tickets, the better! I rarely have to use such machines but every so often there's a ticket in the system which can't be issued as an e-ticket, for which there is typically no good excuse on the part of the fare setting TOC.

 

[WatcherZero]

Wasnt this flagged as a feature when the new machines were first installed? Why has it taken them so long to launch the service, Covid?

 

[Geeves]

The reason for the delay will be entirely down the to the machines and the software being a huge pile of junk. If its not the machines themselves that are down it will be the back office, the pin pads, the season ticket database and on and on.

 

[northwichcat]

Those machines must waste a lot of power and resources.

There must be a lot of electricity used at stations that doesn't need to be, especially at rural stations in winter. Replacing halogen lights with led lights shouldn't be seen as the end of energy saving improvements at stations.

and now we are going to have to stand there while someone waits in a queue to have a nice video chat. What an absolutely cretinous idea.

There's a legal obligation for people with disabilities not to be discriminated against but a real person can cater for the blind person who needs a ticket. A real person can assist them with finding the right platform and getting on board the train too!

 

[Killingworth]

As more are now buying online the TVMs are selling less tickets. It's probably been possible at some machines for some time but I was amazed to find this morning that I could buy a range of nationwide Ranger tickets. Could have missed the train checking the options! Must research what the Bath ticket does.

 

[janb]

As more are now buying online the TVMs are selling less tickets. It's probably been possible at some machines for some time but I was amazed to find this morning that I could buy a range of nationwide Ranger tickets. Could have missed the train checking the options! Must research what the Bath ticket does.

Yes, see this thread https://www.railforums.co.uk/threads/northern-tvms-selling-rovers-and-rangers.243536/

 

[northernman]

Hi all, thanks for your feedback. We have a commitment from the DfT under our service agreement to trial a video assist feature. With TVMs at over 300 unstaffed locations, it potentially provides opportunity for customers to talk to someone if they need help. We have been testing it extensiv3ly on live machines and it works, however it also coincided with a move of data centers and that did cause us a few challenges. We will monitor the trial and see how it goes and then consider if we wish to expand to other unstaffed locations. If you try it, please feedback on here, and I will see if I can answer your query/feedback.

 

[tarq]

I used it today at Brighouse to buy an advance ticket that I had seen online. Very useful feature that I think could make a huge difference for anyone that isn’t confident with machines or just needs some reassurance that they are selecting the best fare option. The only problem I had was it was very difficult to hear the agent. Had a train been calling or had I had hearing difficulties it would have been impossible to hear. The volume needs to be increased. If you want me to fill out a survey or provide additional feedback let me know.

 

[northernman]

I used it today at Brighouse to buy an advance ticket that I had seen online. Very useful feature that I think could make a huge difference for anyone that isn’t confident with machines or just needs some reassurance that they are selecting the best fare option. The only problem I had was it was very difficult to hear the agent. Had a train been calling or had I had hearing difficulties it would have been impossible to hear. The volume needs to be increased. If you want me to fill out a survey or provide additional feedback let me know.

Really helpful thank you! I can get the machine checked out for volume.

 

[bearhugger]

@northernman Do you know the reason why James Cook University Hospital (JCH) station doesn't have a TVM installed when most of the other stations along the Middlesbrough - Whitby line do? Apologies for sidetracking the thread slightly.

 

[Runningaround]

There must be a lot of electricity used at stations that doesn't need to be, especially at rural stations in winter. Replacing halogen lights with led lights shouldn't be seen as the end of energy saving improvements at stations.



There's a legal obligation for people with disabilities not to be discriminated against but a real person can cater for the blind person who needs a ticket. A real person can assist them with finding the right platform and getting on board the train too!

How does the blind person find the TVM, to press the button, to allow the person at the other end of the video to tell them what buttons to press and then find the crossing point to the opposite platform? Or won't they just do as now and have a helper with them to use the TVM in the traditional way? Or ca
And will those in the video type out or the messages or sign for deaf passengers? Great if the screens are in a place that's not blinded by sunlight, I hope the assistance on the other end can order a print out of ''Tickets can't print'' to show any revenue staff.

 

[northwichcat]

How does the blind person find the TVM, to press the button, to allow the person at the other end of the video to tell them what buttons to press and then find the crossing point to the opposite platform? Or won't they just do as now and have a helper with them to use the TVM in the traditional way?

Some blind people are probably able to do a lot more than you're giving them credit for.

And will those in the video type out or the messages or sign for deaf passengers? Great if the screens are in a place that's not blinded by sunlight, I hope the assistance on the other end can order a print out of ''Tickets can't print'' to show any revenue staff.

The deaf do have the advantage that the machine doesn't need you to hear audio prompts to carry out regular transactions.

Automated subtitles is an invention in progress. YouTube use the technology but it can produce some unreliable results on occasions.

 

[northernman]

@northernman Do you know the reason why James Cook University Hospital (JCH) station doesn't have a TVM installed when most of the other stations along the Middlesbrough - Whitby line do? Apologies for sidetracking the thread slightly.

Hi, there were a few problems with installing a TVM at that station, which from memory were mainly about right of access from an adjacent field for comms and power, always happy to revisit this
o

Some blind people are probably able to do a lot more than you're giving them credit for.



The deaf do have the advantage that the machine doesn't need you to hear audio prompts to carry out regular transactions.

Automated subtitles is an invention in progress. YouTube use the technology but it can produce some unreliable results on occasions.

We are looking at live caption subtitles as a next phase delivery

 

[bearhugger]

Hi, there were a few problems with installing a TVM at that station, which from memory were mainly about right of access from an adjacent field for comms and power, always happy to revisit this
o

That makes sense. James Cook must be fairly unique for an urban station in that it's not particularly close to a road and can only be accessed by passengers via a public footpath. The access 'road' to the station from the hospital grounds actually crosses the public footpath too.