ISSUE 2
MANABUS.COM STAFF NEWSLETTER IT’S THE LITTLE THINGS!
JANUARY 2015 LUGGAGE WOES: Let’s solve them for good! Pg 3
Pg 2
STAYING CONNECTED Communication to our customers brings praise During some trying times over this holiday break, unavoidable delays and minor bus incidents saw some of our customers disadvantaged. These days it’s easy for customers to show their disappointment and annoyance at a situation they will pick up the phone or post an unhappy comment online. Instead, our Contact Centre had kept up a timely stream of responses and information and customers openly thanked them on our facebook page for being kept updated. A great deal more understanding of a situation is the result of clear real-time communication. And the communication was fed out to crews and our drivers and attendants who also came in for some kind comments... ...Although there was delays due to a crash on the way up the bus driver was really helpful and getting updates via email, letting us know was good too!
Testing times on the road this holiday break
High volumes of traffic, roadworks and accidents have contributed to delays and replacement buses being found over this holiday period. This has been the busiest time we have experienced since operations began in November. We also experienced some negative media attention and we are currently reviewing all of the factors involved to avoid a repeat episode. It appears we weren’t the only ones having a ‘cracking’ time south of Whangareiwhere multiple stretches of roadworks caused broken windscreens, lights and indicators from loose metal. One driver described the sound of metal hitting his vehicle as sounding like ‘rapid machine gun fire!’ Read the article. ‘ It’s also a good time to remind ourselves of the increased use now of affordable dash-board video cameras. More often, the actions of bad drivers are being caught on camera and finding their way into the media, as happened to another bus company just after Christmas. Read the article. I am pleased to say the three minor incidents that left our fleet reduced, while repairs were carried out, at no time put our passengers in danger. Thank you everyone for your vigilance,
Geoff
GEOFF NORMAN, Chief Executive ManaBus.com
... Drivers window smashed and he kept cool about it...got to my destination late coz of bus issues but we all got there safe. Mana Bus you are the bomb..feeling happy.
STOP PRESS: The Board of ManaBus.com have announced today the appointment of Sheryll Otway, General Manager of Howick & Eastern, to a leadership role in ManaBus.com. Full details appear in the document sent to all staff today. More news in the next issue of ‘Staying Connected’. - EDITOR Repairs underway to Bus no:2 at Kiwi Bus Builders in Tauranga
STAYING CONNECTED OPERATIONS The Hub: The Hub is our ManaBus.com network operations base and is where both Operations Supervisors John Dawson and Daniel Hanson are situated. Their office is at the top of the stairs in the Fullers Annex building on Queens Wharf alongside the drop-off pick-up zone.
The Contact Centre:
RECIPE FOR SUCCESS: Some of the little things that make
our operation run more
SMOOTHLY
A 24/7 Control Centre will soon take over from the Contact Centre for the management of buses and crew in the coming weeks. The Controllers will become the bus crew's first point of contact. The Customer Contact Centre will transition to new hours of 7am to 11pm daily. Look out for the internal job advertisements soon. The ManaBus.com Contact Centre is also located at the top of the stairs in the Annex, sharing the area with the Fullers Call Centre. Please be mindful when there is additional people in this area as it does become difficult to hear on the telephone so keeping your voice low is appreciated.
Crew rest facility: If you are unfamiliar with the Downtown Auckland wharf area, follow directions to Pier One (where the Devonport and North Shore ferries berth). Show the Fullers customer service person at the Auckland Transport Gates your ManaBus.com name badge and keep right, passing the public toilets, through a solid sliding gate and the Staff Room is on the right. Use the keypad to access* the area. There are toilets and a kitchen with tea and coffee- making facilities, as well as a microwave at your disposal. You’ll be sharing the space with Fullers crew so if you have the opportunity please introduce yourselves. Please remember to leave the kitchen area clean and tidy. Crew must be instructed on Fire Evacuation procedures before they are allowed use of the rest facility. Please contact Daniel Hanson or John Dawson for induction. *For security reasons we won’t publish the code but this is obtainable from Daniel or John.
A HUGE
Thank You!
Cell phones are to remain in the buses. Please do not take them home with you at the end of your shift. Fuel cards must be kept in the business card holders supplied to each bus. Whenever you come across any traffic issues please inform the Hub on on 09-3679120 as soon as possible. Please ensure the onboard toilet valve is shut before removing the toilet cartridge. To access your paysheet use your IRD number as the password
Please ask the kids (and Mum) to make sure the spoons are used for those sticky treats!
ManaBus.com management would like to acknowledge the team of Drivers and Mechanics from Howick & Eastern who have helped us out over the holiday period thank you all, it is greatly appreciated. Right: Howick & Eastern mechanic Tony checking out the ManaBus.com Volvo engine.
STAYING CONNECTED WITH THE LUGGAGE! One area we are going to refine is luggage: the processing at the beginning of a journey and the locating at the end of a journey. The luggage tags will be reprinted with these changes:
HAM
AKL
WGT
1. Quicker identification of destination using a 3-letter code
2. The manifest sticker will be smaller to fit alongside booking numbers
MBU9230391
MBU9230391
MBU9230391
MBU9230391
MBU9230391
MBU9230391
MBU9230391
MBU9230391
We would like your feedback by Monday 2 Feb so please email john.dawson@manabus.com to send your suggestions.
MBU9230391
STORAGE of the tags has also been problematic and a perspex holder has been designed to fit inside the metal door to the left of the luggage storage area. It was decided that having it posittioned on the outside of the door would mean luggage may damage the box. Each of the 7 segments will hold at least 50 of each kind of tag.
HAM AKL WGT
3. A stronger vinyl paper stock will be used to avoid tearing.
PLEASE TAKE THE TIME TO CLICK HERE TO REVIEW OUR LUGGAGE TERMS & CONDITIONS: WWW.MANABUS.COM
STAFF PROFILE: Karl Parker Yorkshire man Karl Parker made the decision to visit New Zealand after hearing countless stories of amazingly beautiful scenery and friendly people. And he hasn’t been disappointed. Karl has been a key part of our Contact Centre for the last 4 months and takes every opportunity he can to hop on a ManaBus.com coach to check out more of the cities and sights. And from the many calls he receives he’s getting to grips with the lingo, to the point where his favourite sayings are ‘Kia-ora’ and ‘Sweet as!’ A keen rugby league follower (from time spent living in NSW) Karl is hoping to get to see some of the the Nines next weekend particularly his team, the Rabbitohs. Chur bro!
WHAT IS A CALENDAR RELEASE EVENT? This is the periodic release to the public of a set number of $1 tickets and other low fares. The new set of tickets are uploaded onto the website on a pre-arranged date and will be available for travel up to a certain date. Our latest release means travellers are able to book up until the end of April. This will take in the Easter break and Anzac Day. As we move to the ‘Monday-ised holidays’ in NZ this year, Anzac Day 25 April, falls on a Saturday and will now be recognised as a public holiday on Monday 27th!
KEKO HAS UNDERGONE A FASHION MAKEOVER with his vest no longer sporting an iconic New Zealand fern. Sadly, the NZ Rugby Union deemed it too close to their trade marked version so we have complied and removed the fern from his red vest and he’s been a real sport about it! Left: Stella refuelling after Keko has been de-ferned!
We mentioned earlier in this issue, the prevalence of onboard video cameras in vehicles and in some countries, police patrol cars now use them. Check out this officer (a big Taylor Swift fan) who may have forgotten he was being filmed...
LAST WORD: Please remember customers need to phone the contact centre on 09 3679140 (not the Operations Hub number 367 9120) to avoid calls from customers tying up the line for urgent operational matters.