WooCommerce vs Shopify Who Comes Out On Top (Aug 2019)

Which hosting provider to choose, what domain to purchase, which theme to pick – setting up a website can require a seemingly endless number of choices. Even more so when were talking about an e-commerce site, since then you have to make yet another crucial choice: Shopify vs WooCommerce.There are, of course, plenty of other options available besides these two, but thats not what were here to discuss. Shopify and WooCommerce are two of the most popular ones, and were here to pit them against each other.During this article, well be taking a long hard look at both platforms to figure out which comes out on top. Its Shopify vs WooCommerce time!In a hurry? Watch this video:Click here Whats unique about each e-commerce platform?Shopify is an all-in-one solution which enables you to create an online store, manage your products, and handle payments using a single service.WooCommerce is an open-source solution built on top of WordPress, which supercharges the Content Management System (CMS) and enables you to run an online store using the platform you know and love.Shopify vs WooCommerce: A look at their featuresThese are the bullet points of the Shopify vs WooCommerce showdown, so keep an eye out for your favorite features:ShopifyWooCommerceOffers three different plans for its users, starting at $29 per month.Completely free, although you will need to purchase your own hosting.Comes with a free myshopify.com subdomain for all plans.Doesnt include a free domain – you need to buy your own.Enables you to add unlimited products to your store.Also supports an unlimited number of products.Charges you specific fees for all your payments.Payment fees depend on which payment processors you decide to add.The platform offers its own app shop – both free and paid – which enables users to extend the functionality of their stores.Comes with an extension system (basically the same as WordPress plugins) which provides additional functionality to your store . Extensions come in both free and premium varieties.24/7 support.The developers behind WooCommerce offer support through a help desk for their users, as well as extensive documentation for the software.Dozens of premium themes are available to customize the look and feel of your site.There are dozens of premium and free themes for WooCommerce.Includes a Secure Socket Layer (SSL) certificate alongside all its plans.Includes SSL support  (as long as youve obtained your own certificate).Features its own analytics system, and can also be integrated with Google Analytics.Can be integrated with Google Analytics using a plugin. As mentioned in the table above, using WooCommerce requires you to buy your own web hosting. Although this might seem intimidating at first, its actually not that difficult of a task to handle.Just to point you in the right direction, a while ago, we compared the top hosting providers in the e-commerce space the best hosts for all kinds of e-commerce sites. Long story short, if youre looking for an affordable solution that will be able to handle your WooCommerce setup, check out SiteGround they will give you a suitable hosting plan for $3.95 / month. (Theyll also handle setting up the site for you, but thats another story.)Who uses those platforms?Shopify is the home of over 243,000 merchants selling everything from customized skateboards to baby-friendly jewelry (yes, thats a thing). It powers both small operations and renowned  names such as Lollapalooza and Party Rocks clothing channel.Lets take a quick look at  one Shopify user who has leveraged its features all the way to success.SoYoung makes use of MailChimp through their Shopify integration to send out targeted marketing campaigns. They manage their accounting using the third-party Xero app – which also comes with a Shopify integration – thus making the most out of Shopifys wide catalog of apps.WooCommerce is no slouch when it comes to adoption – the e-com merce platform powered approximately 400,000 sites by early 2015, and that number  will have increased exponentially since.Plenty of well-known names rely on WooCommerce for their online sales channels, such as Ripleys Believe It or Not! and New Balance. To better understand what the platform can offer, lets take a look at  a real use case:Quade Ecuador is Ecuadors first locally-built smartphone distributor, and they use WooCommerce to manage their online orders. Their site showcases all the features that you would expect from a professional online store such as reviews, discounts, multiple colors for each product, and related products. Its all made possible thanks to WooCommerces flexibility.What about pricing?Shopify offers a simple pricing method including three basic plans and a custom enterprise option. Their three plans are priced at $29, $79, and $299 respectively, and the main difference between each lies on the fees it charges for accepting credit cards.These difference s may seem minimal at first, but everyone who is familiar with retail operations can attest to the fact that credit card fees rack up fast. Furthermore, each successive plan also reduces the transaction fees for using external payment options such as PayPal and Stripe, as seen above.Each Shopify plan changes the number  of staff accounts available, as well as the ability to send out gift cards, and recover abandoned shopping carts (both are limited to the last two plans).WooCommerce, on the other hand, costs nothing upfront, but you need to set up hosting on your own. Hosting costs may vary depending on the scale of your store but generally speaking, a modest operation should run you less than Shopifys basic plan.WooCommerce extensions tend to cost more upfront than their Shopify counterparts, but theyre usually sold as one-time licenses rather than month to month subscriptions (as is the case with Shopify).Shopify vs WooCommerce: Which one is right for you?Weve made  it  to t he end of the Shopify vs WooCommerce brawl, and now  its time to determine which platform is best for you:Shopify is the way to go for users who dont want to deal with a complicated setup process and need  premium support. The service guarantees a smooth ride at the expense of a monthly subscription.WooCommerce can go blow-for-blow with Shopify and come out on top due to its inherent flexibility. However, its setup process is a bit more complicated and will require you to get your hands dirty. Its perfect for those of you who have an affinity for open-source software and want to customize every aspect of your experience.Its perfectly normal to feel intimidated by the choice of which e-commerce platform to pick. Running an online store is a massive undertaking, and choosing the wrong one could potentially cripple your operation right from its inception.Both Shopify and WooCommerce are great platforms on their own right – although each has its own set of pros and cons. As l ong as you go with whichever one suits your needs the best, youll have made the right decision.For which platform are you rooting when it comes to Shopify vs WooCommerce? Tell us why in the comments section below!Free guide5 Essential Tips to Speed Up Your WordPress SiteReduce your loading time by even 50-80% just by following simple tips. * This post contains affiliate links, which means that if you click on one of the product links and then purchase the product, well receive a small fee. No worries though, youll still pay the standard amount so theres no cost on your part.

Good Organization Is Good Strategy With Lindsay Scarpello From OBI Creative

Good Organization Is Good Strategy With Lindsay Scarpello From OBI Creative Does it feel like you are trying to herd cats? Managing your marketing that way is not strategic. Get organized to manage your time, help you predict how long projects will take, and plan ahead to get real results. Today, we’re talking to Lindsay Scarpello, an organizational mastermind with a background in journalism. Marketers need to think like journalists. Learn organizational and time management skills, as well as how processes and workflows are imperative for success. Some of the highlights of the show include: Lindsay’s role at OBI Creative, a research and communications advertising agency Lindsay’s employment background in journalism and marketing Build trust with customers through education and high-quality content Organizational skills needed for marketers to succeed Time Management: You can’t miss deadlines and must be willing to hustle Decipher and present data in a digestible way Find and implement tools to maximize your time; keep using what works for you Lindsay plans ahead to stay organized with her time Be aware of what’s going on by using To Do list apps, notebook, or other tools Build a foundation of organizational skills to boost results and be an investment Organization becomes a habit in your personal and professional life Spend time defining processes to be able to execute them Content Planning Process: Research, build strategy/create steps, receive feedback, and implement How to plan content ahead of time using rules of marketing Be tech savvy and have working knowledge of all Microsoft Office programs Know how your brain works and your company’s goals   Ã‚   Powered by PodcastMotor Actionable Content Marketing powered by By AMP083: Why â€Å"Good Organization Is Good Strategy† With Lindsay Scarpello From OBI Creative 00:00/00:00 1x 100 > Download file Subscribe on iTunes Leave Review Share Links: Lindsay Scarpello OBI Creative Mary Ann O’Brien Wunderlist Evernote Microsoft Office Panda Planner HubSpot Buffer Flywheel AMP on iTunes leave a review and send screenshot to podcast@.com If you liked today’s show, please subscribe on iTunes to The Actionable Content Marketing Podcast! The podcast is also available on SoundCloud, Stitcher, and Google Play. Quotes by Lindsay: â€Å"I think it all goes back to writing. I think being able to write content and create content has been paramount to brand success.† â€Å"In order to engage on social, in order to attract customers, regardless of what kind of customer you have, you have to build trust.† â€Å"You have to be planning ahead because the news doesn’t wait for anyone.†

Prep 19 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Prep 19 - Essay Example Speciation is the splitting of a lineage to produce two or more separate species. For this to happen, two or more of the members or species are selectively isolated and allowed to interbreed. When a species population extends over a wide geographical area and mating is selective rather than random, the gene pool is said to be sealed. This reduced gene flow causes the development of new species due to interbreeding. The importance of this is the generation of a pure species that repeatedly improve both genetically and phenotypically. Speciation involves the separation of an original species and the development of two or more pure species usually by a barrier. Allopatric speciation specifically involves the development of a physical barrier between separated members of the species to prevent crossbreeding. This results in geographical separation and hence interbreeding within the new geographical area. This is the dominant mode of speciation and once two separate populations are established the process of speciation continues. However speciation can result even without physical. This is known as sympatric speciation. In this type of speciation, a new species arises while living in the same location with the original species. This is believed to happen when a group of organisms from the species begins to occupy a distinct niche in the environment and eventually become adapted to the conditions while still breeding within themselves to produce a new species. Isolation of gene pool without geographical isolation happens when members of a species in the same geographical location occupy different niches in the same environment. In a similar way, social organisms have controlled mating and hence breeding only happens within the selected group. Species have developed mechanisms to control speciation and breeding. In reproductive isolation, the environment installs external

The Presidents of the United States Movie Review

The Presidents of the United States - Movie Review Example His entry in the office is in a period when the country is facing crisis over the question of expansion of slavery into new western territory. Southern extremists threaten succession if the rule is in favor of the Northern evolutionists. The passing Bills to link California as a free state with slavery measures favorable to the South does not please everyone; including President Taylor. He passes on from an inflation of the intestines (David). In 1991, his descendants gave a green light towards exhuming his body. Forensic analysis reveals no signs of foul play and determines cholera as the likely cause of death. His vice president assumes the presidency. He is Taylor’s opposite and a tool to balance the ticket geographically and politically. He is a Northerner, who aims to please and appease rather than lead. He reverses the policies of his predecessor by signing the compromise of 1850 into law, supporting slavery. He believes its abolishment will give rise to the collapsing of the southern economy; with slavery as an accelerator. He believes the constitution protects slavery issues. He hopes to please everyone for his support for the compromise but fails in 1852 presidential elections (David). A Northern Democrat with strong political ties to the South. He is a social and political butterfly. His election to the presidency is poor timing. He seems to be emotionally unstable after the loss of his only son in a train wreck shortly after his election. He is a troubled man who seeks the approval of others. His vice president William passes within two weeks after the inauguration. He defends slavery as an admitted right to favor Southerners (David). In 1854, he twisted arms to win passage of Kansas-Nebraska act. It repeals the ban on slavery and allows the people to make an informed choice concerning the issues. This result produces much blood shade, and the democrats drop him from the

Classroom - debate Essay Example for Free

Classroom debate Essay What methods can teachers / trainers use to establish ground rules with their learners? I currently teach in a â€Å"Category C, Male Populated Prison† and I am employed in education to deliver a broad spectrum of hospitality qualifications to class of 10 learners. In turn I have an obligation to mentor to a minimum of 25 guided learning hours per week, to include numeracy, literacy, and ICT. Therefore it is essential for me that establishing ground rules are fundamental for ensuring classroom management in any learning environment; understanding the needs and views of those contributing, will have a greater appreciation from the group. Atherton, J. S (2005) defines ground rules as† The minimum necessary conditions for getting learning work done in the class. † By setting boundaries for learners, they will help to create a safe and relaxed environment that will ultimately promote transparency, underpin behaviour and mutual respect for each other. Three distinct options could be utilised; * The teacher who can take a very autocratic attitude and dictate the required behaviour expected. * The learners set the agenda, with little guidance, giving limited structure to the classroom. * Open and honest discussion between the teacher and the learners to allow individuals to highlight what they feel is important to the group. This leads towards everyone living with group decisions and refraining from articulating their own personal reservations outside that group. There are several ways of establishing ground rules through consensual agreement and negotiation: Small group method; Breaking the group into smaller units to think about a limited number of suggestions that they feel are important to them. Go around the room to discuss these ideas, while also trying to elicit an understanding behind their submissions. Ensure that the group is happy about their input, but make certain that any missed and basic rules are incorporated Allow the group to openly discuss the suggestions and allow them to debate the value and worth to the classroom. The group can then vote to stipulate what rules the class should adhere too. By recording the rules, you will have a reference point for the class to focus should individuals fail to abide. Periodic revisiting and re-evaluation will highlight any deviation from those â€Å"Ground Rules† Ground rule poster; There can be issues regarding the level of understanding from a group who may have poor literacy standard. A Ground Rule Poster may be more applicable in these circumstances; a pictorial significance can have the same emphasis as a written statement. The Acronym method; Utilise the ground rules to invent a short inventive statement: AAchieve goal LLearner participation EElicit perfection XXcel Brookfield Preskill’s method Ask the students to think about the best group discussions, they have been involved in. What happened that made these discussions so satisfying? Next, ask the students to think about the worst group discussion in which they have been involved. What happened that made these discussions so unsatisfactory? For each of the characteristics, have the students suggest three things that the group might do to ensure that these characteristics are present or not present as the case may be. Use the students’ suggestions to draft a set of ground rules on which you all agree. Record the guidelines. Copy the list and bring it to section the following week. This way all students have copies that they can refer to over the semester. Periodically, have the class take a moment to evaluate whether the guidelines established at the beginning of the semester are being followed, and whether they work. The kind of behaviour and respect you would aim to achieve by negotiating and establishing the ground rules with the learners will ultimately define and underpin the success of the learning experience. Tutor name: Sally Welsh Word count: 633 Ashley Robson Bibliography Adapted from Brookfield, S. and Preskill, S. (1999). Discussion as a Way of Teaching: Tools and Techniques for Democratic Classrooms. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass. Atherton, J. S (2005) defines ground rules as† The minimum necessary conditions for getting learning work done in the class. †

The Struggle for Self-Definition in Boys and Girls by Alice Munro Essay

The Struggle for Self-Definition in Boys and Girls  Ã‚   When we are adolescents we see the world through our parents' eyes.   We struggle to define ourselves within their world, or to even break away from their world.   Often, the birth of our "self" is defined in a moment of truth or a moment of heightened self-awareness that is the culmination of a group of events or the result of a life crisis or struggle.   In literature we refer to this birth of "self" as an epiphany.   Alice Munro writes in "Boys and Girls" about her own battle to define herself.   She is torn between the "inside" world of her mother and the "outside" world of her father.   In the beginning her father's world prevails, but by the finale, her mother's world invades her heart. Although the transformation is not complete, she begins to understand and define her "self-hood." Alice Munro's "Boys and Girls" immerses us into the rural country-side of Jubilee, Ontario, Canada, and into the life of an eleven year-old tom-boy.   The story unfolds how she struggles to become herself while growing up on her parents' farm.   Her father raises silver foxes for the family's meager source of income as her mother cares for their home.   Let us first look at the world she is enthralled with at the start of her narrative. Initially, Father is her world.   As she helps him care for the foxes, she does not call him Daddy; she calls him Father.   The name Father commands respect and formality.   Munro writes, ". . . I was shy of him and would never ask him questions.   Nevertheless I worked willing under his eyes, and with a feeling of pride" (112).   Although eager and happy to spend time with her father, Munro reveals here that she does not have a close relationship with her fath... ...earning from her mother, she will define herself as well.   Indeed, it is not easy growing up.   It is painfully hard to defy the person that you most admire, in this case her father.   But at some point in our young lives we must break free from the conformity of our parents' world in order to give birth to our "self."   This is what Alice Munro shows us through "Boys and Girls." Works Cited and Consulted Carscallen, James. The Other Country: Patterns in the Writing of Alice Munro. Toronto: ecw 1993 Heble, Ajay. The Tumble of Reason: Alice Munro's Discourse of Absence. Toronto: University of Toronto Press 1994 Munro, Alice. "Boys and Girls." The Norton Introduction to Literature. Eds. Carl E. Bain, Jerome Beaty and J. Paul Hunter. 6th ed. New York: Norton, 1995. Martin, W.R. Alice Munro: Paradox and Parallel. Edmonton: University of Alberta Press 1987

Passenger Satisfaction Survey

Passenger Satisfaction Survey Report and Benchmarking of Performance Standards Hkkjrh; jsy ifjogu izcU/ku laLFkku y[kuA Indian Railways Institute of Transport Management Lucknow July 2012 PASSENGER SATISFACTION SURVEY REPORT AND BENCHMARKING OF PERFORMANCE STANDARDS Dr. KALPANA DUBE Senior Professor (Finance & PPP) Assisted by Kishor Mehta, CMI, IRITM Ankit Tandon, RA, IIM Lucknow July 2012 Indian Railways Institute of Transport Management Lucknow Government of India – Ministry of Railways DisclaimerThe findings contained in the Passenger Satisfaction Survey Report are meant to focus on those Service related areas which require better attention by the Service Providers. Like all other Surveys these represent only an indicative checklist of areas of action and reforms and are by no means exhaustive and fully descriptive. The Survey was restricted to some cities of northern parts of the Country, the observations and findings get limited to that extent and may not apply ipso fact o to all Indian Railway Passenger Services. PPP Knowledge Center, Copyright  ©IRITMMESSAGE FROM THE DIRECTOR PPP knowledge centre was setup at IRITM in 2008. IRITM has a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with IIM Lucknow, for writing Research Papers, Case Studies and assimilating research findings into comprehensive periodic reports to be used for improving training inputs. This is the 4th publication of the Centre. The earlier 3 publications :1. Ideas on PPP, Dr. Kalpana Dube, Sr. Prof. (Fin. & PPP), IRITM & Ashish Shukla 2. A Handbook on Project Finance & PPP Terminology, Dr. Kalpana Dube, Sr. Prof. (Fin. & PPP), IRITM & Ankit Tandon 3.Studying the Efficacy of an Airport Modernization Concession Agreement, Dr. Kalpana Dube, Sr. Prof. (Fin. & PPP), IRITM The above publications have been well received not only by the Railways but even outside in the Government, Private Sector and Educational Institutions. Indian Railways is the life line of the nation. It has been instrumental in bringing about a social, cultural and economic revolution in our society and has been a strong uniting and integrating force. Despite being a monopoly in passenger services which are highly subsidized, can it afford to have a dissatisfied customer?To keep the nation moving and the customers happy, our net social service obligations in 2010-11 constituted 17. 57% of total expenditure. Analysis of profitability of Coaching Services showed a loss of 21,324 crores to which net suburban losses in Chennai, Kolkatta and Mumbai contributed Rs. 2364 crores. Other factors have also accelerated the situation which include low second class ordinary fares non suburban commuters and concession in fare extended to various categories. No other transport sector today is offering rates which could compete with the Railways.Despite so much of effort if we are still unable to keep our Customer satisfied there certainly seems to be some communication gap between us and the Customer. In order to asses th at gap IRITM conducted a â€Å"Passenger Satisfaction Survey† on the Northern, North Central and North Eastern Railway, the result of which are summarized in the publication. We hope the results would allow us the Railway personnel to introspect about our â€Å"Customer Demand† and initiate us to give a better service and be more vocal in showing our concern for keeping our Customer Happy. Ashima Singh Director IRITM Lucknow July 2012FOREWORD Passenger Amenities and provision of certain essential as well as desirable features on Railway stations as well as on-board train services continually engage the attention of policy makers in the Railway Board as well as the Field Officers in the Zones and Divisions. The ground level scenario at major stations in the country differs in terms of scope as well as its perceived usefulness by the Railway Passengers. The present survey was designed to get a comprehensive feedback on 37 different service parameters related to passenger conveniences and station facilities.While the objective assessment fields were readily responded to by most passengers the open ended questions did not elicit detailed replies and were perfunctory. The perception gap between Passenger responses and Railway Officers’ responses also highlighted some interesting differences. Illumination at Stations, Signage and Clarity of Train Announcements and Booking Counter experience have got very favorable responses. The deficiency areas which were most reported on were cleanliness on platforms and train toilets, late running of trains as well as unauthorized people in compartments.What must be emphasized here is that none of these areas actually require capital expenditure or investments or repeated policy directives. They just require vigilantism, active supervision and better coordination among the service providers within the various departments. A standard protocol of maintenance, cleanliness and supervision functions needs to be wo rked upon just like the various service related parameters put in operation at the newly developed and modernized airports. (Please refer Annexure). This is a standard checklist of service parameters insisted upon by Delhi International Airport Limited (DIAL).A similar drill would go a long way in ensuring better services on our premium stations especially A1, and A categories. The booklet has been designed in such a manner that passenger responses can be very easily understood through use of colorful graphics and simple data presentation, however the larger question which needs to be addressed is that can we provide station and on board housekeeping services which are game changers and path breaking at the same time? Which reflect a paradigm shift in the way Passenger Services are traditionally being offered by Indian Railways.Perhaps the new Station Development Corporation announced recently may introduce sweeping changes to radically alter the present system of addressing Passeng er Amenities and general conveniences to be made available to the public. The Station Development Corporation has been conceived with the primary objective of augmenting and improving passenger related amenities at stations. All the issues highlighted in the current survey would perhaps get addressed if fast tracking the activities of the Station Development agency can show visible early results.The areas of action being well designed concourses, high end waiting spaces, easy access with disabled friendly options for station premises, congestion free platforms, modern catering facilities etc. The Report has been made more useful by adding edited versions of the comprehensive, pan-India Passenger Service Surveys and Station Cleanliness Surveys conducted by the CAG (Railways) in the last few years. In addition, some additional literature and visuals of world class stations have been added to give a feel of what the future may look like in the days to come for Passenger Amenities and S ervices in Modernized Railway Stations.The Report has also been substantiated with identifying certain important performance benchmarks, using examples from the Aviation Sector. Performance benchmarking and improving customer perception are important milestones in improving station premises and passenger services beyond the conventional targets to the next level. A level which is path breaking and futuristic in its vision and implementation. If the checklist of the 37 parameters used in this study as well as the findings contained in the Audit Reports are read and comprehended by the Railway officers responsible for these functions, the purpose of the survey would be fulfilled.However, it may be useful to reiterate that station maintenance procedures must follow the KISNE principle i. e. Keep It Smart Neat and Efficient. Also while we cannot promise the moon to our customers we must ensure that what we do promise we deliver at all times with 100% efficiency and Zero Failures. These are achievable because we have a long experience of managing stations and procedures are well laid out. What is perhaps needed is a well established drill of adhering to a standard protocol of Station and Train Maintenance Practices and not allow the drill to falter even for a day.A well thought strategy, precision in execution and applying Six Sigma principles for not deviating from the Standard Maintenance and Supervision Protocol would go a long way establishing a New Order which is easy to replicate and easy to follow. Dr. Kalpana Dube Senior Professor IRITM Lucknow July 2012 The more you engage with customers the clearer things become and the easier it is to determine what you should be doing. —-John Russell CONTENTS SN 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 TopicsObjectives of the Passenger Survey Criteria and Methodology Sample Size/Target Respondents Passenger Survey Findings Response by Railway Officers Suggestions for Proactive Action Comparison of General Public & Railway Officers’ Response Perception Gap – Between the General Public as Rail Users and Railway Officers as Rail Users Graphical Representation of the Findings Strategy For Promoting Indian Railways Image And Train Travel Experience – Some Suggestions Benchmarking & Performance Assessment Measures Sub Report One: Sample Service Quality Specifications For Delhi International Airport Ltd. DIAL) Conceptual Background for Railway Stations as Profit & Investment Centers Sub Report Two: CAG Recommendations on Passenger Services in Indian Railways 2008-09 Sub Report Three: CAG Recommendations on Cleanliness and Sanitation on Indian Railways 2007-08 Annexure 1: Citizen Charter on Passenger Services of Indian Railways Annexure 2: Questionnaire Used for the Passenger Satisfaction Survey for IR Performance & Service Standards Page No. 1 1 2 3 5 6 7 9 10 – 25 26 27 28 33 38 40 42 46Passenger Satisfaction Survey Report and Benchmarking of Performance Standards Obj ectives of the Passenger Survey †¢ †¢ To review the facilities provided to the passengers right from ticket booking to the on-board travel experience in the trains To asses if facilities provided in trains were adequate and effectively maintained or not, from the point of Passenger Satisfaction in Station Maintenance Practices. To know the priority areas so that these can be strengthened to optimize passenger satisfaction.To asses the overall travel experience of the passengers in the Indian Railways and their perception of the organization. †¢ †¢ Criteria and Methodology An open ended questionnaire with about 37 parameters was prepared and survey was conducted with the help of three field executives provided by the Indian Institute of Management (IIM) Lucknow. The survey was conducted over a period of ten days through direct contact and filling up of the questionnaire by on-board passengers of all the Travel Classes (AC, 2nd Sleeper).The routes identified for th e survey were mainly on the Northern part of the country Lucknow – New Delhi – Lucknow, Lucknow – Gorakhpur – Lucknow, Lucknow – Varanasi – Lucknow, Lucknow – Allahabad – Lucknow, Lucknow – Kanpur – Lucknow, Lucknow – Moradabad – Lucknow, Lucknow – Firozpur – Lucknow. All the Stations surveyed belonged to A-1 and A category. 1 Passenger Satisfaction Survey Report and Benchmarking of Performance Standards Sample Size/Target Respondents The sample size of the survey was around 700 passengers which included 100 Railway Officers as well.The general passengers age profile was from 15 years to 65 years with maximum response coming in from the young adults/youth i. e. 26-35 years of age. About 28% were female respondents and balance were males. Quality in a service or product is not what you put into it. It is what the client or customer gets out of it. ——–Peter F. Drucker 2 Passenger Satisfaction Survey Report and Benchmarking of Performance Standards Passenger Survey Findings Top Efficiencies 1. Illumination & Signages 2. Availability of Porters (Coolies) at the Station 2.Booking Clerk Competency & Behaviour 3. Clarity of Announcement at Stations Top Deficiencies 1. Cleanliness of Toilets 2. Unauthorized Vendors & Passengers 2. Cleanliness of Platforms 3. Late Running of Trains Top Three Concerns/Priority Areas 1. Punctuality 2. Quality of services 3. Safety Satisfactory Services (Rated as Good) 1. Ambience of Waiting Rooms/Rest Rooms 2. Seating, Water, Trolley facilities at the Platform 3. Pricing of Food 4. Linen/Bedroll Cleanliness 5. Fans and Lights in the Trains 3 Passenger Satisfaction Survey Report and Benchmarking of Performance StandardsOther Findings of the Survey †¢ More than 60% of the people have used IT Enabled services such as Internet Ticketing, Enquiry Kiosks, Touch Screens, etc. 64% of the passengers surveyed confirmed that t hey have seen service improvements in the Railways in the last five years. 31 % of the passengers surveyed are satisfied with the Railway Amenities/ facilities. 35 % of the passengers surveyed think that Railways are giving Value for Money for the services provided. 47 % of the passengers surveyed rated Overall Services provided by the Railways as Good †¢ †¢ †¢ Your most unhappy customers are your greatest source of learning. ——Bill Gates 4 Passenger Satisfaction Survey Report and Benchmarking of Performance Standards Response by Railway Officers Top Efficiencies 1. Booking Clerk Competency & Behaviour 2. Quality & Quantity of Food made available 3. Clarity of Announcement at Stations Top Deficiencies 1. Coach/Toilets occupied by Unauthorized Passenger & Vendors 2. Handling of Theft Cases 3. Cleanliness of Toilets/Coaches Top three Concerns/Priority Areas 1. Quality of Service 2. Punctuality 3. CleanlinessSatisfactory Services (Rated as Good) 1. Water in the Coaches 2. Seating, Water, Trolley facilities at the Platform 3. Cleanliness of Platform 4. Ambience of Waiting Rooms/Rest Rooms 5. Illumination & Signages 5 Passenger Satisfaction Survey Report and Benchmarking of Performance Standards Other Findings of the Survey †¢ More than 70% of the Railway Officers have used IT Enabled services such as internet ticketing, enquiry kiosks, touch screens, etc. 94% of the Railway Officers surveyed confirmed that they have seen service improvements in the Railways in the last five years. 7 % of the Railway Officers surveyed are satisfied with the Railway Amenities/ Facilities. 86 % of the Railway Officers surveyed think that Railways giving Value for Money for the services provided. 85 % of the Railway Officers surveyed rated Overall Services provided by the Railways as Good. †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ 6 This handbook on Passenger Satisfaction Survey and Benchmarking of Performance Standards has been compiled using the results obtai ned in a 15 day extensive Passenger Survey launched by IRITM PPP Knowledge Centre in association with IIM Lucknow.The survey was in the northern part of the country covering A-1 and A category stations. 700 responses were obtained on 37 different passenger service parameters under nine categories ranging from Point of Sale to On-board Facilities to IT based Passenger Transactions. These have been compiled in easy to read, colourful graphics in this Report. The Report has been made more useful by adding edited versions of the comprehensive, pan-India Passenger Service Surveys and Station Cleanliness Surveys conducted by the CAG (Railways) in the last few years.In addition, some additional literature and visuals of world class stations have been added to give a feel of what the future may look like in the days to come for Passenger Amenities and Services in Modernized Railway Stations. This handbook would be of use not only to IRTS Probationers but also to all frontline Managers and S taff in Indian Railways responsible for Station Maintenance, Sanitation and Passenger Amenities. The handbook can also be accessed on the IRITM website www. iritm. indianrailways. gov. in.A customer is the most important visitor on our premises, he is not dependent on us. We are dependent on him. He is not an interruption in our work. He is the purpose of it. He is not an outsider in our business. He is part of it. We are not doing him a favor by serving him. He is doing us a favor by giving us an opportunity to do so. — Mahatma Gandhi Hkkjrh; jsy ifjogu izcU/ku laLFkku y[kuA Indian Railways Institute of Transport Management Lucknow Hardoi By-Pass Road, P. O. Manak Nagar, Lucknow – 226 011 Ph. : 0522-2471961, Fax: 0522-2473929, website: www. iritm. indianrailways. gov. in