Between 2020 and 2025, Smartix technology powered a UK rail ticket retail system that issued more than 6 million Apple Wallet and Google Wallet passes, alongside PDFs and physical tickets.
When a new flexible season ticket product was introduced during the pandemic, retailers faced a challenge: how to manage ticket activation for multiple journeys without forcing customers to install a dedicated mobile app.
Smartix introduced an innovative solution using updateable wallet passes, allowing a single ticket to change state as journeys were activated.
How best to implement a new ticket type that was valid for multiple journeys, but which has to be activated each day that it is used.
A ticket type, that on the face of it, does not fit into traditional digital ticket retailer flows.
• expensive development
• long delivery time
• ongoing maintenance
• customers forced to install an app
• external ticket activation
• new ticket for each journey
• fragmented journey management
• poor user experience
• single ticket updates automatically
• no app required
• activation handled from the ticket itself
This is where Smartix stood apart.
Rather than issuing new tickets for every journey, Smartix created a single wallet pass that evolves throughout the ticket lifecycle. Activation, journey validity and expiry are reflected directly on the pass, keeping the customer informed while maintaining a seamless ticketing experience.
Live Wallet Passes enabled us to deliver a working solution that customers were happy with faster and at lower cost than those who cose to implement these ticket in an App.
Apps are slow and costly to build and update. Infrequent users are also reluctant to install an App.
Instead of having to introduce the concept of app only tickets which would have involved significant changes, these wallet passes were alreay fully supported.
All we needed to add was the audit trail for ticket activation and a new refund process for partly used tickets.
Our client's solution was live before other retailers had completed the design phase.
As they each talk about their experiences, Margot quickly realises she made the right choice of ticket retailer and Steve realises his journey could have been so much better.
Steve is not going to but his tickets from them any more. Moreover, he's likely to recommend his colleagues do not either.
Has a customer whos experience has reinforced her brand loyalty. They have a new future customer and likely miore.
Most businesses could see improved customer satisfaction with better engagement.
Servicing and repairs. Keep your customer informed with full repair details on the back of pass. Use notifications to alert customer to changes and links so customer can respond.
Pass can list books on loan, show when books are due back, even show a lock screen notification the day before. Links can enable loan extensions with a simple tap.
Why have a paper policy when it can be on yor phone? Wallet Policies offer instant updates when details change, handy access to policy info and claims.
Keep patrons in the loop with upcoming band nights, guest beers etc.
The pass is both the customers receipt and your communicaiton channel to let them know when the repair is complete.
Upcoming events and tournaments are always handy on your members pass. Secure barcodes can also verify member status.
If you have a business where your customer engagement could use improvement then call us.
