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Class Is have been trying hard during the past two-year, post-merger period to improve their service. But do shippers really believe service has improved, and do Class Is know what their customers think about current service levels?
Burlington Northern Santa Fe is trying to find out. The Class I March 20 launched an online customer-satisfaction survey and, as of March 22, more than 200 shippers responded.
BNSF emailed the survey's Web link to about 1,200 customers, asking them shippers to briefly answer questions designed to measure their satisfaction and help the railroad better understand customers' needs.
The survey includes six sections on overall performance, growth, service, efficiency, ease of doing business and people.
"Part of being customer-focused is being a good listener — the survey gives our customers another way to voice their concerns," said Kathleen Regan, BNSF vice president, business development.
As the railroad receives survey feedback or customers ask to be contacted,
BNSF account managers plan to follow up and take appropriate action. The railroad expects to share a survey-result summary with customers and employees after it tabulates and analyzes all feedback.
The survey would be issued quarterly to a representative portion of BNSF's customer base, but the railroad plans to ask each customer to fill out the questionaire only yearly.