Robert Nedrow III, a customer service representative for Sound Transit in Seattle, took the top prize in APTA’s 2011 Call Center Challenge, held March 1 in San Diego as part of the APTA Marketing and Communications Workshop. This was Sound Transit’s first time competing in the event.

APTA sponsors the Call Center Challenge to recognize the exemplary efforts of call center personnel at member transit agencies, defined as employees who handle incoming calls relating to trip planning and/or customer service issues. The judging process began with a preliminary round in January, from which seven finalists were selected to compete in front of a live audience at the workshop.

The other finalists were Sarah Farahani, Southern California Regional Rail Authority (Metrolink), Los Angeles; Heather Cramer, Bloomington-Normal Public Transportation Corporation, Normal, IL; Andrea Myers, Chicago Transit Authority; Celia Mejia, Dallas Area Rapid Transit; Elisha Walker, South Florida Regional Transportation Authority/Tri-Rail, Pompano Beach, FL; and Raina Washington, METRO Regional Transit Authority, Akron, OH.

The competition presents the finalists with three randomly selected customer service scenarios. APTA member judges grade the contestants on their ability to resolve each inquiry in a friendly and professional manner, with the top prize going to the one with the highest overall score.

Here are a few examples of the questions that challenged the entrants:

“The forecasters are calling for seven inches of snow tomorrow. Will you be canceling service? I need to know now because I have an important meeting tomorrow.”

“I’ve started taking on overtime at work and I am not leaving until after it gets dark. Do you offer any type of security escort service? I have to walk almost five blocks to my bus stop.”

“My son has a unicycle. It won’t fit in the bike rack and the bus driver told him bicycles aren’t allowed inside the bus. It’s not a bicycle; it’s a unicycle. What’s my son supposed to do?”

“Your driver slammed the door on my right hand. I was lucky to get out before he drove away. My hand is bruised and hurts.”

“I saw the most offensive ad on the side of your bus. It was for a movie and the woman in the ad was practically naked.”

Similar to the Call Center Challenge, APTA’s Marketing and Communications and International Bus Roadeo committees will host a Customer Service Challenge for bus operators in conjunction with the APTA Bus & Paratransit Conference and International Bus Roadeo in Memphis, TN, in May. More information is available from Jack Gonzalez.