Users want to feel valued – they want high quality, intuitive devices that are easy to use and understand. We looked at the market and it became clear Samsung was the route to take.

John Seglias Group CIO, Abellio

A smarter way to service customersSamsung

The challenge:To digitally enable front and back-end staff through a fl exible suite of devicesPublic transport services provider Abellio runs numerous bus and train services in the UK. It operates buses in London and Surrey and train services for ScotRail, Scotland’s National Railway as well as Abellio Greater Anglia. It also runs Merseyrail and Northern Rail in conjunction with Serco.

The company wants to roll out new mobile devices to its UK staff , across its range of public transport services and at all levels of the business; from offi ce staff and company managers to train and bus drivers and ticket inspectors.

The demands of each of its user groups diff ers, so the exact model of device would vary according to needs, but Abellio wants to settle on a single device manufacturer. In total, Abellio

is looking to invest in at least 10,000 mobile devices for its ScotRail, Northern Rail and Abellio Greater Anglia rail franchises.

The criteria for which manufacturer was chosen by Abellio was based on the phone platform and the quality and usability of its devices. “We want as open a system as possible – one that is easy to develop apps for,” says John Seglias, Group CIO, Abellio.

The customerPublic service transport operator Abellio, which

provides bus and train services in Europe to over

1.5million passengers per day.

The challengeTo provide Smartphones and tablets to suit a

varied assortment of diff erent staff requirements.

Samsung products and services• 10,450 x Smartphones and tablets (the majortiy

are Smartphones). The models are likely to include

Core Prime, Note 4, Tab Active, Tab S and S6 edge.

Benefi ts• A mixture of high quality mobile devices

running on an open platform.

• A family of mobile products with a wide range of

functionality options and screen sizes.

“Users obviously want to feel valued – they want high quality, intuitive devices that are easy to use and understand. We looked at the market and it became clear Samsung was the route to take,” explains Seglias.

“There was already a familiarity with Samsung phones from our end users and the Android operating system enables us to create the apps we need,” he adds.

Initially we talked about specifi c models, but, with them changing so quickly, we became more interested in looking at diff erent models for diff erent staff , based on the kind of functionality each type of user might fi nd desirable. John SegliasGroup CIO, Abellio

The solution:Samsung Smartphones and tabletsBefore deciding to invest in Samsung devices, Abellio conducted a user trial with staff from diff erent sections of the business. “We did a trial of Samsung devices amongst a selection of staff and they were really happy with them,” reveals Seglias. “The feedback has been extremely positive and, following the trial, everyone seems to be really looking forward to getting their phone.”

While Abellio has settled on current Samsung Android devices, the company isn’t planning on making concrete decisions about the specifi c Samsung models it will go for in future franchises.

“New models come out incredibly regularly,” says Seglias. “Initially we talked about specifi c models, but, with them changing so quickly, we became more interested in looking at diff erent models for diff erent staff , based on the kind of functionality each type of user might fi nd desirable. So we devised specs for diff erent types of staff and found out as much as we could about upcoming models and planned our mobile/Smartphone strategy around this.”

The type of devices Abellio has defi ned range from entry-level phones and tablets for basic offi ce usage through to large screen, high-spec phones for users that need simultaneous access to a large number of applications. A device that’s appropriate front-end staff diff ers to what’s best for offi ce workers. Drivers need a good size display to show the detail about each route and they need a rugged device to withstand heavy use on the move, in conditions where a more fragile device would more easily get damaged.

“The basic phones we’re currently looking at for our offi ce-based staff are the Core Primes, which

are the best fi t for what we need now,” says Seglias. “For these users, smaller screen sizes are fi ne for day-to-day tasks such as accessing email and the web. But, for station staff and drivers, the key factors are larger screen sizes, good battery life and connectivity.”

One of the new applications Abellio is planning for its Samsung Smartphones is issuing tickets. Seglias says it’s likely to use the Note 4 (see box) for this. This innovative approach to ticketing would be a fi rst for a rail and bus operator and would replace long-standing legacy ticketing equipment.

The plan is for station staff , ticket issuers and ticket inspectors to also be able to use their Smartphones to provide real-time information to customers about the current status of diff erent train and bus services.

The result:Abellio staff will benefi t from a device hand picked to suit their needs All staff at ScotRail and Abellio Greater Anglia already have, or are currently receiving, Samsung Smartphones or tablets running on Vodafone. Additional devices will soon be deployed at Abellio Greater Anglia to support the new mobile ticketing solution, and new devices are being rolled out in ScotRail.

In total, Abellio is rolling out 5,200 devices at ScotRail and a further 5,250 to cover Abellio Greater Anglia and Merseyrail.

“We have an on-going deployment happening at ScotRail now, which will be fi nished by the end of the year,” says Seglias. “We’re getting thousands of devices out to users, migrating them to Microsoft Offi ce365 and rolling out apps at the same time so it takes a good amount of planning to get right.”

Contact detailsVisit: www.samsung.com/uk/business

Email: BusinessUK@samsung.comTel: +44 (0) 1932 455 000

Samsung Electronics (UK) LtdSamsung House, 1000 Hillswood Drive,

Chertsey, Surrey, KT16 0PS, United Kingdom

Benefi ts of the Samsung Note 4The sleek looking Samsung Galaxy Note 4 is larger

than a standard Smartphone with a generous 5.7”

high resolution Quad HD Super AMOLED display

with deep contrasts and vivid colours. The Note 4

comes with the S Pen stylus; a digital pen providing

a natural, smooth brush eff ect that emulates

writing on paper. The phone has a soft and textured

back cover and has been designed in a curved

shape that’s comfortable to hold. It’s fi nished in

a premium metal frame that makes the Note 4

tougher than ever. It features a fast charging feature

that charges up to 50% of your battery in just 30

minutes. The Note 4’s battery life is also impressive,

easily lasting a day with moderate to heavy use.