The customer contact centre for GO Transit and UP Express can field some pretty interesting calls at times. Someone once asked if they can put their dog in the luggage compartment of a GO bus. Another inquired about whether a driver could make sure an underage child got from Oshawa to Hamilton safely.

No matter the query, Metrolinx employees on the other end of the line, or answering questions through social media, are prepared to handle it. They know there is a reason for reaching out and they’re more than prepared to help as best possible.

Approximately 45 GO Transit and UP Express Contact Centre employees are the first point of contact when customers are looking for information on trip planning, fares, or service delays. Most of the time, they’re looking for help getting from point A to B.

“Customers looking for help with planning their trips from one location to another … account for 82% of all calls received,” explained Customer Care Manager, Derek Taylor. “People who are using the system for the first time, or have to change between a train and bus, often call looking for help.”

Social media has also changed how customers interact with the Contact Centre. More and more, people are relying on their mobile phones to send a message.

“Customers using social media to engage with us have only added to the 475,000 calls we receive yearly,” said Taylor.

To help handle the increase in volume, the Contact Centre dedicates someone to the social media channels every day during operating hours. Making sure social media is monitored on weekdays from 7 a.m. to 11 p.m. and from 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. on weekends is important to ensure customers receive a timely response.

“No matter how or why the customer contacts us our goal is always the same, to resolve the concern as timely, accurately and professionally as possible,” stated Taylor.

Even if those connections involve a social post asking about how best to move animals or asking for babysitter on board a bus.