Irish Rail Case Study: Adobe PDF -S3 Tickets

The Challenge

In 2017, Irish Rail launched the S3 Passenger platform by Sqills, introducing dynamic pricing capabilities and replacing outdated legacy systems. The Digital Channels Department, responsible for managing the S3 software, sought to improve their coding skills for creating email templates and editing imagery using HTML. 

Irish Rail is using all S3 modules:

• S3 COMMUNICATION: Automated delivery of personalised) reservation-related and operational information.
• S3 FARE: Definition of commercial offering with products, tariffs, discounts and prices.
• S3 CRM: Customer account capturing, campaign oriented customer segmentation and the incentive program foundation.
• S3 REVENUE MANAGEMENT: Integrated O&D based RM module using demand forecasting and price sensitivity analysis to optimise revenues from market demand.
• S3 PAYMENT: Simplifies the payment process and supports various processes such as: payment validation before final booking confirmation, store payment information in the booking dossier, after-sales I refund and shopping basket.
• S3 NAVIGATOR: Definition of network, routes, services and timetables.
• S3 CONFIG: Web-service client administration, user role/permission definition, sales channel configuration.
• S3 TICKET: Booking and reservation capturing, transaction management, after­sales logic and ticket distribution.
• S3 INVENTORY: Configuration of inventory, tracking availability, seat allocation and material scheduling.
  

However, they faced implementation challenges with Freemaker, a Java-based template engine, which led to difficulties in achieving accurate image and design integration within their software.

The Solution

To overcome these challenges, Irish Rail decided to integrate Adobe Creative Cloud, a suite of software tools for graphic design, video editing, web development, and photography. The decision was driven by their need for a more efficient and user-friendly solution to enhance their digital operations. Intensive weekly training sessions in Adobe software provided the team with the necessary skills to create better email templates and effectively use imagery. As Cat Media Ltd., their service provider, stated, 'We stood by Irish Rail to solve with technology and design, demonstrating our commitment to their success.'

Adobe Software Implementation on a Ticket

The Results

The integration of Adobe software yielded significant improvements for Irish Rail. The Digital Channels Department optimised their design processes, improved email template creation, and enhanced their overall digital operations. The team's newfound skills in Adobe software ensured better implementation of the S3 Ticket module, leading to more efficient and visually appealing communication. This transformation was a testament to Irish Rail's innovative and dynamic approach to overcoming challenges and improving their services. With a workforce of 3,803 employees (2018) and being a government-owned entity established in 1987, Irish Rail continues to demonstrate its commitment to excellence and customer satisfaction.