Efforts to Enhance Citizen Experience Continue with On-Site Response, Praise Complaints, and Heartwarming Stories
No. 1 in Customer Satisfaction for 8 Consecutive Years... Advanced Services Including 24/7 Communication System
Busan Transportation Corporation (President Lee Byungjin) is actively strengthening its "citizen-oriented services" that go beyond simply providing transportation, in celebration of the 40th anniversary of the urban railway's opening. The company aims to enhance communication and empathy with citizens.
The corporation has moved away from a passive, reception-and-processing approach to civil complaints and now operates a proactive response system focused on on-site verification and customized measures.
When a complaint is received, the relevant department visits the site directly to identify the cause and provides citizens with detailed explanations and photos of the resolution. In particular, the company is strengthening sophisticated measures tailored to citizens' perspectives in key areas such as air conditioning and heating, train delays, and emergency response.
To address discomfort with air conditioning and heating inside trains, "mild air-conditioned cars" have been introduced in Car 2 of Lines 1 and 2. Practical improvements such as automatic temperature sensors and manual adjustment functions have also been implemented. When passengers provide the car number to the call center, the information is shared with the train operator in real time, enabling immediate temperature adjustment.
A station attendant is monitoring the interior of the station from the safety office at Seomyeon Station on Lines 1 and 2. Provided by Busan Transportation Corporation
In cases of unavoidable train delays and operational adjustments due to track maintenance and other reasons, the company has strengthened advance notifications through its website, customer information devices inside stations, and destination displays on platforms. A company representative stated, "As these measures prioritize citizen safety above all else, we kindly ask for your understanding and cooperation."
The emergency response system has also been further enhanced. In the event of a medical emergency on board, the dispatcher, train operator, and station staff work together in real time for a swift response. Automated external defibrillators (AEDs) have been installed at all stations, and CPR training for employees is conducted regularly.
As these citizen-centered efforts continue, the number of "praise complaints" is steadily increasing. Recently, there was a touching case in which a station attendant kindly assisted a passenger with an intellectual disability who had an accident in the station and ensured their safe handover to a guardian. In another heartwarming story, a foreign passenger, moved by an employee's kindness in hailing a taxi and providing directions, returned to the station safety office to personally express gratitude with a violin performance.
The corporation delivered thank-you announcements to citizens at the end and beginning of the year. On Parents' Day, a train operator's broadcast encouraging citizens to call their parents received a great response and resulted in praise complaints.
In March, an employee at Munhyeon Station calmly recognized and swiftly responded to a situation on the platform that could have threatened citizen safety, successfully resolving the incident in cooperation with the police. Based on this experience, the employee participated in an essay contest and donated the entire prize money to the Busan Briquette Bank, spreading warmth throughout the community.
Section Chief Nam Jaeu at Munhyeon Station is donating the award prize money to the Busan Briquette Bank. (Left: Section Chief Nam Jaeu) Provided by Busan Transportation Corporation
The corporation shares the gratitude received from citizens with its employees, presenting letters of appreciation and awards from the president to staff who receive praise complaints. These positive examples are shared internally, helping to foster a stronger service mindset among all employees.
The institutional foundation for strengthening citizen-oriented services is also continuously expanding. The corporation operates a 24/7 call center, collecting citizen feedback in real time through various channels such as phone, text message, and KakaoTalk chatbot. The types of complaints have diversified from simple facility improvements to emergency response, new lines, vehicle design, and more, demonstrating that the urban railway is deeply embedded in citizens' daily lives.
These efforts have led to increased customer satisfaction. Last year, the corporation achieved its highest-ever score (90.5 points) in the customer satisfaction survey conducted by the Ministry of the Interior and Safety, and ranked first in the urban railway sector for eight consecutive years in the Korea Customer Satisfaction Index (KCSI) survey.
President Lee Byungjin of Busan Transportation Corporation stated, "I deeply appreciate the interest and support citizens have shown over the past 40 years," and emphasized, "We will continue to listen closely to citizens' voices and realize urban railway services that citizens can truly feel."
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