ITAL, a leading provider of innovative software and service solutions to the rail industry, today announced a partnership with CrossCountry to dilgitalise the revenue protection processes. The move away from paper-based operations will increase the efficiency and effectiveness of inspectors and reduce overheads associated with revenue protection.

Sarah Robinson, Head of Operations at ITAL, says, “Modern paperless ticketing and changes in travel patterns following the pandemic have created difficulties for revenue protection officers. This new digital implementation will enable CrossCountry to overcome many of the challenges associated with revenue protection, increase efficiency, reduce errors, and help protect profit margins.”

The ITAL Revenue Protection platform provides a digital Daily Duty Monitor, which captures activities throughout an inspector’s shift and automatically produces a detailed report. It removes the need for manual data entry and analysis of the information provided by inspectors. Unpaid fare notices are completed on the app, which significantly negates the risk of manual errors that can currently compromise prosecutions. Using the ITAL ‘KIOSK’ module, all data relating to prosecution is collated and stored. Users get notified if an action is required, and all information is automatically and securely exchanged as needed.

Rachel Blackman, Interim Revenue Protection Manager at CrossCountry, comments, “This is a significant step forward in our approach to revenue protection. Online ticketing has left our services open to new ways of payment avoidance. This new platform will reset the balance and empower our inspectors with the tools to carry out their work more efficiently and help protect the business’ revenue.”

ITAL has a long relationship with CrossCountry. The new platform was rolled out following the completion of trials using a prototype and test environment with several selected inspectors. Draft workflows for revenue protection processes were provided and, with feedback from the users, a series of modifications were carried out until CrossCountry had the workflows it needed for its needs.

Robinson concludes, “We are working closely with CrossCountry to put a roadmap to improve how the platform operates and increase its value to the business, for example promoting more strategic deployment of inspectors based on up-to-date travel patterns. The Revenue Protection platform is not just a software product, it is a complete service with full aftercare to empower the rail industry with the tools to help improve revenue protection figures and stop fare-dodgers taking value away from others. It is a model that will provide great value to all TOCs and brings revenue protection processes in line with modern ticketing practices.”