The mobility-as-a-service (MaaS) platform industry is up-and-coming. Imagine using an app to book and pay for your train or bus rides, and perhaps that shared bike for the last-mile distance. In the ideal scenario, when more people use MaaS platforms, there would be lesser use of cars and a less congested city overall.
However, a number of psychological factors may prevent the wide adoption of MaaS. One such factor is perceived control. With the traditional transportation options, the seasoned commuter would know when the bus or train arrives. In other words, the commuter would have a sense of control over the planning of his/her route. With MaaS, which relies a lot on algorithms and automation to come up with an optimal route, it may seem like handing over the control reins to the unknown automation.
There is a way to reverse the tide. MaaS platforms can increase the commuter’s perceived control by offering various transportation options. Real-time information about erratic traffic conditions, such as traffic jams or train breakdown would make consumers perceive the platform to be more reliable, and in fact, such technologies already exist. The app can also highlight the amount of travel time that the commuter has saved. Everyone wants to feel that he/she is savvy when it comes to commuting, after all. Another way to return perceived control to commuters is to let them choose whether the route is optimised for duration or costs.
MaaS companies should note, however, that while choice is a good thing, choice overload is not. Research has shown that people tend to avoid making frequent minor decisions. In other words, MaaS companies may wish to avoid making the choosing of routes too complex. Instead, they could highlight ways in which the app can help reduce the making of minor decisions. For example, by centralising payment through the app, the commuter would not have to think about using cash, farecards or mobile wallets at each step of the journey.
Another psychological concern that consumers may be wary of when using MaaS platforms is trust. As the concept of MaaS may still be new to many people, MaaS companies would have to enhance their branding to foster trust in the companies’ service offerings among consumers. In particular, many transportation partners, such as bus and taxi companies, may be involved in these platforms. If a partner lacks affordability or customer service, the MaaS company may have to make up for it in other ways. As previous research shows, consumers’ attitudes towards a network are only as positive as their attitude towards its weakest component.
Yet another factor to consider is how users of the platform view themselves. If cars symbolise status, cycling symbolises athleticism, and public transportation symbolises going green, what does using MaaS platforms symbolise? After all, given that MaaS platforms advocate a variety of transportation modes, using these platforms can’t symbolise everything at the same time. Adopt the right positioning, and a niche could be carved out successfully. Perhaps tech savviness is one attribute that commuters would like to be identified with.
Finally, there is the perceived cost factor to consider, which can affect commuters’ willingness to shift to MaaS platforms. There are different “pains of paying” associated with the pay-per-use model and a subscription model. Commuters who have a regular subscription may feel the pain of paying more strongly than those who adopt the pay-per-use model, but they feel it less frequently. MaaS companies can delve deeper into the various circumstances that commuters may find each payment mode more favourable.
Speaking about costs, there is also the psychological cost of switching to a different way of commuting. People are creatures of habit, and companies would have to offer an incentive for people to get out of their comfort zone. It has been well established that losses weigh more to people than gains. Hence marketers can emphasise the loss of not choosing MaaS (e.g., commuters may miss out on reliability), rather than the gains of opting in.
For any industry, particularly new industries, it never hurts to consider consumer psychology when designing a product or a service. Doing so can not only enhance the success of the firms’ offerings but also maximise consumers’ well-being at the same time.