Concessionary Travel - Customer Feedback Research Year Two Report
4. THE APPLICATION PROCESS
Introduction
4.1 The research began by asking respondents about the process of getting their National Entitlement Card, covering the source of awareness of the concessionary travel scheme and the ease of obtaining information on the scheme.
Source of Awareness
4.2 When asked about how first they became aware of the existence of the concessionary travel scheme, just under half of respondents said this was through word of mouth (47%), 10% said it was via media and 3% said they found out from the Council or at a Council office. The source of awareness profile is very similar to what was reported in 2013.
| Q2 How did you first find out about the existence of the Scheme? | ||
|---|---|---|
| Base: all respondents, n 2014=3088; n 2013=3127 | 2014 % | 2013 % |
| Word of mouth - Through speaking friends/ family/ colleagues | 47% | 52% |
| Media (TV, radio, newspaper) | 10% | 10% |
| From the Council at a Council office/ One stop shop | 3% | 4% |
| My Council wrote to me directly | 3% | 2% |
| From my GP | 2% | 3% |
| From Social Work | 2% | 2% |
| Always known about it | 2% | 0% |
| At the Post Office | 1% | 2% |
| Advocacy or Support Group | 1% | 1% |
| From my library | 1% | 1% |
| On the internet | 1% | 0% |
| Hospital/ doctor/ nurse/ care worker | 1% | 0% |
| Other | 1% | 1% |
| From the Bus Station | 0% | 0% |
| Don't know/ can't remember | 27% | 25% |
4.3 Analysis by card holder type indicated that those who held the 60+ card were significantly more likely to have heard about the existence of the scheme through word of mouth with 50% of 60+ card holders stating this was their source of awareness compared to 27% of visually impaired or disabled card holders. Those who held disabled or visually impaired cards were more likely to have heard about the scheme through their GP (11%) or Social Work (14%).
Ease of obtaining information
4.4 Over eight out of ten respondents (85%) said they found it very or fairly easy to obtain the information they needed about the concessionary travel scheme and how to apply, and 14% could not remember.
Figure 4.2: Ease of obtaining information
Base: All respondents, n=3088
4.5 Respondents with a disabled or visually impaired card were less likely to state that it was 'very easy' to find the information they needed on the concessionary travel scheme (56% compared to 73% of 60+ card holders).
Summary
4.6 Whilst the main sources of awareness of the NEC were informal, through word of mouth, respondent's found it easy to obtain the information they needed on the concessionary travel scheme.