Here in Boston we’ve got our knickers in a potential twist. Yet again, there’s talk of raising fares on the “T” to offset some staggering deficits. It amazes me that so many companies (and politicians…) think they can continually cut spending in order to raise revenues. The natural logic is that if you spend less, you’ll earn more. Unfortunately that just doesn’t work.
You see this same behavior in the music biz. It’s what brought you the “music should be free” hysteria. While I agree with some of the concept, it’s still hard for a lot of artists to pay their rent on sales of free music. For the T, they run service all over the Boston area, but they’ve limited the expansion service and upgrades to existing service because, of course, there’s no money. But offering them the same advice I offer musicians is interesting:
Who is your audience? Does the T really know who’s using their trains/busses/subways? How many of them are students? How many are professionals? Is there an underserved target audience that you can’t seem to reach? Â How much of your potential audience do you actually reach?
How do you provide value for your customers/fans? I live about 1/2 mile from a T station that could have me downtown in 20-25 minutes. It costs me $2 each way in trainfare plus $5.50 if I park at the station (assuming there’s a space). My trip plus parking costs $9. If I drove into town, it takes the same amount of time and a parking meter (not impossible to find…) costs $1.25 per hour. My car is far more comfortable, provides door-to-door service, and I never have to worry about delays at Park Street. Why bother taking the T? How about putting benches/wind shelters at every bus stop? If you’re taking the 66 bus in mid-February, it’s not a pleasant wait.
What type of experience do you provide for customers/fans? Without discussing the relative merits of Boston vs. NYC, I love when I take the train into Penn Station. As you exit to street level, you’re confronted with everything from magazine stores to bagel shops to a Krispy Kreme (!) to a pen shop. There’s nothing inside Penn Station that you couldn’t find within 3 blocks, but the fact that it’s there inside makes life a bit easier for the folks inside. While the MBTA is ultimately utilitarian in nature, a few more nods to the creature comforts/luxuries/conveniences would make a huge difference. Imagine having a charging station for your cell phone, actual legit wi-fi, or perhaps quality food offerings inside the T stops. How many folks pass through Downtown Crossing each day; maybe they’d like a Starbucks? And really, how about some type of (clean! sanitary!) restrooms? Have you ever used the Metro in DC? The stations are immaculate by comparison…
Ultimately you have to make me want to buy your music … or take your train. If you’re not providing something I can get easier/cheaper/better/faster elsewhere, what’s the point?
