Name of Process:

Canceled & Refund Process

Process Owner:

Ajay Sharma

Created By:

Sumit Saurabh

Last Updated By:

Date Created:

Feb 14, 2023

Last Revision Date:

Process Purpose:

The purpose of a cancellation and refund process is to provide a mechanism for customers to cancel a booking they have placed and receive a refund for the amount they paid, if applicable. This process helps to build customer trust and satisfaction by providing a clear and consistent set of procedures for handling cancellations and refunds.

By having a well-defined cancellation and refund process in place, we can demonstrate our commitment to customer service and fair business practices.

Process Scope:

The scope of the CX Canceled & Refund process includes all customer bookings that are eligible for cancellation and refund.

Process Input:

The CX Canceled & Refund process typically requires the following inputs:

Customer Information

Cancellation Reason

Refund Method

Refund Amount

Documentation

Process Boundaries:

The Canceled & Refund process has certain boundaries that help define its scope and ensure that it is implemented correctly. The boundaries of the process typically include the following:

Eligible Bookings: The Canceled & Refund process applies only to bookings/purchase that are eligible for cancellation and refund, as per our company's policies

Time Limits: The process may be subject to time limits, which dictate how long after the purchase the customer can initiate a cancellation and refund request

Verification Process: The process may require verification of the customer's identity and booking details  to ensure that the cancellation and refund request is legitimate. This may include the customer providing the ticket pass reference code (6 digit alphanumeric code), contact information, and order details, as well as any other information that may be required

Refund Methods: The process may be subject to restrictions on the types of refund methods that are available to the customer (as wallet store credits or, back to original payment source)

Process Flow:

Tickets purchased via the OurBus platform and canceled 24 hrs prior to the departure time:

Cancellation in the above process will happen if the departure time is prior to 24 hours

Either the funds can be moved to the OurBus Wallet or back to the original form of payment depending on the customer's confirmation

Back to the original payment source refund takes 3-5 business days to reflect

Refund to the OurBus wallet as store credits reflects immediately in customer(s) OurBus account

Steps for Customer to follow for Cancelation, if the departure time is prior to 24 hours:

Click on the "Cancel ticket"  option that can be found at the bottom of the ticket received on email

Customer/User will be prompted to select "Cancel ticket" on a new page that will open, once they click on "Cancel ticket" in the ticket emailed to them

URL for the new page will be in the format https://www.ourbus.com/cancel/ticket?pass_refer=XXXXXX&[email protected]

XXXXXX will be replaced by the 6 digit alphanumeric pass reference code

[email protected] to be replaced by the email id of the customer

The paid amount will be added to their OurBus Wallet or original payment source as per customer selection after they choose to cancel the ticket

Alternatively, customer/user can cancel when they are logged into their account at OurBus.com or on our mobile app

Tickets purchased through OTA (Wanderu, Go Euro) and canceled within 24 hours, or up to 30 minutes before departure: 

OTA stands for Other Travel Aggregators. OTA’s are similar search engines or booking aggregators that combine information about bus transportation providers and assist in bookings. Different OTA with us:

Wanderu (wanderu.com)

Omio (Go Euro) (omio.com) 

Bus Bud (busbud.com)

The only option if the ticket was bought from a third party/OTA is to add the money to the OurBus wallet as credit. There is no alternative here for a refund back to the original payment source

Tickets purchased through OurBus, canceled within 24 hours of the departure time:

In this instance, cancelation is possible and the paid amount from the canceled ticket can be transferred as credit to the OurBus wallet

Ticket purchased through OurBus, canceled within 30 minutes of the scheduled departure time

We won't be able to cancel the ticket and transfer the money to the customer's OurBus wallet if customers contact us less than 30 minutes before the scheduled departure time; instead, we'll treat the situation as a missed bus and issue a coupon for 50% of the original ticket price

Process Output:

The Canceled & Refund process typically results in the following outputs:

Cancellation Confirmation: Once the cancellation request is processed, the customer receives a confirmation that the booking has been canceled. This typically includes an email notification with a canceled stamp on the ticket.

Also, if the refund medium selected is OurBus Wallet Store Credits, the wallet activation information will also be available on the cancelation email

Refund Confirmation: After the refund is processed, the customer receives a confirmation that the refund has been issued. This typically includes the refund amount, the refund method, and any other relevant information

Seat Update (Release Seat): The booking inventory is updated to reflect the cancellation, and the seat is made available for booking again.

Analytics Data: The CX Canceled & Refund process generates data that can be used for analysis, such as the number of cancellations and refunds, the reasons for cancellations, and the average time it takes to process a refund.

By providing these outputs, the Canceled & Refund process aims to provide clear and transparent communication to the customer, ensure that the refund is processed accurately and efficiently, and enable our company to make data-driven decisions about our products and services. Customers should review the output information carefully to ensure that their refund is accurate and that they are satisfied with the outcome of the cancellation and refund process

Exceptions to Normal Process Flow:

Although the CX Canceled & Refund process is designed to be consistent and reliable, there are some exceptions to the normal process flow that may occur. Some scenarios of exceptions that may require additional handling include:

1. OBIC: When there has been change in the customer’s trip from our side. Terminology for such change or cancelation is OBIC (ourBus Initiated Change or Cancelation)

   1. OBIC occurs when there is a change related to Pick/Drop location change, departure/arrival time change

   2. It also happens when we have to discontinue a trip due to weather or any operator related concern such as Driver not available and no alternative can be arranged

   3. In this case, we can initiate refund as per customer choice, if the change is not aligned with customer itinerary

   4. Irrespective of the timeline, ticket can be canceled and refunded

2. COVID: Customer suffering from COVID and has shared the positive report. We can initiate refund as per customer choice, as an exception

3. CODE RED: We encountered a code red situation in the ongoing trip due mechanical breakdown, driver refused to carry on with the trip. Refund or any further exception will be issued as per the CODE RED guidelines

   1. In the event that a trip is affected by a Code Red, all passengers who booked through the OTA will receive a refund to their original payment source

4. Operator Related: Operator informs us that the trip has to be canceled, refund to be initiated to customers. Reason can be Border Crossing issue, Driver Shortage issue

5. If the bus provider is Best Bus/DC Trail, tickets can be canceled 60 minutes before the departure time, unlike our regular cancellation/reschedule policy, which is 30 minutes. Above pointers/scenarios are applicable for BestBus/DC Trail, but initial check to be done with our Internal Ops/Dispatch team over Slack

Control Points and Measurements:

1. Cancellation Policy: The cancellation policy should be clearly stated on the website and communicated to customers during the booking process. The policy should include information on the deadline for cancellations, any fees that may be charged, and the refund process. Currently, the T&Cs are mentioned on the ticket which is emailed on the customer registered email address

2. Customer Support: The travel booking site should have a dedicated customer support team available to assist customers with cancellations and refunds. The team should be knowledgeable about the cancellation policy and refund process and able to respond promptly to customer inquiries. Refer steps to follow for cancelation on the Admin Panel, this is for Rally OurBus team.

3. Refund Processing Time: Providing  a clear timeline for processing refunds, which should be communicated to customers at the time of cancellation. The timeline should be reasonable and in line with industry standards

   1. Back to the original payment source refund takes 3-5 business days to reflect

   2. Refund to the OurBus wallet as store credits reflects immediately in customer(s) OurBus account

4. Notification of Cancellation and Refund: We notify our customer promptly when a cancellation is made and when a refund is processed

5. Record-keeping and Reporting: Maintaining accurate records of cancellations and refunds, including the reason for cancellation, the amount refunded, and the date and time of the transaction. This information should be available for reporting and analysis to identify trends and opportunities for improvement

6. Review and Feedback: Regularly reviewing the cancelation and refund process and gathering customer feedback to identify areas for improvement. This information should be used to refine policies and procedures to provide a better customer experience