Problem: Today going through tolls people either use easy passes or cash however today is a "plastic soceity" and not everyone carries cash. The easy pass is a good solution but people traveling across regions the pass isn't always excepted at every toll. Also many people only get one easy pass and then use it for more then one car, however this can cause a problem for them if caught and fined.
Solution: I have come up with an easy solution to making toll easier and faster to travel through. I would install a POS system at each toll booth so no struggling to find exact change or make sure you have the easy pass in your car. All you have to make sure you have is a credit card.
Development Journal: This idea came to me when i was on vacation this summer and having to travel through plenty of toll booths. We were lucky to have an easy pass but others were sitting in lines. I'm sure they were looking for exact change so they wouldn't have to deal with those sometimes not so nice tellers. Then this got me thinking there has to be an easy way to get through the tolls safe and easy.
Idea Generation: Now days most people hardly carry to much cash especially on vacation(due to safety) so why not have a POS system at tolls just like every other establishment in America. This product would make it much easier to travel in America.
Idea Screening: In this stage you take all ideas generated and narrow it down to a few select good ideas. Because we were only instructed to come up with one idea this stage has already been done.
Concept and testing: In this stage the product is explained to the consumer and how it will benefit them.
Concept: A way to easily use a credit card at a tooth booth.
Concept test: I would use a picture with a description. The picture would be of a toll booth that has an easy accessible POS system where you would grab a ticket or put change. The description would be... "Can you imagine driving up to a toll and simply swiping your card ad your on your way? No hassle digging through cup holders for loose change or remembering the easy pass."
Market Strategy Development: In this stage you are coming up wiht a plan to sell it to consumers.
target market: the state department of transportation who are looking to modernize, simplify, and quicken travel time through tolls.
The cost would be a basic fee for installing the POS system
Distribution: nation wide
Market budget for the first year: since I'm not selling to the mass it would me small.
In the long run I would like 100% usage of toll booth in the county. I would start selling to high volume toll booths looking to shorten lines.
Business Analysis: This product would reduce congestion, customer and employee satisfaction, and reduce traffic accidents. The cost would be just the initial installation and transaction fee.
Product Development: This product will not be sold directly to consumers except to departments of transportation.
Test marketing: I would test my product on the George Washington Bridge before offering to other departments of transportation nation wide because the bridge has a fixed fee. I would local advertising to people so the more people that swipe a card rather then use cash or easy passes it would show other departments of transportation to install the POS system in their toll booths.
Commercialization: If the George Washington Bridge test was successful then the product would become available to all the toll booths in the country.
How the product would work: Customers pull a ticket to enter on the road, bridge or turnpike just like they do now. But then when exiting they would hand over ticket and for the payment just swipe their credit card and then they are on their way. If a customer wants a receipt they can go to their email and it would be there.
