Enhancing Service Quality Assessment in Rail Transport Through the Application of the Critical Incident Technique

Purpose: The purpose of this study is to evaluate the quality of rail transport services in Poland using the Critical Incident Technique (CIT). The research focuses on conductor–passenger interactions and aims to identify the most critical service encounters, both positive and negative, that shape passenger satisfaction. Design/Methodology/Approach: The study was based on semi-structured interviews with passengers travelling on the Bielsko-Biała–Wrocław route operated by PKP Intercity. Ten critical incidents were collected (five positive and five negative). A thematic categorisation was applied, followed by the development of a methodological framework for assessing interrater reliability (including Fleiss’ Kappa, Kendall’s W, Intraclass Correlation Coefficient and Weighted Kappa) and an incident-weighting model derived from service quality theory. Findings: The analysis revealed a dual image of train conductors: in some cases, they were empathetic and professional, while in others, they were passive and disengaged. Positive incidents highlighted helpfulness, information provision, and courtesy, while negative cases concerned lack of engagement, weak communication, and inadequate service recovery. Methodologically, the study shows that a multidimensional reliability framework offers a more robust evaluation than a single-coefficient approach. The proposed weighting model captures the asymmetric importance of incidents related to safety, interpersonal behaviour, information, and service recovery. Practical Implications: The results underscore the need for targeted training of railway staff, particularly in areas such as communication, empathy, and problem-solving. The enhanced CIT framework can be applied by transport operators to identify priorities for service improvements and to allocate resources more effectively by considering both the frequency and importance of incidents. Originality/Value: The study contributes to both theory and practice by advancing the CIT methodology. It introduces a novel combination of reliability measures, proposes an incident-weighting model, and suggests a dynamic consensus-building process among evaluators. These methodological innovations make the approach replicable in other contexts where human interactions, including those in other transport sectors, significantly influence service quality.