Customer Relations to close on weekends
- Thread starter ringmaruf
- Start date
legacy-to-LCC
Veteran
- Joined
- Feb 20, 2004
- Messages
- 778
- Reaction score
- 2
doug, this one's on me, buddy!!A quote from this post was interesting to me:
Yep, Tempe is doing such a bang-up job of pleasing customers that there's no need for anyone to come in to work on the weekends.:down:
JAXPax
Senior
- Joined
- Jun 18, 2005
- Messages
- 309
- Reaction score
- 0
The old Consumer Affairs in Winston wasn't open on weekends, was it? I always thought they were just there like 8a to 7p Monday thru Friday.
Then again, that gang was so on the ball that frequently just 7 days after mailing in a COMMENT CARD from the magazine I'd get a phone call back from somebody.
Perhaps Winston was so good we just didn't notice they took the weekend off?
Then again, that gang was so on the ball that frequently just 7 days after mailing in a COMMENT CARD from the magazine I'd get a phone call back from somebody.
Perhaps Winston was so good we just didn't notice they took the weekend off?
BuffaloJoe
Veteran
- Joined
- Aug 17, 2005
- Messages
- 2,873
- Reaction score
- 18
Winston just smoked everything on by. :bleh: :bleh: :bleh:
hp_fa
Veteran
- Joined
- Feb 19, 2004
- Messages
- 3,290
- Reaction score
- 178
Watch out! They'll get you for that.
HP Customer Relations was always closed on weekends. It was after the merger, about a year ago that the powers that be decided to open on weekends to see how it worked. Looks like they decided there was no reason to be open.
The purpose of Customer Relations is to give cutomers a chance to provide feedback on already completed travel. It's not a place to call with current travel issues. Those calls are directed to CSD which is open 24/7. The problem is, Customer Relations is getting tons of stuff that don't belong there and that is why response times are slow right now. The phones are ringing off the hook with passengers with current travel issues that are slowing down the work they are supposed to be doing.
I know some major carriers do not even have phone contact for their Customer Relations Department. Written correspondence only. I think that would be a good idea, it would be less confusing to passengers and would allow us to keep up with response to customers.
The purpose of Customer Relations is to give cutomers a chance to provide feedback on already completed travel. It's not a place to call with current travel issues. Those calls are directed to CSD which is open 24/7. The problem is, Customer Relations is getting tons of stuff that don't belong there and that is why response times are slow right now. The phones are ringing off the hook with passengers with current travel issues that are slowing down the work they are supposed to be doing.
I know some major carriers do not even have phone contact for their Customer Relations Department. Written correspondence only. I think that would be a good idea, it would be less confusing to passengers and would allow us to keep up with response to customers.
JAXPax
Senior
- Joined
- Jun 18, 2005
- Messages
- 309
- Reaction score
- 0
What disturbs me is that the new gang doesn't seem to care about compliments.
In Summer of 2005, I was on a one week trip that took me through multiple cities. I sent in three comment cards with compliments about specific employees. I mailed them from three different locations (MKE airport, PIT, and from home in JAX on three consecutive days) I was home one week and remember distinctly being on my way home from work and my cell phone rang from Winston-Salem. It was a consumer affairs supervisor. She addressed me by name and said she was looking at three separate compliments I'd sent in and wanted to thank me for taking the time to recognize employees who exceeded expectations. I told her that, at the time, US Airways frequently got a bad rap, but I was proud to tell friends and coworkers that US Airways was my airline. She said she wanted to outline for me the process for dealing with such compliments and that I should rest assured that the employee's supervisor would get a copy, and a copy would go in the employee's file.
I've sent compliments out west and never gotten a reply. And that's a shame.
Admittedly I've only flown US seriously for a few years. I've only complained twice, and once it was only resolved after I CCed the DOT and then I got $600 in travel vouchers over a broken camera, but I've sent in over 30 compliments. I feel there isn't enough recognition given to those airline employees who do the right thing and take pride in their work. However, it appears Tempe doesn't give a damn about that since they can't so much as reply to compliments.
I've had times in the past where I've had a trying week of travel on other carriers and felt an internal sigh of relief as I arrived at a gate to see that B737-400, peeling paint and all, with the barcode on the tail waiting to take me home. Or calling the CP desk while standing in line at a UA customer service counter telling them "I've had enough of United, can US take me home?". I felt pride in those instances. I've felt that US Airways was MY airline. I'm just not getting that from the Tempe regime.
In Summer of 2005, I was on a one week trip that took me through multiple cities. I sent in three comment cards with compliments about specific employees. I mailed them from three different locations (MKE airport, PIT, and from home in JAX on three consecutive days) I was home one week and remember distinctly being on my way home from work and my cell phone rang from Winston-Salem. It was a consumer affairs supervisor. She addressed me by name and said she was looking at three separate compliments I'd sent in and wanted to thank me for taking the time to recognize employees who exceeded expectations. I told her that, at the time, US Airways frequently got a bad rap, but I was proud to tell friends and coworkers that US Airways was my airline. She said she wanted to outline for me the process for dealing with such compliments and that I should rest assured that the employee's supervisor would get a copy, and a copy would go in the employee's file.
I've sent compliments out west and never gotten a reply. And that's a shame.
Admittedly I've only flown US seriously for a few years. I've only complained twice, and once it was only resolved after I CCed the DOT and then I got $600 in travel vouchers over a broken camera, but I've sent in over 30 compliments. I feel there isn't enough recognition given to those airline employees who do the right thing and take pride in their work. However, it appears Tempe doesn't give a damn about that since they can't so much as reply to compliments.
I've had times in the past where I've had a trying week of travel on other carriers and felt an internal sigh of relief as I arrived at a gate to see that B737-400, peeling paint and all, with the barcode on the tail waiting to take me home. Or calling the CP desk while standing in line at a UA customer service counter telling them "I've had enough of United, can US take me home?". I felt pride in those instances. I've felt that US Airways was MY airline. I'm just not getting that from the Tempe regime.
evprincess
Member
- Joined
- Mar 15, 2004
- Messages
- 92
- Reaction score
- 0
Totally off topic, but Jaxpax, you have the lifevest man as you icon, that's awesome!! He's still the only reason I watch the safety video.
On topic, I have sent compliments via the website and have always received the canned response a few days later. Since I work here, I don't actually send complaints in, so I can't comment on that.
On topic, I have sent compliments via the website and have always received the canned response a few days later. Since I work here, I don't actually send complaints in, so I can't comment on that.
A quote from this post was interesting to me:
Yep, Tempe is doing such a bang-up job of pleasing customers that there's no need for anyone to come in to work on the weekends.
Yeah, we customers are absolutely thrilled with the new Tempe-based US! Loving those aircraft improvements, fewer F seats, less pitch and space, and really looking foward to the Sabre/Shares integration! I especially love the long turnaround time when you e-mail customer service or wait on hold on the phone! Heck, things are so great they can just take the whole week off and just work on an "as needed" basis! 🙄
Winston Consumer Affairs was closed on weekends and holidays, and up until the HP/US merger, it was open 8a-6p M-F. A long time ago, it used to be open 8a-8p, but that got scaled back with the demise of the old PSA routes.
It was never open on weekends or holidays until after HP/US.
It was never open on weekends or holidays until after HP/US.
Hello Newman
Senior
- Joined
- Aug 23, 2002
- Messages
- 376
- Reaction score
- 0
[quote name='gaucho99' date='Feb 17 2007, 03:06 AM' po
The purpose of Customer Relations is to give cutomers a chance to provide feedback on already completed travel. It's not a place to call with current travel issues. Those calls are directed to CSD which is open 24/7.
SPEAKING OF CSD, DO THEY SERVE ANY USEFUL PURPOSE? THAT IS OTHER THAN SENDING ALL PROBLEMS TO THE ATOS AND PROMISING CUSTOMERS THINGS THAT JUST CANT BE DONE.
BELIVE ME I'VE GOT LOTS OF EXAMPLES....
The purpose of Customer Relations is to give cutomers a chance to provide feedback on already completed travel. It's not a place to call with current travel issues. Those calls are directed to CSD which is open 24/7.
SPEAKING OF CSD, DO THEY SERVE ANY USEFUL PURPOSE? THAT IS OTHER THAN SENDING ALL PROBLEMS TO THE ATOS AND PROMISING CUSTOMERS THINGS THAT JUST CANT BE DONE.
BELIVE ME I'VE GOT LOTS OF EXAMPLES....
A quote from this post was interesting to me:
Yep, Tempe is doing such a bang-up job of pleasing customers that there's no need for anyone to come in to work on the weekends.
SpinDoc replies:
In the not so distant past when Customer Relations was called Consumer Affairs, and was in Winston-Salem, the office was closed on weekends and all company holidays. With the correct staffing, letters and e-mails can easily be responded to within 30 days, which is the time limit promised in the customer commitment. I have first hand knowledge that this can be done and has been done in the past with the office closed on weekends and holidays. So, to all of you naysayers, put a sock it in. It's not the end of the world.
Agreed. Same situation here in Tempe. In fact, several times over the years we have been completely caught up where we are waiting for the days mail to hit for something to do, replying immediately. Closing on weekends does not affect the total amount of hours worked. When we were open on weekends, we just spread out the schedule 7 days instead of 5, meaning we have fewer people here on weekdays.
Staffing is being increased and hours per agent are staying the same, just the number of days being opened is decreasing from 7 to 5. A full time employee working 40 hours per week is still working 40 hour per week, or more if working overtime. With a 7 day operation, days off were scattered, some having days of during the week. Now, nobody will have weekdays off and everyone will have weekends off. So it is just a realignment of when an employee works his or her 40 hours, the net result is the same, except because we are adding agents it will actualy be more.
It's only been the last year or so that Cust. Relations opened on weekends. it was a trial program and only had skeleton crews as it was.
