Reservation call volume?

A319FA

Member
Apr 7, 2003
71
0
My neighbor called in tonight to make a reservation and had to wait for a long time. The agent told her that there were over 200 calls on hold and that they are understaffed. On top of that..this agents computer white out..whatever that meant..and was put on hold for another 4 minutes while she rebooted her computer. Amazing! Does the reservation department have the latest version on Windows? Computers aren't expensive and the company should invest in this area.

Why is this? I noticed that Delta Airlines is hiring reservation agents in every call center? Even America West is hiring.

Why does this continue within our company? The person in charge needs to change this department and recall these furlough agents.

Making the customers wait on the phone, especially when there are not any unusual circirminstances like weather that would tie up the phone lines.
 
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On 6/1/2003 11:05:46 PM Severed-N-Happy wrote:
The computers are on Windows 95, yes.... 95, and have 32mb or possibly 16 mb RAM, one of the 2...pathetic ain''t it?
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There''s your problem! Get a MAC!
 
The computers are on Windows 95, yes.... 95, and have 32mb or possibly 16 mb RAM, one of the 2...pathetic ain't it? LOL! The whiteout is a result of low memory and causes the floating keypad to not function(yay Sabre!!) unless you reboot,takes up to 5 minutes...The VP of the dept. will never leave except by death, BK, or disaster, she is teacher's pet, and has yet to contribute anything positive or constructive to the department after this many years.
 
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On 6/1/2003 10:27:41 PM A319FA wrote:


Why is this? I noticed that Delta Airlines is hiring reservation agents in every call center? Even America West is hiring.

Why does this continue within our company? The person in charge needs to change this department and recall these furlough agents.

Making the customers wait on the phone, especially when there are not any unusual circirminstances like weather that would tie up the phone lines.

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I was told that US had recently recalled a number of furloughees back to res - in fact, had overrecalled, but decided to keep everybody on board.
 
Aren''t you accessing a mainframe? If so, then your workstation is acting as a "dumb terminal" via a terminal emulator, in which case the operating system does not matter.
 
When I started with the company about 3 years ago, we had 7 Reservation Centers for the whole country: Orlando,Pittsburgh, Winston Salem, Dayton, Syracuse, Indianapolis, and San Diego...

Since then we have closed 5 of them: Indianapolis, San Diego, Dayton, Syracuse & Orlando...(That's alot of people laid off...)

That only leaves Pittsburgh and Winston-Salem Reservation Centers for the whole country..in good weather or bad...Working in Domestic sales, International Sales, Groups, Preferred Members, Award booking, Meeting & Conventions, Reissue of tickets, Ticketing Dept, Customer Service, etc...

I believe Pittsburgh has about 500 reservation agents in general sales between 2 buildings spread over 7 days a week/ 24hrs a day... If bad weather, power outage or telephone/computer problems arise affecting a center, that leaves only one Reservation Center to handle the WHOLE country.....

Plus, now too, we are booking passengers on United Airline flights, and booking freq flyer tickets on United Airlines... (The Star Alliance is starting now, too...)

I agree also...Whatever the computer system problem is...It is slow to handle the reservations & inquirys...frequently getting screen freezing up, locking up or the screen going to total white in that window...And most of the times the only way to unfreeze the screen is to reboot by turning the computer on & off and signing back in...which takes about 3-4 extra minutes while the customer sits there gently whistling in your ear...


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On 6/1/2003 11:55:44 PM USFlyer wrote:

Aren''t you accessing a mainframe? If so, then your workstation is acting as a "dumb terminal" via a terminal emulator, in which case the operating system does not matter.

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Even so 32MB is barely enough to boot W95. Actually running a program (even a terminal emulator) requires at least 64MB
 
You''re right about HP hiring in res. I''m in the 3rd class this year in Reno. And 2-3 more to come. They''re also hiring in PHX. Now, they just got new modems and keyboards--nice clean looking black and silver ones. AND imagine my suprise when I saw 24 calls on hold and they are adding people every day. Also, no floating keypad. The extra keypad is incorporated into the regular keyboard with lots of other control and shift entries. It''s a much better system than US. AND I''m seeing where restructuring the fare structure and simplifying the fares---well, things are looking up in res!!!
 
Yes we are understaffed in Res since the Orlando office was closed. 200 calls is a good average number that are on hold especially during the afternoon and evening hours. About 1/2 of the Orlando office was Reissued/Preferred trained, so even when you call to make a change in your reservation the wait is long. We are now dealing with those wonderful UA award seats which like our Z seats are just not there. We are dealing with TIPS 3 when it comes to reissues which is not a bad system when it is working correctly. The only changes to the VRU is get the sales call priority 1 which is a good thing. I have often wondered about how much lost revenue occured prior to that change. When I go to work I know it is going to be 8hrs and since it is busy does make the time pass quickly. Other carriers might be hiring in RES, and all the Vol Furlough agents who want to returned have been recalled. There are a few of my fellow MCO agents who are still waiting to get the call.
 
I''m just wondering... I have heard from friends that transfered to PIT or INT talk about the rumours of re-opening one of the closed centers. Is the volume so heavy all the time that something like that would be needed? It would be interesting as to which one they would if it happened. I have read in the local paper in the past week where U upper mgmt have visited IND again to talk with the mayor and look at the UA Mtc facility again.. it had a res ctr for UA in it and then the IND Res is right next door. Just curious if anyone had heard anything new..
 
First of all Indy res center is NOT right next door to the UA res center--the UA center was basically in the UA hanger. And that was down the road a piece.
Second, I feel very bad for those of you in res. Just wait till the pax start asking about the $87 ow fare to the West coast!!! HP came out with that today!!! It sure seemed funny and kinda nostalgic to hear that wonder PIT accent as I sold seats on HP to PIT!!! Evem got some folks home for Christmas at that fare. Hummmm HP only has 2 res centers and we had 10 calls on hold all day at the most--it was steady but with their computer system things--even reissues--which I never learned at US--seemed a piece of cake. No floating key pad--it''s all on the main keyboard. It''s funny to see me reaching for another keypad!!! Good luck PIT--seems like HP is making a bid for that place too.
 
Geesh... excuse me, so it was 1/2 mile down the road, only one building between the two facilities. I''m guessing if you worked in IND res then you were most likely what we refered to as part of the "jurassic park" gang and a real joy. We''re all happy for you now that you''re at HP, why don''t you go spread your joy on their message board?
 
There is no truth in the rumour that any of the res offices that where closed will be reopened. From what I am understanding at MCO there is a big blue for sale sign by the office since it and SAN were the only owned res offices just prior to 9/11. When you look at whole picture, it does not make sense to reopen a closed center. Too many returnees would file back into work at the regular salary. Makes more sense to open another office elsewhere if this was going to happen. Yes there would be some transfers into the new office if it does happen but most could be new hires at lower wages. Do not like this type of concept, but when you look at it with a company standpoint, makes good business sense.
 
I just bring this up for conversations sake, but it seems people sometimes forget that US owns both DAY and IND also. I was in DAY just a couple of weeks ago and the building wasn't for sale there, although it was completely empty. The IND res center is still furnished with desks and PC's. Fedex had originally planned to move their call center there because of the size and location next to their mtc hangar (which is leased from US), but they pulled out at the last minute.

I think perhaps they over estimate how many people would actually go back given the current state of affairs. Furloughee's had to vote on the new contracts for some reason too, so we are all aware of the pay cuts and givebacks. There are many that have either retired or found other employment that pays better than they would make if they went back. I don't see how the company could get around the call back issue in opening a new res center. Would they not have to pay for the moving of any callbacks? I would think there would be just too many legal and logistic issues with opening a new center as opposed to reopening one. I do realize this is all theoretical and for the purpose of discussion only, and that with current management only about 50% of what they do makes any sense.
 
Brad--I''m so sorry you don''t appreciate someone who worked long and hard at US and stuck it out for 16 years--actually 17. Also believing in US enough to move 3x just to keep my job till I could retire. US is first in my heart and just believe if US upper management would take a look at things life would be easier and more plesant for those in res now. I post on many other sites on this board and am not blind sided by my own insecurities. Soooo I will continue to post here if it will help my many friends still stuggling in res.