US Airways is First among Domestic Airlines to offer an Intelligent Service Experience through Natur

[SparrowHawk]

Anyone hear about this and what it does or means for customers?

US Airways Customers Receive Personalized, Faster Service with New Reservations Self-Service System Powered by Nuance Communications

TEMPE, Ariz. & BURLINGTON, Mass.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- US Airways (NYSE:LCC - News) and Nuance Communications, Inc. (NASDAQ:NUAN - News) successfully launched the domestic airline industry’s first Natural Language Understanding (NLU) Interactive Voice Response (IVR) system last week. The new automated system, which was deployed over a two-day period, replaces a list of menu options and delivers a fast, friendly, personalized travel experience by offering the airline’s customers a wide range of self-service capabilities such as flight information, upgrade status and Dividend Miles account details.

Balance of article here

 

[SS255]

There is a long thread on Flyertalk entitled something along the lines of "The CP Desk Has Effectively Been Killed," which I believe refers to this new system which US put in place a couple of weeks ago. Apparently, the system is not intelligent enough to understand the word "agent," because it does not connect you with one. 🙄 And the CP's have been complaining that the system does not recognize them, and dumps their calls into a wider pool of elite callers.

I was present when my father called the CP desk the other day. The agent told him that the system did not indicate that he was a CP, and the only way that he knew was because my father mentioned it. He said "you could have been any Tom, Dick, or Harry."

I have not tried the new system yet, but it sounds like it's a huge step downward for the CP's.

 

[SparrowHawk]

There is a long thread on Flyertalk entitled something along the lines of "The CP Desk Has Effectively Been Killed," which I believe refers to this new system which US put in place a couple of weeks ago. Apparently, the system is not intelligent enough to understand the word "agent," because it does not connect you with one. 🙄 And the CP's have been complaining that the system does not recognize them, and dumps their calls into a wider pool of elite callers.

I was present when my father called the CP desk the other day. The agent told him that the system did not indicate that he was a CP, and the only way that he knew was because my father mentioned it. He said "you could have been any Tom, Dick, or Harry."

I have not tried the new system yet, but it sounds like it's a huge step downward for the CP's.

Nuance is a pretty good company as they drip over into my world a bit with a product called E-Copy. I'm thinking I ran into this the last time I flew US and they promptly lost my bag.

This stuff is pretty complex but it's parameters are ultimately set up by the company. (I finally figured out what it was between posts LOL) If the company doesn't tell the software to recognize the word "Agent" it won't. However if you scream Agent, agent agent about four times it will connect you to someone in Baggage claim at least. Of course it's one of the "MIN's" (Morons in Manilla) who are a waste of time & bandwidth.

They got it right when they added Tea Leaf to properly triage customer inquiries, but remember it didn't turn the ship around instantly it took a month or two to tweak everything. Let's hope that's the case here.

 

[HPearlyretiree]

Ask Wally

 

[SparrowHawk]

Ask Wally

Ok I'll bite!

Wally who?
Wally Gator, the swinging alligator from the swamp?
NASCAR Great Wally Dallenbach?

Inquiring minds and all!

 

[HPearlyretiree]

Ok I'll bite!

Wally who?
Wally Gator, the swinging alligator from the swamp?
NASCAR Great Wally Dallenbach?

Inquiring minds and all!

Guess you are not in the loop. Again.....

As usual.

Ask your "little birdies"

 

[SparrowHawk]

Guess you are not in the loop. Again.....

As usual.

Ask your "little birdies"

This type of automation set up properly can be an aid to both customer and company. I don't know what your level of experience with Customer Relations was when you were at HP/US but post merger, e-mails would go unanswered for months if at all. It was really bad. I had an e-mail exchange with one of the VP's who explained the new CRM software called Tea Leaf. This individual was convinced it would solve the problem. Well I have to say despite my skepticism I witnessed e-mails that used to take 45 days to answer take 48 hours. Now sometimes the form letters used were off topic but truth is that happens with all airlines.

If they're trying to do the same thing with the software from Nuance then more power to them. Right now it appears to have some glitches. However it's only install + 2 weeks and these software's are complex as can be. I have former colleagues who went to Nuance and it's a good company. As for Wally I assume you're referring to the new interactive voice on the US Airways phone system. Let's hope that Wally gets the bugs worked out. Didn't have to use any birdies. I just forgot when I called baggage claim and "Wally" picked up.

No my little birdies have been feeding me information about 40 or 50 some planes with incidents of toxic fumes and flight crew being taken to Hospital. That story should hit the media shortly. Have a nice evening it's always a pleasure to have a dialog with you! 😀 😀 😀 😀

 

[N965VJ]

Ok I'll bite!

Wally who?
Wally Gator, the swinging alligator from the swamp?
NASCAR Great Wally Dallenbach?

Inquiring minds and all!

Meet the new US director of IT. Loves Excel, but watch out for the random pile of smelly AA batteries.

 

[SparrowHawk]

Meet the new US director of IT. Loves Excel, but watch out for the random pile of smelly AA batteries.

You're on a roll tonight!! Have at it!

 

[Dont call me Shirley]

Apparently, the system is not intelligent enough to understand the word "agent," because it does not connect you with one. 🙄

I was present when my father called the CP desk the other day. The agent told him that the system did not indicate that he was a CP, and the only way that he knew was because my father mentioned it. He said "you could have been any Tom, Dick, or Harry."

I have not tried the new system yet, but it sounds like it's a huge step downward for the CP's.

-- the system does not recognize the words "flight information" either. You have to say "flight status'

-- Tempe's "crack IT team" has yet to figure out how to put a CP or other elite header on the PNR. Sure it is there, as a tiny single digit buried two screens down in the PNR.

 

[SparrowHawk]

-- the system does not recognize the words "flight information" either. You have to say "flight status'

-- Tempe's "crack IT team" has yet to figure out how to put a CP or other elite header on the PNR. Sure it is there, as a tiny single digit buried two screens down in the PNR.

That's the type of stuff that gets cleaned up after installation. You get all the big pieces working right, then come back and clean up the rest. As to "Flight Status" being recognized versus "Flight Information" that is a classic example of industry jargon not being how the customer would speak. Just curious does it recognize "My Flight"?

 

[LD3]

NASCAR Great Wally Dallenbach?

Sparrow...Don't tell me your a NASCAR fan.....NASCAR Great Wally... just poking at ya...

 

[Phoenix]

"Hello and welcome to USAirways' automated telephone services. My name is Hal (think Space Odyssey 2010). For English Press one, Para el español de prensa número dos, Pour le française presse numéro trois,

To speak to a real person, call Southwest, or press number 4 and I will automatically forward your call."

 

[signals]

All of a sudden outsourcing to India so you can talk to a human being, doesn't seem so bad 🙄

 

[SparrowHawk]

Sparrow...Don't tell me your a NASCAR fan.....NASCAR Great Wally... just poking at ya...

Hey nothing better to do on a Saturday than watch 43 cars turn left for 3 hours. I much prefer genuine "Hillbilly" Racing, like the Garvey races at the NJ shore. 24 ft wooden boat, 350 Chevy small block, direct drive, no transmission,