We're at BAT again , time for the triple play

[freedom]

it’s time to go from worst , to number FIVE …

Our consumer complains have landed us at the bottom of the pile long enough … this holiday season we must all ,each and everyone commit ourselves to brining our A game to our passengers , if that means fake smiles all around , then let’s see those grins !!!

Now that we’ve entered November , lets take a moment and refocus ourselves … This month we want to once again improve our on-time arrivals and MBR so that we land in the top three for both rankings ….

Part of our structural problem here at this company is we react rather than act …. You know it would be nice if half way through this month the company posted up some sort of metric whereby EVERY worker could see how our performance is coming along ranked against say our best performance of this year … and I’m not talking about some out of the way posting on a wall , I’m talking about flyers poster everywhere so it sinks in (large numbers on one sheet of paper ) , so that people can let that reminder sink in of what we’re striving for …. ( money hehe )


Anyways , let’s make this a November for the DOT to remember!

(p.s anyone know how we did for last month ?)

 

[Dog Wonder]

Baseball season is over.

 

[tadjr]

I wish the company would post every single complaint that the DOT receives each month so we can see just what people are complaining about. Of course, block out the names, dates, etc, but actually show all of us what people perceive as being wrong with us. Without actual letters of what people are complaining about, some people are bound to do the same things again and again. Along with the complaint letters, maybe the company could provide better direction as to how they want us on the front line to handle certain situations so it doesnt escalate into a complaint letter. Instead of just saying in a general sense treat the customer like this, provide actual scenarios and how they want us to handle things. I think that they wont do this though because a good deal of the complaint letters have nothing to do with us on the front line other than the fact that we are the ones delivering the news that the people dont want to hear ie-company policies. Are you up for the challenge Tempe?

 

[N903AW]

it’s time to go from worst , to number FIVE …

Our consumer complains have landed us at the bottom of the pile long enough … this holiday season we must all ,each and everyone commit ourselves to brining our A game to our passengers , if that means fake smiles all around , then let’s see those grins !!!

I do appreciate your enthusiasm, Freedom. I must say, however, that the high number of complaints generated to the DOT by the customers at US Airways are a direct result of poor management decisions from the top that have no respect for the customer at all. I bring my A game on every flight. If I happen to be having a bad day (which is rare for me) I leave it outside the aircraft door...ALWAYS. Just like the old PSA jingle, the majority of us who work directly with the passengers provide a service where "our smiles are not just painted on."

That being said, most of our customers probably have a negative perception of US Airways before they even arrive at the airport and it only goes downhill from there. We have a lousy website, reservations agents in third world countries that barely speak English, a totally uncompetitive onboard product, insufficient staffing at airports, a filthy fleet of aircraft cabins garnished with duct tape, etc, etc, etc. For every level of service that we are required to provide our customers, we are sticking our hand out asking for another five, ten, twenty, or fifty dollars....and unfortunately management has not given any value whatsoever for the extra money spent.

I will keep on smiling and offering every passenger with whom I come in contact a heartfelt "Welcome Aboard!" and "Thank you for your patronage!" This only goes so far in a customers eyes....and they may appreciate it from me, the individual. The overall US Airways experience that our customers must endure, however, will keep our airline below the muck at the bottom of the barrell of DOT Customer Complaints. This will not change until Management steps up and starts treating it's customers with respect. This could be done by providing them with a product that they would not feel the need to complain about even if they paid extra for it.

Since I don't see any interest from our Management in making the slightest effort to improve customer relations and perception I can only see us being at the bottom of DOT Complaints for a long time to come.

And, please, before you call me a bitter, negative employee I would like to remind you that in the last two decades I have received numerous Customer Service awards, a file full of postive letters (not one complaint) from my customers praising me and my crews, have more A&B Cards than I can count (I have won three monetary awards in separate drawings), am a Chairman's Award recipient, etc., etc. All of these rewards for my dedication ring hollow, however, when the Company that I represent has no interest whatsoever in making our customers happy. :down:

 

[BoeingBoy]

Out of curiosity, freedom, do you even know what categories the complaints fall into? Without knowing what the complaints are about (at least in general), all the cheerleading in the world won't do much good.

Jim

 

[WCT]

Just for ONCE, I would like to be APPRECIATTED by DOUG and MGMT!!!!
TREAT THE EMPLOYEES WITH RESPECT, PERIOD!!! YOU have it ALL WRONG!!! No more B.S.!!! I hope this New Election will Charge our MGMT into a NEW direction and Wake up and get it right THIS TIME!!!!!! We need Pay Parity, and RESPECT!! RESPECT!!!

 

[bunt3dunk]

WHERE DOES THIS MORON FREEDOM COME FROM ? I'D BET THAT HE IS A COMPANY STOOGE FROM PHX.YOU GIVE WHAT YOU GET , I'M MAKING LESS MONEY THAN I DID 10 YEARS AGO , SO YOU CAN STICK YOUR IDEA.BEING AN ORIGINAL PIEDMONT EMPLOYEE , ALL I CAN SAY IS THAT I HAVE NEVER SEEN A MANAGEMENT TEAM AS INCOMPETENT AS THE CLOWNS FROM PHX.THERE PHILOSOPHY IS DIVIDE AND CONQUER.AS TO YOU FREEDOM , WAIT TILL YOU GET SOME EAST COAST BOYS TRANSFERRING TO PHX TO TEACH YOU HOW TO WORK SAFE AND SMART.

 

[WCT]

WHERE DOES THIS MORON FREEDOM COME FROM ? I'D BET THAT HE IS A COMPANY STOOGE FROM PHX.YOU GIVE WHAT YOU GET , I'M MAKING LESS MONEY THAN I DID 10 YEARS AGO , SO YOU CAN STICK YOUR IDEA.BEING AN ORIGINAL PIEDMONT EMPLOYEE , ALL I CAN SAY IS THAT I HAVE NEVER SEEN A MANAGEMENT TEAM AS INCOMPETENT AS THE CLOWNS FROM PHX.THERE PHILOSOPHY IS DIVIDE AND CONQUER.AS TO YOU FREEDOM , WAIT TILL YOU GET SOME EAST COAST BOYS TRANSFERRING TO PHX TO TEACH YOU HOW TO WORK SAFE AND SMART.

I agree! But the sad thing is you NOW Know what it feels like to be a POOR America
West Employee!! By the way, I think with your Fleet contract you have the right away to come to PHX, we welcome you with ALL open ARMS!!!!

 

[nycbusdriver]

This company can go from worst to first in a month. That decision has to be made from the top, and it is a simple matter of changing the culture from one of disdain and contempt for the employees and customers to simply one of respect.

Based on history and the personalities of our Tempe "brain trust," I won;t hold my breath waiting for that cultural shift.

 

[YVINTERN]

And, please, before you call me a bitter, negative employee I would like to remind you that in the last two decades I have received numerous Customer Service awards, a file full of postive letters (not one complaint) from my customers praising me and my crews, have more A&B Cards than I can count (I have won three monetary awards in separate drawings), am a Chairman's Award recipient, etc., etc. All of these rewards for my dedication ring hollow, however, when the Company that I represent has no interest whatsoever in making our customers happy. :down:

N903AW,

I sure hope you do know that customers, especially Frequent Fliers do talk about you on another forum called FlyerTalk, they've always spoke positively about your wonderful dedication and service on the Hawaii flights and domestic trips as well.

I've never known else other than the pleasure of flying with you working an America West operated flight despite all the smoke and screens this Airline is still pulling until the Pilots are under one contract (That issue is entirely for the Pilots to decide on and talk about but the passengers who do get it...get it that this won't be one Airline till that happens).

You sure do bring your "A" Game on and I hope to see you sometime on a certain 757 Trip Pairing out of PHX to WAS

 

[NCFL]

I wish the company would post every single complaint that the DOT receives each month so we can see just what people are complaining about. Of course, block out the names, dates, etc, but actually show all of us what people perceive as being wrong with us. Without actual letters of what people are complaining about, some people are bound to do the same things again and again. Along with the complaint letters, maybe the company could provide better direction as to how they want us on the front line to handle certain situations so it doesnt escalate into a complaint letter. Instead of just saying in a general sense treat the customer like this, provide actual scenarios and how they want us to handle things. I think that they wont do this though because a good deal of the complaint letters have nothing to do with us on the front line other than the fact that we are the ones delivering the news that the people dont want to hear ie-company policies. Are you up for the challenge Tempe?

Tadjr - This is EXACTLY what we used to do from East Consumer Affairs. Remember the Weekly Quality Review? Every month, when the report came out, DOT complaints got their own segment flashed up there for the whole world to see. Rakesh grilled people on their performance...made them squirm in front of God and everybody...and expected answers. Behind the scenes, those letters you're referencing were sent to VPs -- without names blocked -- and the situations were reviewed down the line all the way to the individual employees and then back up the line with the results. Monthly, quarterly and annually, the information was summarized and presented to leadership in the executive offices and every other applicable department.

Failing to react to what was being said by the customer was NOT an option if the employee, supervisor, manager, director or VP wanted to keep his or her job.

I must say, however, that the high number of complaints generated to the DOT by the customers at US Airways are a direct result of poor management decisions from the top that have no respect for the customer at all.

Right on!

Out of curiosity, freedom, do you even know what categories the complaints fall into? Without knowing what the complaints are about (at least in general), all the cheerleading in the world won't do much good.

Jim

The DOT's November Air Travel Consumer Report will be released tomorrow. I'll come back then and talk as best as I can about the nature of the complaints. The DOT's public information is a bit vague (the public can't see the actual letters), but we can get the idea.

You can also, if you wish, read articles on the subject of the DOT's report.

http://www.tripso.com/today/should-air-tra...eport-says-yes/
http://www.tripso.com/today/airline-darts-...est-dot-report/
http://www.tripso.com/columns/tongue-in-ch...monthly-report/

 

[Harry Callahan]

Just for ONCE, I would like to be APPRECIATTED by DOUG and MGMT!!!!
TREAT THE EMPLOYEES WITH RESPECT, PERIOD!!!

A big *1 here. Lots of great things already said in this thread. Only those in Tempe that have the power can turn this thing around & I'm not holding my breath.

Edit to add Freedom you just don't get it.

 

[aredeeyou22]

Doug said in one of the last Crew News sessions that the probable reason for the high complaints is our aggressive new fee structure. He expects it to go down as customers adjust. We shall see....

 

[BoeingBoy]

The DOT's public information is a bit vague (the public can't see the actual letters), but we can get the idea.

You can also, if you wish, read articles on the subject of the DOT's report.

Oh, I know where the breakdown is....just wondered if freedom did.

Jim

 

[BoeingBoy]

Doug said in one of the last Crew News sessions that the probable reason for the high complaints is our aggressive new fee structure. He expects it to go down as customers adjust. We shall see....

I think that Doug is probably putting a good spin on it....

Flight problems - cancellations/delays - gets the most complaints for the airlines included in the monthly report and US is no exception. No fees in this category.

The three areas that hurt US the most, and where US gets more complaints than the average, are...

Res/Ticketing/Boarding - agents make mistakes ticketing, busy telephone lines or waiting in line, problems boarding the aircraft. Again, fees wouldn't affect this category.

Customer Service - Finally somewhere where fees might make a difference. Includes rude/unhelpful employees, inadequate meals/cabin service, treatment of delayed passengers.

Fares - Incorrect or incomplete information about fares, discount fare conditions and availability, overcharges, fare increases and level of fares in general.

Those four categories make up more than 75% of the complaints that US receives.

Jim