RJpieces From United States, joined Nov 2003, 7466 posts, RR: 54 Posted (4 years 10 months 2 weeks 4 days 10 hours ago) and read 528 times:
I ABSOLUTELY hate the automated reservation systems. Whenever I call an airline now, I have to bullshit my way through the automated system in order to speak to an agent. And if you say one extra word, it screws the whole thing up.
I can't see how this saves money for the airlines. It takes an agent about 20 seconds to enter the trip info. Have they really been able to cut down on the # of agents by automating part of the process?
"Millions long for immortality who do not know what to do with themselves on a rainy Sunday afternoon"
7E72004 From United States, joined Mar 2004, 3570 posts, RR: 2 Reply 4, posted (4 years 10 months 2 weeks 4 days 9 hours ago) and read 448 times:
I like to talk to a PERSON and NOT a computer...because if you mess up you have to wait and start over...now some airlines charge you for using a person...DO a majority of foreign carriers still use the PERSON?
The next generation of aircraft is just around the corner!
TLIMA From Canada, joined Jan 2004, 78 posts, RR: 0 Reply 5, posted (4 years 10 months 2 weeks 4 days 9 hours ago) and read 451 times:
I usuall try to bypass all that BS and just say "AGENT" or "OPERATOR", it seems to work in some cases and takes you straight to a live person.
It's hard to imagine though that eliminating the agents, who don't make a whole lot of money to begin with, can have a huge cost savings impact. It's unfortunate but I have seen a lot of hard working people lose their low paying (under $10/hr) jobs because the multi-billion corporations they happen to work for want to "cut budgets". But that's a whole different topic all together.
I do not like using the automated reservation system either, it is a pain.
RJpieces From United States, joined Nov 2003, 7466 posts, RR: 54 Reply 6, posted (4 years 10 months 2 weeks 4 days 9 hours ago) and read 437 times:
RJpieces, you must be calling DL then eh?
LOL, actually yes.
And because of their whole dammed computer system combined with an agent who didn't speak good English, US Airways wound up with my business on the Shuttle.
"Millions long for immortality who do not know what to do with themselves on a rainy Sunday afternoon"
SHUPirate1 From United States, joined Sep 2003, 3568 posts, RR: 25 Reply 10, posted (4 years 10 months 2 weeks 4 days 8 hours ago) and read 397 times:
RJPieces-Sounds like me having to call US Airways to redeem a denied boarding voucher (what a royal pain in the arse), usually I use the rotary-dial instructions, just so I can speak to a person rather than enter this stuff in, after all, you can't do that over the internet, and you can't do that with their automated phone system either...fortunately, they don't charge the personal assistant fee, if you will, for redeeming denied boarding vouchers (on the other hand, on Delta, they do charge you for using a person to redeem vouchers, be it dollar vouchers for denied boardings, or free ticket vouchers for a promotion, such as the one they had to compete with American a few months back)
Burma's constitutional referendum options: A. Yes, B. Go to Insein Prison!
FLY2LIM From United States, joined May 2004, 1160 posts, RR: 13 Reply 11, posted (4 years 10 months 2 weeks 4 days 6 hours ago) and read 332 times:
A few tips:
The one about asking for "agent" works great at AA's reservations system. Also, any time you pick something that starts with "for assistance with ...", they are leading you to an automated service. You always want to go with "for all other options, press ...". The one about "if you are calling from a touch-tone phone, please stay on the line" is the best.
It's hard to imagine though that eliminating the agents, who don't make a whole lot of money to begin with, can have a huge cost savings impact. It's unfortunate but I have seen a lot of hard working people lose their low paying (under $10/hr) jobs because the multi-billion corporations they happen to work for want to "cut budgets". But that's a whole different topic all together.
It is well known that employee costs are the highest percentage of costs to a company. Besides the $10/hr job, there are the benefits and the costs of having employees. Believe it or not, the savings are huge.
which leads me to my next point ...
UHHHHHH, after waiting for about 20 minutes I get an agent who barely speaks English and didn't understand what I was asking for.....
RJpieces, you must be calling DL then eh?
I understand that DL outsources to India, is this correct?
some people don't have computers or internet
People still use this excuse? I am going to guess that people who travel on an airplane probably have access to the internet. Remember, it's available for free at your public library. So, people who don't travel on airplanes, who don't have a public library at their own home, and who have never bought or been given a computer to use in their home, or don't have a relative who has one, would be affected by this. (I am talking, mainly, about the US, although computers/internet are available in most countries in the world)
My carrier of choice, AA, recently charged me their $5/pax fee for booking tickets that I exchanged for ff miles. The website told me that I was unable to book this itinerary (to LIM) online and that I should call. Yet, they still charged me for this, even though I didn't have a choice.
Aerofan From United States, joined Aug 2004, 1484 posts, RR: 4 Reply 13, posted (4 years 10 months 2 weeks 4 days 5 hours ago) and read 284 times:
why use automated reservations? i do all of my booking online when i'm purchasing a revenue tkt. couldn't you have accomplished what u wanted to accomplish by using the web?
Dtwclipper From , joined Dec 1969, posts, RR: Reply 14, posted (4 years 10 months 2 weeks 4 days 5 hours ago) and read 264 times:
Well, you guys must not be elite members of your respective FF programs.
I call the Platinum line, enter my FF # and PIN and an agent at Northwest comes right on and says: Thank you for calling NW Plat. Elite Customer service how may I help you Mr. D?
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