2 New Hire Classes in INT/RES...Why?

[jets_2573]

Can anyone explain why we had a new hire class of 37 (26 showed up) start on 19May and another one of 34 starting on 2 June? Today there were 2 calls on hold around 11am and they slapped up overtime till 2400? Why...what gives? SFO and EWR had lowcigs but no other major weather....we have been pretty dead in res so I don't get the hiring phase...any answers?

 

[CynicalResAgent]

Is res still outsourcing calls? If they are (they were when I left) then maybe they plan on finally bringing back the outsourced calls. That would be a good thing..... new people under you in seniority is a good thing.

 

[dexter]

Too many new people take overtime away from senior agents. Remember 18. versus 8. an hour. If they are giving overtime out in reservations which is rare it will most likely go to the newbies since they can work twice amount of hours versus 1.5 overtime for those topped out. One big question is how reservations will be handled if we merge with UA. UA already canned their reservationists and shipped it over to India.
With online bookings it is rather odd that our company has not been downsizing reservations as there will eventually be no need to have this department.

 

[jets_2573]

Too many new people take overtime away from senior agents. Remember 18. versus 8. an hour. If they are giving overtime out in reservations which is rare it will most likely go to the newbies since they can work twice amount of hours versus 1.5 overtime for those topped out. One big question is how reservations will be handled if we merge with UA. UA already canned their reservationists and shipped it over to India.
With online bookings it is rather odd that our company has not been downsizing reservations as there will eventually be no need to have this department.

The customers make such a mess of online bookings (wrong dates, wrong names, wrong cities, circle trips/open jaw tkts unable online)....so easy for the pax to TEXTUS to get flite and gate info....yet they insist on talking to someone to get a gate number....there will always be a need for res.....Skybus had no res offices all done online - we know where they are today......our contract states all outsourced res come back to US by 2011(?)......OT goes to anyone who will work it...not limited to newbies.....had OT last night till 2400 too...great to sit and get the pay - not busy......closed Mex office but did not increase calls....company "upgraded" our phone system last month so now they can route calls "where ever" - whatever that means....sent my papers to PBGC to retire 1sept...35yrs....have jet fuel in my veins - would love to stay - only age 55 but trying to commute to family in PIT even with '73 seniority is next to impossible.

 

[4merresrat]

The customers make such a mess of online bookings (wrong dates, wrong names, wrong cities, circle trips/open jaw tkts unable online)....so easy for the pax to TEXTUS to get flite and gate info....yet they insist on talking to someone to get a gate number....there will always be a need for res.....Skybus had no res offices all done online - we know where they are today......our contract states all outsourced res come back to US by 2011(?).......

Don't overlook the customer's savey. Big tactical error.

Most customers do just fine with online bookings. In fact they do great as evidenced by the way it has taken off. Most prefer to do it this way; at their leisure without the voice mail hell they are put through, and the inevitable unfriendly, foregin, and difficult to understand voice at the other end of the line was someone does finally answer. No, some aspects of reservations may be required for awhile but the job is basically becoming pase, sort of like the typewritter.

 

[CynicalResAgent]

Too many new people take overtime away from senior agents. Remember 18. versus 8. an hour. If they are giving overtime out in reservations which is rare it will most likely go to the newbies since they can work twice amount of hours versus 1.5 overtime for those topped out. One big question is how reservations will be handled if we merge with UA. UA already canned their reservationists and shipped it over to India.
With online bookings it is rather odd that our company has not been downsizing reservations as there will eventually be no need to have this department.

I've been out of the loop for years but isn't overitme given out by seniority?I'm thinking that you were making the point that a new employee costs the company less money versus overtime for a topped out agent. I don't know if that is true when you factor in benefit costs; maybe it is but I would guess it would be close.

I heard some remarks from Tempe that indicated they preferred in house res over the outsourcing. I think employers all got caught up in that trend of overseas call centers and seemed to be swinging back towards prefering keepin it in house, maybe fuel costs will slow that down as they seek to reduce costs anywhere (pretzels?). Sure Skybus had no RES but where are they now? The most profitable airline in the industry has plenty of call center agents.

I'd think the best thing for cost would be for them to look at a work from home option. Technology is at a place where it is very inexpensive. With gas cost's rising to ridiculous prices plenty of employees would value the option to work from home. B6 does it with their RES I believe.

 

[philly rocks]

I believe "work at home" is going on right now and everyone is clueless that there are res agents doing this because that is what the company wants you to be. How would you moniter it if the company doesn't make available those who are "virtual". During res migration there were about 15 virtual work at home agents assisting many ticket counter managers on the east coase. I just scratched my head that there were ANY. Not one res agent I know could confirm this because the company doesn't want anyone in labor groups knowing how many there truly are? Shouldn't these virtual agents be in a local somewhere? Well they are not? So ponder that for a little......

 

[jets_2573]

I've been out of the loop for years but isn't overitme given out by seniority?I'm thinking that you were making the point that a new employee costs the company less money versus overtime for a topped out agent. I don't know if that is true when you factor in benefit costs; maybe it is but I would guess it would be close.

I heard some remarks from Tempe that indicated they preferred in house res over the outsourcing. I think employers all got caught up in that trend of overseas call centers and seemed to be swinging back towards prefering keepin it in house, maybe fuel costs will slow that down as they seek to reduce costs anywhere (pretzels?). Sure Skybus had no RES but where are they now? The most profitable airline in the industry has plenty of call center agents.

I'd think the best thing for cost would be for them to look at a work from home option. Technology is at a place where it is very inexpensive. With gas cost's rising to ridiculous prices plenty of employees would value the option to work from home. B6 does it with their RES I believe.

NO OT is NOT given out by seniority.....most of the OT is done by the topped out senior agents......we like to sit there for the BIG bucks and take a call about every 10 min.....WOW...gotta love it......another good cost savings plan, yeah, right. We got all kinds of senseless excuses when we tried to push for working at home....kinda think they would like to have it in place now...but gigantic egoes never admit mistakes. I have not one ounce of faith in this management.....they have no clue how to run a profitable airline let alone an unprofitable one.......we are going down...fast!!!!!

 

[Hello Newman]

Can anyone explain why we had a new hire class of 37 (26 showed up) start on 19May and another one of 34 starting on 2 June? Today there were 2 calls on hold around 11am and they slapped up overtime till 2400? Why...what gives? SFO and EWR had lowcigs but no other major weather....we have been pretty dead in res so I don't get the hiring phase...any answers?

That's all we need more res agents to tell callers "You have to go out to the airport for that"
when all they want is to change a PNR

 

[tadjr]

Can anyone explain why we had a new hire class ..we have been pretty dead in res so I don't get the hiring phase...any answers?

You might be dead in your office, but "Jeff", "Cindy" and "Susan" sure have been busy screwing up reservations. Hopefully they will be out of a job soon (or at least taking calls for some other company) since they arent too swift at airline reservations. There are a ton of people still getting MNL on the phone and (then) coming to the airport because they were told to come out to pay their evoucher with a creditcard, couldnt understand them, or didnt like it that it took someone a long time to get an answer and then it didnt sound right or didnt even answer what they were asking. Its nice having one outsourced office gone, but there are at least 2 more that need to go away.

 

[InternationalShannon]

who cares if they hire 434392840 more people, that puts your seniority higher and less likely to get laid off. Boo hoo.

Unless you WANT to get laid off, in which case, you'd be invited to our furlough party.

OoOoO!! oOoO!!

 

[reznc]

Thanks, International SNN. My point exactly. It actually shows some "hope" if we are hiring.

 

[YVINTERN]

who cares if they hire 434392840 more people, that puts your seniority higher and less likely to get laid off. Boo hoo.

Unless you WANT to get laid off, in which case, you'd be invited to our furlough party.

OoOoO!! oOoO!!

Do Interns get invited too By the way when do you want your Kofi from Costa Rica? Not that you actually work for an airline in a quiet southern emerald city.