Customer Service?

[Art at ISP]

Doc,

I understand your point, but why is it the customer's fault? It's NOT. The customer had nothing to do with the way management treats the employees. In fact most of us fight for them to treat you better...

I do not see what taking your frustration out on the customer will accomplish except to drive the company out of business...so in a way you and management are doing the same thing, but in a different way.

 

[deltawatch]

Staffing is a joke at US Airways. Mandatory shift extensions are a daily occurrence. Agents are scheduled off at say 5pm and assigned to work a flight that never leaves before 530pm. There should be enough agents on duty with a little built in time on the end of their shift so that mandatory OT is rare. Agents have family responsibilities at home. After all the cuts, many have decided to put the kids first.

It use to be a passion, now its just a thankless low paying job.

 

[primowon]

Tad,

You raise some good points....I may have a way to find out more about this. If the original poster can send me the approximate time this happened, perhaps I can get more information.

Even if the agents were "justified" in leaving, there is no reason someone could not have called for replacements....as another poster put it-management at its best.

I guess it's okay to tick off 100 customers, but keep the overtime down.......

The time was Monday night (June 11) about 2100. As I said in my original post, the place was very growded with harried pax looking for answers. As a retiree I know we had, and still have, some very fine, dedicated employees. After reading the replys to my original post, I got a sense of the frustration of being understaffed and underpaid. But that still does not justify taking it out on your bread and butter. No matter what, I was taught to give it your best when showing up for work. If it too unbearable, respectfully, move on. Life is too darn short. Virtually every passenger I overheard talking on this weekend trip lamented about the unrealiable, shoddy service from U. I see very dark clouds ahead for this company if not drastic changes occur and advertised soon.

 

[LCC_#1]

If it too unbearable, respectfully, move on.

Trust me when I say if this were to happen, US Airways would have no employees. Your retirement has really clouded the reality of just how bad things have gotten.

 

[john john]

As a retiree I know we had, and still have, some very fine, dedicated employees.

As an employee what was your job at US

 

[wench1]

Just remember the 6 P's

Prior
Planning
Prevents
Piss
Poor
Performance.

Something THIS Joint Knows NOTHING OF> :down:

Report Card Grade?

F minus

 

[US Express-PSA Agent]

Doc,

I understand your point, but why is it the customer's fault? It's NOT. The customer had nothing to do with the way management treats the employees. In fact most of us fight for them to treat you better...

I do not see what taking your frustration out on the customer will accomplish except to drive the company out of business...so in a way you and management are doing the same thing, but in a different way.

FIRST OF ALL...
I work in service recovery in CLT. I was there Monday night when everything went to he11. Those agent were doing what they were told to do. They were told they are off at 10:00pm and that the gate agents that normally get off at 10:30 would be manditoried to stay and they would be at the s/s counter to help these passengers. They were just following orders.

AT $9.59 an hour what the heck do you expect from them..honestly! QUIT BLAMMING THE GOD D*** AGENTS!!!

If you did not want to wait in the long line why did you not just go to a hotel, settle down, and call reservations. You knew at that time of the evening that there were no more flights leaving for your destination, and if you were not sure then just look at the monitors. YOU CHOSE TO WAIT IN LINE!! Go sit down and call the 1-800 number. The wait would have been about the same length of time. The time you spent waiting in line, being unproductive, was your falt.

QUIT STANDING IN LINE AND CALL THE 1-800 NUMBER.

 

[USstew23]

Doc,

I understand your point, but why is it the customer's fault? It's NOT. The customer had nothing to do with the way management treats the employees. In fact most of us fight for them to treat you better...

I do not see what taking your frustration out on the customer will accomplish except to drive the company out of business...so in a way you and management are doing the same thing, but in a different way.

Art, I have all of the respect in the world for you and appreciate everything that you do for the employees of US. I have to say though that what is going on with the employees is not really directed at the customers. It has really gotten to the point that most of us can barely even stomach showing up anymore, it makes me physically and mentally ill (I am not exaggerating either)and I even find myself being snippy with loved ones and was even reduced to tears while driving to work the other day. I love this job and never during 2 BK's, paycuts, and furloughs did I ever feel like it was hopeless.

 

[midnightmech]

Lets see now...$9.00/hr new hires.... new system for the old timers to operate...short staffed.....mandatory overtime, everyday...bad weather...oversold flights, everyday.....broken equipment that seems to never get fixed...oh thats right , just ...be happy..its all good...little davy parker has it allllll under control..lol

 

[Art at ISP]

Express Agent,

We are NOT blaming the agents. We are blaming management, but it still rubs me wrong to leave customers hanging without helping them.

We have nothing for the utmost respect and high regard for most of the front line people. We know it was hell the past few nights, I have spoken to friends in CLT who were there like you.

I sympathize with how you all feel, but while we DO realize that you front liners are not the enemy here, PLEASE realize that the customer is not YOUR enemy, and regardless of fault, those who were there and got shut out with no help deserve better.

 

[john john]

Petty simple service failure and the agents shift were over. TIME TO GO HOME. I am sure the customers can relate

 

[Art at ISP]

John John,

So my next question would be where are the replacements who should be helping the customers? I am not putting this on the agents, it is a total failure of management to handle the situation and provide the resources to take care of the customers.

I am sure it was ugly--and probably worse last night, but there is no excuse for inadequate planning.

Bottom line is customers were left hanging. I wonder how many of them will fly US again.

Other airlines were similarly affected by weather, but it is likely that the other airline management teams were prepared for this and provided adequate staffing and a res system which works.

 

[dbcooper]

The bottom line is:
THIS AIRLINE IS TERRIBLY MISMANAGED IN REGARD TO OPERATIONS AND (LACK OF)CUSTOMER SERVICE, BUT IF IT CAN MAKE A DOLLAR THAT WAY, "IT'S OK".

 

[PhxMama]

Hi All, Ive been MIA for awhile from the board but wish I was AWOL from work. Rez is just as bad as the ato's and as much as I feel for our psgrs we are just worn out. If everyone was as kind as Art and our other FFOCUS folk, it would be a labor of love but how many names can you be called before you are just numb to it and it becpmes run of the mill? We as employees understand the frustrations of weather issues but I did not PERSONALLY wreck your vacation or your plans. Go ahead and sue US because of a ATC cxl or misconnect. You'll be standing behind others. Its not trying to help or do my job, I used to love it but many of us just tune it out and read the daily paper while getting our a@@'s chewed. I dont care. I dont expect this airline to last nor does it put food on my table. In general, I find most people kind but when it comes to flight cxls they are just nasty and treat us employees like we are not human. Again, Art and group are the exception.(And again, there are some exceptions to this group, some of you know what I am referring to.) Would I stay at the tkt counter to get more of it? Not a chance in hell!! Management doesnt care or just doesnt get it. Employees, ie pilots infighting and east vs west. Doesnt sound like a great future. Sorry to be so negative but its really been rough lately. Until you've been beaten enough you fight back. Im out of fight for a while and maybe sit a few rounds out. Very discouraged at the outcome of this merger. Just a few thoughts. Mama

 

[primowon]

FIRST OF ALL...
I work in service recovery in CLT. I was there Monday night when everything went to he11. Those agent were doing what they were told to do. They were told they are off at 10:00pm and that the gate agents that normally get off at 10:30 would be manditoried to stay and they would be at the s/s counter to help these passengers. They were just following orders.

AT $9.59 an hour what the heck do you expect from them..honestly! QUIT BLAMMING THE GOD D*** AGENTS!!!

If you did not want to wait in the long line why did you not just go to a hotel, settle down, and call reservations. You knew at that time of the evening that there were no more flights leaving for your destination, and if you were not sure then just look at the monitors. YOU CHOSE TO WAIT IN LINE!! Go sit down and call the 1-800 number. The wait would have been about the same length of time. The time you spent waiting in line, being unproductive, was your falt.

QUIT STANDING IN LINE AND CALL THE 1-800 NUMBER.

With due respect, that option just doesn't fly (pardon the pun). Although many passengers are seasoned road warriors, many are also infrequent flyers to whom today's flight has been long awaited and planned. They have fretted about it for weeks. Now the airline cancels the flight, they don't know to whom to turn, Customer Service tells them they are closed, and you suggest just leisurely make your way to a motel and settle everything there? Come on, man. Get real.

Obviously the need is for more personnel who are not mandated each day to work well past their shift. A pay increase would help them too. But reality prevails: if this continues, you are in a death spiral. Start getting your resumes up-to-date. If I were still working there, I would do whatever it took to replace management, because it sounds like they see the problems, but refuse to rectify them. Are they just bidding time before the inevitable?

Petty simple service failure and the agents shift were over. TIME TO GO HOME. I am sure the customers can relate

No, I don't think they can! Are you part of the problem, or are you working toward a solution? I would be if I still worked there.