Easy Customer Service Improvements

[Itestwell]

They should just give all the FA's knee pads.... let's put the "service" back in customer service.

h34r:

 

[2clippedwings]

As a longtime US1 and someone who flies US every week, I'd like to suggest a few customer service improvements that I see as costing very little but adding much value.

1. One of the biggest issues I see with US is the whole unruly boarding process. This could be solved easily by boarding the First Class cabin first letting them get settled and moving forward with the Elite boarding and so on. So many times the GA calls Zone 1 and 40 people or more try and board. The aisles get clogged and it really stalls the boarding. A more orderly boarding process will be faster.
Taking coats this winter is going to be a nightmare on the 320/321. Dreading it.

I personally would love to preboard special assists and first class first then give us 5 minutes before resuming boarding to get the assists settled in and briefed (if necessary) and be able to hang coats and get predeparture beverages in first without having to swim upstream. The 5 minutes would be made up easily by having the aisles cleared.

2. Serve the pre-flight drink please. I fly in F about 98% of the time and only get a preflight about 30 percent.
I have also encountered f/a's that believe they are making a statement to the company by not providing predeparture beverages even when we are not late. I do not agree but if the "A" chooses not to do them to make a point, the "A" will have to deal with the consequences when a first class passenger alerts the company.

3. FA's please be attentive to your FC customers. 1 drink run from TPA to PHX is unacceptable. Having to ask for more water while you are reading the USA Today or Vogue in the galley is Totally Unacceptable. I have been on board flights were the PAX are making jokes about the FA's chatting amongst themselves rather than serving the customer.
I have never witnessed this particular lack of service.

4. Understand that many of your PAX are working too. I travel 85% of the time for business.
No comment......

5. Please stop telling us you are the cleaning crew. It's very unprofessional.

Of the many ways this career has changed, this is high on the list of bad.
A flight attendant is on board to ensure the comfort and safety of their passengers. I am not a utility worker. We do not have the time or proper tools to do a utility person's job. I agree, this should not be a passenger's concern EXCEPT that I am sick of discourteous passengers that leave their seating area like a debris field after a tornado.
The company has made out like bandits by cutting f/a staffing per plane to FAA minimums and THEN eliminating a utility job expecting f/a's to clean airplanes for free. This, to me, is completely unacceptable. An inordinate amount of time is taken every flight trying to come up with creative ways to deal with trash. They involve exposure to contamination, cuts and scratches, sprains etc. I personally dislike breaking a sweat and trying to maintain a neat appearance after cleaning an airplane.
I think an announcement about cleaning is unnecessary but understand where the desire to make it comes from.
I'am a regular USairway customer. Make my experience the best you can. And I will kepp coming back.
Thank you for your business.

 

[Itestwell]

As a longtime US1 and someone who flies US every week, I'd like to suggest a few customer service improvements that I see as costing very little but adding much value.


5. Please stop telling us you are the cleaning crew. It's very unprofessional.

But we is the cleaning crew, masta!!

What's unprofessional is having flight attendants cleaning planes in the first place.

 

[Singleflyer]

You may be the cleaning crew, and it may be unprofessional. But paying customers do not want to hear your work rule complaints. I have also heard the same type of talk from the pilots as well, and many airlines, this is not just a US problem.

 

[2clippedwings]

Oh you poor naive newbie - there is no one on this board that cares that you don't like flying US anymore - the days of caring are long over I am afraid.

All you will get on this board is a bunch of employees defending why they provide crappy service and whining about how bad they have it and how bad they have been treated and on and on and on and on.

Give it up and switch your business to another airline that provides real service - I did - and I am much happier for it. I still find this board to have entertainment value - mostly because of how defensive the nasty US employees get when someone posts a message like yours.

You're right. This is a great place to blow off steam and laugh in our shared adversity. Here and the crew room are the perfect places to host our pity parties.

 

[Itestwell]

You may be the cleaning crew, and it may be unprofessional. But paying customers do not want to hear your work rule complaints. I have also heard the same type of talk from the pilots as well, and many airlines, this is not just a US problem.

Aww, come now. It must be so difficult to hear that announcement. I can't imagine how you handle it, flight after flight... :unsure:

 

[PHLfa88]

If they can't do the job let's get someone who can and i say that goes for Parker and Kirby as well. Where do I write to address the real issue?

I Was Waiting To See How Long It Would Take You To Chime In! Not Long At All! :huh:

 

[hp_fa]

If they can't do the job let's get someone who can and i say that goes for Parker and Kirby as well. Where do I write to address the real issue?

Continental Airlines
1 Newark Airport
Newark, NJ 07114

 

[N903AW]

Just FYI, I am an AA flight attendant. Another f/a in my base was just fired for failure to provide minimum standard service in First Class. One of our (very) FFs was on the flight and wrote a letter. The company's investigation (which included calling and talking with several of the F/C passengers) confirmed the FF's experience.

"Vee haf vays of making you talk!" h34r:

 

[jimntx]

USCrew you are great!! Thanks for the laughs. We do have more serious issues, but you made my day!!!

I'm not trying to be facetious, but no, you do not have more serious issues. In a customer service business such as ours, it doesn't matter to the customer whether the ramp is fully staffed, or the company cut your uniform allowance to the point you have to decide between a new pair of pants or a new rollaboard. What matters to them is that they didn't get their friggin' pre-departure beverage, or their wine is in a plastic cup when your competitors are serving wine in crystal stemware.

It doesn't matter how hard you are working if your customer perceives that you are doing nothing.

By the way, just remember that the highest paid f/as in the U.S.A. clean the plane--every leg. Professional vs. unprofessional has nothing to do with it. I don't like it either, but there are certain circumstances where we are required to clean the plane. It is part of the job. And, it is part of our contract (as I'm sure it is part of yours); and, a majority of us voted FOR that contract.

 

[Prince of PAWOBs]

What is with all these new posters on here lately?

Yeah, I noticed that, too. Of course, I'm being ignored like nobody's business as of late.

Don't worry, everyone. I'll be gone before too long. Enjoy the new posters!

 

[Harry Callahan]

Yeah, I noticed that, too. Of course, I'm being ignored like nobody's business as of late.

Don't worry, everyone. I'll be gone before too long. Enjoy the new posters!

Prince:
I'm not ignoring you.

 

[BoeingBoy]

Of course, I'm being ignored like nobody's business as of late.

Since you stopped doing the award of the week, maybe? Without those award posts, what use are you????

Just kidding, BTW . Hope all is well and you'll continue posting far into the future.

Jim

 

[N965VJ]

Folks, I honestly believe there is some monkey business going on here by new posters to this forum.

We have Morgan the PR guy at HQ posting his email address “if you want to chatâ€￾ , newbies saying they are FFs and generally insulting regular posters that know how to do their job and FFs that know what is going on, and then some odd post soliciting stories for an upcoming book that “cleared this through the company's legal departmentâ€￾ that has just been moved by a Moderator to the Water Cooler (click here).

 

[YVINTERN]

I agree...Monkey Business is occurring in here...I'll do my research...