HHD

[Quickcall]

Just curious.

A new message just arrived in crew mail about a new patch that's been installed in the hhd's to help with the transmission of sales. Of course they said there was a glitch but everything is working now. Really????

I'm wondering if anyone can tell me how much money has been invested in this project?

I know there were people working a special project last week who were going from airplane to airplane checking to see that these things were up to date. From what I heard most had sales that hadn't been sent since this started. So now we have double man/woman power to do a job someone is already getting paid to do. Just wondering if there is actually any profit left after all of these problems.

Anyone???

 

[Travelpro72]

You may find some on here that will say that the HHD experience has been just fine. Well let me just tell you that the whole project from it's inception to present day has been an entire joke and fiasco. Those HHD's are actually smart little cookies (WHEN they work). They can tell a lot more about sales then many might think. But a lot of them are missing, broken and as you said had sales that were never processed. It was basically, regardless of all the logistics people will say went on behind the scenes, hurried and implemented with no real plan. What looks good on paper and what is real life.....well history since the merger speaks for itself. Just another project and idea of, "Hurry up and get it out there. Who cares what happens we'll patch it up as we go along". Maybe that can be a slogan here....US Airways "Wing it". :blink:

 

[SpinDoc]

You may find some on here that will say that the HHD experience has been just fine. Well let me just tell you that the whole project from it's inception to present day has been an entire joke and fiasco. Those HHD's are actually smart little cookies (WHEN they work). They can tell a lot more about sales then many might think. But a lot of them are missing, broken and as you said had sales that were never processed. It was basically, regardless of all the logistics people will say went on behind the scenes, hurried and implemented with no real plan. What looks good on paper and what is real life.....well history since the merger speaks for itself. Just another project and idea of, "Hurry up and get it out there. Who cares what happens we'll patch it up as we go along". Maybe that can be a slogan here....US Airways "Wing it". :blink:

On a similar plane (no pun intended), the ramp baggage scanners have also gone through several phases of software issues, mainly to fix glitches with the hardware and connectivity to the cellular network. The concept of the baggage scanners is a very good idea, think FEDEX. In the very near future (or so they say), the bag scanners will be tied to a link on the company web site that will give the customer the opportunity to track their bag if it is misplaced. This will result in a huge cost savings versus the customer calling a call center to find out the status of their lost bag. From experience, I will say that the bag scanners are currently about 70% effective because software problems and ramp personnel training issues are not fully resolved. Both of these problems will be solved within 6 months, and I think baggage complaints will decrease significantly as the tracking tool becomes more reliable.

The HDD issues will follow the same curve and will be resolved when software and human issues are tweaked properly.

 

[LCC_#1]

You may find some on here that will say that the HHD experience has been just fine.

Well, I'm one of them!! If our coworkers would shut up and adjust AND leave the GD thing alone instead of vandalizing, all WOULD be ok!! I could care less if the damn thing ever transmits! It is easy and a no brainer! The entire selling crap should be paperless! Why would any of you even give a thought to what the HH is doing. I turn it on, put in the info, slide the the card, give the customer a receipt! I have NEVER had a broken HH yet. Sorry, but my experience has been completely opposite! It's one of the smartest things inflight has done! If the HH has issues transmitting, that is the companies problem.

 

[Travelpro72]

The process of a f/a swiping a card for a purchase row by row and transmitting is not the issue. Of course they are easy to use. I think the HHD's are a great idea BUT just not very well thought out. Always unforeseen glitches. If US had people to foresee the unforeseen as they SHOULD a lot of the problems would be resolved. I don't think the HHD troubles fall solely in the laps of the f/a's. Of course you won't hear anyone from management admit that the implementation was bad. Take the blame for the mess that is out there and improve it.

Oh and for those that "follow the rules" great. But for those that don't here is a little tip. The are watching the auditing and people will be put on a list to watch. Think twice about entering all your sales after the service". That isn't following the rules.

 

[jimntx]

FWIW, with the introduction of the HHDs (at AA they are called OSRs--Onboard Sales Recorder ) we also went through a "growing pains" stage. There were certain stations--DCA, for one--where the machine was just about guaranteed not to transmit. However, that was more the fault of the communications provider--Sprint, I think--than the device itself.

With time, the bugs are just about gone, and they have actually listened to the f/as about adding certain functionality. The most helpful one--more than 1 f/a can be logged on to one device at the same time. If the other f/a's employee number is showing on the screen, I just tap the number and it switches to my employee number for me to record my sales. That way, precious space on the cart is not taken up with two devices when one will do.

We are now at the point that AA is planning to go cashless this Summer. Hallelujah! No more deposit envelopes, or trying to find the deposit safe at the layover station at midnight. Like LCC#1, I really like the devices and have had little trouble with them.

Just a heads up: The advice to follow procedure is excellent. There are a number of f/as at AA who still refuse to use the device in the aisles. They just enter whatever makes the money come out right at the end of the flight. This not only makes them suspect--did they keep any of the money?--but they don't realize that the devices provide tracking to the company of which products sell well and which need to be replaced. With the help of the device data they can even tailor the products for a flight based on departure and arrival stations--i.e., flights to California receive more of the "Asian Chicken wrap" sandwiches and fewer of the cans of Lays Stax potato chips.

The devices are the reality of the future; so, everyone needs to "get onboard."

 

[Travelpro72]

I agree 100%.

 

[LCC_#1]

Oh and for those that "follow the rules" great. But for those that don't here is a little tip. The are watching the auditing and people will be put on a list to watch. Think twice about entering all your sales after the service". That isn't following the rules.

Well, that has become easier now that we only sell snacks, cocktails, and napkits.

 

[aptboeses]

Having worked for another carrier that used HH's and was completely cashless I can tell you it can take a few months to get things sorted. Not fun while it happens but once all the bugs are worked out it's great!

I think most of the issues have come from people who simply don't understand how to use it. The HHD comes with a great instruction booklet that answers most questions. Once you do a few different transactions it becomes second nature. It's only a matter of time before we go cashless so people should learn now.

 

[jimcfs]

The challenge all airlines face is how to automate business processes to save money yet do it in a customer friendly way.

.......

Now once US figures out that IT is not a nuisance but a necessity and invests accordingly then we can see some improvement in the customer experience

The problem with all of this is that in spreadsheet school, they are taught that IT is an expense, not an asset. Someone in IT needs to convince them via a spreadsheet line item that the IT can be used in a way to make money, not spend it. Once someone in the SandCastle can understand that concept will customer experience improve.

 

[Furloughd4now]

The only issue I have with the HHD is this ... You have to put in the opening inventory, log the sales and then put in closing inventory. This is a computer, this should add the closing inventory automatically. :blink: It just adds extra work.

I like it on transcons and I also like pax are more likely to buy stuff with the ability to pay by card.

What I don't like is the fact that they spent literally thousands of dollars on something that right now we don't need.

 

[SolidCactus]

I just flew WN last week for the first time in about 6 months, and I have to say that their process looks seamless, at least from the customer perspective. I was on a 45 minute flight, and the FA's managed to do two entire beverage services. Their handheld is on the back of a small clipboard. They take the drink order on an order pad that is a grid that basically has the seats mapped out. Someone orders a premium beverage and they flip their order pad over, swipe the card, and move on.

I can save US a lot of money with this suggestion. Wait until WN does it, then find out who their vendor is, and just go with that vendor.

 

[Quickcall]

The only issue I have with the HHD is this ... You have to put in the opening inventory, log the sales and then put in closing inventory. This is a computer, this should add the closing inventory automatically. :blink: It just adds extra work.

I like it on transcons and I also like pax are more likely to buy stuff with the ability to pay by card.

What I don't like is the fact that they spent literally thousands of dollars on something that right now we don't need.

I think that's the point. They want us to put in the closing inventory so nothing is given away. By making us watch every beer, mini, wine, etc., we'll have to account for every item. That's fine except when worling with two/three other people who forget to tell you if they compted something until you'e trying to balance the money. Or working five legs on the 190..I'm sure inventory isn't entered after every flight.

It could be so easy, but things like not being able to click on beer, wine, cocktail just adds to the frustration. We all know that catering is not really looking at what is being transmitted and going to bring only four vodkas to the plane. First of all if it isn't being sent so how will they know.

What works at American won't work here. Hopefully we'll be cashless soon and with this system passengers will be getting free liquor again. At least for three months or so until another special project goes around and sends the info.

 

[Travelpro72]

I have watched the flight attendants on WN do their thing as well. The clipboard and HHD works great that way since they don't do carts. That being said they seem to have it together pretty well. It usually is the case with WN though. After all they are WN and we are US so go figure. What is implemented at US can almost ALWAYS be more simplified but noooooo. Everything is acronyms and a lengthy process to get from A to B. What a shocker huh?

 

[SolidCactus]

I have watched the flight attendants on WN do their thing as well. The clipboard and HHD works great that way since they don't do carts. That being said they seem to have it together pretty well. It usually is the case with WN though. After all they are WN and we are US so go figure. What is implemented at US can almost ALWAYS be more simplified but noooooo. Everything is acronyms and a lengthy process to get from A to B. What a shocker huh?

Well, acronyms are really fun. And creative too!