Qantas Frequent Flyer - Focus Group

Anybody been to a QF FF focus group before? Just got a call from an agency acting on behalf of QF that is hosting a couple in Sydney next week.

Anybody else get the call? Maybe this could become a mini Sydney version of the BNE gathering!!

Martyn, nope never, but would die to get involved. Perhaps you should mentioned FT and see if they would start one up for us. As most of us are Gold or Plat, we are likely to be the right audience and I'm sure both parties could learn a lot.

Trust you said YES PLEASE http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/biggrin.gif. Let us know what comes out of it, if you can.

"As most of us are Gold or Plat"

Is this true?
I'm only lowly Silver so does that mean I am in a minority group?
Yipes - so where should us plebs hang out then ? http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/wink.gif

<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by shoebox:
I'm only lowly Silver so does that mean I am in a minority group?
Yipes - so where should us plebs hang out then ? http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/wink.gif</font>

Right here with the rest of us, of course!

<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by martynriddle:
Anybody else get the call? Maybe this could become a mini Sydney version of the BNE gathering!!</font>

Did one for Six Continents hotels last year, good night with buku free booze & food.

Never had the call from QF - they probably monitor this site and already know that I'm a OneWorld hyper-zealot.

<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by shoebox:
"As most of us are Gold or Plat"

Is this true?
I'm only lowly Silver so does that mean I am in a minority group?
Yipes - so where should us plebs hang out then ? http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/wink.gif</font>
Hang around here and you'll be welcome. Today's Plat is tomorrow's Gold, and today's Gold is tomorrow's Silver ... and where go after that - well that could make a good bumper sticker. Where do QF Frequent Flyers when they get old? ... the meet at the BNE QC lounge on 21st Feb.

PS. thanks to several of you for the birthday wishes. I guess that is why I am feeling like an "old" FF today http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/frown.gif.

<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by NM:
[QUOTE]I guess that is why I am feeling like an "old" FF today http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/frown.gif.</font>

You are only as old as the person you're feeling.... (hope that doesn't make you any older).

<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by NM:
[QUOTE]Today's Plat is tomorrow's Gold, and today's Gold is tomorrow's Silver ... </font>Which is why QF offers lifetime Gold. It will take me 44 months to reach it (at current levels) so it should be QF's christmas present to me in 2005 (or is that my present to QF?).

NM, surprisingly most of those coming are in our 30's; so don't fret...Og is right, is Mrs NM younger? http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/biggrin.gif http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/wink.gif. That being the case, I'm only 31. Mrs LW-to-be is also a hell of a lot more attractive than me http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/thumbsup.gif

Number 6, http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/eek.gif that's a heavy schedule. It's taken me 4 years to get just over half-way to Silver Lifetime (albeit most in past 12 months); but I'm hoping the amount of travel is going down, not up.

Well, the Focus Group is tonight. Does anyone have any topics they wish me to raise? Bear in mind that the subject is Customer Service!

I will be raising the Priority Baggage situation as discussed in another thread on this forum but happy to table anything else.

Will report back tomorrow to let you know how it went - and how good the nibblies and drinks were!!!

<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by LindsayWilson:
that's a heavy schedule. It's taken me 4 years to get just over half-way to Silver Lifetime (albeit most in past 12 months); but I'm hoping the amount of travel is going down, not up.</font>Not very heavy, just 300 points per month (1 round trip east coast US to LHR). If I put all my travel into the QF plan and maximized routings for status I could get 10,000 status credits a year (but it isn't optimal to do that, for many reasons).
As for the focus session, the one comment I have about QF customer service is that it is sharply divided into two categories: smooth and impossible. Either QF does a good job and it goes well, or they do a terrible job and it is impossible to do. At that point there is no system for resolution, unless you are lucky enough or have enough influence to reach the right person. But the process for customer service hits a wall and breaks down at that point. This sudden transition from good service to bad service leaves a bad taste in one's mouth, no matter what the outcome.

<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by LindsayWilson:
NM, surprisingly most of those coming are in our 30's; so don't fret...Og is right, is Mrs NM younger? http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/biggrin.gif http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/wink.gif.</font>
Well, she has much better looking legs http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/wink.gif. She is younger for 10 months of the year http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/smile.gif.
<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Number 6, http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/eek.gif that's a heavy schedule. It's taken me 4 years to get just over half-way to Silver Lifetime (albeit most in past 12 months); but I'm hoping the amount of travel is going down, not up.</font>
I am lifetime Silver now, but my travel schedule has reduced in the last year so lifetime Gold is still a distant dream. I am glad to be spening more time with Mrs. NM (not sure if she feels the same way??) but the FF status point adiction is starting to show.

[This message has been edited by NM (edited 02-10-2003).]

<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by martynriddle:

Well, the Focus Group is tonight. Does anyone have any topics they wish me to raise? Bear in mind that the subject is Customer Service!


</font>
Well I imagine charging 1% extra to book tickets covers "customer service" .. They will be the world's FIRST quality airline to offer this alleged "service.

If I were in the room I'd ask if they wanted me to pass on this SMH artile to the ACCC to see if they felt it breached the law by plain LYING about the merchant fee they charged.

http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/Forum39/HTML/001355.html

<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">If anyone wants to make themselves a hereo and contact ACCC .. Qantas are plain LYING here. There is no WAY that '1% will recoup less than half Qantas card cost'.

I have a VERY small business and my merchant cost is 1.7%. QF would be down to about 1.25% and this new impost is getting near ALL the cost back. Dumb thing to be quoted in SMH saying.

"The one-per-cent surcharge will start from the beginning of April, but would recoup less than half the transaction costs charged by banks, Qantas's marketing manager John Borghetti said yesterday."</font>


[This message has been edited by ozstamps (edited 02-10-2003).]

<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by NM:
Well, she has much better looking legs http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/wink.gif. She is younger for 10 months of the year http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/smile.gif.</font>

NM, I'd hope so too! I'd be worried if either you or I thought your legs were better http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/eek.gif http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/redface.gif

<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">I am lifetime Silver now, but my travel schedule has reduced in the last year so lifetime Gold is still a distant dream. I am glad to be spening more time with Mrs. NM (not sure if she feels the same way??) but the FF status point adiction is starting to show.</font>

Mine has gone from Gold to double Platinum in one year, but I am hoping (so is Mrs(2b)LW) that it will come back to more realistic Gold/Plat each year.

Hope she feel that way http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/wink.gif, otherwise get back on board!!!

Addiction, what addiction http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/rolleyes.gif ?? Nothing wrong with being an SC chaser? I don't have a problem (apart from the obvious)...

(Edited to fix quoting problem...one of these days I'll learn how to do it properly)


[This message has been edited by LindsayWilson (edited 02-11-2003).]

<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by number_6:
Not very heavy, just 300 points per month (1 round trip east coast US to LHR). If I put all my travel into the QF plan and maximized routings for status I could get 10,000 status credits a year (but it isn't optimal to do that, for many reasons). .</font>

Agree wholeheardedly, once you are Plat, unless you get an invite from QF to Chairmans Lounge, why bother chase maximising flights. Sharing the amount of flying you do amongst other carriers has helped you get premium level with a couple. Wish I'd done that once i clocked over Plat (because I'd be *A Gold Elite by now as well as), but why do it if I can't make use of it next year?

<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by LindsayWilson:
Agree wholeheardedly, once you are Plat, unless you get an invite from QF to Chairmans Lounge, why bother chase maximising flights.</font>

there is the little matter of status credits also being used to accrue upgrade credits, which will always come in handy (if only they didn't expire after two years).

Just think it is 1200 SC's to retain Platinum, which is 4 UC's and most of the way to a fifth. But you need 5 to upgrade from Y to J or J to F from SYD to LHR, what do you do on the way back? Use points? I can think of a better use for points than upgrades.

If you can realistically achieve 2500 SC's in a year, I know that I would be doing it, since those UC's are priceless.

Dave

<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by thadocta:
I can think of a better use for points than upgrades.
Dave</font>

IMHO, the best use for 20K points is a long weekend in LDH (ex SYD). If you can handle the Dash8 and 14kg of luggage, this little excursion is about as pleasant as you can get. And, its now bookable on the QF web site (wasn't previously).

Well what an interesting evening! If you think people whinge a lot on this forum, you should have heard the mob last night!

As it turned out, QF werent actually looking for more details on specific issues but ideas on how the complaint process could be improved. Subjects covered included :

* Dedicated complaint hotline
* Specialist staff to meet airlines. Apparently there are some of these already - ladies wearing yellow scarfs - never seen them myself
* Committment to acknowledge all complaints within 48 hours. Response to include a case number and expected date of resolution
* Better use of CRM technology and processes
* Culture change within QF!!! This area probably got the most debate as the group in general felt that staff werent empowered to resolve complaints as they happen. Many times, rage and upset could easily be placated by a bottle of champers, frequent flyer miles etc.
* How a common standard could be applied across OneWorld

Would be interested to get the thoughts of the group on how the complaint process could be improved.

All in all, an interesting evening, nice nibblies but no champagne (or bourbon!!)

And...NO FINED when cancelled the plane ticket or changed the date!

Eight years ago, we wanted to change the date, then Qantas customer Service accepted us to change the date without penalty! I want the QANTAS RULE must changed again and keep the old rules!

<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by Bluesky:
And...NO FINED when cancelled the plane ticket or changed the date!

Eight years ago, we wanted to change the date, then Qantas customer Service accepted us to change the date without penalty! I want the QANTAS RULE must changed again and keep the old rules!</font>

Nah, then you get to the Third World situation - that which occurs on carriers like UA, AA, DL, etc. - where gbookings are changeable, and people do so at the last minute, so they have to overbook flights, then they find they got it wrong, then they have to pay people to be bumped onto other flights.

I am quite happy with the current situation where if you have a booking for a certain flight, and the fare rules say "no changes" then it means "no changes".

Although having said that, I think there should be some discretion allowed for people who arrive early and there are seats available on earlier flights - if for no other reason than it benefits the operator if things go pear-shaped. It is one less body that you have to deal with, since they would have already left.

Dave