ESpen36

When I just called the EXP Desk and pressed 2, I heard the dreaded message: "Just a note... we are upgrading our phone system ...."

As you recall, this is the same message that we all heard however long ago it was when AA decided to introduce the mind-numbingly stupid "Know Me" (renamed "Remember Me") feature that tries to get you so lost in voice-prompt menus that you never make it to a human being. I tried calling the PLT and GLD numbers and got the same "warning" message when I pressed 4-2 (for an Int'l AAgent). As we know, AA decided when they first introduced Know Me to put it on the ADV number (800-882-8880) but keep it OFF the elite lines because there were so many complaints. It looks like now we are going to have to deal with it after all.

PLEASE, AA, IF YOU ARE GOING TO ACTIVATE "KNOW ME" ON EXP/PLT/GLD LINES, LET US TURN THE DARN THING OFF IF WE'D RATHER JUST PRESS A DIGIT TO GET A REAL PERSON!


The #1 EXP perk for me is being able to call a number, press 2, and get a real person instantly without having to wade through menus. PLEASE AA, DON'T TAKE THIS AWAY!

(can you tell that the voice recognition stuff drives me up the wall?)

CloudCoder

Activating the feature requires you to store a cell phone number in your profile, and also to call from that phone. We can therefore conjecture that -not- storing a cell phone number in your profile and/or calling from some -other- phone will "turn the darn thing off".

ESpen36

Yes, you can choose not to store your numbers in the system. However, all that does it make it take a little longer to locate your reservations. You still have to deal with the voice prompt system. Go ahead, try it: call 1-800-882-8880. Even with your number not stored, you will still have to jump through the hoops of voice recognition hell.



Now, I can see the potential advantages of the system for infrequent travelers who DO give your number, such as when they want to call about an upcoming trip but don't remember their record locator. The system says, "Hold on while I check to see if you have reservations..." Then, they get to choose among them.

However, for people like us, we KNOW that we have reservations (and many of them!); we don't need to be reminded or walked through them! And we certainly don't want to wait while the automated attendant retrieves them!

I'd venture to say that 90% of the time when elites call AA, they want to talk to a real person as quickly as possible. The new system, regardless of whether your number is stored, makes that process much more complicated and time consuming.

TWA Fan 1

Yes I remember this.

My wife and kids were in the Bay Area on 9/11 and scheduled to return 2 days later on TWA. After 9/11 AA cancelled all the TW transcons and my family was routed on an AA flight about 10 days later slated to arrive at JFK late (about 11:50 PM or so).

I took a cab to JFK and I was surprised to see there was no security at all and not a single AA employee anywhere. I went to the arrivals monitor and noticed that my wife's flight was not listed anywhere. This coming so shortly after 9/11 I got a little worked up.

But I was in T9 and I figured maybe the flight was landing at T8 and it just wasn't listed here. So I shlepped over to T8 but the same thing there, no security, no employees and the same arrivals monitors.

So I returned to T8 and called AA's 800 number. I got routed to the voice recognition system and here is what happened:

System (unbelievably overly cheery female voice): "WELCOME! Please tell me the flight number (I'm cutting through some of the blah blah & prompts)"

Me (I don't remember the exact flight number): "22"

System (unbelievably overly cheery female voice): "367?"

Me: "22"

System (unbelievably overly cheery female voice): "81?"

Me: "22"

System (unbelievably overly cheery female voice): "297?"

This went on tragicomically for a few more minutes. Finally the computer relented and I was allowed to speak to a human being. I was told the flight was 20 minutes late and arriving at T9.

When I asked why the flight didn't show on the arrival monitors I was told it was because the monitors at AA JFK only showed arrivals from that calendar day. Since my wife's flight ended up being 20 minutes late, it was arriving on the next calendar day from which is was scheduled to arrive.

I love this country...

gabrielbf

If you want to "turn the darn thing off". just store the 800 access number in your cell phone with *67 prefix, that way the system will not be able to recognize your number.

sukn

Just got an e-mail saying "Remember Me" is back for good and up and running.

>>>>>

New Telephone Feature: Remember Me

Dear XXX,

Our goal is to make your overall flying experience easy and convenient so we would like to let you know that we have updated our reservation and flight information telephone services. We have listened to feedback from loyal customers like you and have made enhancements to ensure simple and quick navigation of the improved phone menu.

Now, you can use intuitive keywords when you call, such as "AAdvantage", "Flight Information" or "Reservations" and the system will guide you to the right information - getting you the answers you need - sooner. You no longer have to wait on a command prompt.

Additionally, our new menu offers an enhanced feature called, Remember Me - giving you a direct path to your future flight information. All of this information is available within a few seconds at the beginning of the call, so you can get your personal flight information and be on your way. Before calling the new menu to enroll in Remember Me, you must first register your cell phone number under your AAdvantage(R) profile on AA.com.

How it works:
- Make sure your cell phone number is updated on your profile at http://www.aa.com/myaccount
- Enroll in Remember Me by calling reservations
- The next time you call reservations from your cell phone - Remember Me will immediately provide you with information regarding your upcoming reservations
- If you call within 23 hours of a scheduled flight, Remember Me will provide you with specific departure gate and status updates
- Use keywords such as "Mileage Balance" or "Travel Tips" for easy access to other information
- For more details and to hear sample calls visit http://www.aa.com/callaa

Thank you for your business and continual feedback - helping us improve our products and services for you.

Sincerely,

Bella Goren
Senior Vice President
Customer Relationship Marketing and Reservations

ESpen36

I just got the same email.

The question is, which is easier? Memorizing dozens of voice prompts, or just a few quick digits to punch in?

Take a look at the "INTERACTIVE PHONE MENU" of the system under the FAQs. Pretty darn complicated if you ask me!

Here's an example. Let's say I want to do something related to an upcoming reservation.

Old System: press 2 and give the record locator to the AAgent

New System: say "Existing Reservations"
then say
"Ticket your Itinerary" or
"Cancel your Itinerary" or
"Change your Itinerary" or
"Review your Itinerary" or
"Get Seat"

Which seems easier to you? To me, it's a no-brainer.


Also, as noted before, voice recognition is VERY problematic in noisy environments such as airports, aircraft, baggage claims, etc.

oneant

I don't think it should be as black and white as either having the Remember Me or not having it. How about an option that simply uses your mobile # to recognize you so that you don't have to say your AAdv # every time, but still dumps you into the non-voice-recog pool. I don't want voice-recog prompts either, but having to repeat my AAdv # gets old.

ESpen36

YES!!! That would be perfect!

I have nothing against having the system recognize my cell phone number and match it up with my AAdvantage number. I just dislike having to deal with voice recognition.

swag

The PLT line seems mostly unchanged. Dial, hit 4 and then 2, get one extra recording about their phone system getting upgraded soon (as a PLT I got the email on this today), but otherwise the same as always, so far.

skywalkerLAX

I just never say a word and it will be "automatically transferred to the next available agent" !

I hate it to shout my AA # while sitting somewhere noisy or (even worse) walking

sinanju

I hope you're being sarcastic, because I never want to do any of those things when I call in. When I call the EXP desk I'm requesting an eVIP upgrade, booking an award, etc. The things in that list I've either done online well ahead of travel, would discuss with an AAngel at the airport or with my travel agent, or review on my PDA.

ESpen36

That's part of my point exactly. I don't want to have to choose from a prefab list what I want to do with/to a reservation. I want to get a human being so that I can explain what I want! (I resent having words put into my mouth.)

Let's hope to all that is holy that the option to press 2, or 0, and get a live person immediately, will be available! If not, I will start writing Kurt Stache to complain.

(Clearly, the new voice-prompt system was designed for most travelers who don't have a clue about AA's operations and probably waste a lot of AAgent time with stuff that could be done on AA.com or via automated systems. Know Me is perfect for these people, NOT for those of us who use our resources and know exactly when we need to call AA, what to ask for, and often the answer before even the AAgent knows--i.e. C availability).

sinanju

Agreed... If I'm calling in it's because (1) the automated systems have failed or (2) the automated systems can't do what I want them to. The last thing I want when I call in is an automated system to explore all of that again.

xTWAnowAAer

That is incorrect....An 800 number see's all numbers regardless of whether you are calling from a blocked number or not. Sorry, your idea won't work.