WN chooses not to engage FT in discussion
Oct 8, 2011, 4:00 pm
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Oct 2005
Location: ORD, MDW or MKE
Programs: American and Southwest. Hilton and Marriott hotels primarily.
Posts: 6,459
WN chooses not to engage FT in discussion
Now that SWABrian has moved on, WN has no one to discuss management decisions and get feedback from those management decisions.
While US also has no one in that capacity, I believe that WN is the only other major airline in that position. If I was an executive with a company, I would take every opportunity to engage with some of my largest clients. I simply do not understand.
While US also has no one in that capacity, I believe that WN is the only other major airline in that position. If I was an executive with a company, I would take every opportunity to engage with some of my largest clients. I simply do not understand.
Oct 8, 2011, 8:46 pm
#3
Join Date: Feb 2007
Location: LAX/SMF/PDX/HNL
Programs: Hilton-lifetime diamond, Southwest A+, companion pass
Posts: 1,748
Why not?
I saw nothing but courtesy to the WN reps on this BBS.
I think we all understood their predicament. It takes a good politician/diplomat to defend many management decisions which upset a segment of their customers (that's us, guys!).
To NOT defend those decisions means either:
(a) everything is doing just great at WN and there is no need to pander to us
(b) things are really sour at WN, and there is no need to address the deficiencies on a public bulletin board.
I have a distant relative who is a long time employee of WN and a manager for WN in a major terminal. This person says that they are disspirited with the performance of Dallas this year. And that many employees who, before this year, would have gone the extra mile for the company, are just clocking in and clocking out. This person finds it to be very sad.
Given this, I tend to subscribe to (b).
I saw nothing but courtesy to the WN reps on this BBS.
I think we all understood their predicament. It takes a good politician/diplomat to defend many management decisions which upset a segment of their customers (that's us, guys!).
To NOT defend those decisions means either:
(a) everything is doing just great at WN and there is no need to pander to us
(b) things are really sour at WN, and there is no need to address the deficiencies on a public bulletin board.
I have a distant relative who is a long time employee of WN and a manager for WN in a major terminal. This person says that they are disspirited with the performance of Dallas this year. And that many employees who, before this year, would have gone the extra mile for the company, are just clocking in and clocking out. This person finds it to be very sad.
Given this, I tend to subscribe to (b).
Oct 8, 2011, 9:02 pm
#4
Join Date: Jul 2011
Location: ONT
Programs: AA Gold, WN A-, UA S, HH ♦, IHG Spire, Hertz Prez O, TSA Disparager
Posts: 2,159
Oct 8, 2011, 11:11 pm
#5
Join Date: Oct 2001
Location: PHX/SFO/LAX
Programs: AA-EXP (1.7MM), BA-Slvr, HH-Diamond
Posts: 7,784
Why is this? I thought everything was rainbows and sunshine over at WN.
Oct 8, 2011, 11:14 pm
#6
Join Date: May 2011
Posts: 219
How you treat the lowest employees is telling
I have mentioned several times about the discussion I had with my SWA employee seat mate this summer. The employee told me that SWA after RR 2.0 and well after had all their phone reps work 12 hours a day, every day and it was required by the company. In addition, even on their days off. It seems the issue was SWA kept hiring phone reps and they kept quitting. Can you blame them after the RR 2.0 boondoggle? Can you imagine listening to po people for 12 hours nonstop? (sounds like torture)
Years ago, I read you can tell how well a company is managed by how well they treat their lowliest employees. Well if running a India/Central America type call center is what SWA calls well managed.......
Years ago, I read you can tell how well a company is managed by how well they treat their lowliest employees. Well if running a India/Central America type call center is what SWA calls well managed.......
The storm rolled in with RR2.0.
Oct 9, 2011, 5:46 am
#8
Join Date: Feb 2008
Location: Nashville, TN
Programs: WN Nothing and spending the half million points from too many flights, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 8,043
I will say that the new folks, more customer service related that management liaisons, have been super. Whitney has helped me out in the background on a couple of occasions.
Let's not overlook their contributions.
Let's not overlook their contributions.
Looks like many of you have met SWAGabe, and he has four other colleagues from Customer Relations who will be mingling with you. We do listen to FlyerTalk, and sometimes it may seem like we move in a glacial manner, but we want to get it right. We knew that I wasn't able to give y'all the attention you deserve.
.......
While that was going on, we realized that you needed someone with current day to day knowledge of procedures, access to computer systems, and the ability to act for you without having to enlist the help of others. So, we began looking for some social media specialists within Customer Relations who can participate online throughout the web. You FlyerTalkers are important to us, and I think this change is exciting. SWAGabe has already made a big positive impact (he tells me he already used up his initial supply of pm's), and you probably will be hearing from the other folks on this new team, SWARob, SWAVerity, SWAWhitney, and their Leader, SWACatherine. They may come up with different handles, so don't hold me to those specific screen names.
.......
While that was going on, we realized that you needed someone with current day to day knowledge of procedures, access to computer systems, and the ability to act for you without having to enlist the help of others. So, we began looking for some social media specialists within Customer Relations who can participate online throughout the web. You FlyerTalkers are important to us, and I think this change is exciting. SWAGabe has already made a big positive impact (he tells me he already used up his initial supply of pm's), and you probably will be hearing from the other folks on this new team, SWARob, SWAVerity, SWAWhitney, and their Leader, SWACatherine. They may come up with different handles, so don't hold me to those specific screen names.
Oct 9, 2011, 7:32 am
#9
Original Poster
Join Date: Oct 2005
Location: ORD, MDW or MKE
Programs: American and Southwest. Hilton and Marriott hotels primarily.
Posts: 6,459
I will say that the new folks, more customer service related that management liaisons, have been super. Whitney has helped me out in the background on a couple of occasions.
Let's not overlook their contributions.
Let's not overlook their contributions.
Oct 11, 2011, 6:40 am
#10
Join Date: Oct 2001
Location: PHX/SFO/LAX
Programs: AA-EXP (1.7MM), BA-Slvr, HH-Diamond
Posts: 7,784
I was responding to dlaue's post since he never mentioned which group of employees was dissatisfied. So it sounds like only the res agents are not feeling the LUV.
Oct 11, 2011, 12:00 pm
#11
Join Date: May 2011
Posts: 219
I was teasing you. It sure isn't sunshine and rainbows over at SWA...It seems like there are other employees not feeling the love like the post above about the airport manager at a major airport. However, you can guage how well the company is being run by the bottom level-phone reps/res agents.
Oct 11, 2011, 9:23 pm
#13
Join Date: May 2009
Posts: 95
Probably not the best analogy for an airline discussion 
But - - wow - - the netflix debacle will be great case study material for business students around the world.
Back on topic, I haven't noticed any substantial difference in WN employees since RR 2.0. But, I'm not a 'needy' customer either.
But - - wow - - the netflix debacle will be great case study material for business students around the world.
Back on topic, I haven't noticed any substantial difference in WN employees since RR 2.0. But, I'm not a 'needy' customer either.
Oct 12, 2011, 1:02 am
#14
Join Date: May 2011
Posts: 219
Probably not the best analogy for an airline discussion
But - - wow - - the netflix debacle will be great case study material for business students around the world.
Back on topic, I haven't noticed any substantial difference in WN employees since RR 2.0. But, I'm not a 'needy' customer either.
But - - wow - - the netflix debacle will be great case study material for business students around the world.
Back on topic, I haven't noticed any substantial difference in WN employees since RR 2.0. But, I'm not a 'needy' customer either.
a "needy" customer, some things just don't work on the website. For the longest, there were issues booking my companion etc.
And the RR2.0 boondoggle will be studied in B school classes some day also.
IMHO, it was the largest failure of rolling out a new FF program in airline history. Of course, it was the lowest end of SWA that took the brunt of it.
Oct 12, 2011, 7:38 am
#15
Join Date: Feb 2008
Location: Nashville, TN
Programs: WN Nothing and spending the half million points from too many flights, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 8,043
Have you called the 1-800 or CR in Dallas? As much as I would like to not be
a "needy" customer, some things just don't work on the website. For the longest, there were issues booking my companion etc.
And the RR2.0 boondoggle will be studied in B school classes some day also.
IMHO, it was the largest failure of rolling out a new FF program in airline history. Of course, it was the lowest end of SWA that took the brunt of it.
a "needy" customer, some things just don't work on the website. For the longest, there were issues booking my companion etc.
And the RR2.0 boondoggle will be studied in B school classes some day also.
IMHO, it was the largest failure of rolling out a new FF program in airline history. Of course, it was the lowest end of SWA that took the brunt of it.
The web site remain a mess, but I do see occasional fixes. Okay, a rare fix or two.
I am not sure that 2.0 will be recognized as a boondoggle. After all, only crude, redneck, and dummies with Wal-Mart bags for luggage (kettles if you prefer) fly WN and they do not deserve a FF program like real business travelers that go long ways to exotic places need. They don't FC, there are no real international destinations, no clubs, no seat assignment, and the FA's do not dress professionally. They do not fly to huge hubs and tiny airports that the important people need, so WN chooses to not go there. You do not need a good FF program when your business model is moving people back and forth from Tulsa to Nashville and other similar out of the way, hick locations.
It is exactly the FF program they deserve.
(Yes, it was sarcasm, but it was a summary of some of what has been said here.)