Originally Posted by
pinniped
The automated VDB system is interesting. If United does this right, that is a genuine enhancement.
I don't get the need for a "customer solutions team". Every United employee who interacts with customers should already be thinking about client service and able to implement creative solutions to get people to their final destination.
A separate team suggests I'm going to still run into a layer that has no empathy, refuses to think and solve, and just kicks me up the chain to more-creative people. If there's a large WX event, are there going to be enough of those people to serve the demand without queues? (No.)
Having a separate "customer solutions team" allows other front line employees to remain focused on doing other aspects of their job. Gate agents are already under a lot of pressure and taking more time to find options for VDB (or IDB) passengers could result in departure delays. If you bring in another team, the GA can still focus on getting the flight out without a compromise on the amount of attention provided to the other passenger.