Fisch

I was booked on AC1340 from YYZ-YGK departing at 08:20 this morning. I was driven to Terminal One and dropped off at 07:00.

To my utter shock, there was no line-up at the Air Canada Jazz counter, and was staffed by three agents, one with the words "Express Baggage Drop-off" on the screen above her head. Seeing as how none of the agents were with customers, and how this "Express Baggage" woman was closest to the doors through which I entered the terminal, I thought I would go to her for my BP issuance and baggage tagging. As I approached, I was given a certain look (I won't call it a glare, but a look) indicating that she thought something was rather amiss with my situation. I asked "can you check me in?" to which she replied "I am mainly for baggage dropoff for the Kiosk". I then began moving towards another agent who was not an "Express Baggage" woman, and AC Agent YYZ93285 (formerly refered to as "Express Baggage woman") sighed, nearly yanked my passport ID from my hand and began checking me in. I don't mean to make a big deal of a check-in experiance, but seriously, it's a bit much sometimes when this happens. I also hadn't been on AC since February 20th or so, and it wasn't the nicest welcome back that I could have recieved. Yes, I was being a bit lazy by not walking the extra five steps to the correct agent, but this woman was doing noting anyhow, why not take care of me? She still works for the same company as the non-"Express Baggage" agents, and should have a common interest in seeing me get checked in and on my way. There should be no need for me to go through the motions of using the Kiosk and then over to her to drop the bag. That would simply be an excercise in wasting my time for no good reason.

I then moved up to the Maple Leaf Lounge, and was greeted by a fairly friendly agent there. Seems that the guest fee may only be payed by credit card at the lounge reception. If you would like to pay with cash, you must get your $20 bill turned into a "lounge voucher" at the ticket counter pre-security.

After being seated for about 5 minutes in the MLL, two business men with sat at a table next to me. One man said to the other and I quote: "F***ing Bast***s, they want $20 to bring in a guest. Stupidity". The man had an AAdvantage Platinum tag on his bag.

Proceeded from the MLL and to the gate at 07:40. Boarding was fine. As the gate agent was looking up the passenger manifest on my flight, she remarked to her co-worker: "7 passengers on this flight... this isn't going well". It was a 37 seat Dash8-100.

Flight Attendant was very cheerful and smiled the whole time. I even got a full can of Nestea! I guess thats the advantage of flights that are running a 20% load! The aircraft was actually very clean, and seemed to just have had the upholstery redone. The FA didn't seem phased by the load... I don't know what to make of that just yet.

All-in-all, there were some downs and some ups with my Jazz morning. At least AC is consistant in its inconsistancy!

[This message has been edited by Fisch (edited 04-02-2002).]

Bytepusher

Actually in this case I'm with her, she is there to serve kiosk users, and has a big sign that says so over her head, five steps away are two people who are there to serve you. A kiosk user who used a kiosk elsewhere in the building could come along at any moment to drop off bags and now your in the way and don't need to be.

Fisch

I do conceed your point that I was not at the exact counter I was supposed to be, and I fully admit this. But would there not be a better way for her to have handled this than to reluctantly check me in, and rip the passport from my hands? The way she handled it, the next person who came along would have been inconvinenced by me being there, AND I was treated rudely. She should have simply let me move over to the other agent when she said that she was an "Express Baggage" woman.

Acting snide and as though she is doing me a favor when I was perfectly willing to move to the correct agent is of no use to anyone, including her. It may have got her blood to boil so early in the day, and made her unpleasant to many more people than just me.

[This message has been edited by Fisch (edited 04-02-2002).]

ACDUDE

Well... How do I say this? LEARN TO READ! If you saw the sign that says "Express" then don't go there.

If I was in place of that agent I would take you anyways because I don't like to explain and teach customers where and how they should check in. If you can't figure it out yourself then you need help and I'm there to do that. Now, I am very good with computers and I know a lot of stuff (including aeroplan, reservations etc) at work. I can solve any problem very fast regardless what the issue is, but not everybody is like that...

If your simple check in became a problem then that agent would have to spend a lot of time fixing it, calling ticket counter, callling supervisor etc... I have a knowledge and power to resolve all problems like that but not everybody does...

My point is that a simple transaction of check in could end up being a long long transaction and that is not the position of the agent who is assigned to "express baggage drop off". Get it? Express is for people who used Kiosk! It's supposed to be fast,convenient and time saving. Why should a person who used the kiosk wait for you to finish. Do you think it's fair?

You people always say here that AC is inconsistent with their rules and customer service...

Please tell me what did the agent do wrong here?

Vasbyte

ACDUDE:

I guess you just don't really get it.

For the most part, service is not just about providing the service. It's about tone, attitude, manner, grace and courtesy. It's not only about providing service - its more about how the service is provided.

Read the post carefully again and think it through a little.

95% of the AC staff I encounter not only provide great service - they provide it graciously and with class. Unfortunately, it's the small minority of the type described by Fisch above that tend to stick in ones mind.

Fisch

ACDUDE... do YOU have a problem reading? Here are some essential snippets for you from my earlier post. I will even highlight the answer to your question "Please tell me what did the agent do wrong here?" in italics for you.

In summary, ACDUDE, she should have let me go to one of the other agents when I turned and tried to do this. No one, particularly a service giver, is to rip my passport from my hands as if I am an infant.

And once again, I never claimed that I thought I was in the right by checkin in with her, but I thought that she might do it as she was not with a customer. Her answer was essentially: 'No, but kinda Yes cause you're a fool'.

Perhaps you should think about how the customer will interpret your actions, not just your ultimate intention, as Vasbyte has suggested you do.

FlyerAl

ACDUDE, are you suggesting that the "Express" agents are dumber/less knowledgeable than the "Regular" agents?

Ferrari

ACDUDE.

You must be an AC employee, because your brutal attitude is the same as many have leaned to except from AC.

The post by Fisch was correct, and I agree with him...the point being "the extra mile"

You people have this inbred union attitude "not my job"....the agent was vacant (in more ways than one) why would she not call over the passenger and deal with him..?

Just because she has a big sign that tells her she only has one job to do.....You goons should take a leaf from the Westjet/southwest/jet blue book...

Most agent are okay, its always the one or two that you encounter that give the rest a bad name....I have met a few who you want to take outside and put their lights out, and others that cant do enough...again the "extra mile"

Regardless....we are paying your ****ing wages so smarten up!

[This message has been edited by Ferrari (edited 04-02-2002).]

Robyyz

Ah... we have stumbled upon the root of the problem, you're attitude, which manifests itself in your specific choice of words and tone.

I don't like to explain and teach customers

Huh? Then what do you like doing with your customers?! Thus, my issue is with your use of the word "like". I don't care what you "like" or don't "like" doing and frankly, it's not my problem. Last I checked, I, as a customer, was paying you, as an employee, to provide a service, which should be carried out regardless of whether or not you "like" doing the task. In fact, I believe that one of your posts from yesterday directly applies to your post in this thread: "Don't you have anything better to do? Get a life or post something interesting!"


[This message has been edited by Robyyz (edited 04-02-2002).]

Robyyz

Okay, it seems as though you're trying to say that we as customers are being hypocritical in that we're demanding consistency and yet not being consistent ourselves. However, if you must know, we as customers are paying you to provide a certain level of service (and a "consistent" product definitely marks the base level of an acceptable product in AC's context). You, however, are not paying us to be consistent, and thus you shouldn't expect anything more than a courteous passenger willing to abide by (reasonable) rules.

ACDUDE

Just to say few words after taking all the insult in the earlier posts...

Whatever I say here on FT does not have anything to do with the kind of service that I provide to all customers! I would appreciate if you would stop comparing AC to my actions here on FT. What I say is just an opinion and once again does not have anything to do with my treatment of customers.

I did say some things that were out of line and I'm sorry but that was just the reaction to the original post. I will defend my fellow employees anytime of the day!

I thought that this was a forum to discuss AP and AC in general. The way I see it right now is just a constant bashing of AC and its employees. If you look at my other postings you will find different "attitude" then the one found above. Talk about AP and AC and you got my support all the way! Ask Empress what I can do in one phone call even from home! If you keep bashing AC and in particular employees well I'm only human and I can take so much!

Thank You

Fisch

I think that pretty much sums up how disjointed your world really is. It makes no logical sense to claim that what you say has no relation to what you actually think. What a person says generally can be reagarded as reflective of what they think, and from that, it would be a logical conclusion that what you think dictates how you treat your customer. If not, well then I think you should probably see someone about that.

I will attempt to reply later, but I am meeting a friend and can't be bothered to make this foolishness a priority of mine.

[This message has been edited by Fisch (edited 04-02-2002).]

Ferrari

If not, well then I think you should probably see someone about that.



[This message has been edited by Ferrari (edited 04-02-2002).]

ACDUDE

Thanx for your advise Dr Fisch
I am not afraid to say what I think. In fact, here's what I think:
Let's say your whole story did happen and you were mishandled. No customer should be treated the way you explain it, right? If you received a bad service then you should voice your opinion and let the agent or the manager know about it. But no, Dr Fisch decided to go to the MLL and post it on FT right away. If you think that this is gonna help you solve the problem or make you feel better then you certainly need help. By posting this on FT you give everybody impression that all agents are same and that nobody should fly AC again.

Simple solution:If anything like this happens again I beg you ask for a manager and they will talk to the agent. The agent obviously needs a kick in the a$$ to start her/his day

FlyerAl

But I've had that impression long before Dr. Fisch's post.

[This message has been edited by FlyerAl (edited 04-02-2002).]