Can the 0800 number get any worse?
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Oct 2006
Location: Christchurch, New Zealand
Programs: NZ Elite; QF Platinum; CZ Gold; MU Platinum; Marriott Titanium; Accor Platinum
Posts: 1,467
Can the 0800 number get any worse?
The answer: yes (with bells on)
They now have an absolutely absurd and cumbersome system where before they validate your airpoints number they send you a text, which then directs you to a form which you have to fill out and explain the reason why you are calling.
Presumably this is another "enhancement"? Who on earth designs this ridiculous system?
They now have an absolutely absurd and cumbersome system where before they validate your airpoints number they send you a text, which then directs you to a form which you have to fill out and explain the reason why you are calling.
Presumably this is another "enhancement"? Who on earth designs this ridiculous system?
#3
Original Poster
Join Date: Oct 2006
Location: Christchurch, New Zealand
Programs: NZ Elite; QF Platinum; CZ Gold; MU Platinum; Marriott Titanium; Accor Platinum
Posts: 1,467
i did not get the prompt to skip it or I missed that. it just seems a bit cumbersome. QF just asks me for a pin, would that not be easier?
#4
Join Date: Jan 2016
Posts: 2,645
Depends on the risks they are trying to mitigate. Given the auth is out of band & can use non phishable MFA methods such as U2F or WebAuthN it provides more security & greater provenance that are interacting with the actual account holder.
#5
Original Poster
Join Date: Oct 2006
Location: Christchurch, New Zealand
Programs: NZ Elite; QF Platinum; CZ Gold; MU Platinum; Marriott Titanium; Accor Platinum
Posts: 1,467
Who is in charge, the IT team or customer team?
#6
Join Date: Jun 2023
Posts: 5
Whatever they're doing with this flow, it's definitely making the call wait times a lot shorter, I got connected soon after going the form and the agent launched straight into assisting me. Personally thought it was bearable and the time spent on the flow was better use than listening to the on hold music.
Last edited by ParetoEfficiency; Jan 31, 2024 at 2:17 am
#7
Join Date: Jan 2015
Programs: NZ*E, Accor Plus Platinum
Posts: 117
I think it's absolutely absurd. If they need to verify my identity, they can do so once they connect me with an agent like every other company on earth does. A series of simple security questions should suffice, surely? Like date of birth etc...
How exactly do they propose I call from the car and fill out a form? Or is this a one time registration for calls originating from my mobile number?
How exactly do they propose I call from the car and fill out a form? Or is this a one time registration for calls originating from my mobile number?
#9
Join Date: Jan 2015
Programs: NZ*E, Accor Plus Platinum
Posts: 117
It didnt tell me that was an option to press 0, it just stated it had sent a text to my phone, which linked to a form.
Maybe commonsense for those behind this absurdity should have thought to add something like "if your driving or its not safe to complete a form, press 0".
Adding: I just attempted by calling again, and can 100% confirm there is no mention of an option to dial 0.
Maybe commonsense for those behind this absurdity should have thought to add something like "if your driving or its not safe to complete a form, press 0".
Adding: I just attempted by calling again, and can 100% confirm there is no mention of an option to dial 0.
Last edited by greg23; Jan 31, 2024 at 2:38 am
#11
Join Date: Jan 2016
Posts: 2,645
I think it's absolutely absurd. If they need to verify my identity, they can do so once they connect me with an agent like every other company on earth does. A series of simple security questions should suffice, surely? Like date of birth etc...
How exactly do they propose I call from the car and fill out a form? Or is this a one time registration for calls originating from my mobile number?
How exactly do they propose I call from the car and fill out a form? Or is this a one time registration for calls originating from my mobile number?
Other companies are having issue with fraud and what not and a lot of organisations are working on different methods for authentication. There doesn't seem to be consensus as a secure way to do yet, other than moving to an in app voice call.
For example the voice matching stuff is falling out of favour as the deep fake voice stuff is super easy and cheap to create a voice print. Like five minute of voice and US$1 on a site to clone a voice which will get accepted by voice auth.
It gives you the 0 prompt after a minute or so.
You need to auth every time and it also asks for reason and booking reference if applicable.
I am guessing there has been some fraud or people maliciously changing bookings or similar, so they had to put in controls to mitigate/reduce the risks.
#12
Join Date: Jan 2015
Programs: NZ*E, Accor Plus Platinum
Posts: 117
I think what Air NZ have chosen is overly onerous on the caller, and seems rather antiquated.
Id much prefer a PIN number, like banks do. Interesting that banks seem to think a PIN number is satisfactory, yet Air NZ have chosen a manual form filling option for every call.
Id much prefer a PIN number, like banks do. Interesting that banks seem to think a PIN number is satisfactory, yet Air NZ have chosen a manual form filling option for every call.
#13
Join Date: Jan 2023
Posts: 67
I'd guess it's just for cost savings? Having callers self service the authorisation / providing booking reference / calling reason will save operator's time and prevent miscommunication.
I think what Air NZ have chosen is overly onerous on the caller, and seems rather antiquated.
Id much prefer a PIN number, like banks do. Interesting that banks seem to think a PIN number is satisfactory, yet Air NZ have chosen a manual form filling option for every call.
Id much prefer a PIN number, like banks do. Interesting that banks seem to think a PIN number is satisfactory, yet Air NZ have chosen a manual form filling option for every call.
I've had more trouble calling banks when it asks why I'm calling and then doesn't understand and asks me to clarify...
#14
Join Date: Feb 2013
Location: AKL
Programs: NZ*E, QR Plat
Posts: 366
I agree, it is a complete pain! It would be great if somehow it could link to the airnz app so you don't have to type out a booking reference... albeit painful I am pretty quick at it.. I got connected immediately so I wonder if being a bit tech literate gets you to the front of the line ?
I usually call when driving so even waiting 60 seconds to press 0 is annoying.
I usually call when driving so even waiting 60 seconds to press 0 is annoying.
#15
Join Date: Dec 2012
Posts: 43
The answer: yes (with bells on)
They now have an absolutely absurd and cumbersome system where before they validate your airpoints number they send you a text, which then directs you to a form which you have to fill out and explain the reason why you are calling.
Presumably this is another "enhancement"? Who on earth designs this ridiculous system?
They now have an absolutely absurd and cumbersome system where before they validate your airpoints number they send you a text, which then directs you to a form which you have to fill out and explain the reason why you are calling.
Presumably this is another "enhancement"? Who on earth designs this ridiculous system?
in your ref booking and why you’re calling…
then customer service answer and ask you for your booking reference and wasn’t to verify name dob etc. it’s nuts