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Appeal to AA (and attempts) to bring back the SOS / SomeOne Special program [merged]

Appeal to AA (and attempts) to bring back the SOS / SomeOne Special program [merged]

 
Old May 10, 2004, 8:33 am
  #1  
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Post Appeal to AA (and attempts) to bring back the SOS / SomeOne Special program [merged]

As numerous threads, including a current one, have detailed-- the "S.O.S." program is sorely missed. The reasons have been outlined many times, but to summarize; being able to show one's appreciation-- in a meaningful way-- ON THE SPOT, is a great way to ensure great service from your front-line employees. In a unionized environment, I would argue it's almost imperative to have some kind of incentive program to help your best customers reward your best employees.

The program was eliminated during a period of cut-backs. Now that things are slowly returning to normal, I think this program should be resuscitated. I'm confident almost every one here agrees.

On the issue of just how much this program costs AA-- I would argue that whatever it is, it's worth it. But, if the award structure has to be re-worked, or if safeguards have to be put into place to prevent abuses (like the guy who posted here that he "traded" SOS's for upgrades with a G.A.) that should be relatively easy to accomplish. Maybe less SOS certs issued-- or serial numbers on them (to prevent the same passenger from rewarding the same employee again and again) or maybe even personalizing the certs with individual AAdvantage #'s. Maybe each elite member would get x per year, instead of having them just "float" out in various mailings, etc. Make each cert more valuable but have far less of them issued and I think you'd have less abuse (if any) and each cert issued would have more significance. Since "no favors, no waivers" was introduced, I would argue that there is much, much less potential for abuse in the SOS program anyway.

Whatever it takes, the program should be reintroduced on some level-- even if it has to be "phased in" and during the initial stages, the SOS certs would have little or no actual, redeemable value to the employee-- to be changed later on to something a little more tangible for the employee. So, initially, the program would simply cost the price of printing the certs-- and then later the expense of "funding" the redemption of certs by employees could be phased in.

The program was a fantastic, innovative and even "fun" way of helping us, help you, help us. Please consider bringing it back-- for our benefit and AA's.
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Old May 10, 2004, 8:48 am
  #2  
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Agree 100%.

While I always try to take the time to write with positive feedback, a return of the SOS program will be much more meaningful.
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Old May 10, 2004, 9:14 am
  #3  
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Thumbs up

Excellent proposal. I agree 100% as well. I have missed being able to hand over a physical card at the end of a wonderful flight or after an AC agent saved my schedule by rerouting me after cancellations or delays. Getting somebody's name and employee number on a napkin for me to write to Customer Relations later just is not the same.

AAdvantage numbers (and serial numbers) pre-printed on the cards is a great idea. It would allow Customer Service to keep an eye on how many cards each elite member distributes and stop sending cards to people who abuse the system to gain upgrades or other perks.

PLEASE BRING BACK THE SOS PROGRAM!
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Old May 10, 2004, 9:30 am
  #4  
 
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I loved the SOS program. While I didn't hand the things out like candy, the recipients always seemed to really appreciate them. A great program and AA should revive it.
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Old May 10, 2004, 9:38 am
  #5  
 
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Agree 100%. Great idea especially if there were some safeguards to prevent abuse.

I only ever got to use a couple before they were done away with and would love to see them return.
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Old May 10, 2004, 9:41 am
  #6  
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All For It!

A very small, and relatively inexpensive gesture that would hopefully recapture some of the morale that's been lost over the past year. Bring it back AA, your customers and employees want it!!
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Old May 10, 2004, 10:06 am
  #7  
 
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Agreed

Originally Posted by LLZ
A very small, and relatively inexpensive gesture that would hopefully recapture some of the morale that's been lost over the past year. Bring it back AA, your customers and employees want it!!

Cabin crew and gate agents especially loved getting these during peak holiday times when there tended to be lots of hectic pax and flight delays. I agree 100%.
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Old May 10, 2004, 10:13 am
  #8  
 
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i joined aa at the end of the program, and while i had requested some sos's be sent to me they never were, shortly there after the program was cancelled
i remember the certificates that twa used to issue, i dont know how their program worked but i once gave one to a FA at the end of an international trip, i was flying in y. she went up to f and brought me an amenity bag,(my first) i guess they were worth something as i doubt she brought be the bag bec of my good looks
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Old May 10, 2004, 10:31 am
  #9  
 
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I hadn't been involved with AA when they had these. I don't know if I understand these completely. I am curious as to why they would make a difference over and above just making it easy for travelers to compliment the staff.

From a corporation's persepective, I can see it creating more problems than solving it if they are to be used to make any tangible difference (in rewards, promotions, assignments, etc.) other than as just documented compliments. So I can see reasons other than cost cutting to discontinue this program.

How can they normalize this type of feedback over so many people to make any meaningful decisions? It is very difficult to assume that all travelers use comparable or meaningful criteria. Clearly there is scope for abuse, but that isn't the only problem. It is also potential dilution of its meaning because what some people hand it out for. Will cute, smiling FAs get these more than efficient, friendly ones? Will female FAs get these more than male FAs? Will someone bending the rules much more than what the corporation would let them get these more than one who doesn't? Will it set up an environment where FAs expect to receive one for any service?

Either these become unused for any significant rewards or they become catalysts for SOS gathering behavior which may not necessarily be the right thing to do for the airline or for the customers as a whole.

The reason I ask is that some parallel systems for gathering customer compliments to affect performance evaluation have not succeeded too well unless under strict controlled formats for customer feedback.
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Old May 10, 2004, 10:40 am
  #10  
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Thumbs up Great idea

Great idea. ^ Giving a S.O.S card used to be a highlight of a trip for me:
1) I only gave them out when I received great service - that by itself is nice.
2) AA staff were always very appreciative that I recognized their good job - this also made me feel good.
As far as I'm concerned it was a Win-Win program, I was very sorry to see it go.

If AA doesn't bring it back, I think we should start a grass-root S.O.S program here on FlyerTalk. We can design our own "card" with "Bring back S.O.S" and "www.FlyerTalk.com" printed on it. We will make on-line version available foe download (and give the user the ability to have name and AAdvantage number printed on the card) as well as the ability to email the "card" to AA. If AA gets enough of this, they will realize that they need to bring something like S.O.S back.
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Old May 10, 2004, 10:56 am
  #11  
 
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AA, apparently, saves millions by not printing them. Most of our fliers are e-mail and internet savvy. I think we should have online SOS's where you can go to AA.com and punch in a flight number and the persons name to acknowledge you thought they did a great job. Then the company has a way to acknowledge it and the employee will receive notification that they had good feedback. No paper, no waste.

Letter writing itself is a tedious business. Many people say they thought you were great and that they will write a letter and don't. If you have a simple, pre-written, form that you only need to punch in two things then I think more people would do it.

The SOS programs flaw was that AA management never saw the SOS's unless you photo copied it for them to put in your file. Most of us just saved them up and turned them in for INTL first class or Hawaii tickets. When you redeemed them at the ticket counter your manager never saw them.
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Old May 10, 2004, 11:06 am
  #12  
 
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I was really disappointed when this program disappeared. It seemed to be virtually the only mechanism available to tie rewards to customer service.

Although online SOS's would be a good idea, I think program participation would drop off dramatically. Unfortunately, a lot of customers (including myself) have a great flight, think the FAs are really great, then promptly forget about following up (or push it to the bottom of an always overflowing in-basket).

The immediacy of the reward was what made it so great. On the plane, one spends a lot of time just sitting on your hands (particularly during the arrival phase of the flight) that could be put to use filling out the cards.

I'm extremely bewildered by the fact that AA mgmt. apparently never saw these forms. Seems like a system could be developed to track employee received S.O.S's, prevent abuse (i.e. one pax repeatedly trading a designated employee S.O.S.'s for special favors), and ensure that personnel files were noted accordingly.
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Old May 10, 2004, 11:08 am
  #13  
 
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I wish I had used SOS's more when I had the chance.....

..... I really, really miss them.

I am embarassed to admit that I never truly valued the SOS program until it was discontinued. I regularly failed to use them. I would decide to use one only to discover I had none with me or I would remember to put some in my briefcase and then forget to use any. I regret the many lost opportunities to use these simple cards to say "thanks" to any number of deserving AA employees.

It's a bit ironic, I was too lazy to use those convenient SOS's when they were readily available yet now I regularly find myself taking the time to send letters to AA about exemplary individuals I have encountered.

Please AA.... I have learned my lesson. Bring back the SOS's and I will make sure I use them to show my appeciation of outstanding personnel.
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Old May 10, 2004, 11:11 am
  #14  
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Why bring back a program that hasn't achieved anything

Some empirical observation: when the S.O.S. program was stopped after ten+ years, AA still had a high ration of employees that don't really care about the customer. From an analytical perspective, it was an abismal failure.

How about AA handing "three strikes you're out cards" instead? Any time a customer is subject to bad service we fill one and send it in to AA. Once an employee gets three of them, they're out.

Simple, and effective. And something that the union should be supportive of, as it would clean out the ranks of non-professional members.

[Note: the program wouldn't work in practice because less honest customers would start blackmailing employees, so don't take me seriously. But I stand by the point that although the S.O.S. program made me feel better, the average professionalism of AA's employees is still abismally behind that of CX, BA, QF, LH and LX, just to name a few recent personal experiences]

Last edited by hillrider; May 10, 2004 at 11:16 am Reason: Typo
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Old May 10, 2004, 11:25 am
  #15  
 
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No way Jose! Just as there are a few rude or grumpy employees among a high number of competent (if at times a bit demoralized) professionals, so there are pax who are impossible to please, and would relish this opportunity to express their meanness. I don't like the idea that some (rare) CSR can put negative comments on my record just because s/he's grumpy, but I'd be even more worried if there was a similar system for pax to screw up someone's livelyhood and career.

When I encounter truly egregious behaviour, I'll write a letter. Suffice to say that I've never written such a letter in my life (complaints, yes, I've had several, but I've never felt the need to escalate and try to ruin someone's life like that).

When I feel that I've encountered more than my fair share of grumpy, rude employees, I tend to stagger my flying w/a particular airline (it did happen w/AA), and perhaps use their OW partners (so the mileage accumulation isn't endangered). I realize that this is more of an option if you do frequent international travel, though...

Last edited by honu; May 10, 2004 at 11:29 am
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