Question for AA Crew: Your preference on Applause Certs
Jan 7, 2008, 4:05 pm
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Feb 2007
Location: DFW - North Texas
Programs: AAdvantage Platinum, Marriot Bonvoy Lifetime Platinum/2022 Titanium
Posts: 960
Question for AA Crew: Your preference on Applause Certs
Here is a question for any AA crew or employees out there....
Would you rather that I give all 8 applause certificates to the same person to increase their chances of getting something meaningful out of it? I understand these are used as "tickets" in a drawing.
Or do these certs also count towards your record somehow, i.e. the more certs you enter the better your status, etc.
When I received my first set of 8 certs I doled them out one at a time to great AA Employees. After reading a little about them on here, I think I might better just hand over all 8 of them the next time someone does something great.
PS - No, this is not the only way I recognize great service on AA. I just need to know the best way to hand out the certs.
Would you rather that I give all 8 applause certificates to the same person to increase their chances of getting something meaningful out of it? I understand these are used as "tickets" in a drawing.
Or do these certs also count towards your record somehow, i.e. the more certs you enter the better your status, etc.
When I received my first set of 8 certs I doled them out one at a time to great AA Employees. After reading a little about them on here, I think I might better just hand over all 8 of them the next time someone does something great.
PS - No, this is not the only way I recognize great service on AA. I just need to know the best way to hand out the certs.
Jan 7, 2008, 4:09 pm
#2
Join Date: Dec 2005
Programs: CO Gold, UA Premier Exec
Posts: 1,539
Once an employee receives a certificate, they enter the number on the employee website and then they are eligible for the monthly drawing. I think 100 names a month are drawn and you win 25,000 AAdvantage miles
Jan 7, 2008, 4:21 pm
#3
Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: Dallas, TX
Programs: AA EXP, SPG Plat, Marriott Plat, Hertz 5*
Posts: 234
Are certs also reflected on a crew member's HR file? Could they help said crewmember get a promotion?
Jan 7, 2008, 4:26 pm
#4
Join Date: Dec 2005
Programs: CO Gold, UA Premier Exec
Posts: 1,539
No, promotion is all seniority based. I guess it could get a f/a a promotion to in-flight manager (position in the office), but doubtful.
Jan 7, 2008, 4:32 pm
#5
Join Date: Apr 2004
Location: Arkansas/SFO
Programs: AA EXP 2MM
Posts: 333
Great question, as I have mixed feelings about certs. Is giving someone a lottery ticket really the best way to thank them for great service? I'm still of the opinion that a letter to AA is still the most effective thanks for outstanding service.
Jan 7, 2008, 4:47 pm
#6
Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: Dallas, TX
Programs: AA EXP, SPG Plat, Marriott Plat, Hertz 5*
Posts: 234
The question then is: Are certs recorded in an HR file? If they are, then having received more than anyone else would be a good indicator of superior customer service and would probably have a positive effect on one's career (in the same way that I think letters do).
Jan 7, 2008, 5:06 pm
#7
Join Date: Dec 2007
Posts: 1,688
I think the only way multiple certs helps would be in the drawing. If you gave multiples to someone and they counted for HR purposes, presumably it would be noticed that all of them came from the same person/incident and would be counted as one. Same with sending multiple copies of the same praising email.
Jan 7, 2008, 6:40 pm
#8
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: lax
Posts: 3,888
The certs only count in the monthly drawing, they do not enter into the employee's file like a letter would. They have no bearing on promotion or advancement within the company. To answer the OP, yes, 8 chances are better than 1, but I personally feel that a letter is much more effective in praising good work.
Jan 7, 2008, 6:43 pm
#9
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jan 2001
Location: NYC
Programs: AA EXP / LT PLT / 3MM, Marriott LT Gold
Posts: 35,389
The certs only count in the monthly drawing, they do not enter into the employee's file like a letter would. They have no bearing on promotion or advancement within the company. To answer the OP, yes, 8 chances are better than 1, but I personally feel that a letter is much more effective in praising good work.
I usually toss mine out when I get them. For exemplary service, I write.
Jan 7, 2008, 6:49 pm
#10
Join Date: Sep 2003
Location: Minneapolis, MN
Programs: My opinions are not those of AA or any affiliates of AMR Corp.
Posts: 2,096
Skylady is correct. Since FAs don't get promoted to anything (Flight Service Manager isn't consider a 'promotion') they don't get put into a HR file.
Sure, some FAs make copies of them to give to their service manager who do put those copies into their personnel file, but they have no weight for anything but to have a chance at 25,000 miles (if you're lucky)
Sure, some FAs make copies of them to give to their service manager who do put those copies into their personnel file, but they have no weight for anything but to have a chance at 25,000 miles (if you're lucky)
Jan 7, 2008, 6:50 pm
#11
Join Date: Jul 2007
Programs: AA Plt
Posts: 346
Another related question:
I think AEpilot76 may have already given us a hint above, but does job performance play much or any role at all in the promotion of AA FAs? Or is it a "as long as you don't cause a plane crash, you're moving up the ladder" kind of job?
I think AEpilot76 may have already given us a hint above, but does job performance play much or any role at all in the promotion of AA FAs? Or is it a "as long as you don't cause a plane crash, you're moving up the ladder" kind of job?
Jan 7, 2008, 7:19 pm
#12
Join Date: Sep 2007
Location: stl
Programs: AA LT Plat/8.1mm now with 1350 miles left in my account and proud of it.. SPG LT Titanium.
Posts: 3,082
after reading about them, i have stopped giving them out also. as an aa employee would you rather have them or do you view it as some sort of aa insult?
Jan 7, 2008, 7:38 pm
#13
Join Date: Nov 2007
Posts: 99
who is the contact for sending in praise letters?
Jan 7, 2008, 7:46 pm
#14
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: lax
Posts: 3,888
Hence, good letters look good in the file if one needs good references. I would take those letters to another job to show performance, if I were to seek other employment.