catandmouse

I got it and for once filled it in. I've been relegated to Silver. I too was struck by the emphasis on image and feel it says something about the company when they're more concerned about their image than the real world.
I finished off the survey by suggesting they try and keep their planes clean. BA planes are easily the scruffiest of pretty much any I travel on and it doesn't do their image any good. And I guess cleaning is an easy way of saving pennies when the company is run by bean counters.

DYKWIA

Sounds like they are now sending it out to non GGL as well. Maybe a slightly different version?

Tobias-UK

They got both barrels from me, with plenty constructive comments for them to chew over.

NRGsaver

I gave them a 'more in sorrow than anger' response, which is what I feel. In years gone by, BA were excellent both in long- and short-haul. For example, their innovations in reinventing first class with proper lie-flat beds, followed by the first (level) flat beds in business were brilliant. The food and beverage was pretty outstanding, too. Above all though, the staff on ground and in the air were empowered to deal with service delivery problems on the spot and generally did so very effectively. Now it all seems to be done by the book, and one that was written by someone who has never set foot on a plane.

I really hope that senior management read the responses carefully because it is not too late to fix many of the issues that are posted on this board.

orbitmic

Totally agree and it was one of my key comments. I think they worry far too much about communication and not enough about substance.

I'd describe my comments as 'constructively critical' with my main emphasis on what I think others do better.

For instance, rather than slamming 'not feeling special', I explained what made me feel special on other airlines e.g. AF where crew now frequently bring me a small bottle of water from C even on short haul Y and put a pillow on my flight, and on long haul will frequently bring me a full litre bottle of sparkling water on long haul flights ("I know you prefer sparkling water") in addition to the regular food and drink services in all flights and classes. Czech Airlines which will don the more than occasional free upgrades on non-full flights. AZ which pro-actively suspended the rules many times to reroute me on non-Skyteam flights because of my status. KE which recently arranged compensation for travel incidents twice without my even knowing, and just notifying me once through the crew and once by message by the time that I landed. Airlines which enforce pro-active rebooking and priority lanes at outstation desks for business and top tier customers which BA almost never does, etc.

I similarly explained how things such as BoB in Y and deteriorated catering on my (main) medium band flights has done to my custom, not because it is 'the' thing I care about most, but because it is one of many ingredients that lead me to make a given choice of airline, and how, for instance, this has resulted in a complete collapse of my proportion of BA flights from LGW (from about 90% two years ago to a single time choosing BA from LGW this year).

Finally, I explained how customer profiles are complex and that I fly short and long haul, nonstop and connecting, in Y, J, and F and that this means that if my Y experience (in a way where frequent flyer status matters most) deteriorates to the point that I switch my loyalty, then of course, it is our lucrative J and F business that I am taking with me.

Chances are that they won't care but it seems to me that the more specific the arguments are (rather than 'I hate you, you've become rubbish') the more someone with good intention might be trying to use it to at least marginally improve things.

Padmeister

My big boss is a BA Prem. he is in charge of a very large annual travel budget which goes in BA's direction. he has received the email this morning so he tells me.

ThatT1Feeling

I completed the survey yesterday. It felt like the first BA survey where the questions really allowed constructive if negative feedback.

Like some other posters, I mentioned what other airlines do well (in fact one of the questions specifically directed me to do this)

I provided positive as well as negative feedback but it was also no holds barred from me on the things which really annoy me on BA and that they could do much better with a little thought.

DrBernardo

I got it too, and then ignored it, as I do all survey requests from BA these days (since, if they don't listen, what's the point). But this thread has convinced me to fill it in - they must have a new survey provider, so maybe that suggests a change of attention to what comes out of the surveys too?

My, but its a tricky one: "Where does BA need to improve the experience the most - rank up to 5 areas..." I'd ticked 10 before even finishing reading the question fully

ThatT1Feeling

I would normally agree with you, however twice in the last 3 weeks, I have been called by BA to talk through issues I have had - one from an SMS survey while at LHR, within 30 minutes of me completing it, and one following a customer service request. Maybe things are improving in this area?


Ha ha yes I did the same... then had to untick!!

scubaccr

What I'd call "lip service" , alas I suspect another BA/WW/Cruz pretence.

Suspicion is survey is to lull BA elites now booking less flights with false hope that BA actually care about anything other than bottom line, and race to the bottom, in a belated and probably too late attempt to reverse the recent damage.

As all martketing know it takes something like 4x as much money to win new business (or regain old business) as to keep existing business.

VSLover

was surprised to see this too (GGL) and definitely took time to detail everything we discuss here and how i have witnessed the downward spiral of all things BA while taking great effort to praise the crew who want to do better or to make the customer experience better in real time but more than anything have seen them become completely un-empowered to do anything anymore.

we shall see.

ahmetdouas

Lol if you say everything is awful and keep on flying them why should they change?

orbitmic

Actually, a LOT of the questions seem to be about recommendation/image, so there is a fair chance that they might know high status customers will fly them again but also want them to be brand promoters as most tend to be what's referred to as opinion leaders.

Moreover, there are multiple questions about using BA. Whether you'll fly them again is only one of them. Others are about the evolution of your BA flights etc. So in my case, I said it's very likely that I'll fly BA again of course but also that my BA travel has reduced and I answered the follow up questions in terms of in favour of whom and in what proportions and why.

johnaalex

Maybe slightly different but the one I recieved did mentio GGL.

scillyisles

This sums up my feelings - anyone who thinks that things will change at BA whilst the current management is in situ is whistling in the wind IMHO. The way these people think I am sure they can "interpret" the feedback to mean they are steering the airline in exactly the right direction and more cuts are required. As Cruz was quoted as saying cuts are in the management DNA and their whole management ethos is defined by cuts.

Surveys are all very well but BA is hardly a company shy of sending out surveys. Actions speak louder - how about BA management spending some time on resolving current issues like perhaps resolving the MF strike.