Canarsie

As you are most likely aware, Delta Air Lines has recently brought back the Passenger Service Assistants, otherwise known as PSAs or “Red Coats” — due to the fact that they wear those bright red jackets so that they may be easily spotted by passengers who need their services — to improve customer service at airports.

Here is your opportunity to provide some constructive feedback for the “Red Coats” at the airport in Atlanta, if you had them as an audience:

1. What would you tell them are the three most important topics that you think they do well?
2. What are the top three issues you would like to see improved or changed?

These questions are being asked because atldlff and I have an opportunity to meet with a group of the “Red Coats” at the airport in Atlanta before the end of this month, as they have requested feedback, and we want to ensure that they receive as much constructive feedback as possible.

As atldlff and I are both male, a female Delta Air Lines SkyMiles Medallion member based in Atlanta may have the possible opportunity to join us in giving the “Red Coats” at the airport in Atlanta feedback in person as well. If you fit the above criteria, please send a private message to either me or atldlff.

Please be as succinct and as concise as possible when replying in this thread. Thank you in advance.

MSPeconomist

Personally I don't see what male vs female has to do with this, but I like the idea of including someone else in your meeting.

Not in ATL, but recently I asked for a redcoat in another domestic SC when the agents there weren't able to generate connecting boarding passes for me and didn't want to do much to try--telling me to ask at the next airport and risk missing a connection if the incoming flight is late because I'm not checked in yet (not a MR or same-day turnaround) is not adequate--and the response was that they can't/won't call for a redcoat from the club and I would have to leave the SC and go to a customer service center and stand in line before I could talk to a redcoat is completely unacceptable. Are redcoats really forbidden from entering SCs to help HVCs?

I think there should be a (published) policy regarding downgrading the lowest elite or last upgrade in cases where a (in my case DM) passenger is confirmed in a FC seat that then disappears either due to FAM or erroneous seat map/equipment change (i.e., an MD seat map reflecting 16 FC seats but the plane at the gate only has 12 or 14 seats in the front cabin). IMO in these cases it should not be just "luck" that determines who gets sent back to a middle seat in coach.

Similarly, when there are good (exit row, preferred, bulkhead) seats for last-minute assignment to standbys, etc., they should go first to elites and not nonrevs while the elite revenue passenger is given the middle seat in the last row. I see this happen routinely and it is very annoying.

Finally, another issue with agents taking care of nonrevs first ands not elites, again not in ATL: Twice recently I've had long waits to talk with an agent while they were occupied with helping nonrevs. Once was in a SkyPriority check in line where I almost might have missed my bag drop deadline because the agent spent a very long time helping a nonrev find a flight. AFAIK the nonrev is not permitted to use this line and should have known it, just as the agent should have made the nonrev at least wait until all paying customers entitled to use the SkyPriority line were helped first. The second recent instance was a similar scenario but at the gate: I wanted to try to switch to an earlier flight (weather, connections) and had to wait while overhearing a long conversation with several nonrevs assessing their chances on various flights, etc. which IMO should not be discussed in front of customers at risk of being stranded.

During the holidays, I saw lots of flights that boarded families with children first where the GA looked the other way as able bodied 15-year old "children" and their extended families boarded before FC and filled FC bin space as they entered the aircraft. I also saw far too many cases of emphatic announcements that FC ONLY was boarding combined with a refusal to attempt to enforce this as every kettle family boarded freely and blocked access to the podium by FC passengers. The worst example of this was an ex-ATL mainline DL flight and when I said something in front of the GA--I could clearly see coach seats on the family's boarding passes--the father said something threatening to me which the GA heard but she just let the family board first.

Could we please get DEFINITIVE clarification on the following question which different airports insistently answer differently: If I have a domestic connection followed by a TATL/TPAC flight on the same day--for instance a three hour connection on the same PNR--is my check in/bag drop deadline at the first airport (to check the bag through on all DL flights) one hour or is it thirty minutes (forty-five in the case of ATL and other exceptions)? For example, RDU says thirty minutes but MSP says the system will lock out at sixty minutes (as of late December/early January in both cases). Which is really correct?

SamuelS

Specific to the Red Coats role;

I like that they are visible, I like that they are often free-roaming/floating so that you can grab someone quickly for something more straightforward rather than standing in (a potentially long) line for Customer Service desk.

However the Red Coats I find would be more helpful to me personally in the lobby. Connecting in MSP/ATL/SLC etc. I know my way around airside, I tend to be very self-sufficient at connecting hubs, and the SkyClub can usually assist with most of my occasional needs.

At the lobby though, it can be way more of a zoo with no SC to help out. Sometimes just having a floater like a Red Coat that you can grab to ask a quick question like "hey, I checked in online but need an Intl doc check - can I do it at boarding, or do I need to see an agent here first/which line should I be in etc."

To be honest, I'm confused about how just much authority/empowerment the Red Coats have, and what they can or can't do. I've seen a Red Coat working in the SkyClub at ATL - and he pulled miracles for me and two non-status friends when our flight was canx. in getting us rebooked. Then I've seen other ones though that just seem to point directions and tell people what gate their next flight is at - and I've no idea if they could suddenly help with a complex ticketing issue or a problem that needs senior agent/supervisor type help?

Orange County Commuter

Get out of the back room and on the concourse??

Honestly, I can't recall seeing one in a LONG time and that includes the day the gate agent couldn't figure out the code to open the door to let us on the plane!

davisew

What they (usually) do (reasonably) well:
1. Take ownership of the issue and resolve it immediately to the customer's satisfaction. (If the Red Coats have a mission statement this should be it.) The last Red Coat at ATL that VDB'ed me (Marcus?) took care of the issue quickly, thanked me for being flexible, made me aware of all my options, and offered me a pass to the SkyClub to pass the time as the rebooked flight was delayed. Total time was less than one minute.

What they can do better:
1. Be proactive in turning negative experiences into positive ones - don't wait for the customer to get so steamed they seek out a Red Coat on their own. If you make someone's day, that means one less poster whining on FT. For example: family with 3 young kids, strollers, diaper bags, etc. waiting in the gate area. They're clearly stressed and not enjoying this part of their trip. Approach them, squat down like an FA from an Asian airline would, offer them pre-boarding before the Gate Lice congregate, and accompany them onboard while carrying one of their bags ("Here, let me help you with that"). Introduce little Johnny to the co-pilot, thank the parents for flying Delta and 3 minutes later you're on your way. Everyone else in the gate area who was pretending not to notice what a disaster that family was is now pleased with Delta for doing something about it. Relationship building drives loyalty, and loyalty drives profit.
2. Get them equipped with the technology to resolve any issue without having to get behind the counter.

GaryO3

+1 (actually +0.85)... While I do see them sporadically in ATL, I don't see them often enough. In other locations they seem to be out and about a lot more.

As an aside, funny bit not too long ago I was waiting for a departure in SRQ and I overheard the following (paraphrased) exchange:

<Red Coat 1 to Gate Agent 1> Hey, my times almost up... better get ready
<Gate Agent 1> Thanks for the reminder (GA then pulls a red coat out of the little closet behind the podium and puts it on)
<Red Coat 2, AKA Gate Agent 1> Ok, all set now
<Red Coat 1> Great (removes red coat and puts it in the little closet)
<Gate Agent 2, AKA Red Coat 1 to Red Coat 2> Enjoy your shift

SOBE ER DOC

The red coats are without question a differentiator for Delta. Personally I usually just call SMS or head the the SC to get my issues resolved, though I have used the red coats from time to time.

What I like:

1. Their visibility and presence sends a message that someone is focused on customer service

2. Their knowledge of processes and systems


Opportunity areas:

1. I don't want excuses, I want results.

2. They have the opportunity to serve as mentors to the general gate staff, educating them on DL policies and customer service issues.

3. Be proactive in service recovery. Sometimes the smallest things can go a long way to making someone feel better about their experience.

Jiatong

This is a neat idea;
1. Get them equipped with the technology to resolve any issue without having to get behind the counter.[/QUOTE]

2. Have a balance of empathy for the delta non-revs & the customers. UA does this better in Chicago.

3. Print this forum thread & send it to them ahead of the meeting with summary notes.

Hope all goes well, & thanks.

Exiled in Express

Not ATL specific, over offer information and adjust to passenger's response. Had two different experiences last week. One just handed me my boarding pass for my new flight after a misconnect (MSP). The above and beyond was from Carol in MKE, I was offered full information on where my delayed flight and my connection were coming from. ^

19103_aa

My greatest feedback for Delta regarding Redcoats is,

"why bring them back at all?"

Any organizational consultant will tell you the best way to resolve customer service issues is to empower front-line employees with the authority and technical capability to resolve customer service issues on the spot. Waiting around for a red coat, or trying to snag one as they make their way to a gate, only increases customer frustration.

I know people like the program. What I am asking is why not empower every gate agent with the capacity to fix problems on the spot?

Short of that, the red coats should role model customer service behavior for the front line employees, not just by creating work arounds, but by showing them how to resolve customer issues satisfactorily.

Having to bring back red coats means the customer service process at Delta is failing. They've had to create a work around because their current processes don't help customers satisfactorily.

Sez_Who

GA's have one strong limitation... They can only work at the gate. Regardless of their abilities to resolve issues, they must remain at the gate and that often means pax waiting in lines.

I was always sorry to see the PSA program stopped and pleased to see it resumed last year, even though I have no personal need for their services. Their roaming flexibility means they can go where the problems are, which is not always at the gate.

I see them helping pax in the concourse all the time and that is their great advantage.

itsaboutthejourney

One thing DL does not do well is delayed arrivals, often resulting in missed connections. Having a redcoat greet a flight will not only help people with tight connections but be a presence to show that the airline knows the flight was late and taking steps about the problem rather than having people run off the plane and look to any open, random GA to help.

secretsea18

At the ATL DO, I worked with a Gate Agent, and really spent no time with the Red Coat, except for being escorted to my Gate Agent, and a phone call to the GA summoning me to meet at the end of the event. So I did not get any appreciable experience of what the Red Coat actually does.

That said, I thoroughly enjoyed my time working with the GA with whom I was assigned.

The situation of prime bulkhead and exit row seats did come up on the flights I worked. I saw the GA assigning the Non-revs straight into those seats and the flights I worked had loads of non-revs. I mentioned to my GA that as those were blocked for pre-assignment, that Medallions could not pre-select those seats, and that we thought they were some of the best seats on the plane. She said she understood the preference, and on the later flight did not put the Non-revs into those seats. Unfortunately, I am afraid that it was just a one-time adjustment because I was there.... and likely, she resumed assigning the non-revs in those seats after I left....

Whatever gets seats assigned fastest will unfortunately win at the gate...

So I would really like to do the "Walk a Mile" experience again, this time with a Red Coat, and not only with a GA.

(I did love the GA experience, and had no idea that I did not get the same event that the rest at the DO got until the debriefing.

StayingHomeIsBetter

Sorry, but what does the bulk of the above have to do with giving feedback to Red Coats about how they should be doing their job within the constraints of their current job description?

This is just another DM whine about how "I have not yet been totally immunized against any and all inconvenience."

As far as responding the real intent of this tread, I observe Red Coats often working the desks at the gate... sometimes as the only GA.

They should be out, walking the terminals, where they can provide the personal contact that I believe their job description intends.

Of what value are they to a PAX if they are only accessible by waiting in a long line at a gate, especially if they must then tell the PAX that they can only attend to matters pertaining to the flight they are working at that gate.

If DL is not providing enough gate agents such that Red Coats have to step in, then Red Coats need to be feeding that perspective back to DL management.

I was, and remain, enthusiastic about the return of the Red Coats. But they will only be effective if DL management gives them the authority to think for themselves and solve problems.

How about you FT folks, in the give in take during the meeting, probing them to determine whether they feel they have truly been empowered to do what we need them to do?

SkyTeam777

I agree with many posters on this thread. While the Red Coats I have met have been wonderful, they are far and few between. They are never in sight when needed...when they are, they are frustrated and far from friendly. It is my understanding that they are designed to help those in need, but they are often just backups for the actual gate agent and handle their original functions. Trying to approach a gate agent is very hard as they often make little eye contact (understandably as everyone would approach them otherwise, but is quite un-customer friendly) and try to defer as much as possible to the customer service center without knowing if one is an HVC (and with SkyPriority, everyone is an HVC).

At outstations (including my own local station), I was shocked to discover that the two most unfriendly and least proactive employees in my long experience are actually our Red Coats. That tells me a LOT about the program. I know it was a volunteer program for employees who wanted to apply and undergo extra training, but the two Red Coats at my local airport are disasters if you have ever seen one. They are ruder than regular employees, refuse to help when approached (referring you to other employees), and look perpetually unhappy.

I love the Red Coat program, but it is poorly executed and confusingly presented to customers. At the present time, it is more of an employee "fallback" position for escalated issues rather than a proactive customer program. Please make it more customer-focused rather than employee-focused.