AUDirt

Congratulations on a successful troll.

(At least, I hope this is a troll.)

Indp246

As a former res employee I can tell you the reasons that where listed for a "high maintenance" customer account for about 20% of calls I would take on a normal day, one without a major storm in a hub. Most calls recieved are first time flyers or the once a year family trip travelers that want help with finding cost effective ways of getting thier trip, and questions about travel that most seasoned travelers already know ie; travel documents, baggage fees, seating. Medical emergency, bereavement and military travel still require over the phone assistance, along with UMNR, passengers with disibilities (service animals, bulk head seating), becuase of these things I don't think that call centers are going anywhere.

Even in IROPs we have the tools to get a lot of things done that you can't do on social media. During the Christmas blizzard in NYC last year I got authorization to get a gentleman to LHR (not an alt station) and assisted in getting him train schedules to ARN instead of waiting for the next available flight a week later. This type of thing can't be done all the time, but in extreme circumstances, reps can get authorization for out of the ordinary assistance.

Also with the two domestic call centers still opperating until September, I find it hard to believe that calls are being routed to VJE already.

Dovster

Simple: Because he is driving down your price. Take the "high maintenance" customers out of the equation and Delta's operating costs per customer go up.

It doesn't matter if there is never a high maintenance customer on any of your flights. Those, like myself, who want to make a reservation that is impossible on Delta.com, are contributing to the cost of Delta's headquarters staff, those nice buildings on Virginia Avenue, the lobbyists it must keep on salary in DC, etc.

If we don't chip in for these things, you will have to chip in more. Do you really want to chase us to other airlines?

3Cforme

That, Dovster, is a really curious view of costs. By your logic, more high-cost customers drives down the average cost.

RRDD

How many of your calls could have easily been taken care of by the customer, had the customer been allowed access to right software? For instance, how many issues did you clear up by reading a screen to a customer that presented three options, and then you typed in the verbal response to the options?

Dovster

Actually, they do -- as long as Delta is making a profit on them.

It unquestionably costs Delta more to fly me TLV-JFK in Biz Elite than it does to fly someone else JFK-ATL in economy. Still, I drive down Delta's average cost per customer.

In fact, every customer, even that guy in Y JFK-ATL drives down the average cost per customer, simply by spreading the fixed costs of running the company over a greater number of customers.

NWA/Deltaflygirl

Not a lot - and as has been stated time and time again, not everyone has online access, or even wishes it.

Not everyone wants to DYI, not can they.

I actually do a LOT 'behind the scenes' as I make a reservation, (I'm a notorious hummer as I work too) - lets people know that there is still an alive person helping them out, and I loathe putting someone on hold unless I have to.

Indp246

I wish it had been that easy. Granted there where a lot of things resolved by explaining where a option was on the website, however with milti airline travel, they have to be done by accessing other airlines inventory, until you can get multiple airlines in sync with thier software that would be impossible. Delta has been improving the ability of thier own website to do that and it isn't perfect, hence the reason the price can change from searching booking... the inventory that was available at the beginning of the search isn't available when the purchanse button is selected.

If they gave access to medical emergency fares and bereavement fares online with out some kind of check and balance every ticket on every flight would be an emergency fare, every ticket would be on a mileage UG waitlist and every person would have a disablity allowing them to assign bulk head seats. Five year olds would be on red eye connecting flights and twelve people would have pets in cabin on any given flight.

Until every person has internet, which they don't, and are as computer savey as you, are reps will be needed, it is surprising the number of calls I got on a regular basis from a medallion member looking for the flight they take all the time but can't find on the website only because they didn't realize there was a lowest fare and all schedules search option.

Even it all the airlines within skyteam or whatever alliance a specific airlines is in all used the same booking software, with the same pricing scale, same inventory management, and they all have the same policies it would be impossible for everything to be done online.

GYEWorldTraveler

It has widely been rumored that the call center in SUX has been offered to be taken over by a large company and they plan on opening a call center up in the current facility and taking over the lease. If that is the case, DL would be off the hook and SUX would actually add jobs (lose DL and their well under capacity call center and gain a large corporations call center at a higher capacity than DL was operating). I wouldn't doubt if this actually happens that many of SUX RES employees will be offered jobs with the new tenant.

SEA was a call center that I think many were surprised stayed around this long. It is in a high cost city with a low number of employees. I feel for the people impacted but it appears that DL just went with the call centers that were most under utilized and had the smallest headcounts. Seems like if DL offers to move the folks from SEA to another office that they should be well off since SEA is a high cost city. MSP, SLC, HIB, CVG, DFW, ATL or TPA would all be far cheaper to live in. I wish all the impacted employees the best! Consolidation is never easy

SamOF

Better yet–we could move them to an all-expenses-paid farmhouse in Nunavut! Delta wouldn't have to pay them at all because the cost of living is so low.

Seriously, tell most people who live in Seattle that they're being moved to Cincinnati or Tampa, and see how far pumping the cost of living will get you.

OnTheSlopes

Flygirl - last week I just signed my contract and I am officially moving to SEA in 3 months, starting work in 5 months (and I am beyond ecstatic!!!!!). I cannot tell you how much I wish I could have you working with me!!!! You are a true gem and I hope DL realizes that. The pride and professionalism you display in everything here is beyond compare. Most people would be so bitter and jaded, but you show such am amazing sense of opportunity and pride in what you do....you're amazing. I wish you all the best!!!!

OnTheSlopes

(stupid phone...). Sorry to add extra lines. :-(

NWA/Deltaflygirl

A group of us have talked about forming a little township on one of our SEA folks who moved up to IRC's land - poor gal! We've got it all figured out, right down to who's going to be in charge of the mess hall etc -

But COL is only a very small factor in the idea of uprooting everything and everyone we love. losing our mountains and our ocean...

TTT

Any chance you could transfer to ticket or gate at SEA? You may not want to but just wonder if that option is available.

And don't forget about SLC - it has a large body of salty water and mountains. A win-win!

BogusRogus

Dang... Sorry to hear this. So does this mean no more phantom upgrades (ala NW style) for the KM's on their international (and intersteller) flights or will you just be doing this from another city?

P.S. I'm on flight DL 186 out of HKG April 20 10:30am so let's get that taken care of