Potential Shenanigans to honor a MM flyer
Aug 20, 2013, 9:12 pm
#31
Join Date: Aug 2013
Location: HSV
Programs: Starwood Preferred Guest / Marriott Rewards / Delta Skymiles
Posts: 57
And I think its great that Delta recognized this guy. Im sure if someone was bumped from 1st class to accommodate this guy, they were compensated. More than likely just someone who was going to get a free upgrade anyway.
Aug 20, 2013, 9:19 pm
#32
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: May 2008
Location: CHA, MAN;
Programs: Delta DM 1 MM; Hz PC
Posts: 11,169
Thanks but not me really on this one. I may have had 5% input but this is all Delta doing it right. I have not, other than MR board, been part of FT anymore and 1/2 of the comment here make me want to get an air sickness bag out and fill it! The other 1/2 make me proud of FF'ers. I commented on the post that I would at anytime as a DM (and should make double DM this year) give up my upgrade, if a fellow flyer, after 18 years of flying, for a MM crossing 1MM first time. I would also for anyone making 2MM or 3MM and on and on. That is way to much time in any class of seat not to get a perk for that day. On my last flight from AMS to DTW I had a great seat in biz and took the worst one on a 777 as the head purser, who I knew well, asked me to move for a MMer. I could have said go pound sand but was happy to move (still in biz but still) as I care about Delta. I wish more of the "Angry's" did as well.
Aug 20, 2013, 10:42 pm
#33
Join Date: Oct 2000
Posts: 372
Do not equate Discretionary Authority with a Shenanigan
I believe that there are rules for a reason. And then reason is applied to rules.
There are waivers, exemptions, and variances that are allowed for "good cause." I believe that this was a "good cause" and that C.E. Woolman would have been proud of the extraordinary service afforded by his Staff for this achievement. I only wish that they would do it routinely because it matters to the loyal client and it should matter even more to DL; fixing that recognition event is probably higher on the priority list than fixing the award calendar problems, but I digress.
It certainly would have been my pleasure to honor a newly minted 1MM at the expense of an upgrade; in the scheme of things, I found that one of many doesn't matter all that much, but one of a rare few may. On many occasions I happily gave my "rightful" upgrade to others fighting for a noble cause (those in service for our country). Whether it is the soldier's last comfortable seat before going into theater or her/his first coming back, the DL crew routinely overlooked my clear violation of the DL upgrade rules. Did someone not get upgraded because I gave mine away? If so, who cared that much to complain? Furthermore, who had the audacity?
Good luck to the 1MMs in their quest for 2MM. Elite Plus for "life" (at least annually) is sweet (it was a goal before I retired), but I do miss being a DM when I do have to travel. Just cut the DL crew some slack when it comes to recognizing loyalty. They understand that individual Kettles do not bring in enough revenue to make the operation profitable. FOs, GMs, PMs, DMs, and MMs matter to them as much as it matters to us; if only Virginia Avenue thought the same way . . .
There are waivers, exemptions, and variances that are allowed for "good cause." I believe that this was a "good cause" and that C.E. Woolman would have been proud of the extraordinary service afforded by his Staff for this achievement. I only wish that they would do it routinely because it matters to the loyal client and it should matter even more to DL; fixing that recognition event is probably higher on the priority list than fixing the award calendar problems, but I digress.
It certainly would have been my pleasure to honor a newly minted 1MM at the expense of an upgrade; in the scheme of things, I found that one of many doesn't matter all that much, but one of a rare few may. On many occasions I happily gave my "rightful" upgrade to others fighting for a noble cause (those in service for our country). Whether it is the soldier's last comfortable seat before going into theater or her/his first coming back, the DL crew routinely overlooked my clear violation of the DL upgrade rules. Did someone not get upgraded because I gave mine away? If so, who cared that much to complain? Furthermore, who had the audacity?
Good luck to the 1MMs in their quest for 2MM. Elite Plus for "life" (at least annually) is sweet (it was a goal before I retired), but I do miss being a DM when I do have to travel. Just cut the DL crew some slack when it comes to recognizing loyalty. They understand that individual Kettles do not bring in enough revenue to make the operation profitable. FOs, GMs, PMs, DMs, and MMs matter to them as much as it matters to us; if only Virginia Avenue thought the same way . . .
Aug 21, 2013, 4:31 am
#35
Join Date: Oct 2008
Location: TPA & ATL
Programs: DL PM, USLess air & HHoners
Posts: 1,237
Only one upgrade per year? Something is very wrong if a PM is only getting upgraded once a year. I've only missed six upgrades (out of 48 flights) this entire year. I'll hit PM next month but I'm not sure I want it if my upgrade % goes out the window.Please don't feel that I am against someone getting an upgrade when they hit MM, but just think that it should be part of a published benefit that everybody gets....
Aug 21, 2013, 6:36 am
#36
Suspended
Join Date: Sep 2012
Programs: DL FO/KM, AA PLT
Posts: 2,594
Hard for me to feel sorry for some DM possibly missing out on an UG that was given as an "unpublished benefit" to this MMer crossing the milestone when DMs get unpublished benefits all the time - perhaps benefits that have cost me an upgrade or two over the years where they might not have otherwise been on my flight had some agent not "bent the rules" for them due to their being a DM.
Aug 21, 2013, 6:51 am
#37
Join Date: Jun 2010
Location: Austin, TX
Programs: DL DM; DL AMEX Reserve; HHonors Gold
Posts: 1,984
Aug 21, 2013, 7:09 am
#38
Join Date: Jun 2005
Location: Charlotte, NC, USA | CLT, formerly LHR & AMS (with just a bit of PSP)
Programs: BAEC Gold, Hilton Diamond, BonVoy Titanium, (soon former) Caesars7*, (former) Wynn Black, HR "Icon"
Posts: 8,172
as very well stated by BravoZulu,
the sign of REAL customer service is to be able to have employees in place to make discretionary decisions for high value customers.
Those who call foul on such a concept, usually have no REAL idea of what customer service is.
Customer service, is not a computer making all the decisions, and the employees responding as robots.
It's all about human connection and decision making. Yes, perhaps, a percentage of the decisions might be suspect; I still rather see a corporate culture where people operate with their brains, instead of just referring the manual.
In my own business, I've done some mega-crazy things for high value customers; and that's what has kept them loyal (and less price sensitive) to my services.
In my "leisure world," that's the way the entire casino compensation scheme works. Actually, I give casinos much credit in this regard, since every customer is assigned a value (and a 6 month value, and a lifetime value).
the sign of REAL customer service is to be able to have employees in place to make discretionary decisions for high value customers.
Those who call foul on such a concept, usually have no REAL idea of what customer service is.
Customer service, is not a computer making all the decisions, and the employees responding as robots.
It's all about human connection and decision making. Yes, perhaps, a percentage of the decisions might be suspect; I still rather see a corporate culture where people operate with their brains, instead of just referring the manual.
In my own business, I've done some mega-crazy things for high value customers; and that's what has kept them loyal (and less price sensitive) to my services.
In my "leisure world," that's the way the entire casino compensation scheme works. Actually, I give casinos much credit in this regard, since every customer is assigned a value (and a 6 month value, and a lifetime value).
Aug 21, 2013, 7:30 am
#40
Join Date: Dec 2011
Programs: DL DM PM
Posts: 2,034
I dislike Shena as much as the next person, but I'm pretty astonished by this attitude. Do you see no feel-good aspect to this story? Not just for the person who unexpectedly got the UG, but also for the DL staff who put it together. And you would prefer this be yet another entitlement that DL staff will do by training rather than good will and people will complain about if it doesn't happen?
Aug 21, 2013, 9:42 am
#42
Join Date: Aug 2013
Location: Here
Posts: 44
Now everyone's going to be tweeting Delta and doing this and that to make their 1MM experience special... and some will be given more special treatment than others... and those who feel slighted will come here to complain that they didn't get what they feel they deserved... 
Aug 21, 2013, 9:49 am
#43
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: ATL
Programs: Marriott Platinum, Delta Kryptonium Medallion, National Executive
Posts: 1,889
Now everyone's going to be tweeting Delta and doing this and that to make their 1MM experience special... and some will be given more special treatment than others... and those who feel slighted will come here to complain that they didn't get what they feel they deserved...
Time to start the The Definitive "I Just Reached MM on DL and All I Got Was..." thread.
Aug 21, 2013, 10:04 am
#44
Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: Portland, OR
Programs: DL MM Gold
Posts: 1,676
Aug 21, 2013, 11:47 am
#45
Join Date: Nov 2000
Location: ATL
Programs: 4MM/DM, Marriott Lifetime PM, Hilton Diamond, SPG Platinum
Posts: 1,370