Welcome speech - attendant discretion or driven by analytics?
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Feb 2017
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Welcome speech - attendant discretion or driven by analytics?
On a flight this morning, an agent went through a pretty long drawn out (45 seconds+) speech thanking the military (even though it appeared that there were no active duty military on the flight) and even asked the passengers to clap to show their appreciation.
I am not a fan of this sort of spectacle at all and don't understand the societal fascination with thanking a specific profession - but that's not the point of this post.
My question is whether or not Delta FAs have full discretion (within the bounds of a minimum speech) or if the speech is prompted based on analytics? I ask because I have never once heard an FA do this speech on a Monday AM business traveler heavy flight - but this particular flight was chock full (at least 60-70 people) of older folks on some sort of group excursion.
Is this a case of Delta prompting the FA to say something based on flight demographics (older people = more likely to be pro-military = build positive emotional connection to Delta through transference of emotions) or is this purely an FA making a judgement call about the same? I'm pretty sure I've had this FA before on the same route and she did not make this speech before so I don't think it's just something she normally does.
I'm genuinely curious as I do notice different thanks (whether million miles are included, Diamonds are referenced explicitly, and so on). Just curious how much of it is agent discretion/personalization versus Delta prompted based on demographics.
Does anyone know?
I am not a fan of this sort of spectacle at all and don't understand the societal fascination with thanking a specific profession - but that's not the point of this post.
My question is whether or not Delta FAs have full discretion (within the bounds of a minimum speech) or if the speech is prompted based on analytics? I ask because I have never once heard an FA do this speech on a Monday AM business traveler heavy flight - but this particular flight was chock full (at least 60-70 people) of older folks on some sort of group excursion.
Is this a case of Delta prompting the FA to say something based on flight demographics (older people = more likely to be pro-military = build positive emotional connection to Delta through transference of emotions) or is this purely an FA making a judgement call about the same? I'm pretty sure I've had this FA before on the same route and she did not make this speech before so I don't think it's just something she normally does.
I'm genuinely curious as I do notice different thanks (whether million miles are included, Diamonds are referenced explicitly, and so on). Just curious how much of it is agent discretion/personalization versus Delta prompted based on demographics.
Does anyone know?
#3
Join Date: Oct 2009
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Is this a case of Delta prompting the FA to say something based on flight demographics (older people = more likely to be pro-military = build positive emotional connection to Delta through transference of emotions) or is this purely an FA making a judgement call about the same?
#4
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Join Date: Feb 2017
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Does anyone know the answer to the question at hand? I don't want this thread to focus on the rightness of the military appreciation thank you, rather whether it is FA discretion or if FAs are prompted to do it based on their devices.
#5
Join Date: Jan 2017
Location: LAN
Programs: DL Skymiles, AF/KL Flying Blue
Posts: 304
To answer OP's question: I don't know for certain, but I highly doubt that they have any sort of analytics that indicate what kind of welcome message to recite in the cabin. I would guess that this was just a member of the cabin crew going outside of their normal spiel, whether acceptable/permitted by DL or not.
#6
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I dont think soliciting applause is appropriate whether sanctioned by DL or not. I have friends who have done tours of service and I can say ALL hated and loathed having to travel in uniform because everybody wanted to thank them and make it a big deal.
Nobody says are there any sales people on board??? Everybody let's take a moment to thank them for their service. Are there any doctors on board who have participated in doctors without borders? Lets take a moment to thank them for their service. Any CIA agents on board.... I could keep going on (nobody take offense all of these were meant to be tongue in cheek)
Nobody says are there any sales people on board??? Everybody let's take a moment to thank them for their service. Are there any doctors on board who have participated in doctors without borders? Lets take a moment to thank them for their service. Any CIA agents on board.... I could keep going on (nobody take offense all of these were meant to be tongue in cheek)
#7
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On the other hand, I had an interesting experience the other day on a flight. I got a very rare upgrade to F on a tough route (SMF-ATL) and the FA went out of her way after the meal to thank me for being a passenger and PM going so far as to say that the company asked her to do so (a little awkward but whatever). I doubt I was the only medallion in the cabin and I didn’t see her thank anyone else “for their service”. This tells me that DL has the ability to give this type of guidance to FA and makes me wonder if my unicorn upgrade was of the “surprise and delight” variety that are speculated to occur from time to time. This ticket wasn’t that expensive but my cpm is very high on average this year.
#8
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Join Date: Feb 2017
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On the other hand, I had an interesting experience the other day on a flight. I got a very rare upgrade to F on a tough route (SMF-ATL) and the FA went out of her way after the meal to thank me for being a passenger and PM going so far as to say that the company asked her to do so (a little awkward but whatever). I doubt I was the only medallion in the cabin and I didn’t see her thank anyone else “for their service”. This tells me that DL has the ability to give this type of guidance to FA and makes me wonder if my unicorn upgrade was of the “surprise and delight” variety that are speculated to occur from time to time. This ticket wasn’t that expensive but my cpm is very high on average this year.
On the SMF upgrade - that is Interesting.. and unless you were flying at a very off hour (e.g., Saturday flight) that is the only reasonable explanation for getting an upgrade on that flight as a PM. I'm a Diamond that usually flies that route on M fares and have never once cleared except once due to some IRROPS (and when in an especially bad Y seat I've even applied RUCs a few times). Suppose it could be a fluke but that is a hard upgrade and does seem likely to be a surprise/delight thing.
#9
Suspended
Join Date: Dec 2013
Posts: 1,271
On a flight this morning, an agent went through a pretty long drawn out (45 seconds+) speech thanking the military (even though it appeared that there were no active duty military on the flight) and even asked the passengers to clap to show their appreciation.
I am not a fan of this sort of spectacle at all and don't understand the societal fascination with thanking a specific profession - but that's not the point of this post.
My question is whether or not Delta FAs have full discretion (within the bounds of a minimum speech) or if the speech is prompted based on analytics? I ask because I have never once heard an FA do this speech on a Monday AM business traveler heavy flight - but this particular flight was chock full (at least 60-70 people) of older folks on some sort of group excursion.
Is this a case of Delta prompting the FA to say something based on flight demographics (older people = more likely to be pro-military = build positive emotional connection to Delta through transference of emotions) or is this purely an FA making a judgement call about the same? I'm pretty sure I've had this FA before on the same route and she did not make this speech before so I don't think it's just something she normally does.
I'm genuinely curious as I do notice different thanks (whether million miles are included, Diamonds are referenced explicitly, and so on). Just curious how much of it is agent discretion/personalization versus Delta prompted based on demographics.
Does anyone know?
I am not a fan of this sort of spectacle at all and don't understand the societal fascination with thanking a specific profession - but that's not the point of this post.
My question is whether or not Delta FAs have full discretion (within the bounds of a minimum speech) or if the speech is prompted based on analytics? I ask because I have never once heard an FA do this speech on a Monday AM business traveler heavy flight - but this particular flight was chock full (at least 60-70 people) of older folks on some sort of group excursion.
Is this a case of Delta prompting the FA to say something based on flight demographics (older people = more likely to be pro-military = build positive emotional connection to Delta through transference of emotions) or is this purely an FA making a judgement call about the same? I'm pretty sure I've had this FA before on the same route and she did not make this speech before so I don't think it's just something she normally does.
I'm genuinely curious as I do notice different thanks (whether million miles are included, Diamonds are referenced explicitly, and so on). Just curious how much of it is agent discretion/personalization versus Delta prompted based on demographics.
Does anyone know?
#10
Original Poster
Join Date: Feb 2017
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Umm, did it not occur to you that perhaps the 60-70 people you identified as travelling as a group were going to some kind of war memorial event? Groups are often organized to go and attend some kind of memorial for a specific battle or to a certain place, etc. That would have been my first and I think obvious guess. Even if the flight were domestic (you don't say) it could have been a bunch of veterans and spouses headed for their 'Annual Regimental Re-Union' for example.
To answer your question, though, I don't think this is the case. The nametags the folks are wearing are for a company that seems to specialize in leisure tours.
#11
Join Date: Apr 2017
Posts: 258
Where was the flight going? Sometimes they do honor flights where groups of older veterans go usually to dc to visit memorials. Maybe the group was them so making the sleech seemed right thing to do. Though I would expect the fa would have stated that.
#12
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It was to Portland - and as mentioned the nametags imply a tour group that specializes in leisure tour events.
#13
Join Date: Sep 2014
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#14
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And the implication you're proposing is that the FA was made aware of the purpose of the trip and is emblematic of FA discretion and not driven by analytics? Whether or not the tour group was going to a memorial service or not is not super relevant otherwise.
#15
Join Date: Mar 2015
Location: Home
Posts: 469
Back to the question -
Yes, Delta collects whole lot of segmentation data about its passengers - enough to surprise you.
I tend to believe that they have now taken this to next level and are trying to use this insight to encourage positive behavior i.e spend more on Delta
Yes, Delta collects whole lot of segmentation data about its passengers - enough to surprise you.
I tend to believe that they have now taken this to next level and are trying to use this insight to encourage positive behavior i.e spend more on Delta