redtop43

Every so often I have a totally unsatisfactory interaction with a company. I had one about six months ago with a cell phone provider who terminated my already-paid-for service, eventually admitted that they shouldn't have, but still refused to do anything about it. A more significant one was about eight years ago with a major credit card provider who repeatedly lied to me about various things, involving a loss of $1600. In the latter case, just to give one snippet, I said at one point "I'm specifically requesting that you not delete any of the recorded phone conversations about this matter" and of course they deleted the conversations.

I've had many phone calls that being with me saying something like "I'm very angry, this is my 14th call about this issue, you personally may not have done anything wrong but your company has repeatedly lied to me and I don't want excuses or policies, I want a resolution." And about the second, or maybe even first, time they say "I'm very sorry" I will cut them off and say "No, you're not sorry, if you were sorry you'd have fixed this instead of lying to me"

Calling the company collectively a liar, and cutting an employee off mid-sentence - these aren't the height of civility, but there are times when the right to civility is forfeit. I don't ever remember a major meltdown with an airline like this. I would not want to feel like if I had to say these things, they'd say "Kiss your 1.2 million Skymiles goodbye."

RealHJ

If I may offer some unsolicited advice: cut out the last part (the part in response to the first "I'm sorry"), as that will end up sounding to the agent that you are saying that they - personally - are not sorry (they probably are genuinely sorry about your experience, or at least about the fact that you are frustrated and unhappy), and that they - personally - are lying to you (all they know is what their computer screen tells them, so while they may very well be lying to you, it's not intentional as they are going on what "the computer tells them").

Stick to the high ground, and whenever you express frustration preface it with something like "please don't take this personally, I have nothing against you and appreciate your help [if they really appear to be trying to help], but your company, ..." and then go into what you want to say. Or try to get the agent on your side, ask them to put themselves in your shoes; if they say something like "if I was you, I would be just as frustrated and unhappy," then you know that you've just made an ally who will do their best to help you. They may or may not be able to resolve your issue, but at least they will help.

At the very least, be clear that your frustration is not personal but directed solely at the company. Optionally try to get the CS person to see it from your perspective, try to get them to imagine themselves in your situation. That can work wonders.

Just some unsolicited advice, that may make a world of difference, IME.

golfr

It's about time.

readywhenyouare

This statement would imply that such behavior happens regularly. Can you share the many examples you have personally witnessed of someone repeatedly insulting/cursing/threatening a Delta employee or destroying Delta property? Usually such incidents result in the authorities being called and is covered by the media.

kale73

While I am invariably sunny and polite with airline agents there exist individuals who are afflicted with a condition known as coprolalia - "the involuntary and repetitive use of obscene language, as a symptom of mental illness or organic brain disease" - a relatively rare but documented symptom of Tourette Syndrome. I think the airline should exercise considerable forbearance when dealing with customers suffering from this socially debilitating condition.

readywhenyouare

You make a very good point. Delta's financial shape isn't good at all and this is a fine method of getting hundreds of millions of dollars worth of liabilities in redeemable miles off the books.

Lomapaseo

Nothing like a dust up that is open ended and subjective

Just how and who decides that a line was crossed? Is it based on personal pronouns vs 3rd party management folks?

Let's start in this forum and decode posters by virtue of posted hints that ensure Delta's great computer system will identify some of us for special handling at the gate downgrade window

gooselee

I still get them every year, and actually just got some a couple months ago. Idk maybe DL just likes me better for some reason.

cmd320

These only go to DM right?

Zorak

PMs get them too, although apparently distrbution of new JWDs is suspended for the time being:

https://www.delta.com/us/en/skymiles...ws-and-updates

DenverBrian

No business should base overall policy on the potential for an extremely rare few to occasionally interact with the business. Tourette Syndrome is primarily a children's disease, with a lot of reduction by age 18. Not very many children calling Delta customer service is my guess.

gooselee

I may stand corrected, but I could swear I got a PM welcome kit with JWDs earlier this year. I most certainly got them in early 2020 because I remember being surprised by a mailer at requal and again at the end of the Medallion year and having a glut of JWDs.

cmd320

Sidenote, but I never really understood why they only give these out to the higher elite levels. Seems someone’s status level shouldn’t really matter when it comes to recognizing outstanding service.

I will say I’ve never been higher than GM with Delta but at one point when DL’s service standards were quite high, I’d give out AAplause certificates to DL employees when I had no AA employees to give them to. I told an FA once I didn’t have any DL ones but did have the AA equivalent and wanted to recognize his excellent service. I gave him an AAplause as a symbolic gesture and he thanked me profusely and said he would pass it and my comments on to his manager. No idea if it has any impact on anything at all, but I hoped it would do something for him.

N830MH

Oh yes! That’s for sure! They will identify them. They will ban them.

RealHJ

Part of your Medallion package? I don't think I even got one this year, or last year for that matter, though the status of course is active and has renewed online properly. Not sure if it wasn't sent or the mail was lost/misdelivered (wouldn't be the first piece of mail that was sent, yet never makes it to me). I guess I can ask DL to send me the JWD #s via e-mail, since I never got the paper form, it doesn't appear in the app or site wallet, but still is a thing. (Good to know that DL hasn't quietly discontinued the JWDs, at least not yet. I feared those had went the way of PU503s and so many other great things that DL made sure to quietly kill off.)