miro

Well, it is not strictly about Automated Voice Recognition Telephone Reservation System, so I decided to open a new thread. Moderators, please merge with the mentioned thread if you think otherwise.

I just called the SMS line and got a new greeting. The usual VR greeting was preceeded by the announcement Please listen carefully as our menu options have changed as of April 1st. The new addition is that I can now press "9" to use the keypad! Pressing "9" takes you to the old DTMF-driven menu Hooray!

Disclaimer: this is not April Fools joke

obscure2k

Thanks, Miro. This looks like good information.

platbrownguy

Sweet. 9-0-#-SkyMilesNumberAndPIN and you're through to an agent.

dspringer28

Great! ^

platbrownguy

DTMF...

"Data Through Manual Force"?
"Don't Think, Move Fingers"?
"Dinosaurs Touchpad Miniature Fandango"?
"Don't Touch My Fruitcake"?

miro

DTMF = Dual Tone Multi Frequency.

The sound your telephone makes when you use your keypad.

Please forgive me for using tech jargon. I am just a software engineer with computer telephony background Sometimes I take those acronyms for granted

obscure2k

Miro. I love acronyms ^

pbiflyer

I'm asking platbrownguy anytime I don't know what an acronym means. I might not get the correct answer, but I'll get an entertaining one. ^

Canarsie

Don’t think, miro, for one moment that I intend to have this distinctive thread merged from its own existence into the other thread, as it will remain autonomous in the Delta forum.I expected Dovster to make fun of acronyms, but I do suppose that platbrownguy is destined to milk fresh meanings out of just about any acronym.

Delta, the malfunctioning (financially-speaking) airline, was due to make full restitution of its detrimental though major faux-pas of an answering system at some point with all of the complaints it must have received. Does anyone doubt that many FlyerTalk members had something to do with the change of heart pertaining to this issue at Delta Air Lines?

Anyway, in terms of earning SkyMiles, Delta Air Lines ought to double the miles for every flight booked via the telephone using that definitely trying, mostly frustrating excuse for a telephone answering system.

Do tell, my friend, platbrownguy — or, as I like to call him, PBG, which stands for Peanut Butter and Gelly...

I wonder how many FlyerTalk members, upon encountering the automated voice recognition reservation system when using their desired telephone, muttered frequently and repeatedly under their breath that Delta Air Lines should ditch that M*****-f****** system...

MegatopLover

Nice to know Delta actually listed to us on this one. Like many others, I complained to the SMS agent ("Look, I know it's not your fault, but please log me with all the others complaining that your new system doesn't work, because it doesn't, and it's irritating.") almost every time I called, particularly in the early days when the system never worked. Took them a while to bring the keypad option bad, but I'm glad they did.

miro

Do tell more, friend

Canarsie

What — that Delta Air Lines should ditch that Mullin-founded system?

Oops — I forgot to hide the profanity with asterisks that time. I meant to say that Delta Air Lines should ditch that Monkey-fangled system.

Does that mend fences — at least, a little bit?

Please accept my apologies.

PDX-RDM-AVL-TPA

After not reading FT for a few days, earlier tonight I called SMS for the first time in a while and had the same blessed experience that miro had.

DELTA VOICE:
Please listen carefully as our menu options have changed as of April 1st.
MY BRAIN:
Hmmm, I wonder what has changed, [fingers drumming waiting for new info] oh maybe they brought back the key syst...
DELTA VOICE:
If you prefer to use your keypad instead of speech, you may press 9 now.
MY BRAIN:
Woohoo, keys are great, let's see if it's the good old system.
DELTA VOICE:
[the good old key options from before with 4 for domestic and 5 for international]
MY BRAIN:
[doing back flips and cheerleader kicks and jumps]

Interestingly, the same options as back (as far as I remember them), but it's a female voice instead of a male voice.

It was a longer hold time than I would like but that happens sometimes. The agent did say "Special Member Services" when she answered - and she was very good, finding me a hard-to-get award ticket for next Xmas.

So now, when I want to book a domestic flight, I can key in the following with no pauses, as soon as the phone is answered:
9 4 # 1234567890 1234 (where 1234567890 is my Skymiles number and 1234 is my pin). This way, by the time my cell phone says 25 seconds, I get an announcement about Simplifares (or sometimes just silence), then at 50 seconds I get an announcement that I'm in the queue for an agent. I think that when there is no queue (although I'm not sure that happens anymore), at 25 seconds I'll have an SMS agent who's looking at my SkyMiles info.

ecaarch

I was one of those that b**ched the most on FT about the voice recognition system and asked for a choice of methods of entry. It appears that DL listened, either through FT or other means of feedback.


ps - Since I do everything that I can on delta.com anyway, I call SMS only when needed. I'll find out firsthand how the menu works at that time.

JT8D-217

Fantastic news!

Now, if they'd do the same fix for Flight Line 800 325 1999, I'd be a happy traveller.....................