Is Delta Missing The Point or Are We Missing The Point?
 

As each day passes, it is becoming clearer to me that Delta's strategic objectives have changed. I believe the fact that they are not listening to us is no mistake. Obviously, they are hearing but not listening. They "really" don't care about the frequent business traveller anymore. Their new emphasis is on the traveller looking for the cheapest fare (therefore Song) and that is where they are putting their resources. Any emphasis on premium travel will be reserved for lucrative international routes. Will it work? Only time will tell. But, let's face it, if Delta really cared about what we thought, something probably would have been done by now.

[This message has been edited by aceflyer2 (edited 02-20-2003).]

[This message has been edited by aceflyer2 (edited 02-20-2003).]

Perhaps Delta just doesn't believe that FT is a true representation of actual business travelers. I am always amazed that I rarely, if ever, run into anyone else on a plane who has even heard of FT. At best there are ~100 regulars here out of what 30,000 PMs. Someone once summed it up nicely: We are insignificant.

Moreover, we're not representative of the customer base.

We are insignificant, but we are very likely representative. We live all over the country (with some international representatives), are of both genders, a wide range of ages -- what more could they want? We are unrepresentative only in the sense that we pay more attention to frequent flyer programs than most people do.

I believe that if Delta randomly selected a group of elite frequent flyers, educated them to the same degree that we have educated ourselves, then asked them questions about any aspect of its programs, they would get responses virtually identical to what they see right here on FlyerTalk. If I'm right about that, it would explain why Delta -- and other airlines, hotel companies, etc. -- pay attention to what is said here.

Bruce

I think the distinction has become more blurred as time passes. Logically, IMHO. Don’t forget “the frequent business traveler” can very well be “the traveler looking for the cheapest fare.”

On new SSM cards, we should link to DL site at FT

I think this board is more representitive then you might think. I have 300 plus employees of which 200 or so travel for business mostly on Delta at least until recently. None of them have expressed happiness with any of the changes and I have even observed Delta's flyer concerning the changes in the breakroom where there has been detailed discussion. Myself and one other employee that I know of even look at this board. So while there might only be 30 unhappy PM's here what about the GM's and SM's I can tell you they are equally unhappy. A focus group of 30 people can be pretty representitive and tell you alot about a product, service or message.

I used to think that we were not very representative. The last month or so, every single DL pax I've spoken to has some knowledge about the changes and is pissed off (yes, mostly seat opponents, but they have all been GM's and PM's) and they are all pissed. Last week I had dinner with a certain VIP, who you normally would not think knows about or cares about this stuff. Not only was he well versed but had already started shifting his flights to another carrier.

not to start a word brawl again, but sometimes advertising can get you well known. Here is the problem: the upside is that if tons more know about FT and join 'the cause' to try to make Delta see the error in its ways, Delta might change. But you risk overloading FT with people, no offense to those, but a board can get out of hand easily, especially with more people. Some could see how US aviation may be starting to get too big.

I believe that FT is representative of most business travellers. Many companies spend a great deal of money conducting research on their customer base (e.g., preferences). Delta is getting valuable feedback here without paying for it. Unfortunately, they don't know what to do with it. It will be interesting to look back on all of this a year or so down the road. Perhaps, then we will really be able to tell how representative we are.

Myself as well, I've NEVER once run across another FlyerTalker, or even someone who's heard of it before. http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/frown.gif

But therein may lie the kicker: how many other businesses profit upon the backs of uneducated/inattentive/easily-duped everyday people?! The auto repair industry certainly comes to mind.... perhaps also the industry of commercial aviation http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/frown.gif

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Faire du ciel le plus bel endroit de la terre c'est impossible sans Concorde!
~ConcordeBoy

Try the Unofficial Continental Airlines Dictionary

When I say I don't believe that we as a group are representative of the Delta customer, I didn't mean to insinuate that other customer's don't care about the changes.

But we as a group represent a crowd of enthusiasts that care far more about our allegiances, miles, and even things like upgrades than the average customer does regardless of tier.

We are likely to be the ones that work the system the best, and the most. Some of us fly about as much as anyone does, some on very high fares, and some of us may actually be the dream customers for our respective airlines.

However, many of us here are also the ones that expect the most for the least. Learn how to break rules to our advantage, meaning obviously to the disadvantage of our “partners”. And no matter how you slice and dice it, the biggest complaints come from either the upgrade rules, or new qualifying rules regarding LUT fares. I know that many people say their companies will only pay those fares but that just about proves my point. Very few major companies require employees, especially those who have to travel a lot, to stay a Friday and Saturday nights to save a thousand dollars.

You have to realize that most of what we discuss is just not that important to a non-enthusiast. In fact in many instances, probably unknown by many customers.

We fit a very narrow profile. And the number of us here that actually fit Delta’s target profile isn’t as great as you may think either.

This kind of fits, I was thinking the other day about the time two/three years ago when DL announced they were going to charge for booze in the Crown Room.

As I recall, it was less than 60 days later they recinded the announcement. I guess the difference was that had immediate press to teh downside that had immediate results. I think all of these changes were designed to be slow in implementation as to not upset a large group of travelers (customers) at once. They are slowly slipping it in.

...combined with the fact that Delta may be hoping that we will compromise with whatever the absolute final policy is on the SkyMiles changes, whereas otherwise we probably would have originally objected to them outright upon first presentation.

Most of my peers who fly 1 to 2 trips per week, while aware of the recent changes, simply are not that interested in the specifics of the Medallion program. They care about the following, (in no order). - On time arrivals and departures. - Non-stop service to any and all required destinations. - Ability to upgrade. - Ability to avoid the long security lines. - Ability to board the plane with the first 10% of passengers. - Ability to avoid waiting in the check-in line at the airport.

Delta has undoubtedly reduced the amount of freebies that one could find within the old FF programs, but those freebies were truly secondary priorities to many of the other millions of flyers. My first priority is to get from point A to point B in the shortest amount of time and with the least amount of confusion. First Class upgrades, Bonus Miles, yeh, they are important, but they simply don't trump this travelers desire to get home before my children are in bed or the ability to not spend the day in airports based on someone else's hub system. If I moved to Chicago, American and United would get my business, for the very same reason. If I am taking my family to the ocean for summer vacation, Delta receives my business only because of the 6 reward tickets I can exchange. I use to fly out of Dayton OH to get the extra hops and miles, as those Comair flights always use to then connect to Cincinnati. After a year of this, I decided that being PM, or any Medallion level, wasn't worth the additional 2 to 4 hours each way (multiply that times 52 weeks) to justify the benefits or reduced cost. My time and convenience are priceless and of supreme value.

I respect that the FF programs too many of my peers on this board are a hobby of sorts. I would contend that Delta recognizes that as well and thus they take many of the comments here with a grain of salt. In the end, Delta and I have the same goal: Maximizing productivity and income.