nwelite

I just called NW Platinum Elite line a few minutes ago to confirm upgrade for flights in three days. It says, "We or sorry for inconvience, but your call cannot be answered at this time. Please call back again later." I have experienced this several times. Has anyone else experienced this? I don't like calling general reservations/Silver Elite for my reservations and upgrades.

[This message has been edited by nwelite (edited 10-22-2001).]

Vulcan

i called the regular line about 30 minutes ago and got the same message and then it hung up on me. Its like NW is saying "we are too busy to take you call. Goodbye"

pderby

My guess is that almost all the lines are occupied with active or waiting calls. When ACD (automatic call director) hits a certain threshold it starts the "call back later" message and dumps the calls until the backlog gets back under the threshold. Fortunately for those that have access to the Platinum lines, the call is "tagged" with the DNIS (dialed number inward service) number identifying it as a "premium customer" call and gets routed to the elite CSRs or queued ahead of regular calls when routed to regular CSRs. Part of the CRM system NW has installed.

nwelite

I know, but my called got dumped on the Platinum line.

pderby

It doesn't matter if the line is Platinum or Gold or regular. The service into the call director (the box that decides where your call gets routed) is over ISDN PRI lines. The routing of the call to the person you talk to is determined by the number you dial (DNIS), but all the calls go over the same ISDN lines. So when they fill up there aren't any more circuits to accomodate calls. If you use the Platinum number to make the call, the ACD puts you at the top of the list if there is room. If you use the Gold number, you get less priority. If you use the general published number, you get the lowest priority. All the calls go over the same sets of ISDN PRI circuits.

avek00

I thought that the Gold and Platinum numbers were one and the same. I don't have my Gold card anymore, so I can't compare it to the Plat. number.

nwelite

avek00, they are different.

ChaseTheMiles

I don't know if this idea helps everyone, but I have found that if you don't key in your member number, you get forwarded to another connection from which you eventually get someone. It's better than getting disconnected.

pderby

The phone NUMBERS for gold and elite are different but the phone LINES are the same. The inbound calling LINES are all shared for regular, gold and platinum callers. The phone number that you dial gets sent to the ACD (the machine that answers the phone) and the Platinum calls get put ahead of the Gold calls which get placed ahead of the regular calls. The platinum and gold calls get routed to dedicated agents, if they are available, otherwise they go to the regular agents. This is possible with ISDN PRI lines. They are different from the residential type lines we have at home. One difference is that most ISDN PRI lines bypass the local phone company entirely. Most companies get these lines from the long distance carriers along with the 800 numbers used to access these lines. The lines are generally inbound only, so that is why customer service agents usually can't return a phone call unless they have access to an outbound ISDN line, or an analog line like we have at home.


[This message has been edited by pderby (edited 10-28-2001).]