Letters to Oscar
Sep 10, 2015, 9:31 am
#77
Join Date: Dec 2011
Location: DSM
Programs: UA 1K, AA EP, DL PL, HH Dia, Marriott Gld, National Exp
Posts: 722
Reading the thread backwards ...
Sep 10, 2015, 9:34 am
#78
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Nov 2004
Location: ORD
Programs: UA 1K
Posts: 16,901
Dear Oscar,
I'm sure you'll be receiving many letters containing advice for how to turn around UA. The one thing I would suggest above all others is that you begin a campaign to get back UA's most loyal customers who have defected to other airlines.
As a start, I would suggest you get a list of the 25 formerly highest-yield customers who's business has dropped significantly and CALL THEM. Don't email, don't have someone else do it. Pick up the phone and call them personally, say "we miss you, what can I (not we, I) do to get you back. I think within a couple hours you'll have a comprehensive list of the most important things to concentrate on first.
Then, follow up to say "I understand your concerns about xyz, and these are the steps I've taken to change the situation. Please, give us a new chance.
Then, have someone monitor the system for bookings from them and have a senior manager waiting at the gate when they disembark to ask how their experience was.
I'm sure you'll be receiving many letters containing advice for how to turn around UA. The one thing I would suggest above all others is that you begin a campaign to get back UA's most loyal customers who have defected to other airlines.
As a start, I would suggest you get a list of the 25 formerly highest-yield customers who's business has dropped significantly and CALL THEM. Don't email, don't have someone else do it. Pick up the phone and call them personally, say "we miss you, what can I (not we, I) do to get you back. I think within a couple hours you'll have a comprehensive list of the most important things to concentrate on first.
Then, follow up to say "I understand your concerns about xyz, and these are the steps I've taken to change the situation. Please, give us a new chance.
Then, have someone monitor the system for bookings from them and have a senior manager waiting at the gate when they disembark to ask how their experience was.
Last edited by milepig; Sep 10, 2015 at 9:40 am
Sep 10, 2015, 9:40 am
#80
Used to be 'thiti'
Join Date: Jul 2005
Location: Denver, CO
Programs: UA-PP 1MM, Hyatt-Globalist, Bonvoy-LT Titanium, Hertz-Pres Cir
Posts: 189
Try to keep it short.
1) Get rid of TOD upgrade offers.
2) Update PMUA 777 and 747 BF seats.
3) Tone down “Friendly” campaign. It is odd to see them all over the place while your customer service is not quite there.
4) Bring back BKK, please.
1) Get rid of TOD upgrade offers.
2) Update PMUA 777 and 747 BF seats.
3) Tone down “Friendly” campaign. It is odd to see them all over the place while your customer service is not quite there.
4) Bring back BKK, please.
Sep 10, 2015, 9:43 am
#81
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Nov 2004
Location: ORD
Programs: UA 1K
Posts: 16,901
I never, ever again want to see the word "enhanced" in an announcement about service changes. We're not idiots.
Sep 10, 2015, 9:43 am
#82
Join Date: Apr 2000
Location: LAX and LHR. UA lifetime Gold 1.9MM 1K , DL Gold Medallion, HHonors Gold, Marriott Gold, Avis President's Club
Posts: 3,592
Dear Oscar,
Welcome!
You've already had lots of good suggestions, but no one has yet mentioned your reservations/IT system (SHARES), which dates from the 1960s and causes you more problems than you would believe in simple booking and re-booking operations. Many of your personnel still don't know how to use it, years after the merger. Do yourself a favor and dump it now. Switch to a 21st-century system that doesn't require your agents to memorize yards of arcane computer code in order to do a simple task. It may cost you money to begin with, but it will more than pay for itself in a short time.
Welcome!
You've already had lots of good suggestions, but no one has yet mentioned your reservations/IT system (SHARES), which dates from the 1960s and causes you more problems than you would believe in simple booking and re-booking operations. Many of your personnel still don't know how to use it, years after the merger. Do yourself a favor and dump it now. Switch to a 21st-century system that doesn't require your agents to memorize yards of arcane computer code in order to do a simple task. It may cost you money to begin with, but it will more than pay for itself in a short time.
Sep 10, 2015, 10:26 am
#83
Join Date: Mar 2015
Location: Austin, TX - AUS
Programs: AA Platinum, Hilton, Hyatt, IHG, Marriott
Posts: 1,625
Dear Oscar,
Congratulations on your new CEO role.
What I would like to see:
1) Unite the employees - they need to feel they are on one team, working for one airline
2) Empower the employees to take care of customers, even if it means making exceptions to policies
3) Fix the IT systems to avoid future meltdowns
4) Replace the slimline seats with something more comfortable
Congratulations on your new CEO role.
What I would like to see:
1) Unite the employees - they need to feel they are on one team, working for one airline
2) Empower the employees to take care of customers, even if it means making exceptions to policies
3) Fix the IT systems to avoid future meltdowns
4) Replace the slimline seats with something more comfortable
Sep 10, 2015, 10:33 am
#84
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Nov 2003
Location: Wesley Chapel, FL
Programs: American Airlines
Posts: 30,031
Sep 10, 2015, 10:42 am
#85
Join Date: Oct 2002
Location: LAS
Programs: PA FT, TW Gold, NW/CO PE, VK Eagleflyer
Posts: 7,173
Sep 10, 2015, 10:56 am
#86
Join Date: Feb 2008
Programs: 6 year GS, now 2MM Jeff-ugee, *wood LTPlt, SkyPeso PLT
Posts: 6,526
Dear Oscar,
As a start, I would suggest you get a list of the 25 formerly highest-yield customers who's business has dropped significantly and CALL THEM. Don't email, don't have someone else do it. Pick up the phone and call them personally, say "we miss you, what can I (not we, I) do to get you back. I think within a couple hours you'll have a comprehensive list of the most important things to concentrate on first.
Then, follow up to say "I understand your concerns about xyz, and these are the steps I've taken to change the situation. Please, give us a new chance.
Then, have someone monitor the system for bookings from them and have a senior manager waiting at the gate when they disembark to ask how their experience was.
As a start, I would suggest you get a list of the 25 formerly highest-yield customers who's business has dropped significantly and CALL THEM. Don't email, don't have someone else do it. Pick up the phone and call them personally, say "we miss you, what can I (not we, I) do to get you back. I think within a couple hours you'll have a comprehensive list of the most important things to concentrate on first.
Then, follow up to say "I understand your concerns about xyz, and these are the steps I've taken to change the situation. Please, give us a new chance.
Then, have someone monitor the system for bookings from them and have a senior manager waiting at the gate when they disembark to ask how their experience was.
But I would not promise them anything now, say instead "I am intend on fixing what is wrong at United, and your input is very valuable, if its ok, I want to call you back in 3-6 months, and tell you what we are doing, and see if I can entice you back."
Sep 10, 2015, 11:27 am
#87
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Jun 2005
Posts: 57,612
Oscar - before you depart on your "listening tour," I recommend bringing all your senior managers together and showing them this video.
You might want to bring it with you on your trip to the field, and show it to them as well.
Good luck!
You might want to bring it with you on your trip to the field, and show it to them as well.
Good luck!
Sep 10, 2015, 11:42 am
#88
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Nov 2004
Location: ORD
Programs: UA 1K
Posts: 16,901
Oscar - before you depart on your "listening tour," I recommend bringing all your senior managers together and showing them this video.
https://youtu.be/mU2rpcAABbA
You might want to bring it with you on your trip to the field, and show it to them as well.
Good luck!
https://youtu.be/mU2rpcAABbA
You might want to bring it with you on your trip to the field, and show it to them as well.
Good luck!
Sep 10, 2015, 11:49 am
#89
Join Date: Dec 2002
Location: LI, NY
Programs: AA PLT, AAdv since Day One
Posts: 2,682
Oscar - before you depart on your "listening tour," I recommend bringing all your senior managers together and showing them this video.
https://youtu.be/mU2rpcAABbA
You might want to bring it with you on your trip to the field, and show it to them as well.
Good luck!
https://youtu.be/mU2rpcAABbA
You might want to bring it with you on your trip to the field, and show it to them as well.
Good luck!
Thanks for bringing it back.^
Sep 10, 2015, 12:12 pm
#90
Join Date: Jun 2001
Location: Brattleboro, VT
Posts: 706
Dear Mr. Munoz,
Some of the things that drove me from UA cannot be changed. You can't bring back the staff at BDL who served me loyally for many years and were forced to choose between resigning and being paid $10 an hour by a contractor. This was one of many things, during the reign of your predecessor, that made UA an unattractive alirline to fly. Despite being a high elite and MM with UA, I now fly B6 as an elite and am fairly happy with them ( no change or cancellation fees).
If you made an effort to try to win me back, I would be glad to consider it. I won't tell you any specifics, just make UA an attractive place for business flyers (who fly between 75-100k miles a year) to fly on again. I need to be sold on UA. If you successfully sell me, I'll come back.
A former UA customer
Some of the things that drove me from UA cannot be changed. You can't bring back the staff at BDL who served me loyally for many years and were forced to choose between resigning and being paid $10 an hour by a contractor. This was one of many things, during the reign of your predecessor, that made UA an unattractive alirline to fly. Despite being a high elite and MM with UA, I now fly B6 as an elite and am fairly happy with them ( no change or cancellation fees).
If you made an effort to try to win me back, I would be glad to consider it. I won't tell you any specifics, just make UA an attractive place for business flyers (who fly between 75-100k miles a year) to fly on again. I need to be sold on UA. If you successfully sell me, I'll come back.
A former UA customer