Wow...I can’t believe that employee on employee on customer treatment
May 10, 2018, 8:45 pm
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: CLE, DCA, and 30k feet
Programs: Honors LT Diamond; United 1K; Hertz PC
Posts: 4,167
Wow...I can’t believe that employee on employee on customer treatment
I’m not even sure how to TLDR this.
At IAD A3 was asking the agent working the central podium what the deal was with 4948 (which is supposed to turn to my CLE 4995) since it’s been showing “taxing to runway’ for 2+ hours. While he was calling ops for me, someone barged up to the counter and said “Real quick do you know how to look up a baggage tag?”
Since he was on the phone (and still actively helping me) I said that she could use the app. She barked back “oh I know how to look up a baggage tag, I just don’t think he does”.
When she turned to me I realized that she wasn’t just an obnoxious customer but she was a UA employee. When the original agent was off the phone she informed both of us that there was a customer at the CSC that was yelling at her because “someone” told the passenger that there was no way to tell where bags were and she wanted to know if he was competent. (I know the ‘gentleman’ she was referring to — it was a PBI E145 that had something like 20 standbys and only cleared 4, while simultaneously trying to board 3 other flights, so agents were directing questions and uncleared standbys to the CSC)
Am I unreasonable to think it’s e
unprofessional for an agent to interrupt another agent who is helping a customer and that it’s extremely unprofessional to berate that agent in front of a customer?
At IAD A3 was asking the agent working the central podium what the deal was with 4948 (which is supposed to turn to my CLE 4995) since it’s been showing “taxing to runway’ for 2+ hours. While he was calling ops for me, someone barged up to the counter and said “Real quick do you know how to look up a baggage tag?”
Since he was on the phone (and still actively helping me) I said that she could use the app. She barked back “oh I know how to look up a baggage tag, I just don’t think he does”.
When she turned to me I realized that she wasn’t just an obnoxious customer but she was a UA employee. When the original agent was off the phone she informed both of us that there was a customer at the CSC that was yelling at her because “someone” told the passenger that there was no way to tell where bags were and she wanted to know if he was competent. (I know the ‘gentleman’ she was referring to — it was a PBI E145 that had something like 20 standbys and only cleared 4, while simultaneously trying to board 3 other flights, so agents were directing questions and uncleared standbys to the CSC)
Am I unreasonable to think it’s e
unprofessional for an agent to interrupt another agent who is helping a customer and that it’s extremely unprofessional to berate that agent in front of a customer?
May 10, 2018, 8:59 pm
#2
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2015
Posts: 11,469
I’m not even sure how to TLDR this.
At IAD A3 was asking the agent working the central podium what the deal was with 4948 (which is supposed to turn to my CLE 4995) since it’s been showing “taxing to runway’ for 2+ hours. While he was calling ops for me, someone barged up to the counter and said “Real quick do you know how to look up a baggage tag?”
Since he was on the phone (and still actively helping me) I said that she could use the app. She barked back “oh I know how to look up a baggage tag, I just don’t think he does”.
When she turned to me I realized that she wasn’t just an obnoxious customer but she was a UA employee. When the original agent was off the phone she informed both of us that there was a customer at the CSC that was yelling at her because “someone” told the passenger that there was no way to tell where bags were and she wanted to know if he was competent. (I know the ‘gentleman’ she was referring to — it was a PBI E145 that had something like 20 standbys and only cleared 4, while simultaneously trying to board 3 other flights, so agents were directing questions and uncleared standbys to the CSC)
Am I unreasonable to think it’s e
unprofessional for an agent to interrupt another agent who is helping a customer and that it’s extremely unprofessional to berate that agent in front of a customer?
At IAD A3 was asking the agent working the central podium what the deal was with 4948 (which is supposed to turn to my CLE 4995) since it’s been showing “taxing to runway’ for 2+ hours. While he was calling ops for me, someone barged up to the counter and said “Real quick do you know how to look up a baggage tag?”
Since he was on the phone (and still actively helping me) I said that she could use the app. She barked back “oh I know how to look up a baggage tag, I just don’t think he does”.
When she turned to me I realized that she wasn’t just an obnoxious customer but she was a UA employee. When the original agent was off the phone she informed both of us that there was a customer at the CSC that was yelling at her because “someone” told the passenger that there was no way to tell where bags were and she wanted to know if he was competent. (I know the ‘gentleman’ she was referring to — it was a PBI E145 that had something like 20 standbys and only cleared 4, while simultaneously trying to board 3 other flights, so agents were directing questions and uncleared standbys to the CSC)
Am I unreasonable to think it’s e
unprofessional for an agent to interrupt another agent who is helping a customer and that it’s extremely unprofessional to berate that agent in front of a customer?
In any case, sounds unprofessional, which is one of saying it s
unds like UA.
May 10, 2018, 9:39 pm
#3
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Nov 2014
Location: MSP
Programs: DL PM, UA Gold, WN, Global Entry; +others wherever miles/points are found
Posts: 14,424
Seems like generally unprofessional and rude behavior, period. Agree it doesn't seem clear if she noticed she was in front of a customer.
Hope you get home "tonight".. 4948 was indeed in the box for a while, but looks like you got frame swapped.
Confusing since the first frame is just going sit on the ground at IAD until tomorrow morning.
Hope you get home "tonight".. 4948 was indeed in the box for a while, but looks like you got frame swapped.
Code:
4948/10MAY P EWR/OUT 810P L03.05 ☨ P EWR/OFF 1025P P IAD/ON 1106P P IAD/IN 1112P L04.28 ☨ D FCF/*** NO HOTELS IN IAD/DCA AREA. PLZ REMOVE MISCNX. *** D HDQ/EWR IAD PROT UNDER GG CN2 O47
Code:
4995/10MAY
F IAD/ETD 140A L03.35 AWAITING FLT 4993
F CLE/ETA 259A L03.35
SKED IAD ORIG 1005P GTD A3E SHIP 9161
CLE 1124P TERM GTA C23
May 10, 2018, 9:55 pm
#4
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Oct 2001
Location: Austin, TX
Posts: 21,417
Back in the pmCO days, I once was trying to process a TOD on IAH-HNL, and the customer service rep was running into some issues. One of her coworkers came and started berating her, saying that she couldn't hold an HNL flight. When the outburst was done, I told the agent that I'd happily take flight 72 instead of flight 1 (10 AM departure vs. 8 AM departure, IIRC); she thanked me, called the gate to release CO1, and was able to get me into J on CO72.
To this day, I have regretted two things: (a) I didn't interrupt the yelling agent and tell her that she had no business treating her colleague like this, especially in front of a customer, and (b) I didn't get the helpful agent's name. I did write in to customer service, but without a name I don't know that it ever made it into her file.
OP: Please report this. UA is a better airline for everyone when employees treat each other (and us!) courteously.
May 10, 2018, 9:57 pm
#5
Original Poster
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: CLE, DCA, and 30k feet
Programs: Honors LT Diamond; United 1K; Hertz PC
Posts: 4,167
Seems like generally unprofessional and rude behavior, period. Agree it doesn't seem clear if she noticed she was in front of a customer.
Hope you get home "tonight".. 4948 was indeed in the box for a while, but looks like you got frame swapped.
Confusing since the first frame is just going sit on the ground at IAD until tomorrow morning.
Hope you get home "tonight".. 4948 was indeed in the box for a while, but looks like you got frame swapped.
Code:
4948/10MAY P EWR/OUT 810P L03.05 ☨ P EWR/OFF 1025P P IAD/ON 1106P P IAD/IN 1112P L04.28 ☨ D FCF/*** NO HOTELS IN IAD/DCA AREA. PLZ REMOVE MISCNX. *** D HDQ/EWR IAD PROT UNDER GG CN2 O47
Code:
4995/10MAY F IAD/ETD 140A L03.35 AWAITING FLT 4993 F CLE/ETA 259A L03.35 SKED IAD ORIG 1005P GTD A3E SHIP 9161 CLE 1124P TERM GTA C23
Confusing since the first frame is just going sit on the ground at IAD until tomorrow morning.
The gate area is turning hostile; if it does wind up cxling I think here may be violence involved. Pax feel the airline is intentionally lying/misrepresenting the state of things, though the agent is taking it admirably.
May 11, 2018, 7:39 pm
#7
Original Poster
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: CLE, DCA, and 30k feet
Programs: Honors LT Diamond; United 1K; Hertz PC
Posts: 4,167
I can't figure out how to get multiquote to work but to JSloan... I mean I was business casual but my laptop bag has a 1K yellow handle wrap on it [along with my running flag collection of countries I've visited] so I wouldn't think the first assumption would be that I was an employee; she certainly didn't take the time to listen to what was being said before barging in. And completely agree -- that type of tone shouldn't be used in a back office (though still horrible as far as "treat others as you'd like to be treated"/common courtesy goes), but to borrow Disney's parlance has no business "on stage" where customers can see here/it. Courtesy goes a long way in all directions.
Yep. According to my security system I finally made it home at 4:07am. Spent all day today feeling jetlagged which is amazing since I haven't changed time zones in at least a few weeks; thankfully I can work from home and my only client-facing call today was at 14:00 so I was at least coherent by then.
Pulled a supervisor aside and had a discreet conversation about my concerns (you know, like the agent in question probably should have) with the behavior/courtesy issue and he said he'd address it and knew both agents.
Emailed 1KV about the failure-after-failure-after-failure that made for this flight, none of it the agent/crews doing but someone "above" not taking proactive steps (minimally even something as simple as having someone from ops pick up our inbound FA from C22 rather than making her hike to A3 (the last thing we needed to get off the ground and the last 30ish minutes of the delay).
Pulled a supervisor aside and had a discreet conversation about my concerns (you know, like the agent in question probably should have) with the behavior/courtesy issue and he said he'd address it and knew both agents.
Emailed 1KV about the failure-after-failure-after-failure that made for this flight, none of it the agent/crews doing but someone "above" not taking proactive steps (minimally even something as simple as having someone from ops pick up our inbound FA from C22 rather than making her hike to A3 (the last thing we needed to get off the ground and the last 30ish minutes of the delay).
May 11, 2018, 7:48 pm
#8
Join Date: Jan 2016
Programs: UA 1K; *G, AA Plat
Posts: 1,700
I can't figure out how to get multiquote to work but to JSloan... I mean I was business casual but my laptop bag has a 1K yellow handle wrap on it [along with my running flag collection of countries I've visited] so I wouldn't think the first assumption would be that I was an employee; she certainly didn't take the time to listen to what was being said before barging in.
May 11, 2018, 8:07 pm
#9
Join Date: Feb 2016
Programs: Hyatt Globalist | Jumpseat Platinum
Posts: 546
I don't think front-line employees are as aware of the yellow wraps as Mileageplus is. I fly with mine and when seated in F (domestic), was asked if I was an employee when a late boarding passenger came on and was looking for baggage space. I identified the bag as mine and stated I was not an employee to a FA and she looked a bit puzzled seeing the "United" on the yellow wrap, but she said ok and nothing further came from it.
OP, I'm sorry you had to deal with that. I hope it was just a human moment and it's not indicative of a larger issue
May 11, 2018, 8:14 pm
#10
Join Date: Dec 2010
Location: San Francisco, CA (SFO)
Programs: UA 1K, UA .53 MM, Marriott Gold, Nexus, GE, TSA Pre, Hertz PC
Posts: 581
Seems like generally unprofessional and rude behavior, period. Agree it doesn't seem clear if she noticed she was in front of a customer.
Hope you get home "tonight".. 4948 was indeed in the box for a while, but looks like you got frame swapped.
Confusing since the first frame is just going sit on the ground at IAD until tomorrow morning.
Hope you get home "tonight".. 4948 was indeed in the box for a while, but looks like you got frame swapped.
Code:
4948/10MAY P EWR/OUT 810P L03.05 ☨ P EWR/OFF 1025P P IAD/ON 1106P P IAD/IN 1112P L04.28 ☨ D FCF/*** NO HOTELS IN IAD/DCA AREA. PLZ REMOVE MISCNX. *** D HDQ/EWR IAD PROT UNDER GG CN2 O47
Code:
4995/10MAY F IAD/ETD 140A L03.35 AWAITING FLT 4993 F CLE/ETA 259A L03.35 SKED IAD ORIG 1005P GTD A3E SHIP 9161 CLE 1124P TERM GTA C23
Confusing since the first frame is just going sit on the ground at IAD until tomorrow morning.
May 12, 2018, 10:48 am
#12
Suspended
Join Date: Aug 2017
Location: LAX, BOS, and Seat 1A
Programs: DL Plat, VS Gold, UA Plat, VX Gold (RIP), AS MVP 75K, Starriot Plat, Hertz President's Circle
Posts: 387
May 13, 2018, 2:20 pm
#13
formerly 1984SW
Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: Merida, Yucatan, Mexico
Programs: UA
Posts: 1,058
May 13, 2018, 3:19 pm
#14
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 2011
Location: RNO
Programs: AA/DL/UA
Posts: 10,778
I don't think front-line employees are as aware of the yellow wraps as Mileageplus is. I fly with mine and when seated in F (domestic), was asked if I was an employee when a late boarding passenger came on and was looking for baggage space. I identified the bag as mine and stated I was not an employee to a FA and she looked a bit puzzled seeing the "United" on the yellow wrap, but she said ok and nothing further came from it.