Qantas ground staff training inadequacies becoming more prevalent

[pshepvic]

It is clearly stated in the FAQ that you can use your QFF card without printed BP. There is no limitation to NGCI ports. For me that says it is officially supported.

Absolutely - and that's the whole reason I started this thread - it something is published on the website, the staff should be aware of it. Simple. It should be part of their training (classroom & on the job) when they start, and it should be part of their ongoing training and communications for existing staff.

There is no excuse for staff not to know a FF card can be used as a BP - in fact, I would have thought staff would think this sort of thing is pretty cool, so that indicates to me that they probably haven't been trained properly or advised of it.

 

[thewinchester]

Absolutely agree with this 100%. I've previously worked in Learning & Development for around 6 years, and when designing and running training programs I've always ensured they have been a blended learning approach.

Training does not stop in the classroom - you can't shove people in a room for 4 weeks and expect them to remember everything, completely agree. That's why when I run a course, I have the trainees go out into the "real" work environment almost every day, to give them a true perspective of the job, and bring back to the training room real life experiences and questions.

So, when I say that training is lacking, that doesn't just mean classroom training. I mean that the staff are not given enough training and experiential learning in the real world as well. It's also important to expose them to different parts of the business - just because someone only works on the check in desk doesn't mean they shouldn't go to the gate and see how the flights are boarded, or spend a few hours on the tarmac with the baggage handlers and crew there, or spend some time in the air with cabin crew. They should have all these experiences, to know what happens right across the organisation. They might have a better understanding of the issues that travellers experience, and why they get frustrated when staff don't know the rules.

Qantas might do this, I don't know. But if they do, I still don't think it is efficient enough, when the staff still don't know basic company policies. And for existing staff, it doesn't take much to keep them updated when changes occur.

As someone who runs training courses regularly and has worked at the upper echelons of a University, I couldn't agree with your approach more. It's also funny, because I had a conversation along these exact same lines just last week with another AFF member via Facebook.

It's important that adult learners are given opportunities to practice the knowledge gained without fear of something going wrong - and preferably as close as possible to when they learn it for maximum practical advantage. This helps students achieve maximum knowledge and connects the theory back to reality and reasons.

Case in point - a recent training course I ran for staff who've started editing and maintaining our corporate Intranet for the first time. You could sit there and blast them with theory and best practice all day - most of which they would go back to their desks and forget inside 5min.

Or - you can take the better option and put the theory into practice during the course. Give them the opportunity to use what they have learned, identify those who've not kept up or missed out critical concepts and information, and do so in an environ where they can evaluate results and output as a group to learn from each other.

After all - the goal is to have them learn and be more efficient in their tasks, why not put it to use as soon as possible if only to identify problems (or poor learners) before they become a real issue affecting customers.

 

[Danger]

Absolutely - and that's the whole reason I started this thread - it something is published on the website, the staff should be aware of it.

If we're talking discrepancies between the website/stated benefits and what happens in practice then I raise my hand firmly in the air for priority boarding. It's discussed in length in this thread (my rants are in posts 201 and 230) but the bottom line is, despite being fairly clearly displayed as a benefit for WPs, it rarely seems to happen.

 

[medhead]

Absolutely - and that's the whole reason I started this thread - it something is published on the website, the staff should be aware of it. Simple.

Umm, I was actually replying to a point raised in another post. Not really to do with the reason for starting the thread.
:-|

 

[pshepvic]

Umm, I was actually replying to a point raised in another post. Not really to do with the reason for starting the thread.
:-|

Now I'm confused! You said that it clearly says in the FAQs that the FF card can be used as a BP but staff don't know that ... which IMHO is a result of lack of sufficient or effective training and was also the example I used to highlight the problem, which is what this thread is about! Or have I misunderstood your post? Or has my iPad managed to mix up two different threads & the comments? (has happened before!)

 

[pshepvic]

If we're talking discrepancies between the website/stated benefits and what happens in practice then I raise my hand firmly in the air for priority boarding. It's discussed in length in this thread (my rants are in posts 201 and 230) but the bottom line is, despite being fairly clearly displayed as a benefit for WPs, it rarely seems to happen.

Totally agree ... although I only hit WP today so can't really comment!

This is something that I thought DJ were actually doing much better than QF ... until my flight from Mel-SYD yesterday morning when boarding started before any announcement and it was like a pack of vultures swarming around the gate.

Anyway, bring in American Airlines style Priority AAccess boarding lanes I say!

 

[medhead]

Now I'm confused! You said that it clearly says in the FAQs that the FF card can be used as a BP but staff don't know that ... which IMHO is a result of lack of sufficient or effective training and was also the example I used to highlight the problem, which is what this thread is about! Or have I misunderstood your post? Or has my iPad managed to mix up two different threads & the comments? (has happened before!)

I was replying to something someone else posted. I said it clearly says XYZ in replete someone else. Not as a general reply to the thread, that is why I quoted the other post. So I'm just saying that I'm not sure that requires an explanation of the reasons for starting the thread

 

[drron]

Very good, and I have used the card for boarding and lounge access for most of this year in many ports. Except not for lounge access in ADL and now (as mentioned) boarding in ADL also seems to have failed in the last 2 weeks.

Well Thursday morning at the ADL QP mrsdrron strode past the lounge dragons with her WP card in her outstretched hand-just went straight in.And again at the MEL J lounge.

 

[dizperliz]

Having seen the entire training program delivered to all staff that are involved in the ground area (bag drop) and associated areas; it is very thorough and the business has covered all of the aspects that will be enhanced. This is merely the individual, which seems to be quite a few of late. A real shame.

 

[pshepvic]

Having seen the entire training program delivered to all staff that are involved in the ground area (bag drop) and associated areas; it is very thorough and the business has covered all of the aspects that will be enhanced. This is merely the individual, which seems to be quite a few of late. A real shame.

So for those who are being trained on NGCI, bag drop etc - how long do they spend at the gate watching/performing the boarding process? Training shouldn't just be limited to the area they're working in...if they have seen this, then how do we provided feedback that there are staff who don't understan the correct procedures?

 

[TheInsider]

So for those who are being trained on NGCI, bag drop etc - how long do they spend at the gate watching/performing the boarding process? Training shouldn't just be limited to the area they're working in...if they have seen this, then how do we provided feedback that there are staff who don't understan the correct procedures?

Well at MEL they seem to not train staff in many areas at all. The only time they train in other areas besides check-in, bag drop etc, is when you have been there for 7+ years or have some kind of connection with the managers.

Just another reason why staff are so disengaged with the company.

 

[medhead]

Well Thursday morning at the ADL QP mrsdrron strode past the lounge dragons with her WP card in her outstretched hand-just went straight in.And again at the MEL J lounge.

Good to know. Maybe my feedback worked after all. I had a bit of a chat with QF last monday about the situation at ADL. Look forward to seeing what happens tomorrow morning.

 

[dizperliz]

The actual checkin process for them as an agent, has not changed since Altea was first introduced. No need to 'intensive' training as was seen widely when Altea was introduced as its merely a cosmetic change, the training just explains what changes for the customer as their role hardly changes. The only major affect is there's more 'hosting' of the experience. I guess its just ignorance amongst staff who refuse to accept change.

 

[ozbeachbabe]

The actual checkin process for them as an agent, has not changed since Altea was first introduced. No need to 'intensive' training as was seen widely when Altea was introduced as its merely a cosmetic change, the training just explains what changes for the customer as their role hardly changes. The only major affect is there's more 'hosting' of the experience. I guess its just ignorance amongst staff who refuse to accept change.

I know of QF Staff who were disappointed with their NGCI training which consisted of all this small group exercise, team hug, role play stuff facilitated by some marketing whiz kid who had no background in the airline industry. Not once did they actually get to use the NGCI kiosk that was sitting in their training room throughout!

I don't think it's a case of 'ignorant staff who refuse to accept change' but management who have no experience in the airline industry making decisions about what staff need when they're not qualified to do so. All staff want to know is how the system works so they can help the customer with the process. :!:

 

[dizperliz]

I see your point, however it must be kept in mind that many staff were not happy with NGCI as they felt it endangered their job security ect and were resisting change (ie: audibly negative to the customer about the change).

 

[ozbeachbabe]

I see your point, however it must be kept in mind that many staff were not happy with NGCI as they felt it endangered their job security ect and were resisting change (ie: audibly negative to the customer about the change).

I guess it's fear of the unknown. I think sometimes people stress out too much about issues that don't end up affecting them. The things that will affect them are ones that are not even foreseen by the individual.

I have spoken to a lot of people who have used NGCI & love it, so I think it's a case of not listening to any negativity until you've tried it for yourself.

 

[pshepvic]

I know of QF Staff who were disappointed with their NGCI training which consisted of all this small group exercise, team hug, role play stuff facilitated by some marketing whiz kid who had no background in the airline industry. Not once did they actually get to use the NGCI kiosk that was sitting in their training room throughout!

I don't think it's a case of 'ignorant staff who refuse to accept change' but management who have no experience in the airline industry making decisions about what staff need when they're not qualified to do so. All staff want to know is how the system works so they can help the customer with the process. :!:

The thing is, you don't even have to work in the airline industry to be able to work out what training is required. Any training professional would know that they would need to use the system to understand it properly - both in the classroom and in the real world. And that includes training everywhere there are changes - at check in, at the gate, at the QP etc.