AA australian calls now directed to Fiji (and the Phillipines)

[MelUser]

Calls from australia and NZ (and other English language calls in Asia/Pacific) are now directed to a call centre in Fiji.

There is still a call centre in Brisbane. This is a shame as Brisbane office knew tricks in dealing with Qantas tickets.

Having said that I have just got some Y-J mileage upgrades on QF 081 tickets with AA flights and convinced AA to reissue tickets with 001 ticket numbers. (This takes a hell of a lot of pushing in my part though!)

 

[serfty]

Interestingly, the front office for the Fiji centre is still located in Brisbane; calls just go to Fiji. The set up is termed a "Virtual Call Centre".

www.nsc.net.au/index.php/download_file/-/view/244/

...
After extensive consideration of the best way to connect calls to Fiji, Mindpearl hit upon the
idea of using a single, virtual, call centre infrastructure to provide services to both its Brisbane
and Suva operations. Doing so, Clarke reasoned, would give the company the ability to hold
calls in the low-cost telephony environment of Brisbane. Only once an agent became available
in Suva would the company then connect the call to Fiji, saving money on every call.
This solution would also see the company use a single set of core contact centre infrastructure
in Brisbane, a location where trained staff from Mindpearl’s preferred vendors are readily
available around the clock. ...

Fiji Islands Trade & Investment Bureau : Air Pacific's Outsourced Telephone Reservations Commences - Printer Friendly Version

Here's a y/t Blurb:

YouTube - ‪MINDPEARL FIJI 4min‬‏

 

[Sprucegoose]

Yes I have had a run in with one ethnic minority there who refused to believe I got different fares between the US site and AUS site and I wanted to waive the $25 person booking fee. She wouldn't even put me through to her supervisor.I ended up talking to someone reasonable in BNE and it was resolved satisfactorily

 

[Princess Fiona]

Think I've just had world record service from the AA Australian customer service number.
One ring and it was answered and very efficient rep able to allocate my preferred seats on 081 ticket nos.

 

[dfcatch]

Re: The totally off-topic thread

Think I've just had world record service from the AA Australian customer service number.
One ring and it was answered and very efficient rep able to allocate my preferred seats on 081 ticket nos.

Really? They spoke English?

Maybe their call centre is down and calls are being routed to the US

 

[Princess Fiona]

Re: The totally off-topic thread

Really? They spoke English?

Maybe their call centre is down and calls are being routed to the US

They did speak English but not with an American accent

 

[Simo]

Re: The totally off-topic thread

To my knowledge AA's call centre is based in MNL.

 

[Princess Fiona]

Re: The totally off-topic thread

To my knowledge AA's call centre is based in MNL.

Seem to be a fair bit better than Virgin Money

 

[serfty]

To my knowledge AA's call centre is based in MNL.

For Australia, AA have outsourced to Mindpearl in Brisbane.

Well, that's where the head office is, the actual call centre is in Fiji.

<as per this thread>

Before then it had been in BNE for three years after a period of very ordinary service from IndiAA.

http://www.australianfrequentflyer....vantage/aa-call-centre-coming-back-12397.html

 

[drron]

Well the call centre may be in Fiji but some calls are certainly answered in Manilla.September last year the woman who booked my upcoming award certainly sounded Fillipino and confirmed it when I asked her.And she was very good.She certainly looked for alternatives for example I initially wanted to go BKK-HEL-BUD-IST-thank goodness MA couldn't come up with an Aaward seat.She found BKK-HEL-AMS-IST with AMS-IST on KLM-I didn't know that could be done.
However it was also good because it was her first week in the job so she took my advice as to flights without query and we ended up BKK-AMM-IST.i was very happy with the service.

 

[Simo]

In MNL there is a massive area where many call centres are based.

There is app 100 000 staff working in call centres and I know that AA has a large call centre.

 

[dfcatch]

In MNL there is a massive area where many call centres are based.

There is app 100 000 staff working in call centres and I know that AA has a large call centre.

Yes but not for the Australian number. AFAIK.

 

[MrJetset]

I'm not opposed to foreign call centres, in fact it helps people earn an income in countries such as Fiji, Manila, India and Egypt. Sad that this is what university graduates aspire to become.

My issue with the AA call centre in Fiji is that despite the AAdvantage profile appearing in front of them, they misspelt the 2nd pax's name (it's the same as mine we just had separate redemptions) for an EY redemption. I called AAdvantage in the US countless times who said they would contact EY to prior to ticketing to fix the name. Long story short, despite being assured it wouldn't happen, the reservation wasn't protected by AA, got cancelled by EY and the inventory disappeared.

My contacts at EY have said that their ticketing department have started to receive an influx of calls about this ever since they partnered with AA, so perhaps language skills need to be significantly improved.

In the end we chose different dates and had to alter all of our travel plans.

 

[Princess Fiona]

I called AA today in the US as a couple of the recent schedule changes require me to re-book a segment of a multi-city trip.
When I talked to the automated voice it put me through to the Platinum desk, very impressed
The operator took one look at the booking and said the magic words "Mileage Run" and completed the re-booking very quickly.

 

[dfcatch]

I called AA today in the US as a couple of the recent schedule changes require me to re-book a segment of a multi-city trip.
When I talked to the automated voice it put me through to the Platinum desk, very impressed
The operator took one look at the booking and said the magic words "Mileage Run" and completed the re-booking very quickly.

I always find the automated system to be very good in putting me through to the Exec Plat desk - 98% of the time. It's excellent.

 

[drron]

Finally hit the proverbial brick wall today.called the BNE number and obviously answered in Manilla.
So asked to use my last EVIPs on DFW-NRT sector.
A.But they can only be used on domestic flights.
Me.No they are called system wide upgrades for a reason.
A.No only domestic.
Me.Well i have done it a few times in the past.
A.I will speak to my supervisor.
A.We cant upgrade that sector because it can only be done if you have started your trip.
Me.Sorry that is incorrect.
A.Hold the line.
A.We cant up[grade you because it is a QF ticket.
Me.I have done this before and I realise you reticket on AA.
A.Hold the line please.
A.My supervisor says we cant reissue so we can not upgrade you.
Me.Well tell your supervisor that he/she knows very little of system wide upgrades and that I am unhappy and will ring America.

 

[k3nnis]

lol. did the USA number give you the upgrade?

 

[drron]

lol. did the USA number give you the upgrade?

No as I am ringing from work i will give the BNE number another ring tomorrow.The old adage-if you get an agent who is clueless keep ringing until you find one who gives you the answer you want.

 

[serfty]

Strange it went to MNL - I though Mindpearl in Fiji was 24H.

 

[drron]

Strange it went to MNL - I though Mindpearl in Fiji was 24H.

My calls have recently have all been answered in Manilla.See post 10 when I actually asked but then it was the best service I have had from AA including their elite desks.Just luck of the draw.