An experience of QF rudeness

[medhead]

I've read quiet a few bits and pieces on here recently, on the subject of cuase and effect of rudeness from QF customer service staff at the airport.

The general point is made that if one treats them with politeness and respect it will be returned. For the most part I agree with this.

However, I have one experience about 8 years ago, with what can only be described as a rude, sour cow (and possibly old).

As per normal I approached the QP priority check in counter with family and parents in tow, returning from a family holiday. Well you could see it in her face straight away - what are these scum doing over here. Needless to say I'm paid QP(corp), mum is life QP, dad was paid QP (non-corp). Being e-tickets out comes my photo ID, she didn't challenge me and did the check in. But the attitude was there in her dealing with me, and she bit my dad's head off for trying to put a second bag on the belt.

Anyway, I ignored this all (much to my later anger), then the cow starts putting on the luggage labels and there is no priority tag. So I challenged her. She says "Is there some reason you would deserve to have priority tags". Besides being a QC member?

Then she got stuck into me for not showing my QC membership card :!: Tells me I should have shown the members card to check in. (isn't the e-ticket condition that you have to show photo ID?) I opened my mouth at this point, but then turned and walked away.

After a long story, my point is that no matter how polite you are, totally unreasoned people are out there, even with QF.

I've also experienced similiar rudeness with the call center staff when questioning the timing of points crediting. But that came out after I point out how the policy doesn't logically match a particualr flight situation. I might have contributed to that by not meekly accepting my lot as a QFF

 

[Keith009]

Thanks for sharing, and thanks especially for being so elaborate.
Indeed, that sort of behaviour is unforgiveable and unjustified, especially seeing that it's, according to you, unprovoked.

I'm just wondering - did you follow up with a complaint to Qantas? And how was the response?

 

[Platy]

I must admit that I have normally found the customer facing staff in QF to be good, both at check in, in QP and on aircraft. My issues have usually been around the systems and policies that management either put into place or fail to manage.

That said, I have occasionally come across an unfortunate individual or incident, but could only cite four or five really poor examples in many years of travel at the "coal face" level.

I note that your example is a bad one, but is an old one. Not meaning to undermine the power of your experience, how has your more recent experience been?

On another tack, I normally presume polite, patient and logical response to be effective, but my own experience is that this does not always deliver a resolution with QF, or other suppliers, banks come to mind, (for example I have been patiently following the "system" over several weeks for a simple credit of points/SCs on a Starclass JQ flight, but as my "official" options are failing to deliver my patience is wearing thin and I am considering having to use high level contacts or more assertive discourse).

It is unfortunate that in many cases with QF I have had to resort to fairly rude and aggressive approaches when I have followed a sequence of polite and moderate interaction to no avail. Was less polite justified? No. not on "moral" grounds, but it was effective! Unfortunate, but true in my personal experience, that when you escalate your tenor or contact level somehow miraculously results quickly ensue. (yeah, yeah and before a volley of judgmental posters start to cry foul for lack of evidence, or over expectation on product, or expecting to be treated differently, etc, I'm talking about basic stuff like a doona for all pax in F, a reasonable refund period for $1,000s of cancelled flights, awarding points for flights taken, whatever, clear cut stuff).

As far as luggage labels are concerned the two times that I have been fortunate enough to travel F class LHR-SYD, checking in at F, priority labels were not attached until after my polite enquiry. The staff just simply couldn't be F"""""""g bothered. Thank goodenss I hadn't paid for the flights (just FF awards) - anyway situation resolved through polite intervention, but way bad customer service considering folk are paying the price of a small car for the return flight. On a business front this says loud and clear "no quality control". Would you accept a new car without seat belts fitted?

My conclusion = most staff good, but systems bad

 

[medhead]

Thanks for sharing, and thanks especially for being so elaborate.
Indeed, that sort of behaviour is unforgiveable and unjustified, especially seeing that it's, according to you, unprovoked.

I'm just wondering - did you follow up with a complaint to Qantas? And how was the response?

Elaborate - yep I could talk under wet cement.
Unprovoked - well she might have detected slight sarcasm when I said "besides being a QP member". However, I really did walk away just at the point where I wanted to use my parade ground voice and swear at her like a trooper.

Unfortunately, I didn't complain, because I saw it as an aberation, and I was fuming, so couldn't trust myself to speak to staff in the QP. This lack of complaint has been the cause of a few sleepless nights since, mainly because I didn't defend my father in dealing with the situation (i.e. I disrespected him).

 

[Platy]

Unfortunately, I didn't complain, because I saw it as an aberation, and I was fuming, so couldn't trust myself to speak to staff in the QP. This lack of complaint has been the cause of a few sleepless nights since, mainly because I didn't defend my father in dealing with the situation (i.e. I disrespected him).

Wow, an amazingly frank analysis. Thanks, Medhead!

 

[medhead]

I must admit that I have normally found the customer facing staff in QF to be good, both at check in, in QP and on aircraft. My issues have usually been around the systems and policies that management either put into place or fail to manage.

I note that your example is a bad one, but is an old one. Not meaning to undermine the power of your experience, how has your more recent experience been?

My conclusion = most staff good, but systems bad

In general, my experiences have been fair to excellent. Besides this one example. And yes it is an old example. I'm not looking to resolve my experience, but make the point that sometimes the normal good behaviours do not prevent rudeness.

As for my old experience, my issue certainly wasn't the missing luggage tags.

I not sure about the system problems. But my other experience of rudeness, from the call center, did relate to a system or policy issue. In this case logic just didn't enter the conversation. I could step through the logic process and the QF staff would agree at each step. But when I got to the conclusion the answer was sorry that is not the policy, all airlines do it how we do it, stop wasting my time. It was a never ending circle of agreement and then sorry its not the policy.

And the thing is I now doubt my own thinking on the whole issue. It's a big reason why I'm here bothering you all, to try to expand my knowledge.

 

[medhead]

Wow, an amazingly frank analysis. Thanks, Medhead!

I do try to be self aware and I will cast the first stone at myself when required.

 

[Platy]

And the thing is I now doubt my own thinking on the whole issue. It's a big reason why I'm here bothering you all, to try to expand my knowledge.

I personally can't fault your report, subsequent analysis, validity of responses (on all levels), Medhead!

(Mind you, many here don't agree with my personal take on stuff, which is part of the fun of a blog in which divergent opinions can be aired and compared! ).

 

[medhead]

Thanks

 

[glider]

Large organisations!

 

[glider]

Competition was supposed to change this

 

[simongr]

Competition is "designed" to make the market work to allow supply and demand to meet at an appropriate point - it is not designed to specifically give the consumer a better experience. That might be an outcome but I think is secondary at the moment.