Call centres

[jb747]

As a long time QF employee, I've read the call centre threads with increasing horror. I cannot imagine many better ways of getting rid of passengers, than the treatment that seems to be meted out not only as a matter of course, but apparently as the selected level of service. QF aren't the only ones guilty of this, it's quite widespread.

Over the past few days I've had some level of trepidation in having to deal with Centrelink, medical insurance, ambulance, and aged care people. Whilst there's often been a wait of 30 minutes or so, without exception I've then managed to get through to a pleasant, knowledgable person, each of whom fixed whatever I was after with minimal fuss.

So, Qantas, Telstra, etc...it can be done!

 

[Kerrodt]

JB, You’re absolutely right that it can be done.

It defies all of my logic and intellect to understand why QF, TLS and the other serial offenders in contact centre performance allow this to persist. Sure it can be a hard problem to fix and turn around once the rot sets in, but it never should deteriorate to these levels and for so long.

The executive in charge of contact centres would have regular reports on their desk on contract centre performance - minute by minute if they really want it - and all performance metrics would have to be screaming red. And if they are not red then either (a) the performance metrics are the wrong ones, and/or (b) the benchmarks are too low.

In any case, the said executive should be putting a lot of focus on understanding root cause of the adverse outliers in the metrics, as there seems to be a lot of them, and although in % terms they might not move the performance needle that much, they certainly are moving the public perception needle well into the wrong direction - and that is more fatal to a business than anything on a spreadsheet report of numbers and colours.

 

[theblank]

the recorded excuse (lie) that they have long wait times due to covid wore thin over a year ago, yet they still use it.

 

[bladeau1981]

Can't miss the metrics if they don't have any or don't listen to customer feedback. Likely the metric is how long is each person on the line for, which is why you get short answers and handballed and promised call backs that we all never know will happen.

 

[OATEK]

My last two call centre experiences were QF and Medicare. QF for flight changes, and Medicare for Covid vaccination for UK passport. Both excellent, I am on a run ....

 

[Telemachus]

FWIW I filled in a QF online survey recently: an email with a link arrived after it took several attempts (online form, 2 emails to the FF address) to get some eligible SCs credited. I took the opportunity to tell QF that high on the list of their current issues with customer interaction/satisfaction were two that are related:

• Customer-facing IT that does not permit us to do a whole array of things that ought to be feasible, or which only works some of the time, thus adding to the burden/volume of avoidable calls to the CCs;
• CCs staffed by contract staff, many of whom are new and inadequately trained, whose recent record of multiple significant errors (as documented on AFF) meant that I and other customers were reluctant to contact QFF by phone in relation to award bookings in particular.

The evidence of these systemic problems must be plain to see for the responsible QF execs. Just hard to understand why they aren’t moving harder and faster to fix this stuff. They could at least adhere to the principles of crisis communications and make public statements that contain franker acknowledgements of what exactly is wrong.

 

[DIVIC]

Another one to the list at the moment is Krisflyer. Have been trying for the last
three days to speak to a redemption person and there doesn't seem to be anyone
who can help.

 

[SeatBackForward]

You mean outsourcing has consequences? Bet the Powerpoint presentations never addressed that!

 

[Berlin]

Another one to the list at the moment is Krisflyer. Have been trying for the last
three days to speak to a redemption person and there doesn't seem to be anyone
who can help.

Yep- SQ aren't much better either, I had some horrid recent experiences with their call centre. And what I hear from friends in Europe from the likes of LH and co: There's always still space left in the race to the bottom...

 

[RooFlyer]

The evidence of these systemic problems must be plain to see for the responsible QF execs. Just hard to understand why they aren’t moving harder and faster to fix this stuff.

Probably because some middle (higher?) manager made a promise to the exec team that these problems wouldn't occur / have been addressed so now they can't outright "fix" them (would require a budget) because, of course, there is nothing to fix!

You mean outsourcing has consequences? Bet the Powerpoint presentations never addressed that!

See above


CBA used to have a shocker of an offshore call centre, but they brought them back on-shore and I haven't had a problem fixed or question not answer for as long as I can remember. Does it cost CBA more? Do I think that the CBA likes spending more money than it needs to?

Its surely a case of Qantas middle-upper management too scared to own up to problems to the exec because they fear the consequences from their own 'performance review'.

 

[harvyk]

Can they do it right? Absolutely, however that's not how you make money.

Right now there is a race not so much to the bottom, but rather to that sweet spot in the bell curve that makes the most money. I think in QF's case they have gambled a little too much and they have let the pendulum swing too far into the "treat your customers like dirt" area that "you'll still hang onto most of them" no longer rings true.

They however don't want to swing that pendulum it too far into the "helpful and wonderful to deal with" area because good will among customers only translates into so much business. If your customer has $1000 to spend on airfare, they will still only spend $1000 with you regardless if they get either good service, great service or exceptional service, and there is a good chance that they where still going to spend that $1000 with you even if you provided average service.

 

[bladeau1981]

FWIW I filled in a QF online survey recently: an email with a link arrived after it took several attempts (online form, 2 emails to the FF address) to get some eligible SCs credited. I took the opportunity to tell QF that high on the list of their current issues with customer interaction/satisfaction were two that are related:

• Customer-facing IT that does not permit us to do a whole array of things that ought to be feasible, or which only works some of the time, thus adding to the burden/volume of avoidable calls to the CCs;
• CCs staffed by contract staff, many of whom are new and inadequately trained, whose recent record of multiple significant errors (as documented on AFF) meant that I and other customers were reluctant to contact QFF by phone in relation to award bookings in particular.

The evidence of these systemic problems must be plain to see for the responsible QF execs. Just hard to understand why they aren’t moving harder and faster to fix this stuff. They could at least adhere to the principles of crisis communications and make public statements that contain franker acknowledgements of what exactly is wrong.

The customer facing IT is a big one, even there low cost subsidiary has a live chat that actually works for most things and you don't have to sit on hold for hours to talk to it.

 

[clifford]

Whoever "designed" the current CC setup should be sacked, because it was never going to solve the problem and treats customers as mugs who can be treated with contempt and fleeced.

A simple fix would be to get rid of the Cape Town CC and make the Suva/Manila CC's the default for all domestic/NZ (ie no International or partners) related issues. No exceptions for Plats either. Then beef up the onshore/NZ CC's and have them as the default for all Intl-related issues.

Problem fixed, and while they're at it, sack the execs involved in setting up and "managing" the current debacle.

 

[SeatBackForward]

Its surely a case of Qantas middle-upper management too scared to own up to problems to the exec because they fear the consequences from their own 'performance review'.

The people that caused it are unlikely to still be around. I worked for an organisation that had some ex-QF Exec staff that just followed each other around. The waltz in, talk themselves up, outsource what they can and present the savings to the bottom line. Pat themselves on the back then command a higher salary at their next gig showing off what they did previously. They dont ACTUALLY see the consequences of their actions.

 

[QF029]

I spent probably 10 hours all up in the Qantas queue making changes to my around the world itinerary for June.

I'm now up to platinum and haven't had to wait for than about 60 seconds however the knowledge disparity of the call centres is huge.

 

[RooFlyer]

They dont ACTUALLY see the consequences of their actions.

I dare say the CEO and Board don't see the consequences of the CEO's decisions either. Can you imagine Joycey waiting for hours to get through to the Cape Town Call centre when his flight gets cancelled?

No, silly me ... his flight wouldn't get cancelled, or rather, his flight would be immediately re-accommodated if there was a problem.

 

[Quickstatus]

his flight would be immediately re-accommodated if there was a problem.

I still remember the debacle at DXB when QF operated through there. Some say it was true, others say apocryphal when he was accommodated on an A380 at the expense of delayed customers. (IIRC)

 

[RooFlyer]

I still remember the debacle at DXB when QF operated through there. Some say it was true, others say apocryphal when he was accommodated on an A380 at the expense of delayed customers. (IIRC)

Trouble is, even if apocryphal, its only too easy to believe.

 

[exceladdict]

Can't miss the metrics if they don't have any or don't listen to customer feedback. Likely the metric is how long is each person on the line for, which is why you get short answers and handballed and promised call backs that we all never know will happen.

What you measure is what you manage!

The customer facing IT is a big one, even there low cost subsidiary has a live chat that actually works for most things and you don't have to sit on hold for hours to talk to it.

I had some (relatively) good experiences when qf briefly had live chat through their app circa 2019. Bankwest, Telstra, optus and many other organisations do live chat quite well and I honestly think it's low hanging fruit to bring it back.

Even the fact you can message and come back when convenient for you is a big deal.

 

[bladeau1981]

What you measure is what you manage!

I had some (relatively) good experiences when qf briefly had live chat through their app circa 2019. Bankwest, Telstra, optus and many other organisations do live chat quite well and I honestly think it's low hanging fruit to bring it back.

Even the fact you can message and come back when convenient for you is a big deal.

I recall having the live chat and SMS chat options on Qantas, I remember being in Sydney and messaging through while on a VC and then in the taxi to the airport to organise an earlier flight and it got sorted out over about 30mins without me being on the phone at all and responding pretty sporadically. It was a great experience when they had it and it worked. Then it disappeared.