Personalising travel experiences

[DisarmDoors]

It IS frustrating when you get the I'm-totally-over-it crew member, isn't it?

Get over it or get out, right?

Bacon sarnie with brown sauce....so good!

Hey, great chatting here...really enjoyed it.

Nice one,

Ben

 

[MEL_Traveller]

[grumpy old guy]
One thing I don't like is how a Qantas CSM usually works the J & F cabin. He (usually he) comes up and stands beside your seat. At that point you are obliged to give him your attention and stop what you are otherwise doing. He pauses, peering at his crib sheet ... he can't read it, or is confused by something. Eventually he works out the name and says with a smile "Mr RooFlyer, welcome back!" That's not personalization. Its quite faux.
[/grumpy old guy]

And that's a major difference between SQ/CX/LH F and someone like QF. None of the former have a crib sheet to read off to welcome you, they all have your name memorised before they get to the seat. The welcome on SQ is done before departure when you're getting settled... not in the middle of watching a movie. (come to think of it... maybe the QF welcome is done during the movie so you won't bother to ask for anything?).

 

[drron]

For me it is when the staff go that little further and appear genuine.Fortunately I seem to get this frequently.
Examples.AA.Have flown on 3 AA Transpac flights when Danno has been the purser.He not only remembers your name but even the wine you drink.On our last flight he was working the aisle with mrsdrron and I had the other FA working the F cabin.They got to our row at the same time.my FA asks what I would like to drink and Danno says he likes the Merlot,you can just leave him the bottle.see even knew how much I drank.
JAL.Had a medical emergency on a NRT-JFK flight.Two years later I was flying JAL NRT-BNE and it was the same purser.As I entered the cabin he says welcome drron,which seat would you like.
SGS Bangkok.Love the place and always go to the Living Room for happy hour and the jazz.The musicians come and talk to us during their breaks but the waitresses are the best.About our 6th visit our plane was delayed and instead of arriving at BKK at ~ 1600 arrived at 2300.Got to our room and there was amessage from the girls in the Living Room saying they missed us.
These sort of interactions are what makes me loyal.

 

[JohnK]

I'd be happy if every airline simply delivered what they promised to deliver in each class.

 

[DisarmDoors]

These are brilliant examples!

Some great interactions there...good people doing a bang-up job.

Love it.

Happy travels,

Ben

For me it is when the staff go that little further and appear genuine.Fortunately I seem to get this frequently.
Examples.AA.Have flown on 3 AA Transpac flights when Danno has been the purser.He not only remembers your name but even the wine you drink.On our last flight he was working the aisle with mrsdrron and I had the other FA working the F cabin.They got to our row at the same time.my FA asks what I would like to drink and Danno says he likes the Merlot,you can just leave him the bottle.see even knew how much I drank.
JAL.Had a medical emergency on a NRT-JFK flight.Two years later I was flying JAL NRT-BNE and it was the same purser.As I entered the cabin he says welcome drron,which seat would you like.
SGS Bangkok.Love the place and always go to the Living Room for happy hour and the jazz.The musicians come and talk to us during their breaks but the waitresses are the best.About our 6th visit our plane was delayed and instead of arriving at BKK at ~ 1600 arrived at 2300.Got to our room and there was amessage from the girls in the Living Room saying they missed us.
These sort of interactions are what makes me loyal.

 

[TomVexille]

With regards to personalization, NZ currently have "Welcome aboard [insert name]" displayed on the IFE screen.

 

[DisarmDoors]

Do you know if that's in every class, @TomVexille?

Cheers,

Ben

With regards to personalization, NZ currently have "Welcome aboard [insert name]" displayed on the IFE screen.

 

[TomVexille]

Do you know if that's in every class, @TomVexille?

Cheers,

Ben

I can't say for J and PE, but it's definitely in Y

 

[DisarmDoors]

I see....one would hope they be prepared in J (and maybe PE) with names at the ready.

I do like it when they don't have to glance down at the list of pax names before they address you.

Thanks for your thoughts/comments...appreciate it.

Nice one,

Ben

I can't say for J and PE, but it's definitely in Y

 

[TomVexille]

I see....one would hope they be prepared in J (and maybe PE) with names at the ready.

I do like it when they don't have to glance down at the list of pax names before they address you.

Thanks for your thoughts/comments...appreciate it.

Nice one,

Ben

I will say it did seem to impress the couple next to me on my last Trans Tasman flight.

 

[harvyk]

And that's a major difference between SQ/CX/LH F and someone like QF. None of the former have a crib sheet to read off to welcome you, they all have your name memorised before they get to the seat. The welcome on SQ is done before departure when you're getting settled... not in the middle of watching a movie. (come to think of it... maybe the QF welcome is done during the movie so you won't bother to ask for anything?).

Every time I've had the personal welcome it's been after I'm seated but whilst we're still at the gate. It's usually then followed with an offer of a drink. I'd say 50% of the time they have memorised my name, the other 50% they need a list. I have caught them a couple of times discreetly looking at a list prior to coming over...

The only time I haven't had the welcome in J was on a flight from MEL-CBR, I was glad that I hadn't paid for that flight as the whole service was worse than standard Y IMHO, it was tacked onto the end of a AKL-MEL flight for free ($0 and 0 points) thanks to a quirk with the points booking I was on, otherwise I'd have probably cared a little more. (The CSM / FA didn't want to be there, that was obvious)...

 

[serfty]

With regards to personalization, NZ currently have "Welcome aboard [insert name]" displayed on the IFE screen.

You can actually set the text that you want to be greeted by (/as) if you have an Airpoints account.

 

[TomVexille]

You can actually set the text that you want to be greeted by / as if you have an Airpoints account.

I do have an account, but I'm not likely to use it.

 

[harvyk]

You can actually set the text that you want to be greeted by (/as) if you have an Airpoints account.

Why???? :?::?::?:

Having a message appearing on the PTV, which I set via a profile just seems weird and extremely impersonal...
Edit: of course you could have some fun with it eg "Check out the babe in seat 7A"

 

[serfty]

Why???? :?::?::?:

Having a message appearing on the PTV, which I set via a profile just seems weird and extremely impersonal...
Edit: of course you could have some fun with it eg "Check out the babe in seat 7A"

Ha!

In that case it would show as "Welcome aboard Check out the babe in seat 7A"!

(Sorry, I was posting from a smartphone before and with the enforced brevity I did not pass the full concept across.)

 

[harvyk]

Ha!

In that case it would show as "Welcome aboard Check out the babe in seat 7A"!

(Sorry, I was posting from a smartphone before and with the enforced brevity I did not pass the full concept across.)

Put a comma in there and you could get some pretty strange looks... Eg "Welcome aboard, Check out the babe in seat 7A" or "Welcome aboard, the parcel is under the seat."

 

[CMak]

Stayed 3 times in an upmarket hotel in Quitto last year and on the second visit had the manager greet us to let us know that as we mentioned that we liked our room he arranged for us to have the same room again. In the room he had left a card welcoming us 'home'. Also had the same room on our third visit plus tickets to a nearby museum.
Really nice touches and I have recommended the hotel to others.
CMak