QF call centre discussion

[MEL_Traveller]

Re: QF Platinum flying J or F waits forever too...

By the way, why does it take qantas so long to process and receipt an online purchase?

Because it goes into a queue and they ticket when they feel like it. This can lead to problems with award flights being cancelled because the airline hasn't ticketed in time.

To be fair however, AA has similar issues at the moment - can take 24, 48 even 72 hours to ticket.

 

[QFflyermelbourne]

Re: QF Platinum flying J or F waits forever too...

It's getting worse I think. For years as SG I never had more than a five or so minute wait. This year it's been a minimum of 20 mins with call back options. Always at least 15-20 mins after they estimated is the actual call back. Just called now and told current call back wait is 31-45 mins!!!

Hire more staff Alan!!!!!!!

 

[Buzzard]

Re: QF Platinum flying J or F waits forever too...

As an SG I've waited over an hour for a call back.
Actually I gave up waiting after an hour and went home from work.

 

[ozbeachbabe]

Re: Qantas call centre wait time for NB and non member (2 hours+)

Has anyone tried playing around on the website eg checking availability then dilly dallying before proceeding to book?

Several times even when I haven't even needed to speak to a CSR, a pop-up appears with an online agent offering to assist.

I don't believe this is linked to anyone's ff tier status.

 

[Deleted member 26544]

Re: Qantas call centre wait time for NB and non member (2 hours+)

Has anyone tried playing around on the website eg checking availability then dilly dallying before proceeding to book?

Several times even when I haven't even needed to speak to a CSR, a pop-up appears with an online agent offering to assist.

I don't believe this is linked to anyone's ff tier status.

I've used the online chat but the agent wasn't able to assist - wanted to switch an award booking from QF to EK but online agent couldn't see availability in the 'change system'. Telephone agent realised they needed to create it as a new booking and then cancel the existing one.

 

[vantage03]

Re: Qantas call centre wait time for NB and non member (2 hours+)

Even the premium line (Plat and CL) had an 11min wait time on the weekend, and I was calling from overseas.....

 

[Plutonus]

Re: Qantas call centre wait time for NB and non member (2 hours+)

Don't worry guys, Qantas Complaints told me the delays were because they closed their Brisbane call centre in order to make their Hobart one even better.

I couldn't even.

 

[JohnK]

Re: Qantas call centre wait time for NB and non member (2 hours+)

Even the premium line (Plat and CL) had an 11min wait time on the weekend, and I was calling from overseas.....

Premium line only available weekdays.

 

[Sdtravel]

Re: Qantas call centre wait time for NB and non member (2 hours+)

Even the premium line (Plat and CL) had an 11min wait time on the weekend, and I was calling from overseas.....

I can top that.
Waited 75 minutes on Monday calling from the US. Call was answered with "QF Premium". It didnt go well. Not only did the operator lie to me about fixing my seat assignment they suggested that it was a glitch on my end that i could see the seat as available in MMB. The seat i wanted was reserved for higher status pax (at T48 with EF showing it as free).

Called again and after 15 minutes got through to someone (they didnt answer as QF premium this time) who i almost thought was going to be just as unhelpful as we had a discussion on how my flight had no upper deck but they rechecked and corrected their mistake and then came through with all the changes i wanted.

So even the QF premium line is hit or miss.

 

[i want to fly]

Re: Qantas call centre wait time for NB and non member (2 hours+)

don't believe this is ff tier status related - pop up box came when i was checking seat details.
I have no status just bronze with qantas club membership.
The person responding didn't answer my query
as they didn't seem to understand what i was asking. My husband ended up calling and patiently waited for 1 hour for response - disgraceful that qantas has this long a wait time -

 

[N860CR]

Re: Qantas call centre wait time for NB and non member (2 hours+)

don't believe this is ff tier status related - pop up box came when i was checking seat details.
I have no status just bronze with qantas club membership.
The person responding didn't answer my query
as they didn't seem to understand what i was asking. My husband ended up calling and patiently waited for 1 hour for response - disgraceful that qantas has this long a wait time -

Certainly disgraceful... It doesn't seem to be changing though.

I genuinely believe it is a company "justification" to move the call centre operation even further offshore (i.e. To Manila rather than Auckland). If the customers are seriously inconvenienced, then management will have a great excuse.

Can't say it would be a bad move. After dealing with the st George bank call centre yesterday, I've certainly come to realize that Australians are just not very good at working in such roles

 

[Flying mermaid]

Re: Qantas call centre wait time for NB and non member (2 hours+)

So even the QF premium line is hit or miss.

I don't phone very often, as I hate phones, but in my limited experience, "premium line" now means you get through quickly rather than you get an experienced operator. I phoned a couple of weeks ago, around 11am, it was answered as premium and went through to Auckland and if I hadn't had info from here and could keep refusing to accept what I was being told, I would have had got nowhere.

I tried late afternoon recently and that seemed to go through to an Australian operator who had more experience and was incredibly helpful. Not that the NZ lass wasn't, she just had limited knowledge.

 

[katiebell]

Re: Qantas call centre wait time for NB and non member (2 hours+)

By contrast I called virgin on Friday late afternoon/early evening. I had no membership status and was answered within 1 minute. The operator was really helpful and efficient.

In contrast, even with WP status, in the last 18 months I have always waited longer for QF and have had some really unhelpful responses to the point where i gave up. This is a shame as the operators in the premium call centre that was in MEL were uniformly fantastic: courtesous, knowledgeable, helpful and with a good sense of humour.

As call centres are often the first point of call for customers with problems the staff who work there can have a massive influence as to whether a person stays a customer or takes her/his business elsewhere. Investing in these staff is good business and keeping saff local is also a good move (many UK businesses are onshoring call centres with very positive customer experiences)

 

[JohnK]

Re: Qantas call centre wait time for NB and non member (2 hours+)

Can't say it would be a bad move. After dealing with the st George bank call centre yesterday, I've certainly come to realize that Australians are just not very good at working in such roles

Can't say that's always true. The company I work for has one of the best call centres I have encountered and constantly ein industry awards but even they get the customer service part wrong occasionally.

The problem with Qantas is not the call centre but rather management and cost cutting. They have misunderstood that customer service is a very important part of doing business and should not be tampered with trying to cut costs.

 

[marki]

Re: Qantas call centre wait time for NB and non member (2 hours+)

Can't say that's always true. The company I work for has one of the best call centres I have encountered and constantly ein industry awards but even they get the customer service part wrong occasionally.

The problem with Qantas is not the call centre but rather management and cost cutting. They have misunderstood that customer service is a very important part of doing business and should not be tampered with trying to cut costs.

Very true, misunderstanding is more underestimating on Qantas's part. That is underestimating the value of good customer service and its value to the business. The QF managers appear to be disconnected from reality.

 

[katiebell]

Re: Qantas call centre wait time for NB and non member (2 hours+)

Can't say that's always true. The company I work for has one of the best call centres I have encountered and constantly ein industry awards but even they get the customer service part wrong occasionally.

The problem with Qantas is not the call centre but rather management and cost cutting. They have misunderstood that customer service is a very important part of doing business and should not be tampered with trying to cut costs.

Agree! Running any business on a low cost model does not encourage loyalty. Investing in front of house staff and services enhances customer experience and is more likely to create return business, possibly even loyalty. The call centre cuts are just bad business: a problem solved on first contact saves a lot of money and creates good will. These staff are really important.

The other area of a business that needs protecting is safety. Cuts need to be made where they do not affect either, e.g executive pay.

 

[hb13]

Calling Qantas - wait/hold time

Does anyone know what is going with Qantas call centres???? The last three times I called, there has been a hold time of over 30 minutes. I'm QF Gold, and they say that I'm actually "priority" when they pick up the phone - but this is not acceptable! I'm on hold now and I've been waiting for 33 minutes and counting.

Does anyone know a way around this?

 

[QFflyermelbourne]

Re: Qantas call centre wait time for NB and non member (2 hours+)

By contrast I called virgin on Friday late afternoon/early evening. I had no membership status and was answered within 1 minute. The operator was really helpful and efficient.

Well Virgin are losing so much money flying around half empty planes it could just be a sign of how weak their demand is.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Re: Calling Qantas - wait/hold time

Does anyone know what is going with Qantas call centres???? The last three times I called, there has been a hold time of over 30 minutes. I'm QF Gold, and they say that I'm actually "priority" when they pick up the phone - but this is not acceptable! I'm on hold now and I've been waiting for 33 minutes and counting.

Does anyone know a way around this?

Unfortunately not There are several other threads already on this topic. It has been raised with Qantas since december last year. No progress or updates from Qantas as to when this might be fixed.

 

[madrooster]

Re: Calling Qantas - wait/hold time

I get through to QF as a platinum via general reservations usually in 10-15 mins tops.Ironically, as an agent calling the QF agency helpdesk it takes 30 mins+ ...