What's your Qantas Chat experience?

[albatross710]

When Qantas SMS Chat first started I felt it was a reasonable alternative to waiting on the the phone to get service from a company.

Lately in the last three interactions (since early April) the response times have gone way beyond reasonable with some questions being resolved over three days, or dare I say not resolved after three days. I think it has just been used as a ploy to get people off the phone service.

Is there even adequate resourcing of the chat service because I've tried to be a good user and still it frustrates me. For instance, QF chat agent might take 3-4 hours to reply and then if I don't reply say within 30 minutes my case gets closed, i get a survey and good bye.

I think going to a chat option is good provided you get the attention of a chat agent.. For instance, i remember contacting Amaysim chat and being 88th in the queue. I just left that chat window open on my second screen, carried on working and eventually got to the front of the queue and problem resolved. It seems with Qantas Chat a reply message in an ongoing conversation gets treated the same as a new message.

There seems to be a mismatch with the Qantas expectation and a customer expectation.

Am I being unreasonable? what's your experience?

Alby

 

[Pleb Status]

My last QF SMS chat experience started at ~17:00 AWST and continued for six and a half hours until ~23:30 AWST to try get a reasonably simple booking change made.

 

[zig]

My first use of chat was quick and efficient. The last 2 times I used the function it took hours and the issues weren't resolved. I have now been using the sms service, which so far has been effective.

 

[AIRwin]

Not even a single response after I'd sent my first SMS...

 

[CaptainPersia]

Yep same, never got a response back from them after my first SMS

 

[zig]

Not even a single response after I'd sent my first SMS...

Yep same, never got a response back from them after my first SMS

Oh dear! Perhaps this service has gone the same way as the chat function.

 

[VPS]

You're lucky you can even connect to the chat function - I haven't been able to for weeks and don't feel strong enough to call them although I will have to bite the bullet tomorrow

 

[albatross710]

Oh dear! Perhaps this service has gone the same way as the chat function.

I think so. They obviously do not have enough staff on the service.

 

[bertflyer]

First time I used the SMS service was great (one month ago), seating request sorted in an hour.
Sent my SMS today 7 hours ago, yet to hear back (I suspect I won’t)

 

[RooFlyer]

I think it has just been used as a ploy to get people off the phone service.

Yep. Cheaper solution as 'chat' can be part automated and interspersed over time.

There seems to be a mismatch with the Qantas expectation and a customer expectation.

Like just about all of Qantas' services.

My own single chat experience was so much aggravation I swore never again. I'm sorta lucky in that I can call the Plat line and not have to wait long, if at all.

 

[serfty]

Yes, it seems harder and harder to get chat going - I've also tried SMSing but no response after some hours which is different from how it used to go.

I ended up calling this morning at 8:30am Melbourne time. FWIW, as a WP my wait was about 90 seconds after entering FF details, pin and declining to be switched to the SMS "service".

 

[AIRwin]

Not even a single response after I'd sent my first SMS...

I take my words back... They have just responded 4 days after my first SMS. Better late than never!

 

[albatross710]

I take my words back... They have just responded 4 days after my first SMS. Better late than never!

I got an acknowledgement that they are finding an agent (2.5 days after i sent the message).

Must be hard to find them as i've heard no more since 6 hours ago.

 

[AIRwin]

Just received a post-chat survey:

Hello, I’m the survey bot and I would like to collect your feedback following your past interaction. If you’d like to skip the whole survey type ‘skip’ at any point.

How was the quality of your conversation today on a scale of 1 to 5 (5 being the highest)? Please use numbers.

Did we solve your issue today? (Yes/No)

Thank you for taking the time to provide your feedback.

 

[albatross710]

Just received a post-chat survey:

That's standard after a chat session.

Although the person that eventually helped me was fast, given that I had to wait three days for the response I had to score a 1 and a No, not solved.

Interestingly since studying more about AI & chat development I always complete these little surveys now. The feedback helps with the organisation and machine learning about what is working and what's not.

Whatever happened at Qantas Chat last week, the score should have bean flatlining.

 

[runway16R]

Sent a chat clarifying a DSC situation and received a response within 15 minutes, followed by a second response clarifying the first agent 5 minutes later. Overall, a positive experience and good to have this communication channel available.

 

[serfty]

It seems there were some problems which were fixed on Wednesday evening.

 

[serfty]

Here's my "chat" this week.

00

 

[albatross710]

Actually had a decent chat experience on Saturday. Over a three hour period got a quote to change a flight, couldn't agree on the price, got offered a refund which I accepted. Seems something changed for the better for my chat experience.

I'm still not convinced that the chat service with the lengthy delays makes sense.

 

[maia200]

I was impressed the first time I used the SMS very quick and efficient. I have subsequently tried three times for over an hour each time yesterday and today to use the system to make a name change and each time (when I think its nearly happening) get the survey bot. I have also tried to get onto chat this morning since 6a and it keeps on telling me agents are not available try again later.......