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89 Comments
- kismetropolis, on 02/21/2009, -0/+53As someone who's had to fight tooth and nail to get any kind of response from United on more than one occasion?
* Their phone line is outsource HELL.
* Their outsource CSRs are thickly accented. This is not a racial statement. It is a simple fact. It's hard to get your point across calmly when the person on the other end of the phone is so hard to make out.
* They have a script they can't really deviate from.
* They are required to come back and check on you after having you on hold for so long, but they either abuse this and check on you repeatedly to tell you nobody's available in the hope you give up, or they leave you on hold without checking so you feel abandoned and give up.
* The wait is 45 minutes and that's on a good day. I've waited so long I used all my cellphone minutes and had to get on a landline from work instead.
* They will then send you a certificate that you cannot apply online, nor over the phone. You can only use it at one of United's counter locations, during regular business hours -- during which most people are working their own jobs.
* And they do not have the authority to compensate you with a full ticket. They can only give you a voucher which doesn't even amount to enough to cover an entire one way ticket.
Simply put, they're trying to cut costs and not look bad doing it. People don't like outsourcing as it is, so it does look good for them to do away with that.
Their in-person customer service is no treat either.
And writing letters does get a response, but it takes forever.
I have little faith that customer service over email is going to be anything to write home about. - Biscuitz, on 02/21/2009, -0/+34I don't know about this. A lot of questions to be answered, like, will they get back to you in the amount of time you'd have spent on the phone? What happens if you're standing IN the airport, and have no way to get online? What if you just simply do not use a computer, but still fly?
- JenniferInMO, on 02/22/2009, -1/+29United's customer service is an oxymoron. Why bother to keep up the facade?
- homercles337, on 02/22/2009, -2/+27What does it mean when a company cant even afford to offshore customer service anymore?
- statik99, on 11/03/2009, -0/+25Of course, why have instant resolution when you can wait (and hope) for a response. Just hire better CSR's and that would help. Sometimes you have to invest a little more to get a better return.
- joand315, on 02/22/2009, -1/+21A long, long, time ago it used to be a treat to fly. Then the government stopped subsidizing the airlines and we have slowly descended into this final hell, where I would rather drive 1400 miles than fly.
- Phylter, on 02/22/2009, -2/+21I've crossed the Pacific 3 times with United. The only thing I can say in their favor is that I survived the flights and they were cheap, but you get what you pay for, or don't get... On a 13 hour flight, the main meal was a turkey sandwich, cookies, an apple and a cup of orange juice. I can understand anyone wanting to kiss the ground on landing.
- Firstdaughter, on 02/22/2009, -1/+16Well I don't see it as a loss bc they really weren't doing us any ***** favors anyway. Yes, I'm bitter bc I fly too much...
P.S. They all pretty much smell the same... - Murdats, on 02/22/2009, -0/+13I was watching all the old get smart episodes recently, it almost made me cry when he said to someone while on a place "I will meet you in the dining lounge"
here we are, 40 years later and where the hell is our dining lounge? thats progress for you.
the tickets get more expensive, the food gets less and worse, the seats get smaller, the profits get bigger and the complaints about expenses get louder. - d2002, on 02/22/2009, -1/+14Pretty scary when even our Indian counterparts get laid off.
- DirtyVicar, on 02/22/2009, -0/+12Holy crap, has it changed that much since the 1990s? I remember in 1994-1996 it was absolutely normal to get hot meals on Pacific and Atlantic crossings on DL and AA (not sure about UA, never flew them). I recall hot sandwiches, pizzas, lasagna, that kind of thing, and hot towels of course.
- Volatile36, on 02/22/2009, -0/+11I really miss the days when you could get whatever you wanted. Actual meals that were pretty good, drinks whenever, warm towels, playing cards, little wings (yes, yes I did always get the little wings)...
- joand315, on 02/22/2009, -1/+12Southwest Airlines is the exception that proves the rule. If I could fly Southwest every time I travelled, I would wonder what everyone else was talking about, too They have a different business model then the other airlines and it shows.
- DirtyVicar, on 02/22/2009, -0/+9The DC-10 and 747 had a lounge early on but that went away in the mid-1970s as airlines decided to put seats there. I've never heard of a dining lounge but the Russian Tu-114 (transcontinental prop plane) had something like that in the center compartment.
- inactive, on 02/22/2009, -2/+11Is there any more annoying industry than the airlines? How many times have I had a great relaxing vacation, only to have it reset to a nightmare once I am in the hands of these dipsticks.
I had to do a lot of flying lately and it got soooo tiresome of the "flight attendants" SELLING peanuts- snacks and sandwiches over the damn speakers. Yes we have a 4 oz bag of cashews, peanuts, raisins and dried fruit- oh! And we have a MONSTER cookie for JUST 4 dollars. We also are featuring a DELICIOUS submarine sandwich 6 inches- with deli turkey ham Swiss and lettuce with Italian dressing for only $6.50. Yummy!
Then, they try to sell you a 2 dollar headset to listen to the otherwise, "complimentary movie". And this is after they show everyone how to buckle a seat belt and stuck people in the ass for 15 dollars to set in an emergency exit, All this crap goes on during an international flight of several hours! The lazy asses made one beverage run for the whole flight.
Damn- I could not set on my ass that long and not do SOMETHING if it was my daily job, but- these clowns manage.
I heard a good joke on TV that speaks to all the extra charges now: "In the event that the cabin loses pressure... oxygen masks will drop down from above your seat automatically. For a nominal fee of 15 dollars...we will activate them." LOL - bjornski, on 02/22/2009, -0/+8Think they care about return?
They just want to make it as difficult as possible to complain. It's a trend that more and more companies are following.
Customer service? Those days are pretty much dead. - djvchris, on 02/22/2009, -1/+9Really? I fly easily twenty times a year and I can't think of the last time I had a bad experience. Granted, my routes/destinations have me flying Southwest almost exclusively, which probably offers better customer care than most. Nevertheless, I don't think the state of our aviation industry is as poor as most make it out to be. I generally find airline staff to be friendly when you are friendly to them. Also, having been friends with people in the TSA, I can tell you that (with the occasional douche exception), their heart is in the right place and they do a pretty good job of keeping us safe.
- DirtyVicar, on 02/22/2009, -0/+7I agree that it was better in the old days.
* The load factors were lower, i.e. instead of packed like sardines, most routes had only 1 person in every 2 to 4 seats, meaning you could spread out. I don't ever remember being on a full plane in the 1970s, but nowadays it's absolutely normal. Obviously empty seats is bad business, but back then it was nice to have room.
* They served meals on many domestic flights, and some were not bad at all. I remember breakfast service on a 727 from Little Rock to Dallas in the 1970s. Not very efficient either, but again it was nice.
* The flight attendents invested a serious amount of effort in service, rather than just doing numerous seat belt checks and a perfunctory beverage service like nowadays. - JackSchittt, on 02/22/2009, -3/+10With all the crap you have to put up with from airport security, airlines nickel-and-diming you every step of the way, crappy, sparse airline food that would be barely adequate enough to feed a child, etc. I'd rather spend a couple of days driving cross-country with the family than I would having to deal with airport hell.
I probably will never set foot on a plane again. Family trips are made by car, this damn comment box is humping my cursor for the third time today, business trips are within driving distance, and I have no desire to ever travel abroad. There's no way I'd be able to sit through a 13 hour flight, or even a 3 hour flight, after going through an additional 3-4 hours of airport security hell and only eat one sandwich and a cup of juice. - Jeebugorn, on 02/22/2009, -0/+7i will ALWAYS fly Continental from now on....with the exception of whatever cheap-ass airline the army pays for to bring me back from iraq that is. my wife has been a frequent flyer with continental for a while and has always flown with them. I've flown with them like 3 time now and have had AWESOME service. shortly before checking in on our last flight home, my wife had an ulcer and it started acting up. she was in alot of pain and we just needed to get her something to eat after we checked in. the lady checking us in saw my wife wasnt feeling good and offered my wife her yogurt that she brought to eat. after my wife ate that she started feeling better and another lady from Continental escorted us to the front of the security line so we didnt have to worry about standing in line.
i dont care how much more it costs, the next time we fly, its will be on Continental. - cal3366, on 02/22/2009, -0/+7It isn't like the person could understand me when I called anyway.
I must say maybe if they had the customer service in an english speakking country, then people would be more likely to like their responses. - bjornski, on 02/22/2009, -0/+7You're assuming that the customer service line is actually intended to rectify problems.
- lead2thehead, on 02/22/2009, -0/+7People who email and write you aren't stranded at the airport.
- TheOtherOne135, on 02/22/2009, -0/+7And of course they're unwilling to accept "your outsourced customer service stinks" as a reason to *improve* the phone service.....
- bigp3rm, on 02/22/2009, -1/+8Bad move. I had an issue with IGN/Gamespy charging my bank account. They had a phone number listed in my banks transaction. So I called and that number and a voice message directed me to a website. The website requested my old comcast email that was no longer active. I had to go through a web of emails. They ended up passing me back and forth.
So if this is the path that this airline wants to take they wont be getting any of my money. - troy1of2, on 02/22/2009, -0/+6I just <sarcasm> LOVE </sarcasm> how companies cut services and include a message that they are doing this "to serve you better".
- inactive, on 02/22/2009, -0/+6They keep offering ***** service and the tickets keep getting more expensive, and yet they don't understand why they're losing business. I've pretty much given up on flying altogether, unless time is a major issue. And then they have the nerve to ask for government bailouts. If you can't offer decent enough service to attract customers, you deserve to go under.
- DirtyVicar, on 02/22/2009, -0/+6Yep, every time I fly I always check to see if Southwest goes there. I remember after 9/11 they were the only big airline to not ask for a bailout.
- bjornski, on 02/22/2009, -0/+5And just as easy to throw away, or deny receiving the letter.
- elfuego, on 02/22/2009, -0/+5Which is why you use registered mail or courier, so you can confirm that they did receive it.
- ModernDayDarwin, on 02/22/2009, -0/+5I flew United this past week. On Friday something was goofed up in the system and the gentleman behind the counter had to assist me. He was nice, pleasant, and had a good sense of humor. He even went so far as to look up the weather across my travel path. He was the perfect CSR. It's kind of funny to read this story from United when 3 days ago I was thinking they were doing it right.
- Nothlit, on 02/22/2009, -0/+5FTA: "Customers with issues to discuss will still be able to call the airline’s general 800-number"
This is just a comments/complaints line that they are shutting down. - inactive, on 02/22/2009, -0/+4I recently flew to several Asian countries and flew wonderful ANA Japan airlines. I had to connect in Chicago for the east coast via United. What a stark contrast in service....late, dirty plane, bitchy staff, not enough room in carry on, dogs barking in cargo hold, this should be a third world airline UNITED SUCKS!!!!! If you fly domestic use SOUTHWEST always happy staff and on time at a low cost with no add $ on charges.
- inactive, on 02/25/2009, -0/+4Jetblue still rocks! I have never had trouble with them.
- Jeebugorn, on 02/22/2009, -0/+4i think i've flown Southwest once, but that was a military chartered flight bringing my battalion back from the National Training Center in Ft. Irwin, CA, so that doesn't count (but it is always fun to board a plane with an M4). But, I can say that Continental is another airline that treats its customers well...as my comment lower down the page says.
- ShyGuy91284, on 02/22/2009, -0/+4This makes a lot of sense considering it's not uncommon when you use email support for companies to want to contact you on the phone for more information and details in some situations... *sarcasm*
- rpgmakr, on 02/22/2009, -1/+5You just nailed it man.
- bjornski, on 02/22/2009, -0/+4Agents can sometimes care about doing a good job.
Bean-counters only pay attention to the balance sheets. - homercles337, on 02/22/2009, -0/+3Well, to be fair, i bet the emails are going to India and Singapore. I just bet they can find cheaper workers and automation to answer them.
- weizilla, on 02/22/2009, -0/+3Both the title and quick summary of the article are wrong. It's the feedback customer service phone lines that it is removing, not the actual one that you call about your tickets.
"....it will disconnect the phone line to a foreign call center contracted to ***field customer compliments and complaints***. Customers with issues to discuss will still be able to call the airline’s general 800-number ...." - PopcornDave, on 02/22/2009, -0/+3It's the same reason that the record companies don't get it. They're run by old codgers who don't see a need to change their business model to attract more customers since they think they have a captive audience.
- stormofswords, on 02/22/2009, -0/+3Going to Europe you get a hot meal and breakfast snack before landing. I've been very satisfied with United.
- Firstdaughter, on 02/22/2009, -2/+5Dammit Jennifer I was just going to post that their customer service was a misnomer...
GMTA! - inactive, on 02/22/2009, -0/+3Singapore, Northwest, Airtran, JetBlue, Southwest charges extra to get on board first so guess what seats are taken first? Also United and Virgin America
- TheOtherOne135, on 02/22/2009, -0/+3So I should be grateful and subservient as long as the airline manages to get me from A to B without killing me?
Sorry. I do respect the pilots, and I'm glad air transport is pretty safe.
But that doesn't excuse a company outsourcing their complaint call center, letting the quality of the "service" from that center slide, then using the poor service quality that they deliver to justify doing away with having a complaint line altogether..... - elfuego, on 02/22/2009, -0/+3You know, for some things, I actually think this isn't a bad idea. I manage customer service for a company that runs tours all over North America, and simply put, the more ways the customer has to contact, the less you can focus on getting your work done and adequately responding to customer issues. If all I have to deal with are 40 emails, I can write those responses and resolve those issues MUCH faster when I'm not being interrupted by a customer phone call every 5 minutes. And before you say we should have one staff member dedicated to only email and one only to phone, unfortunately it can't work like that when you're in a relatively small company.
With that being said, I think United is making a bad call here. There are a number of issues which people try to resolve over the phone which can and should be submitted via email/post. However, especially in the case of travel where things can go wrong at the last minute, you need to have an emergency line available, that's empowered to make things right in a pinch, and that's empowered to hang up on customers after telling them they need to write if they're complaint is for something small that can be handled in other ways. - buckrogers1965, on 02/22/2009, -0/+3How the hell can you script a complaint line and expect anyone to be satisfied? Problems are exceptions to the normal routine. How can you write a script that forsees every event and how to compensate, or not, for every exception in a fair and rapid way?
You don't eliminate a customer support line because the line is crappy. You make a call center with native speakers and you empower them to rapidly solve customer complaints. You make this complaint department part of the QA for the company so that issues are not repeated. - TheOtherOne135, on 02/22/2009, -0/+3In some industries, sure. I just don't think that airlines are an industry that this applies to....
- bobburn1, on 02/22/2009, -0/+2BS they're doing it to cut costs.
- franklymister, on 02/22/2009, -0/+2Talking to someone who speaks English and knows what you're trying to say > Typing to an offshore script-follower who keeps sending you the wrong information
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