The last line says it all...
http://www.ajc.com/news/content/business/delta/0704/28outsource.html
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Delta asks customers if they would pay to have calls answered in U.S.
By HARRY R. WEBER
AP Business Writer
Published on: 07/28/04
Financially troubled Delta Air Lines Inc. has surveyed its frequent fliers to see if they would be willing to pay a fee to speak to a customer service agent in the United States rather than have their call routed to outsourced centers in India.
Meanwhile, it was announced Wednesday that one of Delta's three call centers in India is shutting down. Delta would not say if the decision was related to the survey sent earlier this summer.
The question about the call fee was contained in an online survey sent to select frequent fliers. Delta is seeking to cut costs and raise additional revenue to avoid bankruptcy.
Spokeswoman Peggy Estes said the airline has no plans to charge customers who prefer to talk to U.S. representatives instead of those in India. She could not say, however, if it is something Delta might do in the future.
"In today's environment, we continue to look at all areas of our business," Estes said. "We are looking at many things, and asking a lot of questions."
The fee idea didn't fly with some Delta frequent fliers.
"That's just one step above charging to use the lavatories on airplanes," said Bruce Schobel, a Delta frequent flier from Princeton, N.J.
Outsourcing some call center functions — which saves Delta about $25 million a year — is rare among major U.S. airlines, industry observers say.
Chicago-based United Air Lines Inc. has call centers in Mexico and Ireland, but workers there are company employees. Fort Worth, Texas-based American Airlines has a reservation center in Mexico, but it, too, is staffed with company employees.
Arlington, Va.-based US Airways Group Inc. only outsources customer service inquiries made through its Web site that involve technical questions about the process, and those questions are routed to people in the United States, spokesman Dave Castelveter said.
Those major carriers contacted by The Associated Press said they are not considering plans to charge customers extra for talking to a U.S. representative.
"Desperate people do desperate things and this kind of looks like one of those situations," Terry Trippler, an airline industry expert in Minneapolis, said of Delta's fee question. "I don't think this will fly."
The idea of charging customers who would rather speak to a U.S. representative is unique, observers say. As for other industries, Internet service provider EarthLink Inc., which outsources 70 percent of its calls, does not offer customers who would prefer to talk to representatives in the United States the chance to do so for a fee.
"That should be something an airline or any other service provider should give you as part of the service," said Robert Shostack, a Delta frequent flier from New York City.
On Wednesday, Sykes Enterprises Inc. of Tampa said it has ended its India customer support program with Delta. It did not say why, and a spokesperson there did not return a call seeking comment.
Delta's Estes said the airline has two remaining outsourced call centers in India. Calls routed there involve select customer service functions including some baggage service and promotion sales. In the U.S., Estes said, Atlanta-based Delta, the nation's third-largest carrier, operates reservation call centers in 11 cities.
Shostack said he would prefer to talk a customer service agent in the United States because of a bad experience he had with someone at one of the India call centers. He said the person there gave him incorrect information about where some lost luggage of his was located and then disconnected him when he asked to speak to a supervisor.
"This goes to the core of Delta's problems," said Art Epstein, an eye doctor and Delta frequent flier from Long Island, N.Y. "Why would I pay to get service that helps me fly your airline?"
http://www.ajc.com/news/content/business/delta/0704/28outsource.html
----
Delta asks customers if they would pay to have calls answered in U.S.
By HARRY R. WEBER
AP Business Writer
Published on: 07/28/04
Financially troubled Delta Air Lines Inc. has surveyed its frequent fliers to see if they would be willing to pay a fee to speak to a customer service agent in the United States rather than have their call routed to outsourced centers in India.
Meanwhile, it was announced Wednesday that one of Delta's three call centers in India is shutting down. Delta would not say if the decision was related to the survey sent earlier this summer.
The question about the call fee was contained in an online survey sent to select frequent fliers. Delta is seeking to cut costs and raise additional revenue to avoid bankruptcy.
Spokeswoman Peggy Estes said the airline has no plans to charge customers who prefer to talk to U.S. representatives instead of those in India. She could not say, however, if it is something Delta might do in the future.
"In today's environment, we continue to look at all areas of our business," Estes said. "We are looking at many things, and asking a lot of questions."
The fee idea didn't fly with some Delta frequent fliers.
"That's just one step above charging to use the lavatories on airplanes," said Bruce Schobel, a Delta frequent flier from Princeton, N.J.
Outsourcing some call center functions — which saves Delta about $25 million a year — is rare among major U.S. airlines, industry observers say.
Chicago-based United Air Lines Inc. has call centers in Mexico and Ireland, but workers there are company employees. Fort Worth, Texas-based American Airlines has a reservation center in Mexico, but it, too, is staffed with company employees.
Arlington, Va.-based US Airways Group Inc. only outsources customer service inquiries made through its Web site that involve technical questions about the process, and those questions are routed to people in the United States, spokesman Dave Castelveter said.
Those major carriers contacted by The Associated Press said they are not considering plans to charge customers extra for talking to a U.S. representative.
"Desperate people do desperate things and this kind of looks like one of those situations," Terry Trippler, an airline industry expert in Minneapolis, said of Delta's fee question. "I don't think this will fly."
The idea of charging customers who would rather speak to a U.S. representative is unique, observers say. As for other industries, Internet service provider EarthLink Inc., which outsources 70 percent of its calls, does not offer customers who would prefer to talk to representatives in the United States the chance to do so for a fee.
"That should be something an airline or any other service provider should give you as part of the service," said Robert Shostack, a Delta frequent flier from New York City.
On Wednesday, Sykes Enterprises Inc. of Tampa said it has ended its India customer support program with Delta. It did not say why, and a spokesperson there did not return a call seeking comment.
Delta's Estes said the airline has two remaining outsourced call centers in India. Calls routed there involve select customer service functions including some baggage service and promotion sales. In the U.S., Estes said, Atlanta-based Delta, the nation's third-largest carrier, operates reservation call centers in 11 cities.
Shostack said he would prefer to talk a customer service agent in the United States because of a bad experience he had with someone at one of the India call centers. He said the person there gave him incorrect information about where some lost luggage of his was located and then disconnected him when he asked to speak to a supervisor.
"This goes to the core of Delta's problems," said Art Epstein, an eye doctor and Delta frequent flier from Long Island, N.Y. "Why would I pay to get service that helps me fly your airline?"
