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Is it causing a decline in Delta ticket sales?

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Skymeg

Member
Joined
Aug 15, 2005
Posts
7
I (along with my family) have almost always flown on Delta for travels. I now make all my reservations via the internet. However, occassionaly, I need to call Delta instead...for changes and answers to specific questions. I have called Delta to make changes a few times this year. Each time, I called expecting to engage in a friendly, professional, and clearly-spoken conversation with the ticket agent...as I have always experienced in the past. But instead, each time, I got a voice on the other end that made me think I had dialed the wrong number. Is this Delta Airlines?, I asked. And something (sounding mumbled) was said back to me. I thought I heard 'Delta' someplace in their words, but I wasn't sure. I just kept talking, giving them my confirmation number and politely stating that I needed to find out if the date on my ticket could be changed to another date. Something, again, was said back to me...I think I heard a 'yes' in there somewhere...so I kept talking. Eventually, I picked up on the person's accent some more and thought it might be someone of East Indian (politically correct phrase? If not, I apologize) descent. So, being the extremely patient and culturally accepting person that I am , I just kept my calm, patient-toned voice and took the extra 15 minutes or so it took to change my reservation and confirm that what the ticket agent was saying and what I was agreeing to were the same thing. Every time I call now it is the same way. And I will continue to fly Delta, despite the frustration that can occur when I call Delta. However, I have to wonder...is the use of employees with strong foreign accents as ticket agents hurting the success of Delta? And if Delta is hiring directly from places like India to save money, is it really going to save them money in the long run? I can imagine all of the not-so-patient people who have given up on trying to make a reservation because it takes too long...and very plainly, it is often times impossible to understand the ticket agents. The first time I experienced this, I thought the person on the other end was someone I had called in error and was playing a joke on me. It didn't sound like the professional Delta company I had always known. I can just imagine what it must be like for those who are elderly or otherwise somewhat hearing impaired. I am guessing that they give up and don't buy a Delta ticket. I realize that Delta is a worldwide carrier and what I am about to ask is fairly bold, but aren't there enough people in the States who speak English and need jobs who ould fill these positions? Please help me understand this. One more thing...you know how there are so many computer-voiced prompts on company voice message systems now...i.e. credit card phone lines...can't Delta make use of a system like that? For example, a computer voice says "if you need to change your reservation, please enter the date and time on the numeric keypad."
 
I heard last week that they may not be able to take Visa or Mastercard in the near future. What a great airline. Hmmmm I guess I'll have to use my Amex Delta gold card to buy tix.
 
I am pretty sure they have outsourced their call centers to India...along with lots of other companies. Sad, huh? lots of lost jobs here in the good old USA.
 
Skymeg said:
I (along with my family) have almost always flown on Delta for travels.

Why would you do such a thing? Being a frequent flyer wont get you a job there. It has been a VERY long time since I had a good expierence with Delta. And, they don't very much care. If they did care, they would clean those airplanes sometimes, and paint them the same colors (what is with that?). And a treat their customers with some degree of respect. Oh well, the other legacy carriers are the same way.

whatever.
 
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Stealthh21 said:
If they did care, they would ... paint them the same colors (what is with that?).

...

whatever.
Yeah, I know what you mean. Before I board an airplane as a passenger, I always take the time to find a window so I can examine the paint job. I've found there is no better barometer of the quality of experience I'm about to have than the paint job. Every time I see a nice paint job, I make a point of complimenting everyone I see from the gate agent to the flight attendant. I'm always greeted with smiles, if not puzzled looks, and I'm treated well.

When I see a lousy paint job, I let everyone along the way know how disappointed I am to be riding on such a rotten-looking piece of aluminum. I get the same puzzled looks, but hardly ever a smile. Talk about grumpy people.


You should try this sometime. It's amazing how good of a predictor it is. Start off with a crummy paint job, and you'll get crummy service.

I think they fly slower, too.



whatever
 
TonyC said:
You should try this sometime. It's amazing how good of a predictor it is. Start off with a crummy paint job, and you'll get crummy service.

I think they fly slower, too.



whatever



:eek: does it work with box haulers as well?
 
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You usually have good posts, TonyC, but you're missing the point on this one (intentionally, I think). You're military...pride starts with how you look in many cases. I'm not arguing that it's better to look pretty than kill people (the dirtiest, ugliest airplanes I always see are Navy fighters!), but when you're providing customer service, looks and appearances matter. Whatever a civilian company can do to set the "pro" tone, they should do it. If that's a paint job, then paint it.

Of course, Delta does have more pressing concerns than paint....
 
MAGNUM!! said:
You usually have good posts, TonyC, but you're missing the point on this one (intentionally, I think). You're military...pride starts with how you look in many cases.
Maybe I missed your point. Maybe you missed my point. Unless you're the guy doing the external preflight, you'll enter the airplane through the jetway and you won't even SEE the paint.




.
 

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