John Romantic is the director of customer relations and central baggage resolution at US Airways. But he’d prefer that you simply think of him as your advocate at the airline. For the last nine months, he’s had the unenviable job of improving the carrier’s checkered reputation for customer service. I asked him how he’s doing it.
Q: I’ve been hearing a lot of buzz about some of the changes within US Airways, when it comes to handling customer service questions. And I’ve seen a marked decrease in reader complaints. What are you doing?
Romantic: We are doing a lot, and we’re glad there is a buzz starting.
My goal when taking my position nine months ago was to transform customer relations from a complaint resolution center into a customer advocacy center. Better said, while we handle customer inquiries, we also need to globally understand customer sentiment and use all of that data to look at our product, policies, and processes. Our focus is to find ways to be easier to do business with.
Q: How?
Romantic: We code 100 percent of the customer responses we receive, and have created better reporting from this data. We have established an executive steering committee which meets regularly with the primary focus of understanding our customers’ feedback, and finding ways to improve our customers’ experience resulting in reduced complaints. The work of this team has lead to several recent changes – with some still in progress.
We realize we have a little more ground to make up on customer complaint rankings, but our actions are starting to close the gap with our competitors.
Q: How many requests does your department handle in an average week? Can you break it down by phone, fax, letter and e-mail, please?
Romantic: The actual number of requests varies by time of the year, load factor, peak and off-peak times. But the current breakdown is 91 percent handled via e-mail, 5 percent via phone and 4 percent via fax or written correspondence.
Q: What’s the best way of contacting US Airways when you have a problem with a flight?
Romantic: The preferred method of contacting US Airways is to use our Web form on the US Airways Web site under “Contact US”. The data provided by the customer on the Web form enables us to assign the issue to the best person available in customer Relations to handle the request.
It is also the most expeditious method of contact in that it allows the representative to complete any research before responding to the customer.
Q: What’s your average response time? Do you have performance targets for responding to customers, and if so, can you tell me what they are for inquiries by phone, fax, letter and e-mail?
Romantic: We publish a response time of one to three business days. But to be honest with you, I get a little excited when our response time climbs above one day. We are looking to improve upon that metric by looking at more technology to improve productivity and respond more quickly.
Q: How are passenger inquiries prioritized? Do frequent fliers get answered first? Do people with tickets booked through a consolidator get processed closer to the end?
Romantic: Another advantage to using the Web form is that the structured data fields enable us to triage – or compartmentalize emails by issue or customer type. This allows us to prioritize certain types of customers such as Dividend Miles Preferred customers or customers with disabilities. It also allows the many compliments that we receive to be handled later in the queue and by other employees in the department.
Emails sent directly to specific personnel at US Airways do not get the same level of filtering or prioritization. We do not currently differentiate our service by ticket price in any way.
Q: Tell me more about your new email system. What did you change, and how is it working out for you?
Romantic: In September of last year, we replaced our database system with a Web-based customer response management system. The CRM application provides us with a database by which we can better understand our customers’ concerns as well as positive customer feedback. It also enables us to better manage the type of requests coming in as a result of the email triage component of CRM.
We are looking at more automation as well that will further improve productivity and reduce customer response time.
Q: What one thing about handling customer complaints do you wish customers knew, but don’t?
Romantic: Customers can do a couple of things to ensure an appropriate and speedy reply to their concern.
Customers should always summarize their concern at the beginning of their note, including key information like their confirmation code, date of travel, and flight numbers. Then, provide a few succinct bullet points illustrating the key aspects of their experience. We sometimes get very long, detailed letters that include irrelevant information. These types of contacts are difficult to comprehend and craft an appropriate response in a timely manner.
And give us a chance. Sometimes customers feel like they increase their chances of a successful outcome by sending their concern to multiple points of contact in the company. We have seen instances where customers research our corporate officers, sending each one a personalized letter detailing their experience. This sometimes lead to multiple people trying to solve the problem, and can cause the response to be delayed.
Q: Let’s say the question wasn’t answered. That happens from time to time — and I’m guilty of doing this, too — but sometimes agents read the first two paragraphs and send a form letter that doesn’t address the issue. What’s next?
Romantic: This does happen, but fairly infrequently. Our representatives are well-trained to handle just about any type of customer issue to their satisfaction.
The appropriate way to handle this is to simply send us another short response. We categorize this as a rebuttal, and it gets prioritized for handling. We also realize that at some point it may make better sense to use the phone and we will contact a customer after a rebuttal. This also gives me an opportunity to look at rebuttal responses for coaching improvement, as we strive to continually increase customer satisfaction when corresponding with customer relations.
Q: What are the biggest mistakes customers make when dealing with your department? Is there one thing that guarantees you won’t get an answer — like YELLING or using profanity?
Romantic: Well, we understand when things don’t go well that a customer may be upset. Our representatives are well trained to handle the emotions that sometimes follow service failures.
One thing we hear from time to time is that responses from customer relations get trapped in someone’s spam filter. So, it is best to ensure that your email is set to receive a response. We do appreciate not yelling or use of profanity though!
Q: What do you think passengers should expect from US Airways? Do you think that differs from what passengers expect, and if so, how?
Romantic: I believe that more often than not, we are able to meet our customer’s expectations. It really depends on the circumstances and the type of service failure. Expectations seem to have a wide range dependant on the person and their situation.
We do get a lot of requests for roundtrip tickets on traveled — yet delayed — itineraries. We do not provide round trip tickets as compensation, but we do compensate with future travel dollars when the circumstances warrant it.
Weather delays and cancellations can also be tricky as we typically do not compensate for acts of nature outside of our immediate control.
Q: I’d like to ask about some of the more recent changes, including the baggage fees that were added last month. How do you go about explaining something like this to passengers who maybe feel as if luggage charges and other ancillary fees are unfair?
Romantic: Without a doubt, the airline industry has changed dramatically over the past five years. The model that airlines used five years ago is no longer a model that can sustain the costs of doing business. Even at today’s lower fuel prices, airlines are still losing money.
As a result, most major airlines are adopting an “à la carte” business model, which allows customers to pay for what they need, and not pay for what they do not need.
Sure, it sounds easy to just raise prices across the board instead of applying fees for services. But with too much capacity in operation and fares changing literally every minute, it is simply too hard to raise fares while remaining competitive with other airlines.
Besides, if you are on a business trip or typically carry on your one bag, then you would not want to be subject to higher fares. So, for some customers, the a la carte business model may actually save them money.
Q: I wanted to ask you about the latest Air Travel Consumer Report, which shows 63 people wrote to the government to complain about US Airways in February. Can you help put that number into perspective for our readers? How do you get that number down, apart from appealing or shifting the complaint to a regional carrier?
Romantic: In February, US Airways flew 3,843,035 passengers which excludes Express carrier traffic and received 63 complaints written to the DOT [Department of Transportation]. That is a rate of 1.64 per 100,000 customers flown. Purely from a numbers perspective, most carriers are within 5 to 10 complaints of each other monthly. And US Airways is closing that margin fast.
We are analyzing our DOT complaints very closely. As I mentioned earlier, we are looking at everything we do that may detract from customer satisfaction. The prominent driver of DOT complaints for all airlines is ineffective recovery from flight problems that occur. While US Airways boasts one of the better on-time records of late, we must look at ways to better manager service challenges when they do occur.
The March report will be out soon, and we are definitely seeing progress. The actual number of DOT complaints is down 35 percent year over year through the first quarter of 2009, and 29 percent on a ratio per 100,000 customers.
Finally, it is my responsibility to understand what drives complaints and work on solutions. As we do that, I also want to ensure that all customers know that their voice is being heard when writing directly to my customer relations team at US Airways.
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{ 16 comments… read them below or add one }
“As a result, most major airlines are adopting an “à la carte” business model, which allows customers to pay for what they need, and not pay for what they do not need.”
What a load of crapola!! What does being a business traveler have to do with carrying on a bag? Most of my travel is for business, and I have to check my bag because I always have to carry a few samples with me to meetings. What I need is to get from one place to the other, taking one bag with me. I should not be charged $30 extra dollars (round trip), or whatever an airline would charge, for my bag. What if I decide not to have a Coke on the plane? Will they remove $2.00 from my ticket cost? Suppose I don’t need to use the bathroom during a flight? Does that give me a discount as well? How about I don’t want to pay Mr. John Romantic’s salary? Do I get a lower fare for that?
While some of this is certainly PR tap dancing, Mr. R. did make some valid points about sending complaint letters, and these are points Chris has also emphasized. ALL CAPS and $%#% words are not helpful and will usually be ignored. And when Mr. R. discussed these long-winded letters, I chuckled. We get letters to the editor here at the paper that read like someone is writing a Congressional address! Short, civil and to the point always works best.
If they’re gonna do a la carte pricing, then disclose it clearly on the Web site before any itineraries are booked, and give travelers some options. Maybe a package deal: check one bag and get your onboard snack box free. Or, for frequent flyers, if you have more than xx number of miles logged, you don’t have to pay for the first checked bag (which may already be in place, for all I know). Something like that.
“The model that airlines used five years ago is no longer a model that can sustain the costs of doing business.”
Funny, Southwest Airlines doesn’t seem to have this problem.
I have a repaired shoulder and have to observe lifting limitations. Hoisting even my 20″, 22 pound bag into the overhead bin is no longer possible for me. Do you suppose that forcing me to pay for a medically necessary service (baggage check) is a violation of the Americans With Disabilities Act?
Les,
Have you asked a flight attendant for help? I find it hard to imagine them refusing, as I have often seen them help older passengers or those with awkward bags.
So I would suspect that baggage check is not, within the meaning of the Act, a medically necessary service unless it is airline policy not to help you with your bag.
@Les. It actually could be. Get your doc to write you a letter and see what happens!
It’s amazing how much I truly can not stand US Airways….
Of course, we’ve known for years Doug Parker hates customers, hates VFFers and High Yield pax…and then he confirmed it, verbally last week….
Good luck US….God willing, my shadow will never darken the doorway of one of your airplanes…you couldn’t serve up a crappier product if you dreamed of new ways to do it.
Fix all you want Mr. Romantic…you work for Doug Parker and Scott Kirby…you can’t get past them and their hatred of customers.
Dear USAirways:
As a customer, I wanted to let you know how much I enjoy being charged separately for everything except the lav. I wanted to pay your company $10 extra for the window seat, and $20 if I decide I need to bring a larger checked bag, and even $2 for the Diet Coke because thats my choice. Similarly, if I want to depart on the flight that is 1 hour earlier, so I have a chance at catching the earlier flight home after 3 16 hours days, and you have empty seats on that flight, I want to pay you $75 for the privilege of opening up a seat on that late afternoon flight that is always overbooked.
I wanted to thank USAirways for the rulebound employees, and the low seniority number flight attendants. I thank you for the ability to pay for everything separately; for $10 food paks that are truly horrible, for $6 beers and $8 cocktails and all the little things you do to generate a profit. Thank you for the fuel surcharge, despite fuel being cheaper than it was in 2007 when you did not have a fuel surcharge.
I thought as a passenger you truly would like to hear from your customer.
So…why isn’t Mister Romantic on here responding to these complaints? Hmmmm
Mr Romantic convienently excludes all the ways that his airline shafts people. For expample, I had 2 $200 vouchers. When I chose to use them i had to contact reservations by phone. By mere coincidence, the fare I was quoted by the agent on the phone was almost exactly $200 more than the fare I found on the US Airways website. US Airways changed my schedule that was unacceptable to me. They did change it back,but when I asked for a $100 change fee and the difference between fares to be refunded back to me, the agent was totally speechless. Mr. Romantic and his airline have given me absolutely no reason for me to ever fly them again. I live in Phoenix and Southwest is my choice. BTW, I worked for them for over 7 years.
One final comment, Gordon Bethune of Continental Airlines once said,
” You can made a pizza cheap enough that no one will eat it;”
US Airways is now that pizza.
TO DEVIN………Flight Attendants are not on the “work clock” during passenger boarding. During this time they are not required to assist anyone with their luggage. I have FA friends who will refuse to assist sometimes because if it’s found out that they injured themselves when they are “not on the clock” the airline can refuse to pay for their medical insurance and pay.
If a passenger can’t pick up their own luggage to place it in the overhead bin then they should check it. I have traveled for work for 11 years and whenever my bag is too heavy I check it. Even I won’t break my back to lift my bag.
Even with all of the arguments and complaints above it really is funny how people complain about amenities which aren’t really a requirement for airlines to provide. When you purchase a ticket you and your bag should be transported anything addition should be paid. Why would I want to pay for someone elses cocktail or soda? Why would I want to pay extra in my fare for baggage transportation costs when I dont check luggage?
Think on this.. When you purchase a movie ticket you dont expect to get a free snacks and receive a preassigned seat in the theater as well, do you?
I think people are too hard on airlines when other services in the US are treated completely different.
I flew to london all the way from toronto last week saturday completely excited because I was going to get my first taste of europe. I had planned to meet up with a friend i knew lived there and we were leavin the following day for mrbella spain for two days, then barrcelona spain for two days, paris for another two, then london and back home. Everything changed when i got off my flight that saturday to learn my bags could not be located…they had no clue if it did not make the connecting flight or even left toronto at all…Since they only have one flight to london everyday and I was leaving the following day I gave them the adress to the hotel i would be staying at in marbella for them to send it there…i figured they have three days to do this so I was not too worried…extremely annoyed and frustrated…but i figured i cud survive a few days until they delivered them…they also told me i had 25 US dollars to spend on their behalf if i needed anything which i found extremely insulting cause really and truly wat is that really going to get me….so my first day in london i tried to stay positive…my friend managed to find something i could wear so i could explore london without feeling like a total bum…then it was off to marbella in the same clothes i flew to london in…come to find out they had not sent my bags there and to make matters worse when i called them to check on the status they told me they had no new news to tell me about my bags whereabouts….i cried of frustration for about minutes and decided wed spend some time shopping to get some stuff for me…little did i kno marbella has absolutely nothing I would wear except for a bathing suit plus nothing within my or Us airways budget…so i spent my two days in marbella reluctantly at the beach…my next stop was barcelona (same clothes i wore to london and marbella) but i was staying at a hostel…where things go missing all the time…knowing how irresponsible and incompetent us airways is I figured Id give them more time and have them send my bags to the place i was stayin in paris since my friend said barcelona shopping was decent…i didnt trust at all them dropping my stuff at a hostel and didnt trust theyd even have my bags by then so i stuck to thqt plan…I got into paris today and guess what…NO BAGS STILL!!!!!!! Im beyond pissed…honestly they have ruined my entire experience here…I call them and they told me they had brought it to paris the day before id arrived but i was not there so they sent it back to london and that i cud pick it up there….hahahaha…i think thats total bull…they probably did not come at all…I gave them all the dates of where I was going to be and when, so they were aware of the day id be arriving in paris…so now instead of spending the short day i have here tommorrow exploring the city…i have to go shopping for an outfit to wear to a club and something different to wear on the plane for once…I am 22 , i dont have money coming out my rear…i dont even enjoy shopping all that much…between shopping and the cost to call them to check up on my bags every other hour is getting ridiculous…and my trip is not over yet…I want to be refunded for my trip…no voucher since i will NEVER fly with them again…EVER…stress the capitals…i was wondering if that was possible and if i could sue them…cause honestly ive never felt so helpless and i could only imagine how many others have suffered at their incompetent hands….this is the most unproffessional business i have ever seen by a long shot…please someone help…i feel like if i just let it go that ill be letting them get away with the hell ive been put through this week and i refuse to go without a fight…im in awe at the fact that ive been without my stuff for a week now and that im basically getting it back when im headed home…and they feel no way about the inconveniences they have brought upon me …so please someone HELP!!!! and by the way i also had no shoes…since i flew with flip flops…so ive been wearing flip flops for the past week and it was raining today in paris…
My wife passed away December 3rd 2008,as a result she could not make the flight.
I was instructed to send you a death certificate,which I did.
The certificate was sent back to me by Ms. Sandy Williams -Ducument Control with a letter which was dated January the 21st 2009.
The letter said that the credit will show on the next 1 or 2 cycles.
So far I have not received anything or seen on my statement.
Could you please look into this,and email me with an answer.
Thank you.
RE: Ticket No: 0372323937029
Look forward to hearing from you.
Theodorus J. Brans
Sir: If it were not for the care your wonderful employees gave me on 11/11/09, I would not have gotten to my connecting plane in Charlotte from Tri-Cities. I had such good attention at both airports, from the desk clerks to the cart driver. I especially commend the clerk in Tri-cities from 10am to 1pm at gate 4 attempting to board flight #4170. We think his name was Shawn Patton and he helped me very much. My flight up was a breeze, but the return flight was a challenge and the young man was a godsend. Thank you for making an old lady’s travel possible. Will fly Us Air again. MJB