The poor Delta reps have a terrible job. Their company has customer-hating policies and the reps have to deal with it. Here’s my most recent online “chat” with one. No attempt to defend the customer-hating policies at all.
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You are now speaking with Malcolm!
Malcolm: Hi! My name is Malcolm. How may I help you?
joel : Hi Malcom
joel : i don’t understand the Skymiles program
joel : can you help? What’s the goal of Skymiles?
joel : are you still there?
Malcolm: Hi Joel! Please see the following page to check out all the cool benefits to being a SkyMiles member.
Malcolm has sent you a web page.
Please click on the following link to view it: SkyMiles�joel : OK, yah, i’ve been there
joel : i was poking around while you were typing
joel : great, i have a lot of miles
joel : 140,000
joel : looks like i can do some cool stuff
joel : indeed, i just bought an expensive tickets… two, actually.
joel : man, it’s going to be nice… i want to use my miles to upgrade
joel : can you help me?
Malcolm: Please have a look on the following application to book Award Ticket Reservations, to check the miles requirement and availability of SkyMiles award seats on delta.com as per your convenience.Malcolm has sent you a web page.
Please click on the following link to view it: Award Ticket
joel : one sec…
Malcolm: May I have your confirmation number?
joel : sure, that would be great
joel : because the website doesn’t seem to be working
joel : it’s <confirmation number redacted>joel : $1900 per ticket (!)
joel : two tickets
joel : lots of miles to upgrade…
joel : but i’ve been a good customer
joel : so i’ve got ’emMalcolm: I am sorry Joel; your ticket is not eligible for upgrades using miles, as you have booked your tickets in K and T class in coach. Generally, fares booked in Y, B or M class in coach; can be upgraded using our SkyMiles mileage upgrade awards.
joel : so $1900 is not enough to spend on a ticket
joel : just for the privilige to spend more, via miles?
joel : for a customer who has 140,000 miles?
joel : hmmm, i don’t really understand
joel : doesn’t feel like a “cool benefit”
joel : feels like i’ve been duped, if i understand you correctly
joel : does that sound about right?
joel : or am i misunderstanding something?
Malcolm: Joel, all classes are not upgradeable using miles. Only tickets booked in Y, B or M class can be upgraded using miles.joel : i think i understand. even though i’ve been a histoically good customer (enough to accumulate 140,000 miles), i’m not actually entitled to use any of my “thank you” from Delta unless i spend much much more
joel : c’,mon, malcom. Doesn’t feel quite like i’m loved by Delta, does it?
Malcolm: Can I help you with anything else today?
joel : please
joel : do employees there understand that the stock value of Delta puts the company value at under $3B while Southwest airlines is valued by the stock market at nearly $12B (four times as much)? Do they think, maybe, it’s because of policies like these?
joel : that the PAYING CUSTOMERS dispise the company?
joel : i’m curious if they’re aware of that
joel : and if they may want to reconsider the policyjoel : we’ll call them “customer-hating policies”
joel : i think you have a tough job
joel : defending terrible policies
joel : it’s actually an impossible job
joel : a thankless one
Malcolm: I�m sorry Joel, but I need to end this chat. Please get back to us with any further questions.
joel : ok
joel : goodnight
Malcolm left the chat.
Your chat has ended.��
I hope you enjoyed reading that as much as I enjoyed participating in it. The difference between great companies and terrible ones is particularly pronounced in the airline industry, I think, and I take some joy in illustrating why people should NOT fly Delta and let the cruel arm of capitalism claim this poorly-run company.
Have a great weekend.
