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Startup Lessons, Courtesy of United Airlines’ Crappy Customer Service

blog.wepay.com

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Re: Startup Lessons, Courtesy of United Airlines’ Crappy Customer Service

#121

Post by alanh »

rdl wrote: post #36

I'm curious if he's ever flown much before. Missing the first leg of a discount coach r/t canceling the entire reservation has been standard since at least 1980. Yes, their online systems should be better at explaining what happens once you've missed a flight, but fundamentally the web apps for airlines are dirty hacks layered on top of mainframe systems, and don't handle exceptions particularly well. Airline pricing…

Ooh, I see we’re playing another round of “Blame the Victim.” Great, I’m good at it! Who’s our next target?

Re: Startup Lessons, Courtesy of United Airlines’ Crappy Customer Service

#122

Post by woan »

rdl wrote: post #78
jasonkester wrote: post #59

United in particular amaze me at how little regard they show for customer retention. Last time I flew with them I stood in line as every single customer got into the same fight with them when they sprung their new "$50 extra to check a bag" policy on them with zero notice. I watched a dozen people in a row vow to never fly United again in the span of 20 minutes. Amazing that they can survive except in a landscape whe…

That would be Cathay Pacific, Singapore Airlines, Qatar Airways, Etihad, or to a lesser extent, Emirates or Asiana. It's really just US flagged airlines that are incredibly bad (I've flown several million miles internationally, and aside from Royal Jordanian (which flies to Iraq), Ariana (the Afghan Airline) and Kam Air (the Southwest of Afghanistan), no one approaches US standards of quality. Some of the LCCs in Eur…

The South American airlines have even worse service than the US discounters. I was on both LAN Chile and Star Peru earlier this year in Peru... Mysterious delays abound with virtually no information...

Re: Startup Lessons, Courtesy of United Airlines’ Crappy Customer Service

#123

Post by woan »

whakojacko wrote: post #82
jwegan wrote: post #6

I'm always astounded why so many companies seem more willing to lose a loyal repeat customer than take a small hit on the bottom line for a particular transaction. Companies like NewEgg, Costco, and Zappos have demonstrated how being willing to take a small hit on some transactions can engender a fanatical customer base, but it seems most companies still prefer to be penny wise and pound foolish.

Honestly though, I doubt he is a loyal repeat customer of UAL, since he almost definitely would know about the "miss a segment, your itinerary is cancelled" rule if he was. IMO, US legacy airlines are relatively good to their valuable customers via frequent flyer programs and elite status.

Elite status customers can cancel and change travel plans at will on many airlines without penalty, not too mention auto First class upgrades, no baggage fees, priority boarding, special security line access, etc... A number of folks do mileage runs just to get this privilege...

I always wondered why frequent flyers don't claim about all the stuff normal travelers face. It turns out they are exempt from the horrid experience.

Re: Startup Lessons, Courtesy of United Airlines’ Crappy Customer Service

#124

Post by kingkilr »

megablast wrote: post #119
kingkilr wrote: post #31

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I'm not sure, I've passed up moderate savings ($70 on a $400 flight or so) to go on an airline I prefered. Delta has been a PITA every time I've flown with them, where Southwest has been my airline of choice for over a decade, it's an easy decision to give my money to the people who don't cause pain for me every time.

Cool, most people aren't like you, and if they ever do end up like you, then we will have the situation improve. It does not matter what you do, or your friends do, until a lot of people do it.

Sure, it's an anecdote, note a statistic. But people purchase favored brands in everything else, I hardly see a reason airlines should be different; particularly given a carrier like United makes most of their money on business class seats, and they do treat those passengers well.

Re: Startup Lessons, Courtesy of United Airlines’ Crappy Customer Service

#126

Post by smarterchild »

And, thanks to United Airlines, I now have an additional 4 hours in the airport (the Virgin America terminal, to be exact) – the perfect setting for an enraged blogger.

I wonder if airlines have ever put seriously delayed passengers up in a first class or other special lounge, to distract them from potential stewing.

Re: Startup Lessons, Courtesy of United Airlines’ Crappy Customer Service

#127

Post by rdl »

woan wrote: post #122
rdl wrote: post #78

Earlier quoted context omitted.

That would be Cathay Pacific, Singapore Airlines, Qatar Airways, Etihad, or to a lesser extent, Emirates or Asiana. It's really just US flagged airlines that are incredibly bad (I've flown several million miles internationally, and aside from Royal Jordanian (which flies to Iraq), Ariana (the Afghan Airline) and Kam Air (the Southwest of Afghanistan), no one approaches US standards of quality. Some of the LCCs in Eur…

The South American airlines have even worse service than the US discounters. I was on both LAN Chile and Star Peru earlier this year in Peru... Mysterious delays abound with virtually no information...

That's kind of depressing. From what I've heard TACA and Varig are a little better, but I haven't flown commercial to South America yet. Maybe Start Up Chile should convince SQ to fly SF-Santiago as a 5th freedom flight.

Re: Startup Lessons, Courtesy of United Airlines’ Crappy Customer Service

#128

Post by lionhearted »

edw519 wrote: post #60

...I certainly never take to using WePay’s corporate blog as a pulpit for my attacks. Then don't. Ever. Here's why: It's standard knowledge that your second leg will be canceled if you miss your first leg. It's been that way for 30 years. You have just demonstrated your inability to deal with a standard curve ball. No big deal. As individuals, we all run into that from time to time. You also complained about customer…

I agree, but I'm sympathetic to the guy - I don't think it's actually common knowledge that if you miss the first leg, the second is canceled. It's a non-normal use case, the only way you'd learn it is if you try doing it and have it go wrong, or someone tells you.

I had it happen to me where I booked an itinerary going from NYC -> London -> Berlin, but then I had to be in London a week earlier. It was cheaper for me to buy a new one way ticket from a different airline, but then I showed up for my London -> Berlin flight and they said it was canceled since I didn't do NYC -> London. I said, "Umm, okay, I don't mind forfeiting that, but I already paid. Can you let me go London to Berlin? I don't have any other arrangements here."

They overrode the cancel and let me in. I think this is an easy error to make, because most people don't ever travel in a way where they'd miss their first leg and take the second. I know it took me by surprise. Agree about not ranting on a company blog though, it doesn't give people the warm fuzzy feeling about doing business with you.

Re: Startup Lessons, Courtesy of United Airlines’ Crappy Customer Service

#129

Post by mikemainguy »

rdl wrote: post #101
jmtame wrote: post #95

Earlier quoted context omitted.

maybe we just have a disagreement over what's appropriate to put in company blogs. maybe it's safer to stick with simple product updates and policy changes (and it probably is in most cases), but this is the type of stuff i like to see. it shows me there are human beings behind a company and that they're committed to certain values. i enjoy supporting those types of companies, and i know if i have a problem i'll be a…

If you want to add "color" to a company blog, you talk about positive things of a somewhat personal or offbeat nature. If he wanted to describe how the WePay team went on a road trip to a conference and stopped at some amazing place where the customer service was hands-on and handled exceptions well, that would be great. Or just about some board game which they really enjoy playing at the office. Whining about vendor…

While this statement is in alignment with conventional wisdom, I think things are changing (or should). Corporations are legal entities and can/should have a voice just like any other person. When folks start watering down the corporate voice to "only be positive" or "not admit fault", they are aggravating the problem that this blog post is illustrating. There are enough faceless corporations with thousands of powerless minions doing the work of "corporate".

Re: Startup Lessons, Courtesy of United Airlines’ Crappy Customer Service

#130

Post by Nutella2 »

edw519 wrote: post #60

...I certainly never take to using WePay’s corporate blog as a pulpit for my attacks. Then don't. Ever. Here's why: It's standard knowledge that your second leg will be canceled if you miss your first leg. It's been that way for 30 years. You have just demonstrated your inability to deal with a standard curve ball. No big deal. As individuals, we all run into that from time to time. You also complained about customer…

Savvy businessmen know the difference between discounted nonrefundable tickets and full-fare refundable tickets.

I think he should leave this in his blog since it's very helpful information for prospective vendors and customers. They should know that he doesn't read contracts when he makes a purchase and simply assumes that the contract favors him. When the vendor does not honor the contract he imagined, he'll create a scene at the vendor's business demanding that their customer service agents honor the imaginary contract. When they don't do so he'll publish a screed in his company blog saying that it's all the vendors fault and their customer service reps are just so rude.

I'd say this is valuable information for anyone who's thinking of doing business with this guy.

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