Announcing our New Velocity Frequent Flyer Program

[r0bs]

Jason,

I agree entirely.

I also had a similar experience flying Etihad to London and return with my wife (Velocity Red) in May this year.

I took many months (almost 3) before the points were credited to my account. And that was after MULTIPLE emails with scanned boarding passes etc.

Also, until I wrote "Will someone at least acknowlege receipt of this email", I heard nothing.

I am STILL CHASING her points. She has only been credited with one leg (Brisbane - Singapore) to this very day, four months later.

She has written four (4) emails about this. NO RESPONSE.

To be honest this really ticks me off. There is no excuse for this tardiness.

As you say... "ACTIONS SPEAK LOUDER THAN WORDS"

One thing they really need to get sorted is this whole thing of chasing up points with partners.
I just got back from 4 weeks in USA and all points with Qantas partners were credited within a week of earn.

On the Velocity side, similarly all flights with Delta hit my account within 5 days but the rest with Velocity are still in orbit.
Last year when I chased up First Class flights with Virgin America, despite a barrage of contact with Velocity the points never ever saw my account.

So while the changes look good..............action speaks louder than words in my view
If they really want to wow us they need to get this kind of thing fixed.

JASON

 

[maninblack]

SSTERRR-IKE 3. The staff at the Velocity call centre could not be more charming but over the last week or so I have made 3 calls for 3 separate inquiries for ZERO answers. For all 3 I was put on hold whilst the staff member who was unable to answer my question consulted their 'supervisor' who each time could not answer the question either. Hmm. My questions were to be referred to specific staff members in the organisation who would "get back to me within 48 hours". Oh-kay - 48 hours :!:

I am now at, Q3 - 96 hours, Q2 - 120 hours, Q3 - 168 hours. (give or take)

Not ONE answer yet.

I won't go into the specifics of the inquiries but in my long experience they are matters the like of which the staff at QFF could answer or get an answer on quickly.

I assure you I was not being difficult or obtuse, the inquiries were fairly straightforward and one-dimensional.

So is the problem training? Systems issues? :?::?::?:

 

[QF WP]

Ouch x 3 :evil:

One hopes that the VA Reps will contact each of you by PM to further the discussion off line and get resolutions. Poor back office procedures, systems, etc certainly put a dent on the goodwill engendered by the frontline staff (Lounges, etc).

We all have a break point. One thinks that all of you may be close to telling them where to go with their VA accounts and take your flying elsewhere...although I think jad01 is probably beyond that point already.

Certainly makes the rest of us sit up and take notice.

 

[markis10]

I take it the calls were not to the Brisbane based premium desk?

 

[maninblack]

I take it the calls were not to the Brisbane based premium desk?

At least 2 of them certainly were.

 

[notzac]

On the Velocity side, similarly all flights with Delta hit my account within 5 days

This is something I've been curious about .. good to know that DL flights credit promptly.

The whole EY flight crediting thing is nothing short of disgraceful! We're in 2011 .. there's absolutely no reason it shouldn't just work. I usually manage to get my EY flights credited within a few weeks, but that's because I'm v persistent about it ... I really shouldn't have to be though, which bugs me.

 

[lazybones1987]

I take it the calls were not to the Brisbane based premium desk?

I thought you still had to ring velocity's call center for velocity related questions.

 

[maninblack]

I thought you still had to ring velocity's call center for velocity related questions.

I called the main velocity phone number but after entering my velocity number I was put through to a premium area. Sorry, but not familiar with how Virgin operates, so that's about all I can say on that.

Anyway, none of this will stop me flying Virgin at this early stage of my 'relationship'. It's just rather disappointing and somewhat odd.

 

[Demented Freak]

Had the same problem chasing up credits for flights with MH earlier this year, took 3 emails and numerous phone calls over a 3.5 months period to get the flights credited to my account. I understand that there's going to be a delay compared to DJ's own flights because you're dealing with other carriers and their systems, but waiting months is getting ridiculous (especially if you're relying on it for your status).

 

[markis10]

I called the main velocity phone number but after entering my velocity number I was put through to a premium area. Sorry, but not familiar with how Virgin operates, so that's about all I can say on that.

Anyway, none of this will stop me flying Virgin at this early stage of my 'relationship'. It's just rather disappointing and somewhat odd.

Thats the way to do it, the local premium desk is relatively new, and of course we get good service from Velocity Rewards here on AFF as an alternate!

 

[QF WP]

Excuse my ignorance, is the premium desk only for Plat members?

 

[markis10]

Excuse my ignorance, is the premium desk only for Plat members?

Gold and Plat!

http://www.australianfrequentflyer....riority-assistance-desk-31967.html#post470154

Bit like my desk with both Gold and Plat packs, bag tags etc!

 

[simongr]

It is being answered "Velocity PLatinum desk" when I call. It might the same people answering calls with different announcements though...

 

[QF WP]

Thanks markis10...look forward to using it then.

simongr, could one assume that they know the information about the incoming caller (doesn't one enter the VA FF number during the opening part of the call), so will match their opening message to ones' status? [Note, I've yet to ring it and ask the question]

 

[pshepvic]

QF have just as many issues when trying to get stuff done - I've cancelled 4 JASA's recently - two haven't been refunded without second and third phone calls to find out what is going on, and one person in the Platinum call centre even tried to argue that I couldn't even get a refund of points and it was converted to a dollar value only - and then had the cheek to get snippety after she found out from a supervisor that I wad actually right!

The difference with VA (the premium desk anyway) is they actually admit when they don't know the answer. One lady at VA even said to me recently "I've only been in the premium desk a week but in our training they did say that the Golds and Platinums will know more about status credits than we do!"

The VA staff are certainly much nicer to deal with, and I think with a little more experience and training won't take long to resolve these sorts of issues.

 

[pshepvic]

It is being answered "Velocity PLatinum desk" when I call. It might the same people answering calls with different announcements though...

The Premium desk will answer either gold or platinum depending on your status based on the FF number you put in, but it's a different centre from normal Velocity (it's in Australia for a start).

 

[maninblack]

The difference with VA (the premium desk anyway) is they actually admit when they don't know the answer.

Which in my experience is always

 

[straitman]

Which in my experience is always

No worse than Qantas then :!:

 

[ozmille]

No worse than Qantas then :!:

I hate it when you call the (QF) Plat desk with questions and you know more about the subject then them... How can you operate a Platinum desk like that?

 

[Major]

I hate it when you call the (QF) Plat desk with questions and you know more about the subject then them... How can you operate a Platinum desk like that?

Because they are not willing to pay a salary commensurate with someone who actually completed their education.