Next Generation Check In

[TheInsider]

Yeah, I figured they weren’t just letting go of all staff, I’m just wondering where they’ll be, what they’ll be doing, if there’s less desks. I mean, I can see QF wanting to pay less if they’re not behind a desk, and I can see that being a problem.

For every 2 bag drop injector belt's there will be 1 staff member assisting. For every 5 kiosks or so there will be 1 staff member or so aswell. So really there will be the same and even more staff out on the floor.

With the next generation system management have decided that there will not be any KPI's and no more 'transactional' style service. Basically if something take 20min to sort out with one customer, they want you to stay with that customer for that amount of time. Also not as much passing issues around to co-ordinators etc etc.. They reckon they will treat staff like adults now, and they will be more free as such, with more power to make decisions.

 

[djfuzz]

For every 2 bag drop injector belt's there will be 1 staff member assisting. For every 5 kiosks or so there will be 1 staff member or so aswell. So really there will be the same and even more staff out on the floor.

I know you're not in a position to comment QFCSA so this isn't directed at you, but if staff levels stay the same, where's the return on the investment for QF?

Surely whatever increases in efficiency this might generate in the long term wouldn't be enough on its own to justify the investment, unless the ultimate goal were to save on personnel costs.

 

[Oneworldplus2]

And the J lounge 'island dining' and QP drinks will be produced by Marc Newson-designed Neil Perry-inspired Star Trek replicators.

As i said in my post, interesting times ahead.

AFAIK, the people who serve/replenish food/beverages in the QC's + J Lounge work for Compass Group and the F Lounge staff in SYD/MEL are from a hotel chain. I don't know about regional lounges though.

If QF can have 5 less staff at check-in that they have to employ, you can bet the house on it, that they will.
I wonder if QF will introduce a "charge for 2nd bag" "benefit" like Air Canada announced a few days ago now that there is a 1 piece system coming into play on QF?

(OT; Found this article about airlines ingenious ways of saving money. Looks like a Jetstar interior too.)
http://www.wired.com/autopia/2008/04/airlines-try-to/

 

[TheInsider]

I know you're not in a position to comment QFCSA so this isn't directed at you, but if staff levels stay the same, where's the return on the investment for QF?

Surely whatever increases in efficiency this might generate in the long term wouldn't be enough on its own to justify the investment, unless the ultimate goal were to save on personnel costs.

I think possibly in the long term there may be a little reduction of staff in certain areas, but this won't happen for a few years we think.
Their investment is not necessarly to reduce staff and to increase their bottom line, it's more about getting more people to pay a premium and fly QF instead of a LCC or DJ. This is most likely management spin anyway, but there is some hope that this is actually going to happen..

At the moment QF is spending ALOT of money on re-positioning their brand and reportably making alot of middle-management changes (especially with their attitudes), which would flow on to the low level customer service agent.

Still it will be interesting in the next few months with the gound staff EBA, and QF not budging on many things.

OT: For QF's 90th birthday, the little irish leprechaun has decided to give us a Q-bag tag free of charge ($50 value).. Nothing really exciting, but alot more than what we have got over the past years!!

 

[TheInsider]

(OT; Found this article about airlines ingenious ways of saving money. Looks like a Jetstar interior too.)
Airlines Try To Lighten Up – Literally | Autopia | Wired.com

It's a 3K (Jetstar Asia) interior, from the uniform!

 

[bdl]

OT: For QF's 90th birthday, the little irish leprechaun has decided to give us a Q-bag tag free of charge ($50 value).. Nothing really exciting, but alot more than what we have got over the past years!!

does that mean we'll see a bunch of them on ebay soon?

bdl

 

[TheInsider]

does that mean we'll see a bunch of them on ebay soon?

bdl

Hahaha these gifts will most likely be used by staff this time.. Better than our sim card readers (2009 gift), travel wallet (2009 gift), or model A380 plane!

I know i'm keeping mine, they actually are very good.

 

[bdl]

Hahaha these gifts will most likely be used by staff this time.. Better than our sim card readers (2009 gift), travel wallet (2009 gift), or model A380 plane!

I know i'm keeping mine, they actually are very good.

SIM card reader?! wtf?!

I was pretty impressed with my first next gen bag drop the other day, didn't think the tags would be AUD50 though !

bdl

 

[medhead]

I can confirm there are plans for future to scan your BP or card to gain entry to the lounge. Either via a gate mehod or something else.

They have already scanned the mobile BP once for me in SYD and the scanner used looks very similar to the boarding scanner.

 

[TheInsider]

SIM card reader?! wtf?!

Yer that's what we thought, seeing as nearly everyone i know now stores their mobile phone contacts on their phone (not sim card). Seemed like a pretty redundent 'gift', although it had the QF kangaroo printed on it.

 

[anat0l]

Interesting.

It seems that in about 10 years time, there won't be any QF employees at airports.

Oh ye of little faith....

• Next gen check in technology = no QF staff required at check in

Like QFCSA has already said, there will need to be some staff on the ground to help with smaller teething issues. As we know with the age we live in, the more we can mechanise or rely on some technology, there will always be a tendency to remove humans from the process. But I don't think this will happen ridiculously quickly to the point that we have a staffless check-in.

Although, there was a suggestion at a focus group I attended recently of the idea of having a virtual agent at kiosks ready to assist (but this is with ticketing enquiries, not check-in.....)

• Q Chip card technology = no need for lounge dragons and print your receipt at gate.

Unless they put gates at the lounge entrances (similar to gates at train stations), you can't stop the flow of people walking into the lounge without having someone there. Even then, you still need people to facilitate those who have faulty cards, or missing cards, or cards of members of oneworld where the cards are not compatible with the entry systems. And that's not all the list of faults.

Something similar to how NZ regulate entry to domestic lounges works rather nicely.

Move the call center to India and Mascot can downsize yet again.

Don't you dare give them any ideas:!: :evil:

 

[Oneworldplus2]

Oh ye of little faith....



Like QFCSA has already said, there will need to be some staff on the ground to help with smaller teething issues. As we know with the age we live in, the more we can mechanise or rely on some technology, there will always be a tendency to remove humans from the process. But I don't think this will happen ridiculously quickly to the point that we have a staffless check-in.

Although, there was a suggestion at a focus group I attended recently of the idea of having a virtual agent at kiosks ready to assist (but this is with ticketing enquiries, not check-in.....)

I "try" to have faith Anatol, but the whole industry is so cut-throat, every penny counts. As others have also mentioned on AFF, once they have Next Gen check in up and running, why would you need to have 20 check in agents in Sydney? You don't.

Unless they put gates at the lounge entrances (similar to gates at train stations), you can't stop the flow of people walking into the lounge without having someone there. Even then, you still need people to facilitate those who have faulty cards, or missing cards, or cards of members of oneworld where the cards are not compatible with the entry systems. And that's not all the list of faults.

Something similar to how NZ regulate entry to domestic lounges works rather nicely.

As mentioned on this thread, it could be coming sooner, rather than later. When you have a LCC model trained/focused CEO, prepare to be surprised. We have seen some "benefits" so far, what's next?

Don't you dare give them any ideas:!: :evil:

Honestly, you don't think that they QF board has thought about this? I would be very surprised if they haven't, they do have shareholders to answer to as well.

 

[anat0l]

I "try" to have faith Anatol, but the whole industry is so cut-throat, every penny counts. As others have also mentioned on AFF, once they have Next Gen check in up and running, why would you need to have 20 check in agents in Sydney? You don't.

I put a there for a reason - my comment was intended to be facetious. But, since you intend on taking this argument seriously.....



Well the idea is probably not to have 20. But do you really think in the short term we're going to reduce them to 0? I don't think so.

As mentioned on this thread, it could be coming sooner, rather than later. When you have a LCC model trained/focused CEO, prepare to be surprised. We have seen some "benefits" so far, what's next?

I don't particularly think that this kind of "behaviour" is unique to being led by a LCC model/trained CEO, nor are the effects exacerbated.

FWIW LH now have access gate style boarding at select gates (a lot of them?) in FRA. An interesting system, but there were still staff on standby at the nearby gate counter in case of beeps/op-ups and to help those that don't understand the system. (It would've helped better if the gates could regulate/control priority boarding, but it didn't, so there was a scrum).

Also - even if there are gates, what happens when your card for some reason doesn't scan in properly? Who do you go to? And what stops people from merely jumping the barrier gate if they so want to? In the answer to any of those questions, a human is required to intervene. So I don't think we are getting rid of humans any time soon.

Also, those of you criticising the increasing loss of humans in the process but claim that SmartGate is a godsend are pure hypocrites.

Honestly, you don't think that they QF board has thought about this? I would be very surprised if they haven't, they do have shareholders to answer to as well.

Maybe they have thought about this, but they haven't instigated it yet. Why? From the kindness of their hearts? According to the tone of your post, we'd be bl**dy lucky if a speck of that exists.

As a public company, QF do have shareholders to answer to, although shareholders have a say in how the company runs to a high degree comparatively to the management. If shareholders are only there to get a payback irrespective of how the company profile or how it is run, then I think that says a lot about the morality (or frightening lack thereof) of the shareholders more than it does the company management.

 

[medhead]

As a public company, QF do have shareholders to answer to, although shareholders have a say in how the company runs to a high degree comparatively to the management. If shareholders are only there to get a payback irrespective of how the company profile or how it is run, then I think that says a lot about the morality (or frightening lack thereof) of the shareholders more than it does the company management.

When talking shareholder morality you need to remember there are a range of shareholder types. From people like me who can handle not making maximum profit as long as the company is run well over a number of years; all the way to hedge funds who are there for maximum profit in the next 6 months.

Unfortunately, the later kind have the biggest holdings and hence the most say in company operations.

 

[Oneworldplus2]

I put a there for a reason - my comment was intended to be facetious. But, since you intend on taking this argument seriously.....

Give me a break. Me, serious, yeah right.

I was expressing my view that QF are implementing "new technology" that will inevitably lead to fewer staff. Simple. I never said there would be staff cuts tomorrow. Down the track, for sure.
The other point l was referring to was that QF seem to be "outsourcing" a lot of services these days that perhaps 10 years ago, would have been done in-house.

 

[anat0l]

I was expressing my view that QF are implementing "new technology" that will inevitably lead to fewer staff. Simple. I never said there would be staff cuts tomorrow. Down the track, for sure.

With technology spearheading, I think this is an inevitability. Not that we haven't seen this before with QF anyway, let alone any other airline or other corporation.

The other point l was referring to was that QF seem to be "outsourcing" a lot of services these days that perhaps 10 years ago, would have been done in-house.

Probably so, but unfortunately modern business models seems to be geared towards more of this kind of model to achieve profitability. I don't necessarily agree with the principles behind these models, but everyone with an MBA is being told this is the way to go. I'll leave you to question the morality.

 

[Standby]

All the comments about staffing may lead to reductions over time are true but the other side of the coin is this technology seems to move more people through the terminal without the snaking queues due to only 3 bag drop desks manned we had last week.It also allows the business to grow passenger numbers without adding staff costs.
I actually like the fact there are about 20 places to drop a bag off without forming some aimless,time consuming queue.That applies to the queue you'd get at the J/QC counter as well.
This is my oppinion only.
I do appreciate the roles of the checkin staff will change significantly. The floating staff need more like hosting skills now to help people through checkin rather than the old drone process driven approach ..put bags on scale/ask questions/put on bag tag/change seats /send bags on their way...next

 

[TheInsider]

I do appreciate the roles of the checkin staff will change significantly. The floating staff need more like hosting skills now to help people through checkin rather than the old drone process driven approach ..put bags on scale/ask questions/put on bag tag/change seats /send bags on their way...next

Currently being drilled into staff at the moment by trainers. Also from some observations the older staff (say been with the company for over 10+ years) are really holding back to the change, where as the younger generation of staff are looking forward to it and accepting there is going to be a change and to work with it.
Like i said on a pervious post QF have are looking to change the way they deal with staff, by treating them more like adults with less 'procedure' driven tasks and KPI driven areas. Staff will have more power to assist with customers needs, and they want staff to spend what ever time it takes with a passenger to help them out (for those that need it)

 

[anat0l]

Also from some observations the older staff (say been with the company for over 10+ years) are really holding back to the change, where as the younger generation of staff are looking forward to it and accepting there is going to be a change and to work with it.

Somehow this doesn't surprise me. I guess this means we might see more young staff on the ground. Godspeed that they will have the mental agility of the elder staff, though (i.e. when fixing problems).

Like i said on a previous post QF have are looking to change the way they deal with staff, by treating them more like adults with less 'procedure' driven tasks and KPI driven areas. Staff will have more power to assist with customers needs, and they want staff to spend what ever time it takes with a passenger to help them out (for those that need it)

From what I read this as, it is an attempt to empower staff more than they do now. I might be completely misinterpreting this, so feel free to clarify / correct, but if it is, then some of us have been waiting for this for a while. I don't know what kinds of KPIs existed in the old system; my guess it would have something to do with passenger processing efficiency (e.g. number of staff vs. passengers processed). Seems rather unfair if such KPIs existed and added an inordinate amount of pressure on the check-in staff.

 

[samh004]

We compared a silver and platinum tag tonight at BNE drinks and there is a subtle difference between the silver (lighter) and platinum (darker) disc colour. It's not terribly noticeable though.

Rely on technology, not baggage handlers.