Qantas ground staff training inadequacies becoming more prevalent

[pshepvic]

There seem to be comments all over the place about inadequate training of QF ground staff, so I thought maybe a thread to bring out all the issues might highlight some feedback needs to be passed back to management.

Today we checked in for a BNE-MEL flight, checking in one bag. On presentation of our FF cards, the bag was scanned with a Q-Tag reader (didn't realise they were already operational in BNE even though NGCI isn't yet).

Then agent then said "where are your boarding passes" to which I replied "I can use the barcode on the back of my card".

She was very polite, however disputed and said "no you'll need a BP or the BP on your phone to board the plane". To which I replied again "no I don't, I've been using the back of my card at Adelaide, Brisbane, Melbourne and Sydney for the last 5 months". She said "even to board the plane in Brisbane?" "Yes ma'am".

Highlights that the ground staff are not provided with adequate training on new systems and processes. It is clearly stated in the below page under the NGCI FAQs that you can use the FF card as the BP no matter how you check in:
Next Generation Check-in frequently asked questions

What other areas do you see requiring more training for ground staff? Also recently highlighted of course has been training around luggage limits, particularly for Dom-Int transfers (and vice versa).

 

[markis10]

I am pleased to see the quality of staff at BNE improve recently , my check in this morning was excellent even if the mysterious priority tag remover got to my bag again while it was in the care of QF. Given the new systems are still very much new, we need to have patience, especially as those systems are meant to replace the staff you are mentioning eventually in most cases.

 

[medhead]

The ADL lounge staff certainly need training about using the QFF card as a BP and the desk scanners. They can't seem to function without seeing a paper BP. However, see below.

Then agent then said "where are your boarding passes" to which I replied "I can use the barcode on the back of my card".

She was very polite, however disputed and said "no you'll need a BP or the BP on your phone to board the plane". To which I replied again "no I don't, I've been using the back of my card at Adelaide, Brisbane, Melbourne and Sydney for the last 5 months". She said "even to board the plane in Brisbane?" "Yes ma'am".

Highlights that the ground staff are not provided with adequate training on new systems and processes. It is clearly stated in the below page under the NGCI FAQs that you can use the FF card as the BP no matter how you check in:
Next Generation Check-in frequently asked questions

Things might be changing in this respect. My barcode didn't work last week in ADL and it didn't work for the guy in front of me in ADL this morning. I'm not sure what is going on but somehow they seem to have stuffed it up in ADL.

 

[samiam]

I'm not sure what is going on but somehow they seem to have stuffed it up in ADL.

I've used the card only option for lounge entry and barcode at gate for the past dozen flights without any issues or questions - none of these flights were ex-ADL, I might add!

 

[medhead]

I've used the card only option for lounge entry and barcode at gate for the past dozen flights without any issues or questions - none of these flights were ex-ADL, I might add!

Very good, and I have used the card for boarding and lounge access for most of this year in many ports. Except not for lounge access in ADL and now (as mentioned) boarding in ADL also seems to have failed in the last 2 weeks.

 

[samiam]

Except not for lounge access in ADL and now (as mentioned) boarding in ADL also seems to have failed in the last 2 weeks.

A mentioned in other threads, I guess it's 'watch this space' on these matters - indeed it will reflect whether staff training is occurring on recent enhancements!

 

[smarty11]

If only I got a dollar every time I encountered a QF staff or agent who did not know how to use the NGIC cards..

Over the last 3-4 months and approx 15 domestic trips (mostly SYD-MEL-SYD).. I have been told at least on 3 occassions that I need a BP or Phone .. at boarding have heard more then 4-5 times.."Oh this is my first time using this.. do you know how.?" or something..
Last time the printers at the gate were not working (Gate # 10 in Sydney) so every one with NGIC or Mobile Chec-In had to queue up to get a BP...

Then again.. over all I am very happy with the NGIC and I reckon I save atleast 5-10 minutes each time I use them... so not bad!

 

[thewinchester]

If only I got a dollar every time I encountered a QF staff or agent who did not know how to use the NGIC cards..

For someone with a username of Smarty11, I'd at least think you of all people would get the acronyms spelt right.

NGCI.

 

[anat0l]

For someone with a username of Smarty11, I'd at least think you of all people would get the acronyms spelt right.

NGCI.

What if smarty11 subscribes to Yoda? Next Generation In Check - passable, not is it? :mrgreen:


On the other hand, perhaps we better get it right. The above sounds like an impossible statement about today's youth.

 

[pshepvic]

I am pleased to see the quality of staff at BNE improve recently , my check in this morning was excellent even if the mysterious priority tag remover got to my bag again while it was in the care of QF. Given the new systems are still very much new, we need to have patience, especially as those systems are meant to replace the staff you are mentioning eventually in most cases.

Look don't get me wrong - I don't blame the ground staff at all. I am always patient with them - in fact, I'm trying as much as possible to help educate them! But it shouldn't really be up to customers to educate the staff on their policies. There is definitely a gap in their training and internal communications, when customers know more about their new system capabilities than the ground staff do. I know we are avid watchers, but their knowledge should at least be equal to ours

I think it will be a long time before the systems actually replace staff - with the teething issues I think we'll still need their assistance for quite some time yet!

 

[pshepvic]

If only I got a dollar every time I encountered a QF staff or agent who did not know how to use the NGIC cards..

Over the last 3-4 months and approx 15 domestic trips (mostly SYD-MEL-SYD).. I have been told at least on 3 occassions that I need a BP or Phone .. at boarding have heard more then 4-5 times.."Oh this is my first time using this.. do you know how.?" or something..
Last time the printers at the gate were not working (Gate # 10 in Sydney) so every one with NGIC or Mobile Chec-In had to queue up to get a BP...

Then again.. over all I am very happy with the NGIC and I reckon I save atleast 5-10 minutes each time I use them... so not bad!

Seeing that with QF it is actually cabin crew who scan BPs at boarding, sounds like they need some training too! They need a better option for when the printer is broken though. For people who use mobile check in though, I don't know why you can't just use the BP image on the phone when you get to the aircraft - the receipt is pointless when the seat # is on the electronic BP.

 

[ozbeachbabe]

There seem to be comments all over the place about inadequate training of QF ground staff, so I thought maybe a thread to bring out all the issues might highlight some feedback needs to be passed back to management.

Today we checked in for a BNE-MEL flight, checking in one bag. On presentation of our FF cards, the bag was scanned with a Q-Tag reader (didn't realise they were already operational in BNE even though NGCI isn't yet).

Then agent then said "where are your boarding passes" to which I replied "I can use the barcode on the back of my card".

She was very polite, however disputed and said "no you'll need a BP or the BP on your phone to board the plane". To which I replied again "no I don't, I've been using the back of my card at Adelaide, Brisbane, Melbourne and Sydney for the last 5 months". She said "even to board the plane in Brisbane?" "Yes ma'am".

Highlights that the ground staff are not provided with adequate training on new systems and processes. It is clearly stated in the below page under the NGCI FAQs that you can use the FF card as the BP no matter how you check in:
Next Generation Check-in frequently asked questions

What other areas do you see requiring more training for ground staff? Also recently highlighted of course has been training around luggage limits, particularly for Dom-Int transfers (and vice versa).

There has been a recent intake of a dozen or so new recruits on checkin at BNE so some may have only had 4 weeks on the job. I'm sure they haven't been let loose upstairs so wouldn't have seen the boarding process first hand & view pax using their ff cards to board flights.

I don't know whether they were told that in training or not but speaking personally most stuff I learn in a training room means nothing to me until I can see & experience it first hand. Other people remember more stuff in training.

WRT to the Q bag tag scanners, these are quite sensitive & what can happen is the scanner may read your spare Q bag tag inside your suitcase should you keep in there instead of the one on the exterior so it's probably a good idea to keep both your Q tags totally apart from each other.

What could happen is the spare one scans at checkin then goes out the back & the baggage handlers scan the one on the exterior which wouldn't be attached to any of your flights as the scanner read the spare one, which could mean your bag may not arrive when you do. :shock: :shock:

 

[markis10]

I think it will be a long time before the systems actually replace staff - with the teething issues I think we'll still need their assistance for quite some time yet!

I dont know, having been through Sydney a few times now its quite obvious the lack of staff compared to the old setup.

 

[smarty11]

For someone with a username of Smarty11, I'd at least think you of all people would get the acronyms spelt right.

NGCI.

My Bad... and apologies..

If only I had a dollar everytime someone corrected me for a tyop or speeling mistake..

or is it... for a typo or spelling mistake...:evil:

 

[moa999]

It would not surprise me i staff at outposts that dont have NGCI (or the new scanners) have not been trained in using the FF card.

Just because it works doesn't mean it is officially supported.

As it is the old gate machines at BNE can take ages to properly scan the FF card or mobile.

 

[MatF]

WRT to the Q bag tag scanners, these are quite sensitive & what can happen is the scanner may read your spare Q bag tag inside your suitcase should you keep in there instead of the one on the exterior so it's probably a good idea to keep both your Q tags totally apart from each other.

What could happen is the spare one scans at checkin then goes out the back & the baggage handlers scan the one on the exterior which wouldn't be attached to any of your flights as the scanner read the spare one, which could mean your bag may not arrive when you do. :shock: :shock:

I noticed this a few weeks ago in BNE. The checkin gent couldn't get my tag to scan, and asked if I had another tag in my bag (I didn't).

It worked eventually, but I must admit it didn't fill me with confidence

 

[ozbeachbabe]

I noticed this a few weeks ago in BNE. The checkin gent couldn't get my tag to scan, and asked if I had another tag in my bag (I didn't).

It worked eventually, but I must admit it didn't fill me with confidence

That would probably have been one of the PADL's but they were replaced in late Feb by new scanners. The checkin person can always double check the baggage details in the system to ensure your Qbag tag number is reflected in your checkin record & print out the baggage receipt which looks like a boarding pass which will have QF then a 6 digit bag tag number on it similar to what you had prior with the thermal tags.

Note that your actual Qbag tag number does not appear on your baggage receipt.

 

[MatF]

Yeah, he gave me a baggage receipt on the same type of card as a boarding pass.
My bag made it to it's destination, so all ended well

Would have been the 25th of Feb I think. I checked in there again last Friday afternoon, but the checkin lady did it the old fashioned way and didn't scan my tag, as there were fairly long queues (even for the Business/PG/WP line), and she said it was faster

 

[medhead]

Just because it works doesn't mean it is officially supported.

It is clearly stated in the FAQ that you can use your QFF card without printed BP. There is no limitation to NGCI ports. For me that says it is officially supported.

 

[pshepvic]

I don't know whether they were told that in training or not but speaking personally most stuff I learn in a training room means nothing to me until I can see & experience it first hand. Other people remember more stuff in training.

Absolutely agree with this 100%. I've previously worked in Learning & Development for around 6 years, and when designing and running training programs I've always ensured they have been a blended learning approach.

Training does not stop in the classroom - you can't shove people in a room for 4 weeks and expect them to remember everything, completely agree. That's why when I run a course, I have the trainees go out into the "real" work environment almost every day, to give them a true perspective of the job, and bring back to the training room real life experiences and questions.

So, when I say that training is lacking, that doesn't just mean classroom training. I mean that the staff are not given enough training and experiential learning in the real world as well. It's also important to expose them to different parts of the business - just because someone only works on the check in desk doesn't mean they shouldn't go to the gate and see how the flights are boarded, or spend a few hours on the tarmac with the baggage handlers and crew there, or spend some time in the air with cabin crew. They should have all these experiences, to know what happens right across the organisation. They might have a better understanding of the issues that travellers experience, and why they get frustrated when staff don't know the rules.

Qantas might do this, I don't know. But if they do, I still don't think it is efficient enough, when the staff still don't know basic company policies. And for existing staff, it doesn't take much to keep them updated when changes occur.