QF call centre discussion

[katiebell]

Re: Qantas call centre wait time for NB and non member (2 hours+)

Well Virgin are losing so much money flying around half empty planes it could just be a sign of how weak their demand is.

better to have extra staff to sort out problems and keep customers happy than be complacent about load factors, cut staff in the C/C and treat pax as though their problems are not important to the business

 

[Sdtravel]

Re: Calling Qantas - wait/hold time

Does anyone know what is going with Qantas call centres???? The last three times I called, there has been a hold time of over 30 minutes. I'm QF Gold, and they say that I'm actually "priority" when they pick up the phone - but this is not acceptable! I'm on hold now and I've been waiting for 33 minutes and counting.

Does anyone know a way around this?

Your lucky it was only 30 minutes.
As a Gold i called from the US last week and waited at least 75 minutes to get someone who answered Premium and wasn't helpful at all and straight up lied to me. Called again to get my problems fixed.

 

[ellen10]

Re: Calling Qantas - wait/hold time

I was waiting online for 35 mins on Sunday night, it was 11.15pm and I wanted to change a booking that I had just made. You get a free change until midnight of the day of booking.
Was able to make one small change before midnight was up, just!

 

[Reeldeel]

Re: Calling Qantas - wait/hold time

I'm hearing you. Suggest you look at all the other threads on this one. 30 minutes is pretty good at the moment.

Does anyone know what is going with Qantas call centres???? The last three times I called, there has been a hold time of over 30 minutes. I'm QF Gold, and they say that I'm actually "priority" when they pick up the phone - but this is not acceptable! I'm on hold now and I've been waiting for 33 minutes and counting.

Does anyone know a way around this?

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Re: Calling Qantas - wait/hold time

I was waiting online for 35 mins on Sunday night, it was 11.15pm and I wanted to change a booking that I had just made. You get a free change until midnight of the day of booking.
Was able to make one small change before midnight was up, just!

I'm fairly certain you would have a good case even if you missed the cut-off due solely to extended call hold times.

 

[AustraliaPoochie]

Re: Calling Qantas - wait/hold time

3 calls and 1 drop out while in queue, weeks apart, 35 mins is the norm for me as a current QF SG.

 

[Mattg]

Re: Calling Qantas - wait/hold time

I get through to QF as a platinum via general reservations usually in 10-15 mins tops.Ironically, as an agent calling the QF agency helpdesk it takes 30 mins+ ...

Why would QF want to make travel agents - the very people selling tickets for their flights - wait more than half an hour on hold?! It's as though they don't even want the business.

 

[hb13]

Re: Calling Qantas - wait/hold time

I guess 30 mins wasn't too bad judging by some of the responses here. Just to update you, it was 45 minutes before someone picked up.

I did ask why it was such a long wait time, and the response was that they were having "technical difficulties" yesterday.

I've been using Qantas almost exclusively for 8 or 9 years now, and I have seen them decline, then heavily improve recently (last 2 years) and now I'm starting to see complacency slip back in where they will suffer again if they keep this up.

Customer service is the most important factor in running an airline, and to be honest, I think that members who are actually loyal with the airline (Silver - P1) shouldn't be on the phone for an hour.

And in my case I had to call because I needed to make a booking which couldn't be done online, or else I would have.

Very poor Qantas.

 

[yohy?!]

Re: Calling Qantas - wait/hold time

the callback function works well - agree the times are not acceptable to speak to someone though, they need to bring in live chat

 

[RooFlyer]

Re: Calling Qantas - wait/hold time

Why would QF want to make travel agents - the very people selling tickets for their flights - wait more than half an hour on hold?! It's as though they don't even want the business.

There's not much incentive for them to treat TAs particularly well. QF would much prefer the punters to book with them direct, and thus cut out the TA fee.

<snip>
I've been using Qantas almost exclusively for 8 or 9 years now, and I have seen them decline, then heavily improve recently (last 2 years) and now I'm starting to see complacency slip back in where they will suffer again if they keep this up.

Customer service is the most important factor in running an airline, and to be honest, I think that members who are actually loyal with the airline (Silver - P1) shouldn't be on the phone for an hour.
<snip>

I think the marked decline in the past 2 years can be related with the push for the airline to return to profitability (which has worked). I suspect all departments have been told to reduce costs, and in the service areas, this means reduction in services.

 

[ellen10]

Re: Calling Qantas - wait/hold time

I'm fairly certain you would have a good case even if you missed the cut-off due solely to extended call hold times.

! wanted make a booking online but the points plus pay button would not work on the site. So I rang the call centre and was placed in a queue,but I had to go ahead and pay for the whole booking as time was running out and just as I finalised payment the call got through to the centre. It was too late, he said the button should have worked, but there were a few problems and he would report it.

The only option given was to cancel the whole booking and refund the credit card which would take a couple of days and then the sale fare would be finished.
He did change my last flight time, which I wanted, because he could do it before the midnight cut off.

 

[Sdtravel]

Re: Calling Qantas - wait/hold time

the callback function works well - agree the times are not acceptable to speak to someone though, they need to bring in live chat

Agree callback has worked well in the past. Although when you are calling from overseas its not an option as they state its only available for AUS and NZ numbers.
There is some live chat but i think its limited in when it operates and what they can do.

 

[NZ_Flyer]

Re: Calling Qantas - wait/hold time

And while some companies can pull off Live Chat very well, I've had a few instances where it's just cut-and-paste replies (presumably due to the agent just skimming for keywords and using stock standard responses) and it's been no more helpful than trying to get an airline to resolve a complex issue via email...

 

[JessicaTam]

A number of threads discussing QF call centre wait times have been merged.

 

[Stoopidsteve]

Re: Calling Qantas - wait/hold time

the callback function works well - agree the times are not acceptable to speak to someone though, they need to bring in live chat

was on call yesterday about 40 minutes...there was NO offer of callback option.

 

[ellen10]

Re: Calling Qantas - wait/hold time

was on call yesterday about 40 minutes...there was NO offer of callback option.

Yes when I was on hold the other night....no call back option.

 

[katiebell]

Re: Calling Qantas - wait/hold time

Why would QF want to make travel agents - the very people selling tickets for their flights - wait more than half an hour on hold?! It's as though they don't even want the business.

No one should be waiting 1/2 hr+ for a call to be answered. Its just bad (no) customer service and gives an impression that they just do not care about customers/too arrogant to care/incompetent. None are a good look.

 

[ellen10]

Re: Calling Qantas - wait/hold time

No one should be waiting 1/2 hr+ for a call to be answered. Its just bad (no) customer service and gives an impression that they just do not care about customers/too arrogant to care/incompetent. None are a good look.

Agreed. But it seems to becoming the norm e.g. banks, phone companies, insurance and many more.

 

[Sdtravel]

Agreed. But it seems to becoming the norm e.g. banks, phone companies, insurance and many more.

If it is it shouldnt be.

Not sure what bank you are with but i don't wait that long. Banks i usually only wait a few minutes.
But i do time my calls to be early morning when they just open.
Calling all hours for Qantas seems to result in long waits.

 

[Reeldeel]

Re: Calling Qantas - wait/hold time

I guess 30 mins wasn't too bad judging by some of the responses here. Just to update you, it was 45 minutes before someone picked up.

I did ask why it was such a long wait time, and the response was that they were having "technical difficulties" yesterday.

I've been using Qantas almost exclusively for 8 or 9 years now, and I have seen them decline, then heavily improve recently (last 2 years) and now I'm starting to see complacency slip back in where they will suffer again if they keep this up.

Customer service is the most important factor in running an airline, and to be honest, I think that members who are actually loyal with the airline (Silver - P1) shouldn't be on the phone for an hour.

And in my case I had to call because I needed to make a booking which couldn't be done online, or else I would have.

Very poor Qantas.

This is becoming a bit of a farce really. Qantas' lack of response and action on this is bordering on arrogance. It is an obvious lie to be blaming this on "technical difficulties"

It is the shop front for Qantas and not just an add on service. It will be even less of an issue now Qantas is posting a big profit methinks. How about an honest response to this???