This just isn’t my day…

This just isn’t my day…

11

My last final exam (hopefully ever) will be tomorrow, so I should really be focusing more on schoolwork than “work,” but I’ve nonetheless been trying to finish up a few award bookings today. Every once in awhile I run into some sort of an issue, but today is just one of those where I should give up and call it a day.

This morning I had to call Delta eight times to add an Alitalia segment. Space was there, but the first seven agents just weren’t intelligent enough to “request” Alitalia space. Funny enough the first agent added the segment incorrectly, so I asked the next agent to remove that segment. She said she didn’t know how, and asked if I couldn’t do it. After a 30 minute hold, the eighth agent was finally able to do it.

Along the same lines, in the process of booking a revenue ticket for someone this morning, I got into an argument with a “supervisor” over what constitutes back-to-back ticketing. For those of you not familiar with back-to-back ticketing, it’s when you try to circumvent fare rules by booking multiple tickets. For example, say you want to travel from Tampa to Singapore, but only for one day. Most cheap fares have a six-day minimum stay requirement, so if I booked two separate roundtrip tickets, one from Tampa to Singapore and one from Singapore to Tampa, with the purpose of circumventing the fare rules, that would be back-to-back ticketing.

This “supervisor” claimed a simple roundtrip ticket with only 90 minutes at the destination was back-to-back ticketing. Sorry lady, that’s what we call a roundtrip ticket with a really quick return. She (the supervisor) was in India, so I found it ironic when she said: “well this reservation was made with the Manila call center, they tend to make a lot of mistakes.” Nah, in this case, they were right and you were wrong. While I always try to be nice, I just couldn’t help but get a bit pushy. I was dumb for playing along, as I called back right away and had the problem sorted out in under a minute, as opposed to the hour I spent on the phone with her (yes, I don’t always follow my own advice).

Then I tried to make a change on a US Airways itinerary, only to get three agents in a row that claimed changes can’t be made to any US Airways itinerary once they’re ticketed, and that the reservation would have to be canceled and we would have to start all over. In fairness, that’s just another day with US Airways for me. 😉

OK, I give up. Back to studying operations and supply chain management…

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  1. Troy OMAAT

    Hi, Ben, I know some general member call center agents are not very good, but should not be that bad. what number did you dial?

  2. Eric Guest

    I remember a comment by US saying their moving all their call centers back to the USA soon. Thankfully i haven't had a chance to deal with the US intl call centers.

    Good luck on your exam!

  3. chitownflyer Guest

    You'll be lucky on your final Lucky!

  4. jr Guest

    good luck on your final final lucky!

  5. UA_Flyer Guest

    Lucky, good luck on the final!

  6. Carlos Guest

    7 Rs... I don't remember that. We just learned what Logistics simply is.. like the UPS commercial haha!!

    I'm not a business major, this is Marketing 101 as an elective.

    I also heard a lot of MBAs expect some business experience.

  7. Golfingboy Guest

    You are majoring in Supply Chain Management/Logistics?

    My BS degree was in Supply Chain Management :) Now, I am at a crossroad trying to decide whether I should enroll into an MBA program or pursue a career and get my Masters after a few years of work experience...

    Carlos- Yup, you are screwed ;) What are the 7 Rs of logistics? Besides, what are the steps is your marketing teacher telling you? Mine was...

    You are majoring in Supply Chain Management/Logistics?

    My BS degree was in Supply Chain Management :) Now, I am at a crossroad trying to decide whether I should enroll into an MBA program or pursue a career and get my Masters after a few years of work experience...

    Carlos- Yup, you are screwed ;) What are the 7 Rs of logistics? Besides, what are the steps is your marketing teacher telling you? Mine was Suppliers-Distributors-Manufacturers-Wholesalers-Retailers/Customers or Plan-Source-Make-Deliver-Return...

  8. hobo13 Guest

    I'll remind you that this was your last exam ever in two years when you tell us that you are going to get your MBA!

  9. Carlos Guest

    Wait, those are the Distribution Warehouse steps. Crap I'm screwed...

  10. Carlos Guest

    Marketing.... I have a Final on Monday for it.

    What are the steps of the supply chain?!!!

    I said screw it and just remember RCSGPS. Receive. Check. Store. Get. Prepare. Ship.

  11. bmvaughn Guest

    Sounds like an M|M|Q|1 problem :)

Featured Comments Most helpful comments ( as chosen by the OMAAT community ).

The comments on this page have not been provided, reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any advertiser, and it is not an advertiser's responsibility to ensure posts and/or questions are answered.

Troy OMAAT

Hi, Ben, I know some general member call center agents are not very good, but should not be that bad. what number did you dial?

0
Eric Guest

I remember a comment by US saying their moving all their call centers back to the USA soon. Thankfully i haven't had a chance to deal with the US intl call centers. Good luck on your exam!

0
chitownflyer Guest

You'll be lucky on your final Lucky!

0
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