BA Service - again

[radeng]

So I'm on BA393 on Saturday from Brussels to Heathrow.

I don't know if ground handling at Brussels is contracted out or if it is BA.

Everybody I dealt with from check in through the lounge staff to CC had the attitude 'can we help you? is there anything you need?'

Very old fashioned idea of service - the sort of thing that keeps the punters coming back!

Bealine, there are still some people in BA who, beside you, put customers first!

My argument is still that BA have first class personnel at the sharp end, who are, in general, let down by their management. It may well be that the 'management' haven't been promoted from those at the sharp end because the 'management' have to have degrees, rather than experience........

[Pax Vobiscum]

Well said, radeng! I would guess that many more of us who have flown BA for several decades, would concur with your analysis.

Sadly, the days when management was promoted from within and knew the business inside out have long gone (in the UK, at least). The results are visible all around us - reduced (or eliminated) customer service and outsourcing of key activities.

If it's any consolation, these things always go in cycles - in another decade or two (if there's a UK economy left), appointing a new CEO from outside the business will seem just as weird as flared trousers and tank tops (hang on, they're trendy again aren't they?).

[radeng]

Come on. Bealine, where's your reply?

[PAXboy]

I think he's still avoiding us, after the "can't make the airport please phone / OLCI check in thread". I think we responded to that with our usual verve ... :uhoh:

[bealine]

Hi - no I haven't disappeared and no I haven't got the huff with you over the OLCI thread. Indeed, I have taken on board the comments (and similar ones from the other two Frequent Flyer fora I subscribe to) and filtered those back to managers accordingly. (Not that I expect too much notice to be taken, you understand!)

I am very pleased that you have had good experiences - all too often, we notice the bad things but fail to notice the little individual attentions that most staff will provide! I have to say most sincerely that most of the British Airways colleagues with whom I have had the pleasure to work (and mighty Heathrow is no different to Gatwick in this respect) are delighted to give outstanding customer service when they are allowed to do so!

The introduction of technology, unfortunately, impedes our ability to act as we would like - particularly the "Resource Management System" or computerised task allocation! (You will see the ground staff carrying little red mobile phones). The negative aspect of this technology is that teamwork, for which British Airways was justifiably proud and was legendary amongst employers, is being destroyed!

So, there are quite a few of us with old-fashioned ideas then! Long may it continue! :)

[radeng]

I bet any LHR staff who can will take March 27 as holiday - the day when the move to T5 is supposed to happen! I will attempt to avoid travel through LHR that day - with the best will in the world from everyone, it's likely to be chaotic.

Off to pack now - BA314 to Paris today!

[bealine]

Au Contraire! The company asked for, and got, many volunteers who are rostered "off duty" from customer services and the ramp over and above the number they were seeking to work overnight on March 26/27 to help move equipment across and smooth the transition! Many of these volunteers will also be back in for their regular "Late shift" on March 27th.

I have no doubt that there will be a few headaches on moving day - not least 'cos poor old Bealine, and a few like him, can't remember where things are!

One thing about British Airways is that, when the smelly stuff hits the fan, the managers and staff can and do pull together as one enormous team! If only our managers could harness this esprit de corps always, there would be no place big enough for our competitors!

So we will all put our shoulders to the wheel, as it were, and do our best!

We look forward to Welcoming You to Our Amazing New Home! :)

[PAXboy]

Glad to see you back in the cabin, bealine.
The introduction of technology, unfortunately, impedes our ability to act as we would like - particularly the "Resource Management System" or computerised task allocation!Oh dear, oh dear, oh dear. I can see that this was not properly explained to you!!

RMS helps you with a high throughput and a constant flow of effective information, maximises the probability of project success and minimises the cost and time required for the philosophy of commonality and standardisation. :oh:

This naturally means that any associated supporting element recognises the importance of other systems and the necessity for the total system rationale. :mad:

In the final analysis, this empowers you to reach your own personal goals, as set by your friends in an office a thousand miles away from the check-in desk. :E

[radeng]

PAXBOY,

Where did you get that marketing BS from?

[nebpor]

Paxboy is being ironic, hence his use of smilies :E

[bealine]

.......... PAXboy's BS sounds bloody good, though! Can you sell the system to some other poor sucker and get it away from BA please? :ok:

[PAXboy]

radeng, thanks for the compliment! ;)

I used the ORIGINAL generator for business BS. Whilst there are a number of websites that will do it:
http://www.bull****bingo.net/cards/buzzword/
http://isd.usc.edu/%7Ekarl/Bingo/

But (AFAIK) the folks to do it first (published) was Honeywell Computers. They produced a credit card sized listing called The Buzz Word Generator. There are three coloums and you take one word from each and they make 'sense': integrated digital hardware or responsive management options.

I was delighted when, in the 1980s, I saw the first of those actually printed in a product brochure!! Later, they produced The Buzz Phrase Generator (which I used for bealine). I can reproduce here but only if Mods say so. I don't think there is a copyright issue but cannot be sure, these were published in the 1960s. Regulars in this cabin can PM me but I cannot post off to all and sundry.

[SLFJan]

Private Eye have a corner for businesses who insist on calling themselves 'Solutions'

Nuff said


PS Who remembers playing Buzz-Word Bingo in meetings during the 1990's?

[radeng]

I came out to CDG yesterday. BA314. Lousy journey up the M4, T4 not accepting Gold Cards at First Class check in because 'the bags don't get there for Europe from First class check in'. Just enough time for a bacon toastie and a glass of champagne in the First Class lounge to try calming one down.Usual long queue at Fast Track security because the useless incompetent BAA can't or won't provide enough gates and channels - may their so called managers drop dead and rot in hell until the end of time! Then a 'bus transfer to the aircraft to give you time to lose the boarding card stub.....then, thank heavens, a CC (one of whom I recognised from a previous flight) who seemed devoted to making the rest of the journey enjoyable. One up to BA! the sooner they run LHR, the better.

BA CC haven't learnt (thank heavens!) from Lufthansa. My last Lufthansa journey saw the CC rush round and hand out the meals, then shut the curtain and dive into the galley for the rest of the journey, ignore the call button, and only come out to clear up as the wheels went down for landing. That was a Munich to Nice flight.....

Now Bealine says that BA employees dive in at times of crises. The big question is "Do BA actually deserve that degree of loyalty considering the way they treat their staff?"

[BOFH]

At the end of the day, I'm passionate about all buzzword bingo toys going forward.

Back on thread, the service I've seen from BA has usually been top hole. It costs a bit extra, but it's worth every penny. Having said that, the online booking system is on crack - I want LHR-BKK-SYD-HKG-LHR but it wants the return route SYD-LHR-HKG-LHR and six grand in WTP!

BOFH

[bealine]

I used the ORIGINAL generator for business BS

Fantastic! I just ran "Buzz Word Generator" through Copernic and came up with loads of web sites to produce fine examples of corporate gobbledegook - I might even use some when I go for an interview for Load Planning next week!

Then, PAXBoy, I'll be able to respond with parallell reciprocal capability :D

[Bluejay]

Hey Bealine

Whens your interview? I am up on the 21st for tests and interview in one go

Bluejay

[PAXboy]

bealine, I'm so proud of my student. You have been incentivized on a one-to-one basis that will have an holistic result on your collaborative approach as an infomediary. [That's from the advanced version!] :p

[bealine]

Hi Bluejay

Got my test on 21st at 1200 at The Rivers (so poss see you there?)

My Interview's on 22nd!

So - get ready with the BuzzWords!

..........and don't forget, our new role when we "take ownership" of Terminal 5 will be to

synthesize mission-critical applications!!! :D

PAXBoy will be proud of me!

[SLFJan]

Oh Bravo Bealine!

Buzzword usage like that and the world should be your molousc (sp?) http://ourpasthistory.com/phpBB/images/smiles/icon_biggrin.gif (http://javascript<b></b>:emoticon(':grin:'))

[Eboy]

Well, I have to add my good experience on BA. Unfortunately, I am kind of locked in to United with the frequent flyer program (to get upgrades) and flying to the US west coast and Asia a lot from DC. It will do, but it is nothing like the non-US carriers.

Anyway, my United flight from Heathrow to Dulles was cancelled -- aircraft bird strike upon landing. United quickly got me on a BA flight to Dulles. The BA staff were so kind, and seemed to sincerely express regret that my flight was cancelled -- I was surprised. The crew on the flight were great and polite. An older woman became faint and collapsed in mid-flight while walking down the aisle. The crew attended to her with great skill and dignity. A nurse was on hand to help. She recovered in a few minutes and was fine.

Loved the Shepherd's Pie too.

[SLFJan]

And on BA you can always get a good cup of tea.:ok: When you've been working a long way away for a while, these things make you feel at home!

[radeng]

They didn't do so well today.......

22 Jan BA349 from Nice to Heathrow at 8pm. Delayed. Aviapartners lady comes through Business class lounge explaining that the delay is due to lack of ATC people at Heathrow, caused by sickness. 10pm, flight cancelled. BA and Aviapartner staff find hotels, chemist, doctor for people who have run out of prescription drugs. I need a hotel where I can get a meal because of being very late for a meal and diabetic - they sort it. Very impressive, and get given a boarding card for 6C for the 0855 BA341 today.

0800, 23 Jan. Drop off bag, get boarding card for 1C on BA341 (walking with a stick, I need an aisle seat). Get to board and it all falls apart, big time. New boarding card for 5F in economy. Ask what they are going to pay me as I was booked and paid for in Business. They tell me that has to be dealt with in London, (I refuse to believe that!) and they had to change to avoid splitting up a family. I refuse to go, and we compromise that I travel in an aisle seat, in business, on the 11am flight. Get taken back to the lounge, and the manager appears at 10am with a new boarding card for 1D on the 11 am flight. We left at 1145 because of ATC delay at LHR....... Get home to find that the BA website lies like a trooper and tells me that BA349 on Jan 22 left at 1043 on Jan 23! If it did, I bet it was empty.

Call BA Exec Club Gold card 0800 number. Short argument ensues - they say it wasn't denied boarding, I say it was denied boarding in the booked class and is thus breach of contract. BA Exec Club then accept that this is not acceptable for a Gold card holder and will get back to me regarding compensation.

"Can we telephone next week?"
"No, Im out BA2584 and back at the end of the week on BA2583"
"How about the week after?"
"No, Im out on BA344, back mid week on BA349, out again on BA314 and back on BA327"
"Goodness, you're keeping us going! Can we email you?"

This all sort of sounds like Foss and Idiot in JB!