I just got back from AAA, having successfully obtained a license plate and registration for one of our cars. During my four month stay in China, that car was never to be driven. Therefore, I removed liability insurance from that car, and (in compliance with Pennsylvania Department of Transportation regulations) surrendered the old plate prior to my leaving for China.
Now that I have returned, I wanted to get a new plate and registration so I could drive the car. I went to AAA, and eventually was able to accomplish that task. However, it took longer than it needed to, because the AAA staff had trouble figuring out which computer screens and commands to use.
Looking back, I should have anticipated this problem, and prepared for it. Prior to leaving for AAA, I actually had called PennDOT to ask about what documents I needed. When I had them on the phone, I should have asked them, "Is there anything AAA should know when processing my request?" There's no guarantee of course, but maybe PennDOT could have told me to tell AAA to use a particular screen or command.
I know the customer shouldn't have to do the job of the service provider, but sometimes it's necessary if you want the job done right and done quickly.
Showing posts with label customer service. Show all posts
Showing posts with label customer service. Show all posts
Friday, January 2, 2009
Continental boarding pass--why make us guess?
I left Beijing on December 31, 2008, on Continental flight 88, nonstop to Newark Liberty. Great flight, but the information could have been clearer. All the boarding pass and reservation said was that my flight was leaving Beijing Capital Airport at 5 pm. Well, I got to the airport, went into Terminal 3, looked for Continental and didn't see them. I went to an information desk and guess what? I should have gone to Terminal 2 instead.
Fortunately, I had gotten to Terminal 3 at 2:15 pm, so I still had time to take the shuttle bus to Terminal 2. I checked in and boarded the flight.
Why couldn't the boarding pass simply have told me to go to Terminal 2 rather than 3? I realize that the gate assignment might not have been final. However, with an airport like Capital or JFK, where your terminal DOES matter (unlike, for example, Atlanta), knowing the terminal can save time and aggravation.
Fortunately, I had gotten to Terminal 3 at 2:15 pm, so I still had time to take the shuttle bus to Terminal 2. I checked in and boarded the flight.
Why couldn't the boarding pass simply have told me to go to Terminal 2 rather than 3? I realize that the gate assignment might not have been final. However, with an airport like Capital or JFK, where your terminal DOES matter (unlike, for example, Atlanta), knowing the terminal can save time and aggravation.
Monday, July 7, 2008
Non-transparent technology
Tomorrow I am going out of town, on a Delta flight that is a Northwest code share. In other words, I made the reservation through Delta, and the flight has a Delta flight number, but the actual flight is operated by Northwest. I had purchased the ticket about two weeks ago, and received my e-mail receipt.
This morning, I signed onto the Delta site, brought up my itinerary, and tried to check in. No way, because the "check in" command button was greyed out.
I called Delta, and after about twenty minutes on hold, reached a live person, who of course said she couldn't find my reservation. After more searching, she finally did find it. However, she apologized and said even she couldn't check me in. Rather, I had to have my NORTHWEST confirmation number (which is different from my Delta confirmation number) and I had to check in at the Northwest web site.
I then visited the Northwest site and checked in. However, the experience left me puzzled and got me to think. Here was an example of where technology failed to mirror business processes. In order to have code sharing, Northwest and Delta had to have gotten together to negotiate the arrangements. There had to be communications between them and between their reservations systems. However, that communications and transparency didn't carry over to the Delta web site. If it had, that web site should have provided at least a link to the Northwest web site, and provided the Northwest confirmation number. In fact, to take transparency to its greatest level, I simply should have been able to check in at Delta.
Keep this incident in mind if you're developing a system. Make sure it mirrors the business process you're supporting. Make the technology as transparent as possible.
This morning, I signed onto the Delta site, brought up my itinerary, and tried to check in. No way, because the "check in" command button was greyed out.
I called Delta, and after about twenty minutes on hold, reached a live person, who of course said she couldn't find my reservation. After more searching, she finally did find it. However, she apologized and said even she couldn't check me in. Rather, I had to have my NORTHWEST confirmation number (which is different from my Delta confirmation number) and I had to check in at the Northwest web site.
I then visited the Northwest site and checked in. However, the experience left me puzzled and got me to think. Here was an example of where technology failed to mirror business processes. In order to have code sharing, Northwest and Delta had to have gotten together to negotiate the arrangements. There had to be communications between them and between their reservations systems. However, that communications and transparency didn't carry over to the Delta web site. If it had, that web site should have provided at least a link to the Northwest web site, and provided the Northwest confirmation number. In fact, to take transparency to its greatest level, I simply should have been able to check in at Delta.
Keep this incident in mind if you're developing a system. Make sure it mirrors the business process you're supporting. Make the technology as transparent as possible.
Non-transparent technology
Tomorrow I am going out of town, on a Delta flight that is a Northwest code share. In other words, I made the reservation through Delta, and the flight has a Delta flight number, but the actual flight is operated by Northwest. I had purchased the ticket about two weeks ago, and received my e-mail receipt.
This morning, I signed onto the Delta site, brought up my itinerary, and tried to check in. No way, because the "check in" command button was greyed out.
I called Delta, and after about twenty minutes on hold, reached a live person, who of course said she couldn't find my reservation. After more searching, she finally did find it. However, she apologized and said even she couldn't check me in. Rather, I had to have my NORTHWEST confirmation number (which is different from my Delta confirmation number) and I had to check in at the Northwest web site.
I then visited the Northwest site and checked in. However, the experience left me puzzled and got me to think. Here was an example of where technology failed to mirror business processes. In order to have code sharing, Northwest and Delta had to have gotten together to negotiate the arrangements. There had to be communications between them and between their reservations systems. However, that communications and transparency didn't carry over to the Delta web site. If it had, that web site should have provided at least a link to the Northwest web site, and provided the Northwest confirmation number. In fact, to take transparency to its greatest level, I simply should have been able to check in at Delta.
Keep this incident in mind if you're developing a system. Make sure it mirrors the business process you're supporting. Make the technology as transparent as possible.
This morning, I signed onto the Delta site, brought up my itinerary, and tried to check in. No way, because the "check in" command button was greyed out.
I called Delta, and after about twenty minutes on hold, reached a live person, who of course said she couldn't find my reservation. After more searching, she finally did find it. However, she apologized and said even she couldn't check me in. Rather, I had to have my NORTHWEST confirmation number (which is different from my Delta confirmation number) and I had to check in at the Northwest web site.
I then visited the Northwest site and checked in. However, the experience left me puzzled and got me to think. Here was an example of where technology failed to mirror business processes. In order to have code sharing, Northwest and Delta had to have gotten together to negotiate the arrangements. There had to be communications between them and between their reservations systems. However, that communications and transparency didn't carry over to the Delta web site. If it had, that web site should have provided at least a link to the Northwest web site, and provided the Northwest confirmation number. In fact, to take transparency to its greatest level, I simply should have been able to check in at Delta.
Keep this incident in mind if you're developing a system. Make sure it mirrors the business process you're supporting. Make the technology as transparent as possible.
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