On call centres

During last 15 years I have spent countless hours (which in total I expect to make a month's worht of time) on calls with airline and hotel support hotlines.

While our ability to create new personalised tech systems has made progress thanks to improved access to internet, uptake of mobile devices, apps and chatbots, sadly I don't feel any improvements in the call centre experience over time.

For example yesterday I called Hilton Diamond Line:

Hilton: "Welcome to Hilton Diamond Customer Care. To get started, please enter or say your Hilton Honors member number. If you are not a member, say not a member" (by robotic voice)
Me: typed in my member number
Hilton: "Enter first 5 digits of your zip code"
Me: my zip code has just 5 digits (also all USA zip codes are 5 digit ones), typed it it.
Hilton: "You have entered incorrect zip code. If you are not a member, say not a member."
Me: retyped my zip code again.
Hilton: "You have entered incorrect zip code. If you are not a member, say not a member."
Me: retyped my zip code again.
Hilton: "You have entered incorrect zip code. If you are not a member, say not a member."
Me: retyped my zip code again.
Hilton: "You have entered incorrect zip code. If you are not a member, say not a member."
Me: retyped my zip code again.
Hilton: "You have entered incorrect zip code. If you are not a member, say not a member."
Me: retyped my zip code again.

Frankly, it is disappointing when you call dedicated elite member phone number and the company is able to verify your 9-digit membership number, but unable to verify the 5-digit zip code which stands on my profile. And then suggesting that perhaps you are not a member at all.

Once the robot gives up, next is to understand why are you calling.

Hilton: "Are you calling because of lost password, to check our point balance?"

How many people really call to check point balance? Or figure out lost password, which can be sent to your email with a click?

I am not even mentioning American Airlines call centre, where I still have not figured out how to properly pronounce my user ID to get pass the automatic menu.

At least I call usually because:

• there are some issues at reservations, which can't be resolved due to dysfunctional website (cancellation does not work, missing points don't post even after filling the retro claim form several times);
• in-hotel service failures;
• missing pdf invoice, which was promised to sent to my email by the hotel, but never reached my mailbox;
• customer support email addresses are missing on their websites and the filled in forms go unanswered for weeks/months.

I wonder how often the C-suite members of hotels and airlines use their own customer support channels?

Looking forward, I hope in coming years we see upgrades in the customer support, to address frequently occuring issues instantly. And even better if the websites and apps get debugged to work as they should.

So far the best experience is with Marriott, which has integrated chat functionality into their app. Let's see who's next.

Cover photo credit: Markus Spiske