Why Airlines Are Doing Better Than Newspapers: What the Wall St. Journal Can Learn from United Airlines
As much as companies would like customers to serve themselves on the web, it doesn’t always work that way.
Today, the Wall St. Journal (WSJ) sent me a note reminding me that my electronic subscription was expiring as was my credit card on file. Separately, I made a reservation for a trip to Houston on the newly merged United-Continental. Since one of the flights was on the old Continental, the form only allowed for a Continental frequent flyer number which I hardly use. Both incidents caused me to call customer service.
In the case of United, their system recognizes my office phone by caller ID, identifies me, confirms my name and whether travel is within the U.S. and then directs me to a reservations agent. After giving the agent the flight confirmation number, she immediately informs me that my United frequent flyer number is missing, fills it in without asking me for it and asks how she can help me. I informed she already did and we part ways. They need to fix the web page so folks don’t need to call but let’s cut them some slack due to merger integration issues.
After calling the WSJ, I’m put on hold for several minutes due to the ubiquitous “heavy call volume” message. Next, a WSJ agent asks for my last name and then pauses for fifteen seconds while he searches. Then asks my first name and searches some more. Then he asks for my email and after another fifteen seconds asks how can he help me. My question was did my electronic subscription also include the new iPad version of the WSJ and if not, what is the price of the iPad version and is there a combination price if I purchased both. He tells me they are totally separate. When I ask him the iPad pricing, he tells me that’s a totally different department and gives me an 800 number. I repeat that I’m just asking for the price. He repeats the 800 number.
WSJ wake up! Let’s assume that every subscriber database is discrete based on which form of the WSJ you get. Granted the technology to consolidate multiple databases in a common data warehouse is readily available but it’s obviously not a top priority.
But at least give the folks who are answering the phones the prices for all the WSJ media options. Let them help.
