Airlines have drastically cut back their route networks, and expect a recovery to take several years. Unfortunately this has caused layoffs at many airlines. Among those employees who are sticking around at airlines, some creative arrangements are needed to keep people efficiently employed. Well, Qatar Airways seems to have a creative solution for keeping some…
Continue reading: Qatar Airways Cabin Crew Will Work In Call Centers
Share your questions, experiences, and thoughts below.
Qatar Airways is trying to innovate to preserve jobs.
There is no real downside to this.
Kudos to QR for at least being resourceful. Even within a call center there are different skill groups/sets. If the flight attendants will handle more of the simple changes (i.e. changing seats, adding baggage fees, etc.) i think that would be fine. The more complex changes will probably be handled by more senior call center folks. One skill flight attendants do have is they know how to talk to people in a kind, respectful, and friendly manner.
I worked in a call center for 6 months back several years ago and I think the personable aspect of it is quite important and is not easy for everyone (for certain calls there are scripts one has to adhere to.) There was that scene in Marigold movie where Judi Dench works for a call center in India training them how to talk to people from the UK. I think that captures how adding a little piece of humanity to calls may make a big difference to customers.
At the end of the day, a job is a job and one has to make a living. I really hope it works out for QR.
Reallocating resources where the need is greater. This is very innovative, kinda like when Singapore had their flight attendants help out at hospitals
This was done before at QR and worked just fine. I think it's a good idea to preserve jobs.
"Qatar Airways Cabin Crew Will Work In Call Centers". If United were to do the same thing, it would have to send the employees to live in India or the Philippines. I don't know if anyone has experienced the same thing, but anytime I called United, the call was always routed to an Indian agent.
Customer service from QR’s call centre is the worst of the worst, so I think there’s a reasonable chance this will turn out to be a positive if it means you get through to someone that actually cares somewhat!
That’s great for Flight Attendants. Meanwhile, they are closing their call center in Florida on Sep. 30th and leaving all those employees without jobs. No severance, no insurance and under the current circumstances very few prospects for securing. employment with another company any time soon. So much for “preserving jobs” QR.
SQ is doing the same, some cabin crew have been deployed to hospitals and other jobs in the community https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/800-sia-cabin-crew-deployed-in-singapores-fight-against-covid-19-in-alternative-roles
This is a smart move. Accenture is doing this with their consultants in the U.S.
Saving jobs???
They are closing the call center and laying off around 60 employees in US.
Not sure that's is being creative.
Not sure .
They are laying off a lots of call centers agents with decades of experience.
I will not call it creative.
It's a very practical and good idea. Atleast the crew retain their jubs .That is more important.
Hats off to QR
Well I certainly hope they plan on having social distancing plans in place as call centers usually see people crammed into close quarters. Seems to me with modern technology, people should be able to work their call center positions remotely. It will save money on leasing office space and possibly those savings will transfer to employees. And yes, I know that's wishful thinking.
Delta did this decades ago. The flight attendant's couldn't wait to get back to flying.
Nothing wrong with cross-training your staff at the best of time let alone the worst of times!
They are currently letting go approximately 5000 crew in Doha as well! Majority (90%) of Economy crew will be made redundant by the end of August! Business class crew will than be downgraded to work in Economy class, and the surplus of crew will go and work in the airport in the meantime! Sad times!
At first glance, why not?
At second glance, what is the average pay rate for a FA compared to a call center agent and will there be closures of call centers in high-wage countries like the USA (as some have mentioned)?
Qatar is desert but AA and UA should assign FA to yard work duty. Have you seen how much moving the grass costs? They could offer less expensive work. I am not joking. But FA unions would protest so have to lay them off. Sad.