You know the scenario, skip the queue and get automated customer service on a chat session.
But beware!
If you chat with Qantas online, you get reasonably quick responses and you can deal with the back and forwards in your own time.
![Qantas 747 tail](https://www.serviceintegrity.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/Qantas-tail-1024x1024.jpg)
All good.
However, you’re in trouble if the enquiry is anything but simple.
The call centre staff are local, have been trained over 6 months,
Here’s the problem with the chat staff:
- they have less training
- they don’t have discretion
- they’re usually managing up to 6 customers at once
- they can’t feel the customer
Giving good automated customer service means giving the chat staff the appropriate training (of course), then give them discretion, but importantly, give the customer a path to speak to someone if it goes pear-shaped.
Keep your service consistent. This is not a surprise to me. My mystery shopping business gets secret shoppers to test all customer contact points. Inconsistencies are not uncommon, but they really impact the customer.
Now, if you’re a Qantas customer, take it from me, call them and use their callback service.