After listening to our customer’s feedback in many channels, we’re proud to announce the launch of Delta Assist in Facebook. I sat down with our Delta Assist manager, Jerry Fletcher, to learn more about this effort.

Liz: What is Delta Assist and how did it come to be?

Jerry: Our team knows that our customers look to social media to share feedback and seek out solutions. We recognize the need to be where our fliers are already talking and asking for help.  And so, we look to social media to provide the flexible, timely, personal support our customers value. 

We initially launched Delta Assist as a pilot in Twitter. @DeltaAssist operates as a fully funded social customer support product, alongside and in tight coordination with our sister accounts, @Delta and @DeltaNewsroom. Over the past few months we’ve really enjoyed getting to know the community. We’ve learned a great deal from our fliers and have heard the importance of customer support in social loud and clear. Based on that same community feedback we’ve already expanded our @DeltaAssist hours of operation to 24 hours a day/7 days a week and nearly doubled the size of our Assist team! 

Today we’re proud to announce that we’re the first airline in the world to offer a dedicated customer support product in Facebook with the launch our latest endeavor, Delta Assist in Facebook.

Liz: That sounds great Jerry. So why bring Delta Assist to Facebook?

Jerry: Our Facebook community is fantastic. We really love our fans and appreciate their participation and feedback on our page. We’ve been listening to their feedback on the wall and wanted to give our customers a safe and secure forum for sharing comments and getting the support they need.

Liz: Delta already participates in conversations on our Facebook Wall.  How should our fans use the Delta Assist Facebook tab?

Jerry: Many of our customers have feedback or support needs that require private, secure, one-to-one conversations. However, brands don’t have the Facebook message e-mail functionality that users enjoy. Delta Assist in Facebook gives our community the opportunity to share these private messages with confidence 24/7 without having to leave our Facebook page.

Liz: What should users expect when they send a message via Delta Assist in Facebook?

Jerry: When one of our community members sends us a message, they’ll receive an on screen notification that their message has been sent as well as an automated email confirmation with a ticket number for future reference. On our end, the Delta Assist team will receive that message and start working quickly to help get the customer the support they need.

Liz: How soon can users expect to receive a personal response to a message sent via Delta Assist in Facebook?

Jerry: Most users should receive a response within 24-72 hours. We’re working in close partnership with all of the appropriate teams across the Delta organization to circulate feedback with key stakeholders and provide the best possible solutions, and we’ll do our best to provide a timely response to all of the messages we receive. Customers should remember that if they need real-time support they should contact us on Twitter or by phone at (800) 221-1212.

Liz: Will Delta Assist in Facebook ask users to provide personal information?

Jerry: Customer privacy is something we take very seriously. Delta Assist has been built to provide as much privacy as possible within the limits of social media. We’ll never ask for anyone’s personal information in public. We will not share any of this information with anyone outside of the Delta organization or send customers any marketing messages they have not previously opted into.

Liz: How can people follow up on an issue they have submitted to Delta Assist in Facebook?

Jerry: All feedback and comments received via Delta Assist in Facebook will be assigned a ticket number, which will be shared in all email responses. To follow up, customers can send an additional message using the Delta Assist Facebook tab referencing their ticket number in the body of the message, or by using our existing customer service channels such as phone, email and @DeltaAssist on Twitter.

Liz: How can users share their feedback on the Delta Assist effort?

Jerry: We would love to hear everyone’s thoughts, ideas or feedback for Delta Assist in Facebook. We built this for our customers and we’re always looking to improve the Delta experience.  We encourage users to share their feedback on our Delta Assist Facebook effort by using the “other” topic on the form we’ve provided, or by leaving a comment on this blog post.

Liz: Thanks for your time Jerry. Is there anything else you’d like to add?

Jerry: Thanks Liz. We’re really excited to expand Delta Assist into Facebook and look forward to the future of Delta Assist in all of our social media channels!

We all know them. We see them in the airport donning that famous red blazer. They are Delta Red Coats and it’s their pleasure to serve you.

With the busy holiday travel season behind us, we wanted to build on the travel tips we’ve shared via social media the past few months and give you some insight on what you can expect from Delta in 2011. To that end, I sat down with one of our very own Red Coats for some insight into their world.

Delta: Thanks for taking the time to talk with us Michelle. Shall we start off by sharing a little background on our Red Coat program?

Michelle: Sure! The program was revitalized in 2007 at our New York-JFK hub. Today there are about 800 of us in many large airports across the U.S.

Delta: What does a typical day look like for you?

Michelle: Every day I assist customers from all walks of life and from all over the world. I work at Delta’s Detroit hub, where we see customers from all over the U.S. and Canada as well as Asia, Europe and South America. I walk around the airport and see customers arriving from Brazil, returning to Paris or on their way to Japan.

Delta: Yes, our Red Coats are certainly famous for your ability to provide one-on-one help from anywhere in the airport. So how exactly do you assist customers without being behind a counter?

Michelle:  We’ve got new technology and the know-how to get what you need. We use hand-held devices to resolve problems on the spot and issue printed boarding passes, meal vouchers, Sky Club passes, travel passes and other coupons.

Delta: That’s great. And lastly, can you share any advice with our customers traveling in 2011?

Michelle: Of course. While we’re here in the airports to serve you, there are some tools customers can use to help themselves if they wish. We have kiosks that can help with flights and information as well as scan-and-go stations where a simple scan of your boarding pass can give you a new one in most situations if you need to be rebooked.

Liz G.

Delta Social Media

For many of our customers we’re getting into what’s affectionately known as “the most wonderful time of the year.”  For airlines, it can also be one of the most challenging—winter months means snow and freezing rain in many parts of the country and globe.

With winter weather in full swing, I wanted to give you an inside look at how Delta prepares for imminent weather, and also share some tips should you find yourself with delays or cancellations this busy travel season.

At Delta we started preparing for winter at the end of last year’s winter season. Here’s how:

• 30 dedicated meteorology professionals give us an around-the-clock look at the weather that’s specifically tailored to Delta. We’re the only major airline with our own meteorology department!
• 410 Delta deicing trucks stay filled with fluid from September to May, ready to make sure that come rain, snow, sleet or hail – as long as it’s still safe to fly – we’re keeping your flight on schedule.
• Hundreds of Airport Customers Service agents were recently added in our busiest airports to make sure we’re staffed to offer quick support during irregular operations.
• 800 Delta Red Coats are in our hubs and other major airports equipped with handheld technology that lets them handle nearly any transaction on the spot from anywhere in the airport.

But even with all of our preparations, sometimes there is simply no way to stop severe weather from impacting your travel plans. We’ve prepped for that, too:

• Free Delta Messenger flight notifications allows you to subscribe to get updates on all flights, or get a one-time alert on a specific flight.
• @DeltaAssist real-time customer assistance through Twitter. Before, during and after your flight, the Delta team is working to get you to your destination with minimal disruption.
• Live travel advisories on delta.com help you stay up-to-date on everything impacting travel around the globe.

And of course all of Delta’s customer service channels are always available to you.

I hope I’ve been able to shed some light on our winter operations and equipped you with the tools and information you need to have a happy and enjoyable winter travel season!

Happy Holidays,

James F.

GM-OCC Operations Management