Delta Recognized For Online Customer Service Enhancements

Airline continues to leverage benefits from electronic revolution for customers

Several Delta Air Lines’ (NYSE:DAL) Reservation Sales e-initiatives and telephone support have received notable attention and recognition from e-Commerce and customer service organizations, proving that Delta continues to leverage successfully e-Commerce benefits for its customers.

Delta was recognized recently by Gómez – an e-commerce authority for both consumers and e-businesses – with a first place finish in Internet Fare Shopper and a strong second place finish in Customer Confidence, which was primarily the result of a perfect performance in telephone and e-mail customer service inquiries.

Additionally, the airline was recently recognized by two customer service-focused organizations, Teleperformance and the American Productivity & Quality Center (APQC), for customer handling via e-mail and telephone support.

"We are thrilled to be a part of this changing, electronic and technological revolution," said Harlan Bennett, Delta’s vice president - reservation sales. "Delta will continue to move forward, setting the pace for continual customer service enhancements throughout the airline industry."

Teleperformance, a Paris-based customer relationship management company, honored Delta’s Online Customer Support Desk with the U.S. 2000 Grand Prix Customer Service Award, for superior e-mail customer service support. Delta also took second in the Transportation and Travel category for its telephone customer handling.

Additionally, the APQC selected Delta to participate in its Customer-Centric Contact Center benchmarking study between June and September 2000. The study determines how best-practice companies, like Delta, have proactively leveraged customer contact centers resulting in long-term customer loyalty.

"Delta is leading the way by challenging the nuances of the e-Commerce-driven economy better than any other airline, while continuing to meet our customers’ needs," said Bill Reeves, Delta’s general manager of e-Commerce. "We’ve not only made it easier for consumers to find information at our Web site (delta-air.com) important to their travel needs, but we continue to set the stage for a more personalized experience."

Other recent notable technology-based customer service enhancements include:

a redesigned Web site that improves navigation, enhances functional elements, and provides customer recognition

wireless access to flight arrival/departure information, flight schedules, and itinerary viewing via the hand-held Palm Pilot and Web-enabled phones

development of an e-mail-oriented customer handling area – the Online Customer Service Desk

implementation of airport Customer Information Display screens.

"All of these initiatives support Delta’s overall strategy to build customer service through the creation of a broad-based electronic communications network that benefits and enhances the customer’s travel experience," Reeves added. "It’s all about giving our passengers a choice that makes sense."

Delta's goal is to become the #1 airline in the eyes of its customers, flying passengers and cargo from anywhere to everywhere. Passengers already choose to fly Delta more often than any other airline in the world. Customers can choose from more than 5,299 flights each day to 362 cities in 58 countries on Delta, Delta Express, Delta Shuttle, the Delta Connection carriers, and Delta's Worldwide Partners. Delta is a founding member of the SkyTeam global airline alliance, which provides customers with extensive worldwide destinations, flights and services.