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United Brings Virtual Customer Service to the Airport
As much of the world continues to go virtual and social distancing orders remain in place, it was only a matter of time before we began to see this same virtual format make its way to busy airport terminals.
With the COVID-19 vaccine just beginning to be administered and holiday travel around the corner, now’s the perfect time to start introducing more contact-free, real-time options to these locations.
United, which has been focused on improving the safety of passengers and staff from the start of the pandemic, has now announced Agent on Demand. This new virtual agent technology, which is currently available at Chicago O'Hare and Houston's George Bush International Airports, will be rolling out to other United hubs by the end of the year.
Customers simply scan a QR code located on signage around the airport to gain live access to an "Agent on Demand". They may also access the platform through self-service kiosks at select gate areas. From there, they can call, text, or video chat with an agent for questions like seat assignments, standby, boarding times, and more.
In addition to contactless methods of care, this new virtual solution eliminates the need to stand in long lines at the airport for answers. As an added benefit, customers who do not speak English can use their native language as the chat app has a translation technology included that supports over 100 languages.
"We know how important it is for our customers to have more options for a contactless travel experience and this tool makes it easy to quickly receive personalized support directly from a live agent at the airport while maintaining social distancing," said Linda Jojo, United's Executive Vice President for Technology and Chief Digital Officer.
"Agent on Demand allows customers to bypass waiting in line at the gate and seamlessly connect with customer service agents from their mobile device, ensuring they continue to receive the highest levels of service while also prioritizing their health and safety."
In light of social distancing orders, and to make air travel experiences safer and more seamless, United also recently announced touchless check-in as well as a new chat function that allows customers to learn about its cleaning and safety procedures. Other recent enhancements like text alerts to notify passengers about standby and upgrade lists have also been rolled out.