In the not too distant future, we expect bots will be sophisticated enough to handle almost all customer service inquires sent via text message. But we"™re not there yet, so it"™s refreshing Hawaiian Airlines is going with an all-human approach.
As some of its competitors use bots programmed with artificial intelligence to answer travel questions, Hawaiian Airlines is going slightly retro with its customer service strategy "” at least for the short term.
No, it"™s not enlarging its call center, or hiring more phone agents. But airline employees have begun answering questions via text messages, allowing agents to be twice as productive as on the phone, according to an executive with LivePerson Inc., the company that provides the technology.
Sometimes, agents help customers re-book their flights. But more often, they respond to simple questions, like, "how much do checked bags cost?" and "how can I change my flight?" Occasionally they handle more unusual queries, such as "can I stow my scuba fins in the overhead bins?" and "can I take poke (the famous Hawaiian raw fish snack) through airport security?" (The answer? Yes, but you must drain the sauce first.)…
