Customers traveling with US-based Frontier Airlines can now only interact with a human agent over online chat, with the business ditching its telephone support line.
While customers can also reach out to the business via social media and WhatsApp, no live agents preside over these channels, only bots.
As a result, chat is the only option available for queries that go beyond the simple and transactional.
In a statement given to CNN, Jennifer F. de la Cruz, a Spokesperson for Frontier Airlines, said:
We have found that most customers prefer communicating via digital channels.
However, such a statement goes against the results of a poll carried out by CX Today just last week, finding that voice is still the go-to channel for customer service.
Cruz also suggested that customers can now receive support “expeditiously and efficiently as possible.”
Yet, many will worry that this is a Hail Mary attempt to cut costs. Julie Tano-Lawson, Founding Member of Women in CX and a Judge at the CX Awards 2023, is one such person.
On LinkedIn, Tano-Lawson stated:
I’m curious to see the outcome. They are not eliminating human interactions, just the phone channel. I’m hoping the channel choices are based on strong analytics and not just a reduction of costs.
Unfortunately, Frontier Airlines’ track record suggests otherwise. Indeed, the carrier has a reputation for penny-pinching with disregard for the customer experience.
For instance, it charges for seat selection before the flight and measures the dimensions of carry-on bags as customers board their planes.