My life as a Rez Monkey
The past two days I've done eight hour shifts, 0930 to 1800. The initial idea was I'd ride the reservation desk and learn that while the regular morning dispatcher did her thing, cover the time between when she went home and the even lady came in, and then do both dispatch learnings and reservation learnings. However, morning dispatcher has been sick for two days, so I've been right into the barrel. Still not dealing with actual customers beyond saying "Classic Limousine, this is Doug, would you mind holding?" So someone more experienced can take the call. But I am getting good at handling the system, and learning some of the more prominent special cases. For example, Company A gets $10 off the base fare, and if booked through Booking Company, we don't charge the usual fee unless the job is in certain areas of San Jose. Some companies are Direct Bill unless the particular account notes for that person say otherwise.
It's a lot to learn, and I'm still double and triple checking myself. Today we did some fake calls, with Boss number One calling me from his office and testing how I take calls. Still a ways to go on that. The key is to get the name and if they've traveled with us before. Then it's likely we have them in they system for things like piuck-up address, phone number, method of payment and I just need to get trip details: which airport, which airline, departure time, and will you be needing a return trip?
Getting to know the drivers, who are a cool bunch (as drivers are wont to be.) They are being extremely patient with my fumbling attempt to help them. One of the big duties for the dispatcher is to update flight arrival times. We want our drivers there at the luggage carousel or at the exit from customs with a smile and a greeting sign. So if, as happened tonighyt, a flight from Japan rides the jet stream and comes in a half-hour early, we need to let the driver know well in advance.
One odd thing... I mentioned when I first got hired that there was another new hire, a woman who had also worked the board at ShuperShuttle. She seems to have vanished. Last week we were doing alternating morning and evening blocks, so we didn't see each other. But this week I'm there for much of the day, and you'd think they'd have her in as well for the training. This is not an easily absorbed system! You need lots of practice. Who knows, I'm too busy learning and grinding to ask, and if she did flame out early, I expect once I'm trained they'll hire another person. to fill in the gaps.
But here's the other Office Dog, Coal:
It's a lot to learn, and I'm still double and triple checking myself. Today we did some fake calls, with Boss number One calling me from his office and testing how I take calls. Still a ways to go on that. The key is to get the name and if they've traveled with us before. Then it's likely we have them in they system for things like piuck-up address, phone number, method of payment and I just need to get trip details: which airport, which airline, departure time, and will you be needing a return trip?
Getting to know the drivers, who are a cool bunch (as drivers are wont to be.) They are being extremely patient with my fumbling attempt to help them. One of the big duties for the dispatcher is to update flight arrival times. We want our drivers there at the luggage carousel or at the exit from customs with a smile and a greeting sign. So if, as happened tonighyt, a flight from Japan rides the jet stream and comes in a half-hour early, we need to let the driver know well in advance.
One odd thing... I mentioned when I first got hired that there was another new hire, a woman who had also worked the board at ShuperShuttle. She seems to have vanished. Last week we were doing alternating morning and evening blocks, so we didn't see each other. But this week I'm there for much of the day, and you'd think they'd have her in as well for the training. This is not an easily absorbed system! You need lots of practice. Who knows, I'm too busy learning and grinding to ask, and if she did flame out early, I expect once I'm trained they'll hire another person. to fill in the gaps.
But here's the other Office Dog, Coal: