Akron, OH — June 2, 2009 — Southwest Airlines customers no longer need to waste time on hold or listen to music when waiting for a customer representative. The airline, known for its award-winning customer service, has implemented virtual queuing software from Virtual Hold Technology, LLC, giving callers the freedom to hang up the phone, keep their place in line and get a callback when an agent is available.
 
“The virtual queuing concept aligns perfectly with our declaration of ‘Freedom for our Customers,’” said Lance Morton, Southwest Airlines’ director of automation resources for customer support and services. “When situations arise that create a hold time in excess of a minute or two, the Virtual Hold service gives our customers the freedom to do other things while we keep their place in line.”
 
Virtual Hold Technology’s virtual queuing solution for Southwest Airlines includes the Concierge™ and Rendezvous™ technologies. When hold time is more than a couple of minutes, the Concierge solution offers to hold customers’ places in line and calls them back when it’s their turn to speak to a Southwest Airlines agent. With this option, Southwest Airlines customers have the freedom to continue other activities instead of being tied to a phone. The Rendezvous solution expands the functionality of Concierge offering customers the opportunity to actually schedule a time to receive the callback if the queue time is not convenient for them.
 
On the first day of implementation, 40 percent of Southwest Airlines callers accepted the Virtual Hold callback option instead of waiting on hold. As is often the case with Southwest’s exceptional service, some customers even shared their experiences on the Twitter social networking site:
 
· “Companies: In an age of cell phones, don’t make me sit on hold. Call me back when it’s my turn, like Southwest just did.”
 
· “Southwest customer service now has a callback feature, rather than putting you on hold. I applaud.”
 
· “Love Southwest Airlines’ new option to have THEM call me back rather than wait on hold!”
 
· “Just called Southwest airlines. Instead of putting me on hold they offered a callback service. Smooth.”
 
· “Southwest airlines cust. service takes ur number and calls u back now, rather than keeping you on hold--1 more reason they are the best.”
 
· “Southwest Air reservations has a great feature: instead of keeping you on hold, they will call YOU back. A revolution in customer service!”
 
“Southwest Airlines and Virtual Hold Technology are committed to providing positive customer experiences,” said Mark Williams, president of Virtual Hold Technology. “As the first airline to take its customers off hold, Southwest Airlines continues to demonstrate why they are the leader in customer service.”
 
About Southwest Airlines
 
Southwest Airlines is the most productive airline in the sky and offers customers a comfortable traveling experience and currently serves 65 cities in 33 states. Based in Dallas, Southwest currently operates more than 3,300 flights a day and has more than 35,000 employees. For more information, visit www.southwest.com.
 
About Virtual Hold Technology
 
Virtual Hold Technology (VHT) is the leading developer of virtual queuing solutions for Fortune 1000 clients. Since its inception in 1995, VHT’s patented, award-winning virtual queuing technology has provided return call solutions focused on enhancing the customer experience for financial services, energy/utility, insurance, telecommunications, cable, wireless and retail corporations such as IBM, Bank of America, T-Mobile, Aflac, AT&T, Banco Popular, Verizon, Pacific Gas and Electric Company, Time Warner Cable and AVON. To learn how Virtual Hold’s virtual queuing solutions can help increase customer satisfaction and reduce contact center costs, visit www.virtualhold.com or call 877-886-8187.