Overcoming a Global Tech Outage

Friday’s tech outage was widespread, affecting various industries, particularly airlines, hospitals, and banking. The ripple effect also impacted supply chains and caused interruptions. The bug affected leisure and business travel, highlighting the importance of having a multi-supplier arrangement for backup up and down the value chain. This serves as a wake-up call and highlights the need for action from the travel industry.
 
At Omega World Travel, our HR was disrupted, forcing us to resort to manual timekeeping, reminiscent of a bygone era.
 
Our AI-driven staff forecasting system detected an unexpected surge in calls to our call center, underscoring the need for our teams to be adaptable and prepared for heightened demand. In response, we promptly adjusted our staffing and shifts to manage the increased call volume, particularly to cover the calls in the morning. Managers began monitoring real-time inbound calls for callers indicated by AI to have negative sentiments. They were able to provide guidance to agents dealing with frustrated travelers at the airport, showcasing our adaptability in the face of challenges.  
 

The following week, we continued to experience high call volume due to crew and aircraft realignment delays. Airline phone lines were overwhelmed with long hold times and unsatisfactory re-accommodations. We maintained an average daily increase in calls of 45%. Throughout the days, we continually made changes in the call center settings to adapt to volatile call volumes.

On July 19th and 22nd, Omega World Travel saw its largest call volume in 2024.