The useless new website, launched in May 2011

[Dickson]

The information displayed on the website is still unreliable. I think the reason why SIA did not revert back to the old website is entirely due to pride ("face"). Most probably, they are not paying the vendor for the screwed-up job and insisting the vendor Sapient rectify every single problem before making payment. Unfortunately, this is a lose-lose situation. If it were me, I'd probably give Sapient say 3 months to rectify all problems, with a backup team assembled to get the old website back on track in parallel. Oh I forgot .. its been more than 3 months already !!! I also suspect that the reason Sapient can't rectify every single problem is due to inherent design limitations in the new website. It'll probably take SIA another few months to come to this realization. I mean, if the problem is fixable, it'd have been done by now. SIA is a big customer, Sapient would have thrown a tonne of resources at this. But of course, Sapient can't tell SIA that there's an inherent design problem. So what to do ? Plough on ... And whose's to blame? Its still SIA ... no contingency planning.

[inix]

I am so angry now. I was waiting for a redemption booking to open up on Biz Saver and finally it does. All excited I went to do the booking. It went all OK until the final payment stage. I click OK and there was this error. I tried again, and now its waitlisted.

I'm on the line with KF and hope they can settle it for me. Otherwise I am going to be oh so p**sed

[poopbunny]

If it ain't broken don't fix it!

The information displayed on the website is still unreliable. I think the reason why SIA did not revert back to the old website is entirely due to pride ("face"). Most probably, they are not paying the vendor for the screwed-up job and insisting the vendor Sapient rectify every single problem before making payment. Unfortunately, this is a lose-lose situation. If it were me, I'd probably give Sapient say 3 months to rectify all problems, with a backup team assembled to get the old website back on track in parallel. Oh I forgot .. its been more than 3 months already !!! I also suspect that the reason Sapient can't rectify every single problem is due to inherent design limitations in the new website. It'll probably take SIA another few months to come to this realization. I mean, if the problem is fixable, it'd have been done by now. SIA is a big customer, Sapient would have thrown a tonne of resources at this. But of course, Sapient can't tell SIA that there's an inherent design problem. So what to do ? Plough on ... And whose's to blame? Its still SIA ... no contingency planning.

3 months?? You are very kind.

Imagine if they applied the same management techniques for IT and website development to aircraft maintenance and safety. Would you wait 3 months?

It was so bad, it felt that the website went live as Beta with no prior testing. One would think as a minimum, before it went live, someone would try it first from overseas, then report back, website too slow, this and that does not work...etc.. and then make a common sense decision to not go live until those bugs are fixed.

From an outsiders perspective, Singapore as a nation and SQ embodied some strive for excellence where anything less than perfect was unacceptable. It was a trait everyone could look up to. The new website really went against the grain here.

You are probably right about the "losing face" issue and the new slow and hated website is here to stay.

[kanna]

I am also one of the saddened passenger who salutes the old web site!! It is very funny the new web site cannot even display numbers properly. I do not know all those IT guys who are developing this "Multimillion" dollar website fail to understand fancy numbers is pain in the .... ! can not comprehend why the hell they use such uneven numererals like Big 8 then small 0 0 etc. It is really annoying and outraregious in holding our eyes crying in pain...>!

SQ lost all its prestige through this website which has hell of lot errors... hangovers and innumerable design flaws... recently, I got a statement from Krisflyer that says S$20308 was my PPS value whereas the website cooly displays a value 15401. I thought the website is real time one and the krisflyer statement is delayed one... In my case, otherway about... The krisflyer mail is current and the website is old one ....! Can you believe this. I took screen copies and posted to feedback-SQ but no reply so far!!!

Anyway, how long we are going to live with this unfriendly website !! I do not know!!

[Kyo]

Anyway, how long we are going to live with this unfriendly website !! I do not know!!

Foreverrrrrrrr!

[demue]

Foreverrrrrrrr!

Well you may not be that far off. I had an exchange with a customer service supervisor who requested I document proof of the problems I have been experiencing and reporting to them as they can't replicate them and all appears fine on their end

Not saying the CS person meant it exactly the way that ALL is fine with the new website, but the choice of words was not really subtle in this situation

[SQflyergirl]

Bah, what to do when your current site's busted and not working properly: Launch ANOTHER one!

http://www.silverkris.com/

[Kyo]

Bah, what to do when your current site's busted and not working properly: Launch ANOTHER one!

http://www.silverkris.com/

Touch wood, but this one seems to work so far...

[ozdude]

What is the point of the new website?

[SMK77]

I was attending a customer panel yesterday. SQ invited some customers to give feedback on a new approach to the mobile web services.

Of course, everyone was bitching about the actual web page and the two ladies representing SQ were extremely professional.

Bottom line, they cannot switch back to the old version as the new database and all the new bookings are not compatible. They are afraid to again upset a lot of customers and get even more negative press.

[demue]

Migrating databases ehh? Hmm that really would have called for extensive tests and not some amateurish rushed launch. Yikes.

[kanna]

We got to live with this website for whatever reason you access for!! If I am correct, SQ brought the PPS qualification S$25,000 and not the miles you accure, there were cries all over and finally everything became quiet...
Unless there is a competitor who can pose challenges to SQ, nothing will improve, nothing will be heard and loyalists will be taken for a ride!!
uHMM..... that is all we can do and look at the dead wall as far as the website is concerned. At least, I can call the services telephone number and get a better service in Japan because of the geography where I am living!! I do not know about other locations about the services because of a bad and unfriendly website!!

If you guys trust science, all things that go up has to come down some day or other...!! In the case of SQ, their website will start the downfall of the airline... I believe!! But, I still love this airline for excellent connections, punctuality and smartness in moving ahead!!

[qantas_flyer]

Just tried to book a flight from Singapore to Christchurch. The website keeps timing out and now will not even load.

What a joke!

[milehighj]

Unless there is a competitor who can pose challenges to SQ, nothing will improve, nothing will be heard and loyalists will be taken for a ride!!

Correct. Which is why the day cannot come fast enough when QF's premium service competition starts, ex-SIN.

I hope QF's business strategists know which sectors to pick, but in case they need some help (and are reading this thread), I'm hoping for well-timed services and competitively priced J seats on SIN to HKG, CGK, PVG, BOM to really have some of SQ's lunch.

[9V-JKL]

I hope QF's business strategists know which sectors to pick, but in case they need some help (and are reading this thread), I'm hoping for well-timed services and competitively priced J seats on SIN to HKG, CGK, PVG, BOM to really have some of SQ's lunch.

I'll add HND to that list especially when the late night restrictions are lifted