Real Time Benefits Agent Talking Points

Real Time Benefits Agent Talking Points

What You Need to Know:

American Airlines and Citi are launching Real Time Benefits in all domestic airport locations.

What are Real Time Benefits? Citi® / AAdvantage® Platinum Select® World Elite Mastercard® benefits are now available in real time for most applicants upon application approval, rather than waiting up to 7 days.

Customers who have been instantly approved will receive the following existing card benefits (no changes to the benefits available), now in REAL TIME:

• First checked bag free on domestic American Airlines itineraries for the primary cardholder and up to 4 companions in the same PNR (sample statistic potential savings of up to $500 round trip for a family of five)

• Group 5 Boarding

When discussing the benefits with prospective card members, please highlight the following key details:

• First Checked Bag Free: This benefit applies only to domestic American Airlines itineraries.
• Group 5 Boarding (Digital Boarding Pass): Inform customer that there may be a slight delay, up to approximately 7 minutes, for Group 5 to be reflected on digital boarding passes.
• Group 5 Boarding (Printed Boarding Pass): Proactively inform customer that their printed boarding pass may show a group number higher than Group 5. Reassure them that if approved, Group 5 boarding will be fulfilled and they can obtain a new, printed boarding pass with correct Group 5 benefit prior to boarding.

Launching Real Time Benefits gives you the ability to highlight the added value that customers can take advantage of these benefits during their current travel, immediately upon card application approval.

Being able to explain benefits usage in real time will:

1. Help the customer recognize additional value of the card and encourage them to follow through with a Platinum Select® application.
2. Improve your interactions with potential cardmembers.

Keep in mind: the real time access is a new card enhancement and is not mentioned in the ticket jackets.

Reminder: there is no difference from what happens today from a customer application process perspective - they will use existing card application protocol. The difference is now upon card application approval, customers can use their free checked bag and Group 5 boarding benefits right away.

Once the customer is approved, their AAdvantage profile should be updated within a few minutes and show the *PCC* header in their PNR, giving them the card benefits.

Note: if the customer doesn't enter their existing AAdvantage number into the application, a new one will be issued. Customers can combine multiple AAdvantage accounts at aa.com/loyalty/merge/myAccount.

Q&A

Q: Who can participate in Real Time Benefits?

A: Any CSC/CSA/CAR in domestic stations that is qualified to participate in the AAdvantage Cash™ program (this means they've taken the program qualification and passed the quiz).

If you are not qualified in the AAdvantage Cash™ program, you may access the AAdvantage Cash™ qualification in the following ways:

• AAdvantage Cash™ Mobile App
• QIK (CTRL D > F5 › Opt 15)
• MyAAdvantageCash.com

Q: What if I'm not qualified?

A: Agents who are not qualified will still encounter customers who have just applied and received instant approval, thus able to receive Real Time Benefits. They would be serviced like any other customer. As a reminder, agents who are not qualified may not hand out a ticket jacket with an AA ID on it. We encourage all agents to get qualified in AAdvantage Cash™ to be able to speak to the benefits of the Platinum Select® card and enjoy program benefits including compensation for each approved application.

Q: How do I let customers know about Real Time Benefits?

A: There are a few different ways to engage customers with Real Time Benefits:

Scenario 1: When a customer is paying a bag fee: that's a great time to invite them to apply.

"One of the benefits of our Citi® / AAdvantage® Platinum Select® World Elite Mastercard® is the first bag is free for you and up to 4 companions traveling on the same reservation for domestic American Airlines itineraries. If you apply right now and are approved, you'll be able to take advantage of this free checked bag benefit right now."

Scenario 2: When a customer mentions being worried about not having enough room onboard for their carry-on.

"With the Citi® / AAdvantage® Platinum Select® World Elite Mastercard®, you'll enjoy preferred boarding with early access to overhead bin space. If you apply right now and are approved, we can get you into Group 5 for boarding."

Q: What if a customer has already paid for their bags?

A: If a customer states they have already prepaid for their bags, pivot your approach and highlight the bonus mileage offer, Group 5 boarding and let them know they will receive their first bag free during their next domestic travel that does not involve prepaid bags.

Q: What benefits is the customer eligible for if they receive a Pended decision?

A: Card benefits are only granted to people instantly approved for the Platinum Select® card.

Q: What if the customer has applied and been approved and the bag is not being waived?

A: Follow the usual troubleshooting steps. If it still doesn't work, use the Citi® Waiver Reason (14) and enter RTB in Waiver Remark

Note: For common use sets if Citi waiver code does not display use the Customer Service Waiver Reason and enter RTB in Waiver Remark

Q: What if the customer has applied and been approved and the boarding pass is not being updated to Group 5?

A: Mobile: If customer has a mobile boarding pass, ask them to refresh their boarding pass after going through security. If it is still not correct, get an updated boarding pass from gate agent.

A: Paper: Advise the customer to see the gate agent for an updated boarding pass.

Note: If you are the gate agent and the PCC is showing, however the customer's boarding pass is still reflecting Group 6 or higher, allow the customer to board with Group 5 and put in a QIKFIX.

Q: How do I let the American Airlines AAdvantage Cash™ team know if something is not working?

A: Use QIKFIX to report any issues with real time benefits. This should be done when the issue occurs to be able to capture the last entries for research purposes.