Delta has rolled out 100 handheld devices to help gate agents drive more personal engagements with customers at its home airport in Atlanta. The convenient “Nomad” tool is the size of a cell phone and gives agents the ability to make seat changes, rebook customers, check bag status, board or check-in customers, and print bag tags and boarding passes all in the palm of their hand.

“Exceptional customer service sets Delta apart from our competitors and, with mobile devices now in hand, our agents can be more proactive in providing solutions to customers no matter where they are in the airport,” said Gareth Joyce, Senior Vice President — Airport Customer Service. “As we evolve this technology, the opportunities are endless for agents to leverage innovative thinking to create engaging moments while helping customers along their journey.”

Nomad devices will save customers time, cut line waits and help Delta teams better adjust staffing when bad weather or other factors impact the operation. And this is just an early version of the tech. The global airline plans to continue to source employee and customer feedback to learn what other capabilities these devices should have, all while expanding the test to other hub markets.

Over the past year, Delta has led the industry on a number of innovative customer solutions like replacing ID checks throughout the travel ribbon with fingerprint scanning, biometric-based self-service bag drop, RFID baggage handling, real-time bag tracking via the Fly Delta mobile app, more efficient and high tech automated screening lanes and a groundbreaking app that helps Delta pilots avoid turbulence for a more comfortable flight.

Delta first piloted the mobile customer service device concept in Miami where agents shared their thoughts on what functionality would be most useful on blue sky days and when bad weather impacts the operation.

“We loved having this tech in Miami,” said Roger Williams, Delta Operations Service Manager. “Agents would carry it right out of the break room and on to the concourse, and were immediately ready to help customers. Our feedback drove real change — we suggested they add this or improve that and updates were made to the device, including simple touches like adding a seat map view.”

The Nomad device got its name from the freedom it provides agents to move around and untether from a computer when helping customers.