It is just I am beginning to feel manipulated. Before we had unofficial AC company folks who participated in the FT community, who tried to explain things, tried to help, contributed. Now with ACTT we seem to get announcements from on high and notification of promos. Promos that are not directed specifically to the FT community (I could understand that), but to Top Tier in general. And they don't even hang around to answer questions people have about the promotion they just announced. In fact, they rarely, if ever, answer any questions directed to them. I find out today FT permits companies to make promotional announcements here, but AC has daily promotions, are we to start getting these on FT daily just like we get them in our email inbox? Surely not. FT is supposed to be a community of FFers sharing, not a platform for companies. There was a time that companies at least pretended to participate in social media while advancing their company interests. With ACTT we just receive what they want to broadcast, it is more broadcasting than participating. I see little attempt to explain things, to help, to contribute or answer questions. 40 posts in a year, mostly about program changes. So I say: Begone with you, at least until you can at least pretend to be part of the community. I may be the first to start to feel manipulated, but I will not be the last. Send the broadcasts to my in box and we can still discuss them here just fine without you. And maybe stop eavesdropping?
(To be clear, I am not pointing fingers at the fine folks manning the ACTT computer, surely they are constrained, it is the constraining I am pointing at.)
Programs: UA*G, A3*G, BA Silver, PClub Gold, Choice Gold
Posts: 11,797
ACTT is here to communicate* what the bosses tell him/her/them to. Nothing else, nothing more. Using press release marketing double speak. What are you expecting?
*when its convenient, when its not, like scamcharges, it will be stealthly introduced without communication
Hmm. It's primetime on a Monday night in the Eastern timezone. There are 51 people on the AC forum of FT, and no more than say 1000 active forum posters, and no more than say 10,000 active lurkers (very generous guesses, I think).
The ACTT Twitter account has 8,000 followers, and requires no searching to see old posts with useful content.
The AC Facebook page has 340,000 "likes", and requires no searching to see old posts with useful content.
From a pure business standpoint, makes perfect sense to me.
Programs: AC-SE100K, AC MM, SPG-Plat, MR-Gold, Hyatt-Platinum
Posts: 571
Wow- you really are the Grinch!
I for one appreciate the fact that ACTopTier participates here. Maybe he does not post on too many topics, but I like the fact he is in here adding info from time to time and getting direct feedback on our thoughts on the products offerings.
As for using FT as a marketing vehicle, I appreciate receiving info on promotions or changes in advance... It seems several Fters were able to take advantage of the extended lead times in upgrades because they read it here first.
Programs: AC*SE, SQ PPS, CX Gold, HHonours Diamond, SPG Gold, Club Carlson Gold, Hertz #1 President's Circle
Posts: 3,186
You have a choice NOT to read the topics... It's pretty simple really. If you can't see through the marketing and sort the (granted, far and few) useful posts and feel 'manipulated' you must have a tough time out there in the real world.
Programs: AC*E35, NEXUS, Marriott Rewards Gold, National Car Executive
Posts: 111
I like the fact that they're here - even if they may not act on everything, at least it gives them an opportunity to listen to some of the concerns and suggestions of Top Tier members, and it seems like sometimes they do act on the feedback.
I found the advance notice on the extended lead time in upgrades very helpful - had a flight where the normal upgrade window started tomorrow, but was able to go in today and get an upgrade confirmed. Nice to get advance notice on some perks like that!
I think the problem is related to the fact that even if ACTT participate in the AC forum the level of participation and frequency of posting is not high enough to meet expectations.
SPG team of Starwood Lurkers comes to my mind when I think of solid involment. and great customer service. The SPG forum is much better now that it was before the lurkers mostly because complaints are adressed faster and a real 2 way communication is acheived.
Maybe AC should consider that model and invest more time and ressources into it. I am sure that on the long run it would generate payback. My 2 cents
You have a choice NOT to read the topics... It's pretty simple really. If you can't see through the marketing and sort the (granted, far and few) useful posts and feel 'manipulated' you must have a tough time out there in the real world.
What a tough crowd!
Yeah, fair enough. It is a tough world out there. Wish I could put my finger on the "manipulated" feeling, let alone express it better. Maybe an analogy: we know we have been beating on you pretty bad recently, so here is a candy.
Programs: Qantas FF Plat; AC SE; Virgin Aust Gold; Qatar Priv, Royal Air Maroc, SPG Gold
Posts: 661
Quote:
Originally Posted by 767300ER
I think the problem is related to the fact that even if ACTT participate in the AC forum the level of participation and frequency of posting is not high enough to meet expectations.
SPG team of Starwood Lurkers comes to my mind when I think of solid involment. and great customer service. The SPG forum is much better now that it was before the lurkers mostly because complaints are adressed faster and a real 2 way communication is acheived.
Maybe AC should consider that model and invest more time and ressources into it. I am sure that on the long run it would generate payback. My 2 cents
Or indeed the 'official' LH Lurkers, who (re-) entered active participation a few months ago. I think there are 4 or 5 of them 'manning' the Lurker desk.
I got direct help from one of them getting action on a complaint / claim for compensation I had lodged and which had sunk into the LH 'customer service' (an oxymoron if ever there was one) morass. Did wonders for my opinion of LH, and ensured I was comfortable to choose to fly with them again.
It does take thick skin from an airline to face the, er, 'robust' discussions here, but I would commend AC to take up the challenge and become oficially and more extensively engaged here.
Overall I think we are better off having them here than not - they occasionally provide smidgens of value to us.
However it is a missed opportunity for AC not to have ACTT more actively involved in this community (a la Starwood lurker) - given AC's corporate culture, we should not be surprised by the tight limits they appear to havbe placed on ACTT's ability to respond. ~40 posts after a year is a bit absurd.
Many of the older folks here may miss AY's former ability to address issues, however it seems apparent that if you actually want a response from AC you will need to use other forms of social media. Unfortunately for them, Facebook and Twitter are far more public fora to deal with custoemr issues.
Before AC took management over social media, we had AY here "officially", the guy from Aeroplan who's handle escapes me here "unofficially"
They were both semi-frequent and frequent posters who seem to engage in the FT process. Lets not forget the (assumed) action we had in cleaning up eUpgrades when it was first announced.
Fast forward, Doug Morris's blog is gone to the wind and we have on official account which does not engage like it used to, although I will bet a bottle of Malbac that they will be reading this post.
Sadly, I think this is the brave new world of social media. We an always push for specific answers on Twitter and Facebook if needed.
...and truth be told, the last few months this board has gotten increasing nasty. I suspect no one wants to spend their day addressing every 'out there' complaint about how they didn't get a full meal and cookies on their YUL-YOW flight in J.
that they will be reading this post.
