American Express Membership Rewards - A tale of two customer services

I called both AMEX membership Rewards and Hilton HHonors to doublecheck on if this 20-percent bonus for transferring M-P awards
into HHonors was still in effect.

First called AMEX:
*First rep asked me 945 questions. Kept putting me on hold after each set. THen kept me on hold 15 minutes. I could not wait.
*So I called a second time and WOKE up this snooty guy who kept saying "You have to called Hilton to find out." This even after I said three times that it's in your leaflet in my december Credit card bill. Since it's an M-P program I would think they would answer my question.

I did not like his attitude so I called HHonors and got the info from a very nice woman named CONNIE (Who said I made the right move booking my Party in Paradise reservations NOW!!! Hilton Hawaiian Village.)

So kudos to Hilton and COnnie and AMEX will be getting an e-mail (I'm too tired to talk.)

Maybe this is all CATTY but as a Gold Card holder for nearly a decade I expect some decent service. CATMAN

[This message has been edited by Catman (edited 01-25-99).]

Oooooooooo!!! Catman's claws are showing.

AMEX membership Rewards responded to my complaint.

It seemed like a form letter but it noted that the company -- quote --strives to provide consistently professional service to all of our Cardmembers. Any divergence from this policy undermines our commitment to you, our valued customer.

Nice that they responded quickly.

I somewhat hoped to get a few M-R points as an apology but I appreciated that they at least responded.

So I'll retract my CLAWS JAWS! CATMAN

Catman, I'm surprised you had problems with AMEX. Maybe it's just a spot thing. I have found, time and time again, that the AMEX reps. are by far the best trained of any airline/hotel/credit card reps. They frequently go out of their way to ensure they understand your problem and usually will not let you off the phone until they have taken care of the issue. Contrary to most other firms, I have never had to call them twice to correct something. I wish I could say the same for Marriott/Hilton/UA.

I have found that in the past that customer service people are VERY nice. I was just offered a Platinum Card for $300 a year, I decided to take the offer because it has a lot of things I can use, list is here: http://www6.americanexpress.com/cards/welcome/platinum_bridge.asp. The people at the Platinum line are VERY, VERY nice and will do almost anything to help you.

As you said MileKing... it is a spot thing.
My dealing with AMEX have been on the general EXCELLENT (most recently they talked me out of a panic attack when my AMEX cheque did not post within five days like it normally does.
They told me with my record of payment I should take a deep breath, wait three days and use the card as usual.) The check was just lost in the mail.

My problem was with MEMBERSHIP REWARDS. I never had a problem with customer service for the card. CATMAN

I was a American Express cardholder for 19 years, until a unresolved dispute with Membership Rewards last summer provoked me to cancel my Platinum and Corporate cards.

Last spring I ordered a Continental Latin American companion ticket reward for 9,000 M.R. points. When the certificate arrived I noticed that it included blackout dates not listed in the promotional literature that included the dates I wanted to travel. I thought that under the circumstances they would allow me to return the certificate for credit to my account. Membership Rewards refused, saying that points could not be redeposited and that it was my responsability to contact the airline to determine the blackout dates before ordering the reward (It is in the fine print in the Terms and Conditions) I called Platinum Customer Service and was told that they could not help me, and that I had to settle that with M.R. directly.

I wrote to American Express, and to Continental about the problem. American Express told me that there was nothing that they could do because of the rules, Continental responded that there was nothing the could do to persuade Amex, however they gave me 5,000 OnePass miles as a goodwill gesture.

I must say that this experience was inconsistant with the high level of customer service that I have received over the past years from American Express.

As a result of the experience I decided that the level of customer service was not worth the $400 annual fees for my Platinum and Gold corporate cards.

The 20% bonus for converting MR points to HHonors is a bogus deal.

Correct me if this has changed in 1999. But in the 1998 HHonors handbook, you can convert 5,000 airline miles into 10,000 HHonor points.

So, with the 20% bonus:
1,000 MR = 1560 HHonors
5,000 MR = 7800 HHonors.

Alternatively,
5,000 MR = 5,000 Skymiles
5,000 Skymiles = 10,000 HHonors

The current 100% bonus for Diners Club to Skymiles is a real deal.