Starwood Preferred Guest - 4000 point bonus

Stay 3 times between 1 Feb and 30 Apr 2002.

I presume this is targetted. http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/smile.gif

<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by BoSoxFan45:
I presume this is targetted. http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/smile.gif</font>

Absolutely.

Best regards,

William R. Sanders
Specialist, E-Communications Department
Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide

guest.forum@starwoodhotels.com

NOT FAIR !!!!!!

Lurker,

Since I made Platinum las year, I have not received any targeted promos. Is there some kind of formula that is applied to getting these? I realize everyone can't get every targeted promo, but it seems like you get to a certain level and they don't target you at all. Of course I'm speaking from just my little corner of the world :-) Thanks

Sorry, monty95. I'm as in the dark as you are when it comes to these things. http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/smile.gif

Best regards,

William R. Sanders
Specialist, E-Communications Department
Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide

guest.forum@starwoodhotels.com

i don't get diddly-squat in terms of targeted promos and i have been plat for two years. and, i wrote the lurker and he told me i ain't getting for awhile either. oh well.

if free friday's don't come back soon, i might try to get comp'd by hyatt. my prob. is that i love the starwoods in europe (particularly italy, where they rock the house), so i guess i will stay.

I have to say that I've noticed an overall lack of hotel promo's this year or really since the terrorist attack. May just be a big ramp up, but I didn't get anything from Marriott, Hilton or Starwood over the last six months.

What about the 1k/day? I made a killing on that promotion! I'd love for Starwood to bring that back.

I received an offer for five stays until April 30th I will receive 10k points extra.

Do I need to say it.....I got zippo....again.

Grrrr.... whine... wimper, wimper... beg, plead, demand, protest, threaten, etc., etc.

[This message has been edited by HKG_Flyer1 (edited 02-12-2002).]

At risk of massive public flogging, why is it so many of you very intelligent people *don't seem to understand* (or is it *don't want to admit*) that SPG is doing what EVERY COMMERCIAL FOR-PROFIT COMPANY WORTH IT'S MARKETING SALT in so, so many industries these days...does these days when it designs and executes a TARGETED MARKETING promotion ?

It's no great sin....that YOU, and usually myself, DON'T FIT THE PROFILE or CRITERIA of their targeted campaign. Nothing we did wrong for sure.

Their motive is really simple IMO - SPG is targeting certain sub-groups of its customer base to INDUCE A RESPONSE OR MODIFY A SPENDING BEHAVIOR TO CREATE INCREMENTAL REVENUE for SPG.

Come on folks - this is marketing 101; and I never took marketing.

Want proof ? I invite you to take a look at your pile of junk mail this week, and then compare it to your neighbor's pile next door. Yes, both piles may have that darn Providian credit card solicitation, and I bet Forbes hits us all equally often since we are all travelers, but if you have kids and neighbor doesn't *you* get the Chucky Cheese promo and diapers coupons and they get the Sandals/Bahamas promotion and "Ski Colorado" solicitations. If they raise dogs, and you raise cats...well, you know what promos you get, versus them. Yep - targeted promotions is an American icon. SPG sure didn't invent it. Yes, the internet accelerates the exchange of information by magnitudes, so we may all know what our neighbor got in their [e]mail the day it arrives, but I don't think it will alter how SPG or anyone continues to operate their targeted promos.

Some of you threaten and warn that being *left out* of targeted promos means you will leave SPG [sulk] and stay with Hilton or Hyatt...I personally believe your collective threats are 90% bluff. You are already special to SPG...and get treated as such. If you leave, its your loss, by definition.

If you're *already platinum*, it is poor logic for SPG to then give you more promotions - you've already presumably got points running out your ears, and SPG will already be giving *you* the suite as a comp upgrade, thus losing income from me who as a non-elite would otherwise be paying *cash* for the upgrade as a non-elite. Or do you *really* want free rooms, lifetime Platinum status, and the free limo service t/from the airport forever ? Has to end somewhere. Seems to me SPG's core Platinum perks, alone, are stand-alone deserving of your loyalty.

Ironic in a sense...that you die-hard SPG Platinums are, essentially, victims of your loyalty....but that's a good thing (triple points, free upgrades, etc). Right ?

I empathize with you all - I'm elite at one place, and a no-body at another, but I make my choices where I spend my money on how far my money and perks take me - and I rarely get too worked up that I am being overlooked on a TARGETED PROMO and I beg you guys to stop taking this personally... I seriously doubt yours and my complaints are going to change a professional marketing department at SPG or anywhere into *including* you or me if we don't fit the profile/criteria they are trying to modify or induce into a certain behavior.

CONCLUSION - Can you all PLUEEZE give Starwood Lurker a break, and let common sense and basic logic rule, versus emotion, and stop beating up on these targeted promos as if your name is first on the list of "do not include John Doe" ?

Just one person's opinion. Let the flogging begin.

[This message has been edited by ILUVCITIBANK (edited 02-12-2002).]

[This message has been edited by ILUVCITIBANK (edited 02-12-2002).]

Maybe Starwood should leave copies of Ayn Rand next to the Bibles in every room. That way we can all better understand this Marketing 101 stuff. I know we would have some great debates at some FlyerTalk gathering, ILUVCITIBANK. Going to Chicago in June?

By the way, as a Plat, I just got an offer for a 10K bonus after five stays during that same period.

[This message has been edited by Shareholder (edited 02-12-2002).]

<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by ILUVCITIBANK:
...Their motive is really simple IMO - SPG is targeting certain sub-groups of its customer base to INDUCE A RESPONSE OR MODIFY A SPENDING BEHAVIOR TO CREATE INCREMENTAL REVENUE for SPG...</font>

I don't think there is an issue that SPG is a for-profit company and what their goals are for having these targeted programs. I think the issue that many of us LOPs are trying to bring to the attention of SPG's marketing gurus (I have never taken a marketing course in my life so I can't claim to be an expert) is that many of the other hotel programs are are also trying to "INDUCE A RESPONSE OR MODIFY A SPENDING BEHAVIOR TO CREATE INCREMENTAL REVENUE" and are dangling nice opportunities in front of us. Many of these inducements are just too good to pass up, regardless of SPG loyalty (see my recent post about golf gear giveaway by a competitor after only 10 stays!).

Yes, we are all very loyal to SPG, but realisticaly, we are also always making sure that we are getting the best value (value is in the eye of the beholder, be it upgrades, points, miles, stuff) for our finite dollars. When we see that we can get a better deal for our money from another hotel chain, then obviously some will chose to spend their money elsewhere.

Perhaps, as you believe, a few FTrs are "bluffing" when they threaten to patronize other lodging chains. But I think that for those who are "*already platinum*" and also elite level with a number of programs (Hyatt Diamond and SPG Platinum and Hilton Diamond etc.) and so they would receive comparable upgrade and point earning treatment as being a SPG Platinum, SPG runs a risk of losing those incremental dollars that the other chains are also trying to wring from our tight fists.

Just as when one airline begins a "targeted promtion" of 3x miles for their top level elites all the other airlines will immediately match the offer for fear of losing incremental revenue to a competitor, SPG needs to match the inducements that the other hotel chains are offering.

If the Hyatt marketing gurus (and I am sure that the Hyatt marketing gurus have read their marketing textbooks) target you for a 10x point bonus after 5 stays and SPG hasn't chosen you for a similar targeted promotion, I would have to assume that you will move your money over to Hyatt (yes, there may be other reasons for you to stay at SPG even with a superior Hyatt promotion such as lack of convenient Hyatt location, a personal preference for the Heavenly bed etc.).

Yes, if not for these other chains' promotions, I would have stayed with SPG even if they did not target me for any of their current promotions. But, if someone thinks that SPG members will stick with SPG out of pure loyalty when another chain is dangling great promotions in front of our faces needs to re-read their marketing 101 textbooks.

[This message has been edited by onedog (edited 02-12-2002).]

[This message has been edited by onedog (edited 02-12-2002).]

Seems to me that the answer is simple. STOP staying at Starwood properties, and your profile will show a decrease in stays and room nights. Then as you fall below the target threshold, you will start getting the promotions.

Of course you'll have to decide if the loss of upgrades, 1K per stay, and choice of amenities or additional points for the length of time it will take for you to fall far enough to get included in targeted promos is worth it or not.

Maybe I'm just having a bad day and my whining threshold is particularly low, but come on people. These promotions are not an entitlement. http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/rolleyes.gif

I presume that both ILUVCITIBANK and Rolling Stone were targetted. http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/wink.gif

Fact is, most people who have posted that they didn't get anything haven't been jumping up and down over it. In fact, the biggest fit seems to have been thrown by those who got the promotions but who feel the need to dress down others.

IMO, there is nothing wrong with feeling left out. Of course Starwood is a business, and of course they have their valid reasons for doing things their way. By the same token, though, those left out have every right to feel that they are not as valued as the members who were targetted, for whatever reason.

But it seems as if some here have enjoyed playing the elementary school bully - when the kids that got no valentines get together to give eachother support, the bully runs over and taunts them. "Duh... You didn;t get any cuz you're ugly, and your parents are poor. Losers! Stop whining and get a life! Stupid losers! I'm so sick of you!"

Poorly played, IMO.

[This message has been edited by BoSoxFan45 (edited 02-13-2002).]

Do what I did - I never received any promotions, extras, etc. from SPG. I've now gone to staying at Wyndhams (9 nights so far this year)! OK, so I don't get points for free nights, but I get miles for the airline of my choice, free welcoming beverage (2 Amstel lights in my room last night), fruit welcome platter (that's my choice), free upgrades to suites, special offers, and most importantly, incredibly nice staff.

Seriously - stop whining and walk with your $$ to another chain if you're that unhappy. I like Starwoods on the whole, and will still stay there on occasion; but face it - you have other options. However; it seems a number of you don't appreciate what you DO receive *sigh*

BTW, I didn't receive any promotions, didn't ask for any, switched reservations to another chain. I guess it depends upon what's important to you when travelling.

BTW, at Wyndham - free fast cable internet access (unlimited!) :-)and. . .no charges for 1800 #s!!!

No recent targetted promos here, nevertheless content.

Sure I'd like more points. But working in a marketing organization for another company, I know how these things work. You try to design programs to induce people who fit certain profiles to give you more money without reducing the profitability of existing customers.

Downside is that people get po'ed when they hear someone else got a better deal. You try to keep that in mind as you design these programs and find other ways to keep your high value customers happy ... for me, it's the great customer service, nice upgrades, etc.

I know full well that if I stopped staying at Starwood tomorrow, they'd try to win me back within 6 months with more points. But I'd be giving up services and benefits I've come to rely on in order to get that inducement.

DISCLAIMER: Above may be colored by the fact that I just came back from Princeville where I was upgraded to an ocean view suite on an award stay.

<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by rocky:
DISCLAIMER: Above may be colored by the fact that I just came back from Princeville where I was upgraded to an ocean view suite on an award stay.</font>

That would definitely take the starch out of my shorts.

William

Starwood is indeed a business and it is still one of my favorite hotel chains. My stays and business is definitely down at this time but as they are coming back with the Free Weekends, I will be back by March.

Starwood can choose to target whom they wish for promotions but so can we when it comes to whom we target as the hotel of choice.