American Express Membership Rewards - Was I unreasonable?

I very rarely complain, let alone ask for compensation. Even if I do complain, most often I'd just ask for a clarification on certain decisions and ask how similar situations would be avoided in the future. Anyway, this time, it's different... (My card is a NZ-based Plat charge card, which according to Amex is the highest in the land and invite-only, blah blah...)

I asked for a large amount of MR points to be transferred to Priority Club (~300K). At the time of the call, I was told the transfer would take 3 working days.

A week later, nothing, but my MR points have happily departed. I rang up, and they said they 'would look into it'. A few more days later, still nothing, haven't heard back either. I called again, this time, I got a more helpful agent. She said she could see the transaction and the MR points have left Amex.

At least this agent could call me back every now and then even if there has been no progress. They were basically pointing the finger at PC.

After about 2 or 3 weeks, the room I wanted to redeem at PC had disappeared, and Amex couldn't give me any indications on when the points would appear at PC. I asked for my points back, and at this stage was thoroughly sick of this finger pointing, so asked for compensation. They offered 2000MR points. I said, no thanks, it's bordering on insulting. The agent said she'd look into what more she could do.

My MR points have reappeared after another week or so. My PC points actually appeared for a couple of days after I've asked for them to be reversed. (I was tempted to use them before they took them out again, but I didn't.)

Anyway, I rang up again and spoke to a supervisor. The most he could offer was 3000 points, based on a fraction of the average spend over the previous 2 months. Lucky for them, if this happened now, they would be looking at double that. I said 'no' to 3000, it's not even 1% of the points transferred and not even close to one night to any of the hotel partners.

So I wrote to the manager of the 'Executive Communications' or something, who the supervisor told me looks after customer relationship. In the letter, I asked for 10% of the points in question, which roughly equates to one night and an assurance so this doesn't happen again. I also said I won't be staying at any IHG properties until this is clear up.

2 weeks later, I got a phone call from someone in his department. He basically said, that's tough luck - as soon as the points left Amex, it's none of their responsibility. It's stated in the T&C. They're doing me a favour (he called it 'goodwill') by offering me the 3000 points. I found his tone to be extremely patronising. His explanation also made no sense to me. If I buy a computer and a component failed, I chase up where I bought the computer from, not the manufacturer of the component. It's up to the computer seller to solve the problem and chase up the manufacturer on my behalf, if that's the case.

Anyway, I was very tempted to leave the 3000 points, but I took them. I've also said I'd be cancelling my card. Fortunate for them, I've lots of stuff booked against that card in the next few months.* Once those are clear, I'll be cancelling it.

I'm not their biggest customer by any means, but I've been a loyal one for well over 10 years. They haven't improved their offering for several years and yet charge the highest fee that I know in NZ.

Now, I have 3000 points and an 'accidental' Platinum from PC, which I'll have no use for because I don't intend to stay there...

Rant over. Thanks for reading.

* All of them are hotel stays. Are their implications if I cancel my card between now and when I stay and present a different card to the hotel? If not, I may just cancel my Amex now.

There are 3 parties minimum involved here: You, Amex, and Priority Club [and maybe some other business involved in processing something].

The disappointment you mention is mainly directed towards Amex but I concur with the notion of once it leaves them it's not their fault if it's not showing up on PC's radar in a timely fashion. If I put something in the mail and can prove it then I don't immediately accept full blame if it is slow to deliver. You didn't mention your tactics with PC on their role in this.

I don't think you were unreasonable because they are your points and they were needed but I do think you were being unreasonable with Amex.

I haven't dealt directly with PC about this. In hindsight, perhaps I should have, but I'd the feeling that PC would just say 'talk to Amex'. Also throughout the whole saga, Amex themselves (the helpful agent) found it difficult to find someone in PC to talk to.

Even when I wrote my letter, I considered cc'ing it PC. Now that I'm not getting anywhere with Amex, complaining to PC may just be seen as petty and wanting compensation for the hell of it.

What it comes down to is this - I was given the impression the transaction would be complete in 3 working days. It took some 3 weeks, and what I wanted the points for originally was no longer useful by then. Now, Amex is saying '3 working days' is for points to leave Amex. How long it will take to appear, if it appears at all, it's not their problem.

My relationship and transaction are with Amex. To me, they've failed to set my expectation and are now pointing to some fine print to get out of it.

There's never an excuse for someone in a service position (particularly a manager or supervisor) to be condescending or insulting to a customer. So that part was definitely out of line.

But other than that, I have to shrug my shoulders and side with AmEx on this one. They promised to get the points out to PC within three working days, which they did. I really don't see that there's any more they could do. And then your pestering, asking for greater and greater compensation DOES come across as somewhat greedy.

In your letter, you should probably have simply explained your point of view and explained why, from the customer's perspective, it doesn't matter that AmEx got the points out in three days but that they need to do a better job working with their partners to see transactions through to completion. Anytime you bring up compensation in such a letter, it's seen (rightly so, I'm afraid) as plain and simple greed.

Irrespective of the points offered, I did ask for an explanation why such situation could occur and what measures they plan to implement to stop it from happening again. No such explanation was given during their phone call to me. I've tried to be constructive, but the phone call was all about them making sure they tell me they've done nothing wrong.

From their T&C, they can argue that if the points never show up at the other end, but if Amex can prove the points have left them, the customer will be left with nothing. It is all within their T&C, yet they're my points. This is the core issue which I can't understand. If I use the Post Office to send something from Country A to Country B, and it's lost, the Post Office in Country A has responsibility to resolve the problem and potentially offer compensation.

I've actually never asked for compensation from anything before. This was my first time. I asked for what I asked this time because except that one agent, they just tried to brush me aside...

Anyway, life is too short. I'm sure they won't even notice I'm gone. BTW, I still haven't received their official response, as they said they would be sending... Of course, that's not their problem because they've sent it and I should be chasing the Post Office... :)

From their T&C, they can argue that if the points never show up at the other end, but if Amex can prove the points have left them, the customer will be left with nothing. It is all within their T&C, yet they're my points. This is the core issue which I can't understand. If I use the Post Office to send something from Country A to Country B, and it's lost, the Post Office in Country A has responsibility to resolve the problem and potentially offer compensation.
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I still dont dispute your frustration on this but the points were'nt lost-PC had them and you never pressed them as the recipient to also try and find them. They showed up eventually probably because PC got around to processing them. So unless there is an intermediary in these transactions between Amex and points transfer recipients, I still feel your were not doing the full due diligence to resolve the problem. These transfers are electronic so they rarely get "lost". They may get sent to the wrong place or just sit in a queue until they are processed, similar to bank to bank ACH transfers.

I find the best solution is keep going up the ladder untill the person at the top of the ladder says no. You can often tell by the helpfulness if you are making progress up the ladder. I do not think you were being unreasonable.

But other than that, I have to shrug my shoulders and side with AmEx on this one. They promised to get the points out to PC within three working days, which they did.

I disagree -- since OP dealt with AMEX originally, they should have stayed on the problem, regardless of what the T&C said. It's just plain good CS policy.
I hate it when a co. sends me chasing after my own problem. That's not why I did business with them. So, to maintain good customer relations, AMEX should have followed up until the customer was satisfied -- after all, if the points left AMEX but didn't arrive at PC, who's to say it's still not AMEX' fault -- AMEX could have mis-coded the transfer, put in the wrong customer account #, etc.

On your side, OP.

yes it is possible

I understand your disappointment, but there will be other, similar issues that you will encounter in life. If this mistake is so great you will can not get over it, then move on. Otherwise, if the program makes sense to you and you value the benefits then give them another shot.

Whatever you decide, please make sure you don't lose your points when you cancel your membership. ;)