Some time in the middle of this coming week, approx. 10% of what would have been the duration of the Point Stretchers for the remainder of this year -- will already have elapsed, counting by either weeks or days.
I just got off the phone with Hilton HHonors Customer Service and they confirmed that there will be no more Point Stretchers available in 2009. Evidently, they have been "discontinued by management" and they are not sure if they are returning in 2010.
Programs: UA 1k mm, AA EXP (unearned), Hyatt Diamond, SPG Plat., Marriott Gold, PC Plat., Hilton Gold
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Oh, that's bad news for us and I think it's also a bad decision during these tough economic times. Maybe management will change its mind.......like they did with Rolling Tier.
I just got off the phone with Hilton HHonors Customer Service and they confirmed that there will be no more Point Stretchers available in 2009. Evidently, they have been "discontinued by management" and they are not sure if they are returning in 2010.
Thanks for the info!
Man, this is pathetic.
Couple this with the 10,000 point bonus after 5 separate stays as the Q3 bonus, and I am going to re-think the Mrs. getting the Surpass Amex.
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Quote:
Originally Posted by flyman182
I just got off the phone with Hilton HHonors Customer Service and they confirmed that there will be no more Point Stretchers available in 2009. Evidently, they have been "discontinued by management" and they are not sure if they are returning in 2010.
I'm not sure we should count this as confirmed yet. We all know how well-informed certain DD folks are...
Quote:
Originally Posted by kevino
Oh, that's bad news for us and I think it's also a bad decision during these tough economic times. Maybe management will change its mind.......like they did with Rolling Tier.
Uh, I sure hope you didn't mean that about the RT. It was actually a good thing for members and good thing for Hilton. Confusing? Perhaps for many, but it should have been clear for most.
We can debate all day long about confusing or not, but it CLEARLY was a better system to requalify and resulted in more stays with Hilton. These days, after I hit 28 stays I flock to PC...
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I was informed of the discontinued PointStretchers at Hilton HHonors for the remainder of 2009 last week by a reader of my blog. I hadn't got around to confirming it with Hilton.
__________________ Loyalty Traveler blog analyzes hotel loyalty programs and promotions for the frequent guest.
I will tell you what is interesting -- Hilton discontinues PS during this economic downturn when hotels are having trouble filling rooms and Starwood does just the opposite in a way, not only is it running the free weekends promotion, but it also eliminated -- at least for this year -- the high demand seasons from its point redemptions, where one had to fork over additional points at some properties.
If I were a HHonors Diamond -- and I no longer am -- that earned it the hard way, I would be pretty upset what with this change and the Surpass Diamonds coming on board.
Programs: UA 1k mm, AA EXP (unearned), Hyatt Diamond, SPG Plat., Marriott Gold, PC Plat., Hilton Gold
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mnredfox,
I agree Rolling Tier was good for many people. My point is that Hilton didn't think it through. If they had, they wouldn't have initiated it to begin with and they wouldn't have had to stop it. They didn't think it through bc they didn't realize that it meant longer elite status periods if they weren't going to have status that expires at different times of the year for everyone. I could argue that at least some people stayed less at Hilton bc there wasn't the need to requalify every year under RT, they only had to requalify every 20 months or so.
They haven't thought through eliminating Pt. Stretchers. From a business perspective, they should be trying to fill empty rooms and getting customers movtivated to travel more during these tough economic times. Also, as NJUPINTHEAIR points out, Hilton is not being competitive.
Yet another clear sign that Hilton HHonors has no clue on how to honor its customers by at least being competitive with what the other hotel chains are offering as of late.
__________________
Like TSA, DL SkyMiles management treats airline customers as if they are the enemy or sheep to be fleeced and it shows.
They haven't thought through eliminating Pt. Stretchers. From a business perspective, they should be trying to fill empty rooms and getting customers movtivated to travel more during these tough economic times. Also, as NJUPINTHEAIR points out, Hilton is not being competitive.
You know what is really weird? You often read how bean counting bottom line people can destroy a company because they have no idea how that particular industry works, etc. and then they alienate the company's customers?
Well, I think you are seeing a bit of this with Hilton, perhaps.
AS you rightly note, any revenue, is better than no revenue in these tough economic times for them. Yet they are alienating their core customer base with the moves noted above.
Now, I am all for Surpass Diamonds as it will allow me to become one again. But, with these moves, what are they truly thinking?
Yet another clear sign that Hilton HHonors has no clue on how to honor its customers by at least being competitive with what the other hotel chains are offering as of late.
Hilton really needs a good discount room redemption option. Their program is inferior to Starwood -- and others -- because of it.
Example: I just needed a hotel room in Munich. Starwood and Hilton properties were pretty comparable (almost the same published rates for the day -- about $200). The best Hilton reward option was 30,000 points. Starwood offered me Cash & Points -- 2800 points + $45. Most of us do not have unlimited hotel points to spend in a year. Which program do you think I will be more loyal to?
I found a PS rate in Manhattan for next week (21,000 per night) for a new HI but the website wouldn't let me complete the booking. Called the Diamond Desk and had to get a supervisor to give me the rate only after arguing with the initial agent. In the course of the conversation, I was told that there are no PS rates for the rest of the year and that this was an error made by the property. In addition, they claimed problems with the website (noticed all Hilton sites are down tonight).
I agree that Hilton is making a very bad move. My loyalty is definitely not being rewarded here and I think this is the straw that makes me move.
You know what is really weird? You often read how bean counting bottom line people can destroy a company because they have no idea how that particular industry works, etc. and then they alienate the company's customers?
Well, I think you are seeing a bit of this with Hilton, perhaps.
AS you rightly note, any revenue, is better than no revenue in these tough economic times for them. Yet they are alienating their core customer base with the moves noted above.
Now, I am all for Surpass Diamonds as it will allow me to become one again. But, with these moves, what are they truly thinking?
I hope someone with Hilton reads your post, because it rings so true.
