IHG closed my acct. (after 25 Best Rate Claims) and noone will tell me why
Oct 29, 2013, 5:05 pm
#196
Join Date: Dec 2012
Location: DUS/AMS/HAM
Programs: HH-D / IHG-Sp / Marriott-P / LH-SEN / BA-S
Posts: 215
You said:
Sorry, but in what case a customer like you can be considered as worthy? Can you please tell us how many $$ did you spend and how much do the 25 BRGs cost in total?
Last edited by szg; Oct 29, 2013 at 7:51 pm Reason: Delete personal attack
Nov 2, 2013, 9:49 pm
#197
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Dec 2002
Location: Danville, CA, USA;
Programs: UA 1MM, WN CP, Marriott LT Plat, Hilton Gold, IC Plat
Posts: 15,716
I understand how the system works. ICH sets up BRG fair and square. Some folks manage to milk it for a month of free stays while contributing nothing. Hotels complain, ICH checks individual accounts and realize the magnitude of abuse. ICH scales down or eliminates the program.
The end result - average customers who use the system as indended lose.
Not the first time on this forum...
The end result - average customers who use the system as indended lose.
Not the first time on this forum...
Kudos to anybody who can find 25 BRGs and actually use them - I rarely bother and when I do they are usually rejected on a technicality (Hilton) though I find Marriott pretty honest.
However it doesn't bother me a bit that IHG would terminate its relationship with this customer. It's not a profitable relationship for them, and it doesn't benefit any of us when people game the system.
Nov 3, 2013, 1:06 am
#198
Join Date: Aug 2005
Programs: UA*G(1K), PC Diamond Amb, Marriott Titanium, Accor Platinum
Posts: 4,667
It's not about liking or not liking someone who files 25, 50, or 75 BRGs. It's about worthiness doing business with a person having only 1 paid night vs 25 BRGs. There's still people here doing more than 50 BRGs but those might be nothing compared to their paid nights / stays. Self-centered customer like the OP never thinks the opposite way.
I don't see where the "worthiness" as a customer is coming into that interaction.
HTB.
Nov 3, 2013, 1:10 am
#199
Join Date: Aug 2005
Programs: UA*G(1K), PC Diamond Amb, Marriott Titanium, Accor Platinum
Posts: 4,667
At the very least you would have to state this in your T&Cs AND define what you consider to be a "worthy" customer.
HTB.
Nov 3, 2013, 1:12 am
#200
Join Date: Aug 2005
Programs: UA*G(1K), PC Diamond Amb, Marriott Titanium, Accor Platinum
Posts: 4,667
HTB.
Nov 3, 2013, 1:18 pm
#201
Join Date: Dec 2012
Location: DUS/AMS/HAM
Programs: HH-D / IHG-Sp / Marriott-P / LH-SEN / BA-S
Posts: 215
I believe that IHG "forgot" to mention that only "worthy" customers are entitled to the BRG. I just imagine going into a store that promises to match the lowest price of their competitors (plus 10%) and then being told that they will not honor the guarantee because I'm not a "worthy" customer.
At the very least you would have to state this in your T&Cs AND define what you consider to be a "worthy" customer.
HTB.
At the very least you would have to state this in your T&Cs AND define what you consider to be a "worthy" customer.
HTB.
Nov 3, 2013, 10:29 pm
#202
Join Date: Aug 2005
Programs: UA*G(1K), PC Diamond Amb, Marriott Titanium, Accor Platinum
Posts: 4,667
Nov 3, 2013, 11:15 pm
#203
Suspended
Join Date: Sep 2010
Location: Auckland NZ
Programs: SQ TPPS, EK Gold, IHG RA, Marriott Gold Hyatt Diamond, HHonors Gold, UA Premier Gold, TG Silver
Posts: 1,092
Laughable. Explain in detail how the two situations are comparable.
Nov 4, 2013, 12:04 am
#204
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Dec 2002
Location: Danville, CA, USA;
Programs: UA 1MM, WN CP, Marriott LT Plat, Hilton Gold, IC Plat
Posts: 15,716
Exactly. Banking is a regulated industry. You deposit $1000 in your account the bank is not permitted to steal it just because you take advantage of every free promo they offer you.
An IHG account is filled with points that are given to you at the sole discretion of the merchant. How did the points get into your account? In this case with only 1 paid stay and 25 free one-night stays so I am betting it wasn't from paid stays (which is how most of us earn points) or credit card signup.
If this was someone who earned 2k points per stay x 40 paid stays at an IC property I'd be as outraged as anyone. But 1 paid - nah.
It's a case of wanting to have your cake and eat it too, without paying for it.
An IHG account is filled with points that are given to you at the sole discretion of the merchant. How did the points get into your account? In this case with only 1 paid stay and 25 free one-night stays so I am betting it wasn't from paid stays (which is how most of us earn points) or credit card signup.
If this was someone who earned 2k points per stay x 40 paid stays at an IC property I'd be as outraged as anyone. But 1 paid - nah.
It's a case of wanting to have your cake and eat it too, without paying for it.
Nov 4, 2013, 5:01 am
#205
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: May 2003
Location: AA Plat / UA NOTHING / Alaska 75K / Hyatt Diamond / SPG LT Plat / Marriott Gold / Priority Club Plat / Hertz Pres
Posts: 24,706
Nov 4, 2013, 7:59 am
#206
Join Date: Nov 2010
Location: Livingston, TX
Programs: All airlines / hotels
Posts: 7
If these were legitimate hotel complaints, and different issues between hotels, surely IHG would understand, look into them - and if your feedback was viewed as valid, IHG would reinstate your points, wouldn' they?
Nov 4, 2013, 1:29 pm
#207
Join Date: Aug 2005
Programs: UA*G(1K), PC Diamond Amb, Marriott Titanium, Accor Platinum
Posts: 4,667
HTB.
Nov 4, 2013, 5:15 pm
#208
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: May 2003
Location: AA Plat / UA NOTHING / Alaska 75K / Hyatt Diamond / SPG LT Plat / Marriott Gold / Priority Club Plat / Hertz Pres
Posts: 24,706
Despite the T&C's assurance to the contrary "you have no interest in the points", "the points have no value" etc, it is exactly the same. Maybe these terms mean something in the US, but in most European countries you can flush them down the toilet. But we had this discussion earlier in this thread already.
HTB.
HTB.
Last edited by fireworksboy; Nov 4, 2013 at 5:54 pm
Nov 4, 2013, 7:09 pm
#209
Join Date: Nov 2009
Posts: 827
Absolutely wrong. IHG can't interpret them as they see fit...the law can and will though...and has often ruled against IHG in the past (which is was why the one per 30 day BRG restriction was removed a year ago).
Nov 5, 2013, 1:51 am
#210
Join Date: Oct 2013
Posts: 2
As long as IHG does not offer the best price on their website as guaranteed they have to honor your claims.
In Europe civil law and customer protection laws will protect you from random T&Cs and their interpretation.
It is like Sony selling a broken TV and not tolerating the guarantee. Does not matter wheter you buy 1 or 50 TVs.
As the american and european legal systems are extremely different the BRG unfolds also differently. Note that you can hardly change the competent court for european consumers. IHG skates on thin ice and should better tolerate legitimate claims. I bet the positive effects of the BRG exceed a lot the hefty users.
In Europe civil law and customer protection laws will protect you from random T&Cs and their interpretation.
It is like Sony selling a broken TV and not tolerating the guarantee. Does not matter wheter you buy 1 or 50 TVs.
As the american and european legal systems are extremely different the BRG unfolds also differently. Note that you can hardly change the competent court for european consumers. IHG skates on thin ice and should better tolerate legitimate claims. I bet the positive effects of the BRG exceed a lot the hefty users.