I agree! But here it seems to me that everybody is telling them that they don't like something, but nobody has full insight into what it is they are not liking. The details are completely open as far as I can see. Doesn't make sense to me.
Here is the full insight, as far as this customer's perception:
Marriott made an annoucement about an "improvement" to MR. The "improvement" is actually, as far as the customer is concerned, akin to pulling underwear out of my drawer and telling me you bought me a present.
That is the full story. If there was more to the story, then Marriott should have held off annoucing anything, or treated this as a minor systems improvement. Not even Marriott, in the annoucement, references this being a piece in any master plan, so I'm not sure why you think that we should look at this as part of some super secret, unmentioned, unhinted-at great new benefit. If Marriott puts out an announcement about an improvement, I look at what's in the announcement as an improvement and don't imagine unmentioned possible future benefits that might possibly happen to make the announced program change more acceptable.
Put another way - suppose you went to a restaurant and ordered lasagna. What they brought out was a plate of noodles and sauce, which you eat, but aren't happy about. The next time you go out for Italian, are you going back to that restaraunt because if they had used cheese their lasagna would have been good? Or go back because you think at some point the place might start putting cheese in their lasagna, even though they've never said anything about doing that? Or are you going to judge the lasagna the way it actually was presented and take your business elsewhere?
Programs: AA Plat/2MM; Marriott/LoewsFirst/PC Plat; Hilton/SPG Gold
Posts: 8,111
Quote:
Originally Posted by CJKatl
Presently, if I've reserved one night with points and a second night with cash, I get credit for my welcome bonus on both nights. (Just checked my account.) Under one reservation, I'm losing the welcome points.
Actually, I think you are supposed to get a single welcome amenity per stay. And given that a stay is consecutive nights (regardless of check-in/outs), you should be only getting one amenity.
But this does bring a possible area where Marriott may get a benefit. Depending on a reservation's cancellation policy and a person's scheduling, you may want to have flexibility in changing the check-in/out dates. If you have multiple reservations, then you could potentially cancel the beginning or end dates of your stay. But if you only have a single reservation, you may not be able to change it due to rate changes, no more award availability, etc.
I'm not saying this is necessarily a "big" issue or that Marriott even made this change just to "put it to their customers" in this scenario. I suspect Marriott made this change to make their own tracking of an individual's reservations easier. And once they made the change (for themselves) they probably thought that with a little "spin" they say the change was made for our benefit. Thus they could have their cake and eat it too.
__________________
"Fortune favors the prepared mind." Louis Pasteur
Actually, I think you are supposed to get a single welcome amenity per stay. And given that a stay is consecutive nights (regardless of check-in/outs), you should be only getting one amenity.
I suspect Marriott made this change to make their own tracking of an individual's reservations easier. And once they made the change (for themselves) they probably thought that with a little "spin" they say the change was made for our benefit. Thus they could have their cake and eat it too.
First paragraph is my understanding too.
And hhoope01 probably has it right on the second paragraph.
Their problem is they named it something that means something totally different to what their competitors are doing, and most of us thought they were finally going to match the competitors.
Programs: AA EXP (LTG), Hilton Silver (former Dia), Marriott Plat (LTG, former PP), SPG Gold (soon to be LTP)
Posts: 3,632
Quote:
Originally Posted by SkiAdcock
F...Their problem is they named it something that means something totally different to what their competitors are doing, and most of us thought they were finally going to match the competitors.
Cheers.
Marriott has competitors? Has anyone told them that? They sure don't act like it.
When I first saw Cash & Points, I thought great! If they implement what is being described, huh???? Is this another result of their customer reviews? It's getting where I have no faith in what MR says, they do not deliver on what they say so why listen?
I've gone from over 100 paid nights a year to only five so far this year. Do you hear my wallet talking? And by the way, others are listening too.
Programs: US CP; AA LTG; HH Dia; SPG Plat; Marriott Gold
Posts: 2,869
This is beyond insulting.
They have used a term of art that means something specific in the industry to give us something we already had.
If anything, the announcement merely highlights that Marriott doesn't have cash and points, like its competitors do.
It would be like trying to compete with Hilton by saying golds could have a full service breakfast and then putting in the terms that golds could buy a full hot breakfast everywhere it is sold.
Well, I will give this to Marriott -- they are surging ahead in their transparent attempt to corner the IQ under 80 market segment.
Only thing keeping me at Marriott is when I can find a good LNF or when I have a cert or points to burn. Not much else. Disappointing they actually put effort into this (how much IT time did they waste spec'ing, coding and testing this?).
Programs: Kayaker, RC Plat, FPC Plat, HH Diamond, National Exec, UA PP, AA P, VX Gold, SWA A, AT A+
Posts: 2,826
Marriott - this new benefit resolves a minor inconvenience that had never actually inconvenienced me... It certainly does not seem worthy of a new thread on FT.
Give us stay credit for our points / award nights and maybe you'll catch our attention.
OT:
In my case, I applied for and received the Ritz Carlton Rewards card in February this year. Yes, the $395/year is steep, but with $10K annual spend I am a Ritz/Marriott Gold (plus a bunch of other benefits).
Since I received this credit card, and have guaranteed gold, I decided to go see if the grass was greener elsewhere. Specifically, a HHonors challenge, which I recently completed. 21 nights in 90 days and now Diamond through 2014.
Guess what? Those 21 nights have been pretty nice. My last stay a note from the manager (in my upgraded oceanfront suite with balcony) congratulating me on my new status with a bottle of champagne.
I still will be staying at a lot of Marriotts. But my message to you Marriott is that you need to step up your game if you want to earn more of my ~120 annual business/leisure hotel nights.
Programs: AA EXP (LTG), Hilton Silver (former Dia), Marriott Plat (LTG, former PP), SPG Gold (soon to be LTP)
Posts: 3,632
Quote:
Originally Posted by LarkSFO
Marriott - this new benefit resolves a minor inconvenience that had never actually inconvenienced me... It certainly does not seem worthy of a new thread on FT.
Give us stay credit for our points / award nights and maybe you'll catch our attention.
OT:
In my case, I applied for and received the Ritz Carlton Rewards card in February this year. Yes, the $395/year is steep, but with $10K annual spend I am a Ritz/Marriott Gold (plus a bunch of other benefits).
Since I received this credit card, and have guaranteed gold, I decided to go see if the grass was greener elsewhere. Specifically, a HHonors challenge, which I recently completed. 21 nights in 90 days and now Diamond through 2014.
Guess what? Those 21 nights have been pretty nice. My last stay a note from the manager (in my upgraded oceanfront suite with balcony) congratulating me on my new status with a bottle of champagne.
I still will be staying at a lot of Marriotts. But my message to you Marriott is that you need to step up your game if you want to earn more of my ~120 annual business/leisure hotel nights.
Ahhh, so much to learn grasshopper.
The Hilton program has been struck by so many problems in the last few years as well (are they using the same IT group). The website has some serious problems. The program has gone through so many devaluations it's tough to figure out what's left. CSRs have been reported as not knowing their own program. Reading the HH thread is getting so depressing (gee sounds like MR).
Now if the properties are giving you what you need/want, then that's great! Good luck learning/working the HH program.
another great enhancement Marriott.
I voted for you for the past few years in the polls but I am definitely voting against your program in the next loyalty installments, including all of my family members and friends, since I am their *travel agent*.
If you want to make yourself more like-able make your most loyal customers happy and they will bring others in. Its not hard. Look at SPG and Hyatt. Just take some notes and apply the same...
Programs: Kayaker, RC Plat, FPC Plat, HH Diamond, National Exec, UA PP, AA P, VX Gold, SWA A, AT A+
Posts: 2,826
Quote:
Originally Posted by RogerD408
Ahhh, so much to learn grasshopper.
The Hilton program has been struck by so many problems in the last few years as well (are they using the same IT group). The website has some serious problems. The program has gone through so many devaluations it's tough to figure out what's left. CSRs have been reported as not knowing their own program. Reading the HH thread is getting so depressing (gee sounds like MR).
Now if the properties are giving you what you need/want, then that's great! Good luck learning/working the HH program.
This part is what has been working so far for me....
What I value most is the elite recognition and benefits that I receive when traveling.
I already have (with amex surpass) 350K points in hhonors (to go with my 400K MR points) that I'll need to figure out how best to use. I am better at earning points / staying at properties than I am at figuring out how best to spend points to receive the best value.
I already have (with amex surpass) 350K points in hhonors (to go with my 400K MR points) that I'll need to figure out how best to use. I am better at earning points / staying at properties than I am at figuring out how best to spend points to receive the best value.
This is the easy part.
1. Marriott Travel Packages
2. Hilton 6 Nights VIP awards at places like Maldives or Koh Samui
