Originally Posted by
fly co to see the yanks
i'm not sure why point balance would matter. point balance just shows that you are a good hoarder of points...not necessarily a good earner of points.
Exactly right. I remember this very topic coming up a few years ago and I was just as confused then as I am today as to why total number of SPG points in one's balance would matter whatsoever.
All that said, I doubt we'll ever know what the 21 components are (if there are, indeed, 21). Off the cuff, I'd toss out the following as what I'd hope are the most weighted components:
1. Total revenue $$$s last 12 months rolling
2. Total number of nights YTD or last 12 months rolling
3. Total lifetime SPG points earned / revenue spent
Some might strongly disagree with me, but I think these three components do a solid job of calling out those who are both heavily loyal to SPG and those who are most valuable to SPG. Isn't SPG's ideal consumer one who both spends a tremendous amount of $$$ with them and also returns often? (Isn't that the ideal customer for any business?)
Travelling with my brother over the past recent years has been eye-opening for me. He's surely in the top 0.0005% of top elites with the SPG program. His job, for the past 15 years, has been a global one. He's overnighting about 300 nights a year and always at high end locations. He was essentially living at the W Union Square for more than half of 2007 -- that 'aint cheap! Whenever he and I meet up, and if we're at a *wood hotel, he always gets a massive suite, with the GM's obligatory letter, chocolates, etc. And, as a SPG Plat myself, I get a club room next to the ice machine!
Frankly, I think that's just as it should be. If he gives $100K to Starwood a year, the system should absolutely recognize that if any customer is going to be upgraded when one suite is available, it is precisely this sort of consumer.
I'd be interested to hear other's top three priorities. (Perhaps I should've started a new thread?!?)