Originally Posted by
mikeef
I'm not worried about the clawback of the 50K they just gave me. I am, however, more concerned that, after I spend $3,000, they won't give me another 50K.
Having said that, I was going to do it for 50K anyway. The extra is just icing on the cake.
I understand where you are coming from and appreciate your having a different opinion. And I don't think there is anyone here (at least, I hope not), who wouldn't call attention to errors made in restaurants, etc.
But I view this case as different, and here's why: The additional bonus is not a mistake. There is no way that a front-line employee, particularly an outsourced one, would have the authority to give away 50,000 points, which is equivalent to at least $500. Such a decision would have had to have been approved at a higher level, I'm guessing at least two up. I used to work as a front-line employee for a financial services firm that is consistently lauded for its customer service. I was empowered to give back up to $100, no questions asked. Prior to that, I worked for a bank that was not lauded for customer service. I was empowered to give back nothing. $500 is out of the question.
Mike
I don't completely disagree, but I think from Chase's actions here, this was clearly a mistake. Notice the timing: most of this really occurred over last weekend when it's mostly essential (read: non-managerial) personnel on duty. Chase pulled this fast, although not quite as fast as Hilton recently pulled continuing to award an extra 5000 points to some folks who registered to get instant elite status and then found that, because of an apparent software glitch, using a second Signature Visa card could get them 5000 HHonors points that were clearly intended for members who were elite before the promo started. I suspect that when the higher ups at Chase got the word that extra 50Ks were being handed out to those not targeted, some mid-level managerial folks (and lower) got reamed.
I'm not even criticizing the folks who got the Hilton points or the ones who got the extra 50K here; I was commenting on the gnashing of teeth from some folks who have now learned that Chase isn't going to honor (or continue to honor) these promises. I think Chase should be forthright on this and honor the promises, but I also think it's well within their rights to take the other course, even at the risk of alienating some customers.
Contrast this with the Citi AA card promos that have continued for months after the official expiration date. There has been a conscious decision, made at a high managerial level, to keep those promos running despite a lack of advertising support. People getting those cards now are not taking advantage of a mistake; they're simply applying for a promotion that appeared to have ended and that Citi may choose to terminate at any time, without warning.
I've learned in my months here to take my shots at promotions that seem worthwhile to me, but if I miss out, well, that's the way the cookie crumbles in the miles game. Chase, Citi, and Amex certainly shouldn't be concerned about my feelings about their actions.