Originally Posted by
OU812
But more interesting perhaps is Arne's statement, "What we think we can do is deliver more value to our guests at more cost effective terms to hotel owners and drive a loyalty program that is second to none." The full interview can be found here:
Arne Sorenson on Loyalty Integration and Innovation
So let the speculation begin! What will be the new name of the combined MR + SPG program? What does Arne Sorenson mean by more value to our guests, at more cost effective terms to hotel owners? Increased contributions from Marriott International? Better benefits? Benefit cuts? Points devaluation?
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Thanks for sharing. In the recent earnings call he stated:
"We lowered our loyalty programs' charge-out rate to owners in 2017 and again in January 2018, and we expect to further reduce charge-out rates as we harmonize our loyalty programs later this year."
https://seekingalpha.com/article/414...answer-session
Originally Posted by
Horace
The current name "Starwood Preferred Guest" is all about being a VIP. I have much less personal experience with Starwood properties than with Marriott, but even when I only had Gold status, the front desk would treat me like a VIP. It was inconsistent, but, more often than not, I would get benefits beyond the published benefits. It seems to me that Starwood has a culture of valuing guests who have any sort of elite status -- and making them feel valued.
I keep hearing that but with 100+ Marriott nights in 2017 and 30ish SPG nights in 2017, I'm still trying to figure out what that VIP experience means
No matter what program, I was thanked for being a Plat (and in some Marriott's a Plat Premier!). In all Marriott stays, I received all published benefits. I often received additional benefits including food sent to the room and handwritten notes from GM's. In at least a handful of stays, the check in agent called someone and the GM himself/herself or the MOD came out to chat with me to thank me for my business. In SPG stays, I often failed to receive published benefits -- particularly room upgrades that were obviously available. In a few cases, they seek to call a corner room a "suite" that would never be described as a suite at a Marriott to fake meeting the published benefit. I did not receive extra benefits in any SPG stay -- no managers ever came out to chat or sent notes/food/drinks to the room. And in the one case in the past two years where I contacted a GM to express focused concerns, I didn't receive a reply. It was a SPG hotel. So .,.. what is that VIP thing?
That being said, I've stayed in both Marriott and SPG properties with exceptional customer service in the past few weeks -- Marriott PVR, JW Marriott Marquis Miami, SLS LA, W Miami, to mention some. I've also had some lackluster customer service at expensive properties who don't seem to really care about published benefits or elite recognition including JW Cabo, W Scottsdale, Westin Tucson, Westin PVR. Its not really the program (although there is certainly more inconsistency on the SPG side), its really the GM and perhaps the franchise operator.
I'm concerned about what lowering the charge out rate means but hoping that the new program will provide better defined benefits for those of us who stay 75+ nights, target inconsistency, and penalize hotels that don't provide published benefits. I rarely receive Medallia surveys which suggests to me that maybe they just don't care ...