Originally Posted by
JBord
But I don't understand all the comments here about how Marriott should have done focus groups, should have listened to FlyerTalker's opinions, etc. The following things come to mind immediately as I read the thread:
- We (and I include myself) all think our opinions are more important than they probably are -- to Marriott or anyone else. Ultimately, we're a small sample of the customer base.
- Who says they didn't do focus groups? If I were rolling out new branding, it wouldn't be focused on keeping existing customers that had already proven their loyalty, it would be focused on appealing to new customers. So why would I include elites in the focus groups?
I think FTers are definitely a small sample and our experiences may not be representative. Perhaps they did focus groups .... but garbage in/garbage out. Bonvoy is as good a name as any, even if its dumb, At least they've worked in the concept of travel is good. Definitely a better name than World of Hyatt. Frankly, I think this is all part of an industry push to capture additional revenue through Moments, etc.
That being said, I'd definitely want my best customers in any focus group. It's obvious that who ever designed the website doesn't make reservations on a regular basis. Maybe occasional travelers don't notice or care. It's obvious that some -- perhaps many -- properties aren't following the rules/concepts. If the current management team was out and about, they'd notice that. The old guys in the painting would never have allowed that to happen. I remember being in a lounge many years ago with Bill and him walking around talking to people, asking questions.
I don't like the way that some of the airline programs are going but they clearly have an understanding of customer experience, even if they decide to focus on profitability.