You're SomeOne Special Program (SOS) - Discontinued [merged]
Nov 14, 2002, 12:03 am
#76
Suspended
Join Date: Apr 2002
Programs: AA EXP, BA GLD, FT < 30 y
Posts: 2,106
So it seems to me that the options are:
1: Start our own SOS campaign using some kind of .pdf download, which jiggs has volunteered to host on the web.
2: Start a letter writing campaign
3: Do both.
* So are we going to do a form letter or everyone write individual letters? One thing we could do is to all write letters and enclose a sample SOS to say we are serious! Another hilarious way to get AA's attention would be to each enclose a get out of hell free cards saying "whoever decided to end SOS is going to need this!"
* What do people think if we wrote the letters to Carty and put "personal" on the front of the envelope?
* Maybe we could get the press involved in this? I.e. disgruntled travellers invent own employee recognition program after AA cancels?
* I don't have the software to author .pdf files. What about if we scanned in one of the old "SOS" forms and then replaced the "American" part with "Flyertalk"? (This of course raises all kinds of copyright questions). Any volunteers? If someone does the SOS forms, I'll try to draft a sample letter.
1: Start our own SOS campaign using some kind of .pdf download, which jiggs has volunteered to host on the web.
2: Start a letter writing campaign
3: Do both.
* So are we going to do a form letter or everyone write individual letters? One thing we could do is to all write letters and enclose a sample SOS to say we are serious! Another hilarious way to get AA's attention would be to each enclose a get out of hell free cards saying "whoever decided to end SOS is going to need this!"
* What do people think if we wrote the letters to Carty and put "personal" on the front of the envelope?
* Maybe we could get the press involved in this? I.e. disgruntled travellers invent own employee recognition program after AA cancels?
* I don't have the software to author .pdf files. What about if we scanned in one of the old "SOS" forms and then replaced the "American" part with "Flyertalk"? (This of course raises all kinds of copyright questions). Any volunteers? If someone does the SOS forms, I'll try to draft a sample letter.
Nov 14, 2002, 12:41 am
#77
Join Date: May 2001
Posts: 177
I am so proud to read such a thread.. That are customers care so much.. I don't know
how the miles program works, but are you aloud to give your miles to other people.. if
so and you do come up with the new SOSISVS and I do love that, you could donate
your miles when the employee has 5 or 6 SOSISVS. They would mail it in to a address
that is on the card with there name and employee number and base. customer service
could check to make sure they are really AA employees for you. Now you could tell
customer service or who ever you would call to give that employee a ticket from your
miles. They would mail that ticket to the base of the F/A or agent and would put it in
there mail box. I think the ticket would be good for one year. When you mail in a letter
to the company it takes about three or four months before the employee gets it.. It goes
thought corporate and then to there manger and then they mail it to your house along
with a $5.00 Starbucks coupon.. So if you call and take care of it that way then it would go faster.. Now I have know idea how many miles you have to fly to get a ticket and if this thread never comes to light. I am just proud of you guys that you wanted to do
something for US.. thank you XXOO
how the miles program works, but are you aloud to give your miles to other people.. if
so and you do come up with the new SOSISVS and I do love that, you could donate
your miles when the employee has 5 or 6 SOSISVS. They would mail it in to a address
that is on the card with there name and employee number and base. customer service
could check to make sure they are really AA employees for you. Now you could tell
customer service or who ever you would call to give that employee a ticket from your
miles. They would mail that ticket to the base of the F/A or agent and would put it in
there mail box. I think the ticket would be good for one year. When you mail in a letter
to the company it takes about three or four months before the employee gets it.. It goes
thought corporate and then to there manger and then they mail it to your house along
with a $5.00 Starbucks coupon.. So if you call and take care of it that way then it would go faster.. Now I have know idea how many miles you have to fly to get a ticket and if this thread never comes to light. I am just proud of you guys that you wanted to do
something for US.. thank you XXOO
Nov 14, 2002, 6:55 am
#78
Join Date: Jun 2000
Location: Chicago
Programs: United 1K, American EXP & 3 Million Miler, Hyatt Globalist & Marriott Ambassador Elite
Posts: 2,360
The SOS program was one of the most innovative customer loyalty programs around, that allowed customers to tell the airline who was really going above and beyond. In my experience, and the reason that I fly almost exclusviely with AA, their service is far better than the other US airlines on a consistent basis. In large part, I had always felt that this was due to the SOS program. I am not sure if AA cut it thinking it would save money or that there were occassional SOS abuses, I am sure both are true. However, the VALUE that the SOS program provides to AA's profitability must far outweigh this. Honestly, cutting SOS seems very much like a decision that UA would have made and we all know where that ended up.
Nov 14, 2002, 10:28 am
#79
Join Date: Jun 2002
Location: Chicago, IL
Programs: AA 1MM: PLAT
Posts: 179
I don't have a way to put something in a .pdf, but I can help work on a draft of wording. I like the idea of the FT logo on it.
As for the redemption part, I think that becomes difficult. My take initially was the while the benefit of redemption to the employee was great, the important value was the recognition. My suggestion was to find a way to instantly recognize the employee and allow them to then show their employer/supervisors that they were in fact going above and beyond. Perhaps if we continued the 'paper trail' then AA could recognize that it was important for us to do so.
Let me know what i can do.
As for the redemption part, I think that becomes difficult. My take initially was the while the benefit of redemption to the employee was great, the important value was the recognition. My suggestion was to find a way to instantly recognize the employee and allow them to then show their employer/supervisors that they were in fact going above and beyond. Perhaps if we continued the 'paper trail' then AA could recognize that it was important for us to do so.
Let me know what i can do.
Nov 14, 2002, 1:52 pm
#80
Suspended
Join Date: Apr 2002
Programs: AA EXP, BA GLD, FT < 30 y
Posts: 2,106
OK so who has access to the software to make .pdf files? Once we figure that out, maybe RoyaltyBuff can do the graphic design. I'll try to see if someone else in the hospital here has made pdfs.
Nov 14, 2002, 2:06 pm
#81
Join Date: Apr 2001
Location: Dallas, TX, USA AA Plat
Posts: 1,342
Okay, maybe I shouldn't do this --
but I have the fax # to AA Marketing.
The VP's name I have is Dan Garton. Can someone verify the spelling.
Maybe we can fax a letter or two.
What's safest - email me for fax # or just post it?
I'm sending them a letter. I will refer to this post so they can see the feelings.
I'm gald to see others on board. Maybe this idea will fly. (bad pun(s), I know. Sorry.)
------------------
TANSTAAFL - but if you work it right, FF miles comes pretty close.
but I have the fax # to AA Marketing.
The VP's name I have is Dan Garton. Can someone verify the spelling.
Maybe we can fax a letter or two.
What's safest - email me for fax # or just post it?
I'm sending them a letter. I will refer to this post so they can see the feelings.
I'm gald to see others on board. Maybe this idea will fly. (bad pun(s), I know. Sorry.)
------------------
TANSTAAFL - but if you work it right, FF miles comes pretty close.
Nov 14, 2002, 2:41 pm
#82
Join Date: Jan 2001
Location: IAD/DCA, USA (MD Suburbs)
Programs: AA Lifetime PLT, HH Diamond, Fairmont RIP, Hertz Plat, BA Gold
Posts: 1,624
I have adobe acrobat writer that can convert files into .pdf In fact, if someone can create a Microsoft Word file, I can easily convert that into a .pdf and put it on my website for download. I have a website that I haven't really found a use for. www.worldflyer.net Right now I just put my tripreports and trip photos on it.
such as my latest adventure: www.worldflyer.net/tripreportmonaco.htm
such as my latest adventure: www.worldflyer.net/tripreportmonaco.htm
Nov 14, 2002, 4:40 pm
#83
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: May 1998
Location: Massachusetts, USA; AA Plat, DL GM and Flying Colonel; Bonvoy Platinum
Posts: 24,233
Just a thought ...
AA probably has about 250,000 active elites, not counting those who got Gold because of a one-time heavy flying year and won't repeat.
If each of those gives out 2 SOS's per year, that's half a million. (Granted, many give none, but if the average is 2 it takes four of those to balance one who gives out 10.)
At $5 each, that's $2.5 million. Since both numbers are probably higher than the above, the actual cost is probably higher than this - perhaps a lot higher. The program has some admininstrative costs, too.
I agree that the SOS program or something like it is an excellent motivational tool and should be retained, but whatever we do should recognize that we're not talking about sums that are comparable to one person's salary. The program costs AA enough money to get the attention of someone pretty high up its management ladder. If we're to have an impact, we should try to suggest a way of keeping the heart of the program while saving a good bit of the change. Just saying "put it back the way it used to be" won't, IMHO and in today's economy, do the job.
AA probably has about 250,000 active elites, not counting those who got Gold because of a one-time heavy flying year and won't repeat.
If each of those gives out 2 SOS's per year, that's half a million. (Granted, many give none, but if the average is 2 it takes four of those to balance one who gives out 10.)
At $5 each, that's $2.5 million. Since both numbers are probably higher than the above, the actual cost is probably higher than this - perhaps a lot higher. The program has some admininstrative costs, too.
I agree that the SOS program or something like it is an excellent motivational tool and should be retained, but whatever we do should recognize that we're not talking about sums that are comparable to one person's salary. The program costs AA enough money to get the attention of someone pretty high up its management ladder. If we're to have an impact, we should try to suggest a way of keeping the heart of the program while saving a good bit of the change. Just saying "put it back the way it used to be" won't, IMHO and in today's economy, do the job.
Nov 14, 2002, 7:19 pm
#84
Join Date: Sep 2001
Posts: 493
<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by CharlesMD:
OK so who has access to the software to make .pdf files? Once we figure that out, maybe RoyaltyBuff can do the graphic design. I'll try to see if someone else in the hospital here has made pdfs.</font>
OK so who has access to the software to make .pdf files? Once we figure that out, maybe RoyaltyBuff can do the graphic design. I'll try to see if someone else in the hospital here has made pdfs.</font>
Nov 14, 2002, 8:29 pm
#85
Join Date: Aug 2000
Location: Brooklyn, NY
Programs: AA PLT 2 MM, DL PLT
Posts: 507
I'm not sure what I can do to help, but count me in on this one! Great ideas folks!
Nov 15, 2002, 8:58 am
#86
Join Date: Apr 2001
Location: Dallas, TX, USA AA Plat
Posts: 1,342
I agree with Efrem's comments - there is more to this prgram than we know.
But the answer is not to cut it off.
Can someone get me a name high up. I'll be happy to call them, write a letter or go by and see them since it's less than a 30 min drie to AA from my office.
Maybe we can come up with an idea that will work.
The AA employees will like it better if SOS is there, even if pared down.
We should be able to come up with something.
Thanks for the support.
------------------
TANSTAAFL - but if you work it right, FF miles comes pretty close.
But the answer is not to cut it off.
Can someone get me a name high up. I'll be happy to call them, write a letter or go by and see them since it's less than a 30 min drie to AA from my office.
Maybe we can come up with an idea that will work.
The AA employees will like it better if SOS is there, even if pared down.
We should be able to come up with something.
Thanks for the support.
------------------
TANSTAAFL - but if you work it right, FF miles comes pretty close.
Nov 15, 2002, 8:26 pm
#88
Join Date: Mar 2002
Location: CMI
Programs: AA EXP & 2MM, HH DIA, Hertz GLD
Posts: 954
Howdy,
Pakse will participate in something to recognize the outstanding employees of AA to whom his life and his comfort depend
*(don't ya hate it when idiots refer to themselves in the third person... )
Seriously - it's easy - someone design a form (format is not very relevant), someone else post it (in a variety of formats? - (by the way - this I could easily do if no one else wants to (the posting and formatting))).
Then - we download them and print them out.
As far as actual rewards - we leave a small space where we can attach or include a token of appreciate ($5.00 Starbucks anyone?) but we leave the token up to each person - that's not a universal.
We do get AA to recognize that a body of frequent flyers (us) have a recognition system. Surely this has to benefit employees (at least in an intangable way)?
But - I think I'm just restating essentially what everyone has already posted here
Let's do it.
Keep the faith,
Pakse
Pakse will participate in something to recognize the outstanding employees of AA to whom his life and his comfort depend
*(don't ya hate it when idiots refer to themselves in the third person...
)Seriously - it's easy - someone design a form (format is not very relevant), someone else post it (in a variety of formats? - (by the way - this I could easily do if no one else wants to (the posting and formatting))).
Then - we download them and print them out.
As far as actual rewards - we leave a small space where we can attach or include a token of appreciate ($5.00 Starbucks anyone?) but we leave the token up to each person - that's not a universal.
We do get AA to recognize that a body of frequent flyers (us) have a recognition system. Surely this has to benefit employees (at least in an intangable way)?
But - I think I'm just restating essentially what everyone has already posted here
Let's do it.
Keep the faith,
Pakse
Nov 15, 2002, 9:55 pm
#89
Suspended
Join Date: Apr 2002
Programs: AA EXP, BA GLD, FT < 30 y
Posts: 2,106
OK everyone is talking about designing a form, but who will do it? The simplest thing to do would be to take a current SOS and stick the Flyertalk on it. I imagine this would require scanning in the SOS form and then digitally copying the flyertalk logo. So who wants to do it? (I am not very computer literate). If you need a scan of a SOS, I can have my secretary do that as I have some laying around.
Nov 16, 2002, 2:13 am
#90
Join Date: Mar 2002
Posts: 35
[QUOTE]Originally posted by CFM3RD:
[b]Folks,
This is what I sent.
much thanks for thinking of us employees
AA res
[This message has been edited by sunsetaz (edited 11-16-2002).]
[This message has been edited by sunsetaz (edited 11-16-2002).]
[b]Folks,
This is what I sent.
much thanks for thinking of us employees
AA res
[This message has been edited by sunsetaz (edited 11-16-2002).]
[This message has been edited by sunsetaz (edited 11-16-2002).]