Get "UNLIMITED" AA miles for less than $0.01 per mile
Nov 30, 2004, 3:53 pm
#1141
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Nov 2002
Location: BOS, MHT
Programs: AA ltg, B6, DL, UA, AS, SPG/Marriott Plt, HH, Hyatt
Posts: 10,052
I guess that since there has been no activity in this thread in a few weeks now, this thread is kinda dead. It is now December. Happy something!
I hope everyone got their points. Some know I recently gave up on personally trying to talk with Points.com because I think they stalled way too much through out this entire half year long process and it came down to only a few people out of hundreds in the end anyway. I posted my very mean email I had written to Points.com in here on November 2, election day, and had shared that with you all to show that they still lagged on coming through for a few remaining souls in this mix. I hope everyone knows that was meant for THEM, not anyone in FT! But I also hope those remaining concerned people called Lissa or someone at the company and got some sort of resolution up there. For me, Nov 2 had been a stressful day, and I would rather not know nor care who voted how, but I figured this one went so long that the day also served as a convenient end to my trying to deal with some powers that may be in place that I can not at this time really control...
Anyway, I am glad many people got the points they set out to obtain and I am glad some of this stuff showed people that if you keep records and keep up the good fight, you will get your miles and you will get results. I mean hey, if you show you wont give up, you may even win a world series!
Well, as for Marathon Man, I am still out there earning and burning my miles and hopefully all those with whom I have emailed and PMd in here will carry on as my FT mile friends and beyond!
I will probably take down or change my old web site link to this issue in the next few weeks. I think we did well on the whole and so it served its purpose greatly! I think we did end up with about a 99% success rate in this entire thread for actually obtaining what was suggested from the original posts and their later mutations, and that aint bad! See you out there!
Enjoy!
MM
Moderator, if there's nothing else, I guess you could close this thread! (but keep it as a record, ya know)
I hope everyone got their points. Some know I recently gave up on personally trying to talk with Points.com because I think they stalled way too much through out this entire half year long process and it came down to only a few people out of hundreds in the end anyway. I posted my very mean email I had written to Points.com in here on November 2, election day, and had shared that with you all to show that they still lagged on coming through for a few remaining souls in this mix. I hope everyone knows that was meant for THEM, not anyone in FT! But I also hope those remaining concerned people called Lissa or someone at the company and got some sort of resolution up there. For me, Nov 2 had been a stressful day, and I would rather not know nor care who voted how, but I figured this one went so long that the day also served as a convenient end to my trying to deal with some powers that may be in place that I can not at this time really control...
Anyway, I am glad many people got the points they set out to obtain and I am glad some of this stuff showed people that if you keep records and keep up the good fight, you will get your miles and you will get results. I mean hey, if you show you wont give up, you may even win a world series!
Well, as for Marathon Man, I am still out there earning and burning my miles and hopefully all those with whom I have emailed and PMd in here will carry on as my FT mile friends and beyond!
I will probably take down or change my old web site link to this issue in the next few weeks. I think we did well on the whole and so it served its purpose greatly! I think we did end up with about a 99% success rate in this entire thread for actually obtaining what was suggested from the original posts and their later mutations, and that aint bad! See you out there!
Enjoy!
MMModerator, if there's nothing else, I guess you could close this thread! (but keep it as a record, ya know)
Jan 10, 2005, 1:35 am
#1142
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Nov 2002
Location: BOS, MHT
Programs: AA ltg, B6, DL, UA, AS, SPG/Marriott Plt, HH, Hyatt
Posts: 10,052
the dust is blown off this one!
Well...
It's been a long, long time but something very interesting has happened in recent days that I thought should be told to anyone still checking this particular thread so see...please DO read this, mates!
At least one poster in FT who was still missing some measly points decided to never give up and this person wrote to Lissa at Points.com every day a few times a day. She did this until late December and then in early January, something began to shift in favor of resolution... (for the final positive resolution, do jump to the very bottom of this post)
The FT poster found all the names of all the members of the Points.com board of directors and sent the emails to them. Within days, Lissa wrote back and said the points will be credited, and then days later, the miles were in this person's AA account! Lissa had taken 3 VACATIONS by now--3! But we got her (and yes, I think incompetent people like Lissa Romano should be fired and replaced by people who need freakin' jobs!)
Anyway, one board member emailed back to our friendly FT poster and said he was sorry and that the points would be converted to miles now. And now I think it's our turn to keep the heat on and turn it up even more. I will update my site link (www.theothersideoftraveling.com) and will try to email others, but what should happen now is that anyone still missing points should write them all and ask for theirs, and then we should ALL be asking them to compensate us for being such jerks during the past 7 months.
7 months!
wow!
I know I am going to give 'em hell! We should be demanding EXTRA compensation for all this trouble!
[Side note: Remember, the main glitch with some of you had been that when you finally received missing Ebay Anything points from that part of the partnership, you now may not have had enough to do what would have been a promotional conversion from points.com to AA. Sound confusing? Well, you still deserve your miles in full!
You see, as some may remember, it had been such that something like a min of 1,078 points would turn into 501 AA miles when converted at the time. One needed to send over no less than whatever would turn into 500 AA miles in order to get the double + 25% bonus at AA. Therefore, during the promotion that ended on June 30, this 501 would double and then give you 25%. So, if you had 1,078 points, you would get 1002+125 or a total of 1027 AA miles in the end.
Like me, you all probably dumped all your EAP points and so if something came in less late that totalled your account to less that 1,078 points, you could not convert because it was below the minimum stated above and in the original deal! That confusing calculation, plus the fact that Lissa at points.com was clearly blowing everyone off, was not making it very easy for people to get anywhere!]
Here are some of the emails that transpired. I was asked not to include the poster's name or email address but I certainly have included the email addresses of all those board members and again, my link will soon have a more compresensive version of this:
-----Original Message-----
(if you have outlook, copy/paste the email addresses right in and demand you points now. Make them see once again how many people this affected. Power by numbers, change by collaboration... If you need to send via Yahoo, etc, replace the semi colons with commas inbetween email addresses)
From: XXXX
Sent: Wednesday, January 05, 2005 10:23 PM
To:
[email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]
Subject: FW: Converting with AA Bonus Immediate attention required
Dear Management and Board of Directors of Points.com:
I participated in your promotion with Ebay anything points last June. I have been trying to get the last of my miles to post since last summer. The bonus was offered by your company, so we are not dealing with a third party here. If you will review the correspondence below with Lissa Romano you will see that I sent numerous messages inquiring about the miles. I was mostly ignored by Lissa and your company. I am appalled that you would not post miles that are legitimately mine. I am very upset about the amount of time I have had to spend to get miles due from the various vendors in this promotion and the miles due from points.com to double them. I would estimate I have at least 40 hours invested in just trying to get the bonus miles to post.
It is absurd that Lissa has taken at least 3 lengthy vacations during this fiasco. She didn't have the courtesy to respond to my numerous messages, she never called, she didn't assign the duties to a coworker in her absence and she resolved nothing.
And I am a paying customer to points.com!!! I am beginning to question your company's sense of ethics, your regard for the customer and your lack of follow though. Please respond to me with a fair and equitable solution to my problem in light of how much of my time has been abused.
I thank each of you in advance for your consideration.
Sincerely,
XXX
Then, in early Jan, Lissa wrote back to our friendly FTer:
"Hi XXX,
I did receive all of your emails and have taken action on your behalf.
American Airlines was sent a file on December 24th to have your miles as well as others posted to your accounts. I sent them another email today and should have confirmation by end of day tomorrow that the miles have been deposited.
As soon as I receive confirmation, I will email you to notify you.
Regards,
Lissa
Points.com
So the question to Lissa is this:
Why couldn't she have sent an email on 12-24 and told this FTer so? Very
irresponsible again! We should spam the board of directors that Lissa is so incompetent!
My suggestion (in an email to the FTer):
From: Jeff F [mailto:[email protected]]
Sent: Thursday, January 06, 2005
To: XXX
Subject: Re: What I just sent to points.com
yes, do spam them and if you have to, set up some fake yahoo addresses to have it come from there too. Anything to get their attention. Do that, and then fax them and fax again and again and again... and then US mail it. and then mail it again.
and then CC a lwyer's name on it...
and then call them and leave messages. I know I posted the tel numbers all over the place like in www.theothersideoftraveling.com
send them that link too. and send it again. and again.
and again.
This all started with this message the FTer had sent me proving that some of us never give up:
...Last night I sent Lissa 44 copies of my inquiry about miles! So, no way will she have missed it when she got back from vacation. Since she didn't respond I set up the mail list below to all the managers and board of directors. I will start sending that daily too and give them an idea of further actions I will take. Then I will start calling. What a joke points.com is!
Just thought I would let you see that I can be relentless too. (I have a good teacher!)
-----Original Message-----
> Sent: Wednesday, January 05, 2005 9:28 PM
> To: [email protected]
> Subject: FW: Converting with AA Bonus Immediate
> attention required
>
> Lissa: did you get any of yesterday's
> messages? Why wouldn't you just give
> me the miles and some compensation and be done
> with it?
-----Original Message-----
> Sent: Tuesday, January 04, 2005 1:33 AM
> To: [email protected]
> Subject: RE: Converting with AA Bonus Immediate
> attention required
>
> I see you are on your next vacation. How can
> you justify leaving without
> resolving your customer's problems? That will
> be my question with your
> superiors. Is this vacation number 3 or 4 or 5
> since the problems began
> that you did not resolve? I promise you will
> wish you did the right thing
> and given me my miles. Now I want those miles
> plus compensation for my time
> in dealing with you. I would suggest you at
> least quadruple my miles to get
> me to go away.
-----Original Message-----
> Sent: Tuesday, January 04, 2005 12:40 AM
> To: [email protected]
> Subject: FW: Converting with AA Bonus Immediate
> attention required
>
> Lissa, I guess I am going to have to start
> calling you and your superiors
> every day. Wouldn't it be easier to just do
> the right thing and post my
> earned miles? I am running out of patience.
> You really don't want to see
> me get upset. I have been way too patient with
> you and the run around. I am
> going to become your worst nightmare. You have
> 24 hours to post my miles
> and if not I am going to call for you to be
> fired. How can you justify the
> incompetence with which you have dealt with me?
>
> Please just post my miles and be done with it
> before you take your next
> vacation. I am ready to make this my #1
> mission.
More on calculating poinst for those who forgot:
One had to have enough points to create 500 AA miles or greater before June 30 and according to the conversion rates on Points.com at that time. I do not know if those rates have changed, but it seems likely they have. Anything less than 1,078 points would not cut it and since we all dumped our points once they finally came in from EAP and other sources, And am certain a few of us were left with not enough to even complete what we set out to do in the first place. I gather there may even have been one or two of you out there that failed to even get those EAP or other partner points, but I believe the majority of troubles did end up with Points.com--which is where all of this started anyway. I have been saying it all along and now you have some more ammo to go back and fight 'em once more. I know some already have.
If you have anything greater still sitting in your account, you could do the math to figure it out by doubling the amount of AA miles it would have converted into and also dividing that amount by 4 and then adding the two totals. I have kept some of the old conversions in case people may still need them.
Good luck and I hope people are reading this!
Moderator: No need to close the thread now!
MM
Here is the FTer's AA activity for early Jan 2005:
01/06/05
POINTS.COM ADJUSTMENT
0
2,266
2,266
That is the 100% plus the 25% bonuses.
Then came this email from the VP of Product development! I find it very funny that a day after my massive email to the top brass this thing is resolved! I bet Lissa had let this thing sit in a pile on her desk (between vacations) and had taken no action until the big bosses got involved. I think 1,000 miles is pretty stingy, but I’ll take it. That must be worth all of $20.
-----Original Message-----
From: Mike Glass [mailto:[email protected]]
Sent: Friday, January 07, 2005 5:31 PM
To: XXX
Subject: EBay Anything Promotion
Hi XXX,
I wanted to drop you a quick note to let you know that we have received your informative email and hope we have addressed your concerns. Lissa worked with AA this week to issue you the miles that you are owed. I am personally appalled that this issue has been open for seven months. Points.com will purchase 1000 Advantage miles and add them to your account.
Thank you very much for bringing this to our attention. I apologize for the inconvenience we have caused you.
Sincerely,
Mike Glass
VP, Product Development
Points.com
It's been a long, long time but something very interesting has happened in recent days that I thought should be told to anyone still checking this particular thread so see...please DO read this, mates!
At least one poster in FT who was still missing some measly points decided to never give up and this person wrote to Lissa at Points.com every day a few times a day. She did this until late December and then in early January, something began to shift in favor of resolution... (for the final positive resolution, do jump to the very bottom of this post)
The FT poster found all the names of all the members of the Points.com board of directors and sent the emails to them. Within days, Lissa wrote back and said the points will be credited, and then days later, the miles were in this person's AA account! Lissa had taken 3 VACATIONS by now--3! But we got her (and yes, I think incompetent people like Lissa Romano should be fired and replaced by people who need freakin' jobs!)
Anyway, one board member emailed back to our friendly FT poster and said he was sorry and that the points would be converted to miles now. And now I think it's our turn to keep the heat on and turn it up even more. I will update my site link (www.theothersideoftraveling.com) and will try to email others, but what should happen now is that anyone still missing points should write them all and ask for theirs, and then we should ALL be asking them to compensate us for being such jerks during the past 7 months.
7 months!
wow!
I know I am going to give 'em hell! We should be demanding EXTRA compensation for all this trouble!
[Side note: Remember, the main glitch with some of you had been that when you finally received missing Ebay Anything points from that part of the partnership, you now may not have had enough to do what would have been a promotional conversion from points.com to AA. Sound confusing? Well, you still deserve your miles in full!
You see, as some may remember, it had been such that something like a min of 1,078 points would turn into 501 AA miles when converted at the time. One needed to send over no less than whatever would turn into 500 AA miles in order to get the double + 25% bonus at AA. Therefore, during the promotion that ended on June 30, this 501 would double and then give you 25%. So, if you had 1,078 points, you would get 1002+125 or a total of 1027 AA miles in the end.
Like me, you all probably dumped all your EAP points and so if something came in less late that totalled your account to less that 1,078 points, you could not convert because it was below the minimum stated above and in the original deal! That confusing calculation, plus the fact that Lissa at points.com was clearly blowing everyone off, was not making it very easy for people to get anywhere!]
But now is the time to try once more. Why not?
Here are some of the emails that transpired. I was asked not to include the poster's name or email address but I certainly have included the email addresses of all those board members and again, my link will soon have a more compresensive version of this:
-----Original Message-----
(if you have outlook, copy/paste the email addresses right in and demand you points now. Make them see once again how many people this affected. Power by numbers, change by collaboration... If you need to send via Yahoo, etc, replace the semi colons with commas inbetween email addresses)
From: XXXX
Sent: Wednesday, January 05, 2005 10:23 PM
To:
[email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]
Subject: FW: Converting with AA Bonus Immediate attention required
Dear Management and Board of Directors of Points.com:
I participated in your promotion with Ebay anything points last June. I have been trying to get the last of my miles to post since last summer. The bonus was offered by your company, so we are not dealing with a third party here. If you will review the correspondence below with Lissa Romano you will see that I sent numerous messages inquiring about the miles. I was mostly ignored by Lissa and your company. I am appalled that you would not post miles that are legitimately mine. I am very upset about the amount of time I have had to spend to get miles due from the various vendors in this promotion and the miles due from points.com to double them. I would estimate I have at least 40 hours invested in just trying to get the bonus miles to post.
It is absurd that Lissa has taken at least 3 lengthy vacations during this fiasco. She didn't have the courtesy to respond to my numerous messages, she never called, she didn't assign the duties to a coworker in her absence and she resolved nothing.
And I am a paying customer to points.com!!! I am beginning to question your company's sense of ethics, your regard for the customer and your lack of follow though. Please respond to me with a fair and equitable solution to my problem in light of how much of my time has been abused.
I thank each of you in advance for your consideration.
Sincerely,
XXX
Then, in early Jan, Lissa wrote back to our friendly FTer:
"Hi XXX,
I did receive all of your emails and have taken action on your behalf.
American Airlines was sent a file on December 24th to have your miles as well as others posted to your accounts. I sent them another email today and should have confirmation by end of day tomorrow that the miles have been deposited.
As soon as I receive confirmation, I will email you to notify you.
Regards,
Lissa
Points.com
So the question to Lissa is this:
Why couldn't she have sent an email on 12-24 and told this FTer so? Very
irresponsible again! We should spam the board of directors that Lissa is so incompetent!
My suggestion (in an email to the FTer):
From: Jeff F [mailto:[email protected]]
Sent: Thursday, January 06, 2005
To: XXX
Subject: Re: What I just sent to points.com
yes, do spam them and if you have to, set up some fake yahoo addresses to have it come from there too. Anything to get their attention. Do that, and then fax them and fax again and again and again... and then US mail it. and then mail it again.
and then CC a lwyer's name on it...
and then call them and leave messages. I know I posted the tel numbers all over the place like in www.theothersideoftraveling.com
send them that link too. and send it again. and again.
and again.
This all started with this message the FTer had sent me proving that some of us never give up:
...Last night I sent Lissa 44 copies of my inquiry about miles! So, no way will she have missed it when she got back from vacation. Since she didn't respond I set up the mail list below to all the managers and board of directors. I will start sending that daily too and give them an idea of further actions I will take. Then I will start calling. What a joke points.com is!
Just thought I would let you see that I can be relentless too. (I have a good teacher!)
-----Original Message-----
> Sent: Wednesday, January 05, 2005 9:28 PM
> To: [email protected]
> Subject: FW: Converting with AA Bonus Immediate
> attention required
>
> Lissa: did you get any of yesterday's
> messages? Why wouldn't you just give
> me the miles and some compensation and be done
> with it?
-----Original Message-----
> Sent: Tuesday, January 04, 2005 1:33 AM
> To: [email protected]
> Subject: RE: Converting with AA Bonus Immediate
> attention required
>
> I see you are on your next vacation. How can
> you justify leaving without
> resolving your customer's problems? That will
> be my question with your
> superiors. Is this vacation number 3 or 4 or 5
> since the problems began
> that you did not resolve? I promise you will
> wish you did the right thing
> and given me my miles. Now I want those miles
> plus compensation for my time
> in dealing with you. I would suggest you at
> least quadruple my miles to get
> me to go away.
-----Original Message-----
> Sent: Tuesday, January 04, 2005 12:40 AM
> To: [email protected]
> Subject: FW: Converting with AA Bonus Immediate
> attention required
>
> Lissa, I guess I am going to have to start
> calling you and your superiors
> every day. Wouldn't it be easier to just do
> the right thing and post my
> earned miles? I am running out of patience.
> You really don't want to see
> me get upset. I have been way too patient with
> you and the run around. I am
> going to become your worst nightmare. You have
> 24 hours to post my miles
> and if not I am going to call for you to be
> fired. How can you justify the
> incompetence with which you have dealt with me?
>
> Please just post my miles and be done with it
> before you take your next
> vacation. I am ready to make this my #1
> mission.
More on calculating poinst for those who forgot:
One had to have enough points to create 500 AA miles or greater before June 30 and according to the conversion rates on Points.com at that time. I do not know if those rates have changed, but it seems likely they have. Anything less than 1,078 points would not cut it and since we all dumped our points once they finally came in from EAP and other sources, And am certain a few of us were left with not enough to even complete what we set out to do in the first place. I gather there may even have been one or two of you out there that failed to even get those EAP or other partner points, but I believe the majority of troubles did end up with Points.com--which is where all of this started anyway. I have been saying it all along and now you have some more ammo to go back and fight 'em once more. I know some already have.
If you have anything greater still sitting in your account, you could do the math to figure it out by doubling the amount of AA miles it would have converted into and also dividing that amount by 4 and then adding the two totals. I have kept some of the old conversions in case people may still need them.
Good luck and I hope people are reading this!
Moderator: No need to close the thread now!
MMHere is the FTer's AA activity for early Jan 2005:
01/06/05
POINTS.COM ADJUSTMENT
0
2,266
2,266
That is the 100% plus the 25% bonuses.
Then came this email from the VP of Product development! I find it very funny that a day after my massive email to the top brass this thing is resolved! I bet Lissa had let this thing sit in a pile on her desk (between vacations) and had taken no action until the big bosses got involved. I think 1,000 miles is pretty stingy, but I’ll take it. That must be worth all of $20.
-----Original Message-----
From: Mike Glass [mailto:[email protected]]
Sent: Friday, January 07, 2005 5:31 PM
To: XXX
Subject: EBay Anything Promotion
Hi XXX,
I wanted to drop you a quick note to let you know that we have received your informative email and hope we have addressed your concerns. Lissa worked with AA this week to issue you the miles that you are owed. I am personally appalled that this issue has been open for seven months. Points.com will purchase 1000 Advantage miles and add them to your account.
Thank you very much for bringing this to our attention. I apologize for the inconvenience we have caused you.
Sincerely,
Mike Glass
VP, Product Development
Points.com
Jan 10, 2005, 11:20 pm
#1143
Original Member
Join Date: May 1998
Location: San Antonio, Texas
Programs: AA- Lifetime Platinum; Marriott - Lifetime Platinum: Starwood - Gold; IHG - Platinum
Posts: 2,201
Great work by Marathon Man! Thanks for keeping this going. It's time for anyone else who was shorted their AA miles to jump in and get them! Don't let points.com get away with not giving you what is due. I recently and finally got the last of my miles from the persistance that MM taught us all.
Jan 11, 2005, 3:32 am
#1144
Join Date: Sep 1999
Location: too far from the airport
Posts: 3,298
So that's why the missing points.com bonus appeared in Mr. honu's account! Well, MM and whoever was who sent the billion emails to points.com, thanks! I've had enough of these people anyway, so I'm probably not going to hassle them for another 1000 miles, but I'm definitely not doing business with them anymore. Time to call it a day (or a promo, as the case might be). 
Jan 11, 2005, 8:17 am
#1145
Join Date: May 1998
Posts: 3,062
Those emails to the board by the other FTer must have sent Lissa searching through her old email:
01/07/04 POINTS.COM ADJUSTMENT 0 4,331 4,331
Amazing. Thanks MM, I owe you a favor.
01/07/04 POINTS.COM ADJUSTMENT 0 4,331 4,331
Amazing. Thanks MM, I owe you a favor.
Jan 11, 2005, 8:33 am
#1146
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Nov 2002
Location: BOS, MHT
Programs: AA ltg, B6, DL, UA, AS, SPG/Marriott Plt, HH, Hyatt
Posts: 10,052
Originally Posted by honu
So that's why the missing points.com bonus appeared in Mr. honu's account! Well, MM and whoever was who sent the billion emails to points.com, thanks! I've had enough of these people anyway, so I'm probably not going to hassle them for another 1000 miles, but I'm definitely not doing business with them anymore. Time to call it a day (or a promo, as the case might be).
Thus, definitely DO hassle them for the miles...
I suggested he give us all a bit extra for all this trouble.
...and Mr dhacker, I am glad you got them major miles finally!! Do note that the only thing you or anyone in here "owes" anyone is this:
ALWAYS be tenacious, and always think out of the box. Nothing is over til we decide it is. It isnt about trying to screw each other B2B or B2C-wise, rather, it's just good record keeping and planning that makes for a healthy traveler and a healthy travel related service.
My goal is to make it so promos and deals WORK and that the marketers who put them forth do follow through fairly and throughly. help me with this quest in your daily mile dealings and we shall all win and so will the businesses. this is an end user approach but gee, aint WE the ones who give the business model its money?
That is so.
MM
Jan 11, 2005, 10:53 am
#1147
Join Date: Nov 2002
Location: Geneva, Switzerland
Programs: UA 1K, AA Plat, 6C AMB, HH Silver
Posts: 238
All done and good ridence...
Ditto:
01/07/04 POINTS.COM ADJUSTMENT 0 1,744 1,744
Finally the bonus miles I was missing... Could not have come at a better time... well actually I gues they could have come six months ago... but alas...
Thanks MM for the all the support and the encouragement to charge ahead.
All in all another learning experience.
Regards.
01/07/04 POINTS.COM ADJUSTMENT 0 1,744 1,744
Finally the bonus miles I was missing... Could not have come at a better time... well actually I gues they could have come six months ago... but alas...
Thanks MM for the all the support and the encouragement to charge ahead.
All in all another learning experience.
Regards.
Feb 3, 2005, 7:49 am
#1148
Join Date: May 1998
Posts: 3,062
A very nice, very overdue apology letter from Lissa about the whole fiasco arrived in my inbox last night. Apology accepted -- please just don't let it happen again!
Feb 3, 2005, 9:57 am
#1149
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Nov 2002
Location: BOS, MHT
Programs: AA ltg, B6, DL, UA, AS, SPG/Marriott Plt, HH, Hyatt
Posts: 10,052
Originally Posted by dhacker
A very nice, very overdue apology letter from Lissa about the whole fiasco arrived in my inbox last night. Apology accepted -- please just don't let it happen again!
Anyway, if possible, could you copy/paste the text of that email in here?
Love to see it!
PS: I have had continuous emails back and forth with a senior player over there at points.com and I also told him some other thoughts on serious revamping that needs to take place over there. He's a pretty decent guy and now understands everything.
MM
Last edited by Plato90s; Feb 3, 2005 at 5:42 pm Reason: inappropriate language
Feb 3, 2005, 4:17 pm
#1150
Join Date: May 1998
Posts: 3,062
It's not marked confidential, so what the heck:
From: Lissa Romano
Sent: Wednesday, February 02, 2005 7:27 PM
Subject: AA bonus miles posted to your account
Importance: High
Hello,
By now I'm sure you have checked your account and have seen the AAdvantage miles that were promised to you stemming from the issues we have been working to resolve regarding your bonuses for transactions initiated between eBay Anything Points and AAdvantage miles.
We would like to apologize once again for the extended delay in receiving your miles and to also express how much we appreciate your patience in trying to resolve your matter. We hope your next experience with Points.com will be a more positive one and I invite you to contact me with any questions or concerns you may have in the future.
Warmest Regards,
Lissa
Lissa Romano
Manager, Customer Delight
Points.com
From: Lissa Romano
Sent: Wednesday, February 02, 2005 7:27 PM
Subject: AA bonus miles posted to your account
Importance: High
Hello,
By now I'm sure you have checked your account and have seen the AAdvantage miles that were promised to you stemming from the issues we have been working to resolve regarding your bonuses for transactions initiated between eBay Anything Points and AAdvantage miles.
We would like to apologize once again for the extended delay in receiving your miles and to also express how much we appreciate your patience in trying to resolve your matter. We hope your next experience with Points.com will be a more positive one and I invite you to contact me with any questions or concerns you may have in the future.
Warmest Regards,
Lissa
Lissa Romano
Manager, Customer Delight
Points.com
Feb 4, 2005, 8:33 am
#1151
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Nov 2002
Location: BOS, MHT
Programs: AA ltg, B6, DL, UA, AS, SPG/Marriott Plt, HH, Hyatt
Posts: 10,052
strange things afoot!
I sure don't understand why what I suggested Llissa was labled by Plato90s as inappropriate language, but I will tell you this:
I am a marketing recruiter and this Lissa #@#$&% person should be OUT of a job whereas I know hundreds of others who are far more qualified to do what she does. Lissa is great at writing professional emails and all, but she screwed up and she knows it and frankly I am totally surpried she still works there.
Well, glad this seems to have worked out for everyone and thanks dhacker for the email posting...
In related thoughts, I find that when you (plr) are missing miles and points, you have to do whatever it takes to get them back sometimes. A friend recently emailed me that he was short just 350 NWA miles on a second of two award tickets he was trying to book to India for 90k miles each. He could put a reserve hold on one of the precious seats, but not the second one due to this small amount of missing miles he was owed. That's 180k he was about to spend with the airline and they would not help him out. You see, he also mentioned his account was short because of something they messed up on... There was a promo and it was his US Bank NWA Visa who, in conjunction with Northwest Airlines, had a promo a while back which he particiapted in to get miles. He did the promo because he knew he would be getting double miles on certain things he charged up and he had planned long ago for these trips to India. He did THEIR marekting initiatives that THEY put forth, but where's the other end of the bargain which is supposed to benefit him? The promo happened, he did everything right, and he had to bug them for months to try to get his missing miles. They owed him 600 miles that never came. IN hearing everything he told me, I think he was getting stiffed because he was too polite. But in the end, here he was now short just 350 and the airline could not grant him anything en luei of their own error and the errors of their partner.
That just plain stinks and you all know it!
So, should someone be held accountable for making him suffer here? He tried everything he could and yet they failed him time and again. Their own version of "Lissa" had messed up this guy's plans and who knows what else it negatively affected! Now if this same thing affected say, 50-100 people, do you think that person responsible for the botched promo should still be working there? NOPE! Are they smart or dumb? I think they are dumb and bad. I have explicatives that appropriately fit these types of people. We all make mistakes but I can tell you with conviction that I put my heart in to my job and I follow through no matter what it takes for my team, my customers and my clients, and of course, for my own dang pride and well being! So does my name calling against Lissa somehow invalidate the claim that they are just plain wrong for what they did--or failed to do?
NOPE! They should be hung out to dry on a hot wire. These are the kinds of people who are tanking the economy too, by the way.
Whatever it takes, you need to fight to get your missing miles--or whatever you have been dissed out of out there... Sure, it would be nice if we all could just get along and no name calling would ever happen, but often times, these days, I am finding that even if you do everything right and nice as a customer, some company is going to screw things up that cost you time and money. They think this is saving them money so it's somehow ok. It is not.
I just makes me mad.
Because Lissa is still there, I have a tarnished opinion on Points.com and I feel they hardly learned a lesson here. Like a gift card that could change or die any day now, I have a feeling many customers are going to use them with the thought process that this is a weak outfit that could stiff you at any given time. I have no faith in stuff like that. I have tried to educate them on this but whatever. We shall see going forward if any of it helps, but with Llissa still there, it sure looks sad.
At least this promo FINALLY seems to have come to a close and that makes me happy.
MM.
I am a marketing recruiter and this Lissa #@#$&% person should be OUT of a job whereas I know hundreds of others who are far more qualified to do what she does. Lissa is great at writing professional emails and all, but she screwed up and she knows it and frankly I am totally surpried she still works there.
Well, glad this seems to have worked out for everyone and thanks dhacker for the email posting...
In related thoughts, I find that when you (plr) are missing miles and points, you have to do whatever it takes to get them back sometimes. A friend recently emailed me that he was short just 350 NWA miles on a second of two award tickets he was trying to book to India for 90k miles each. He could put a reserve hold on one of the precious seats, but not the second one due to this small amount of missing miles he was owed. That's 180k he was about to spend with the airline and they would not help him out. You see, he also mentioned his account was short because of something they messed up on... There was a promo and it was his US Bank NWA Visa who, in conjunction with Northwest Airlines, had a promo a while back which he particiapted in to get miles. He did the promo because he knew he would be getting double miles on certain things he charged up and he had planned long ago for these trips to India. He did THEIR marekting initiatives that THEY put forth, but where's the other end of the bargain which is supposed to benefit him? The promo happened, he did everything right, and he had to bug them for months to try to get his missing miles. They owed him 600 miles that never came. IN hearing everything he told me, I think he was getting stiffed because he was too polite. But in the end, here he was now short just 350 and the airline could not grant him anything en luei of their own error and the errors of their partner.
That just plain stinks and you all know it!
So, should someone be held accountable for making him suffer here? He tried everything he could and yet they failed him time and again. Their own version of "Lissa" had messed up this guy's plans and who knows what else it negatively affected! Now if this same thing affected say, 50-100 people, do you think that person responsible for the botched promo should still be working there? NOPE! Are they smart or dumb? I think they are dumb and bad. I have explicatives that appropriately fit these types of people. We all make mistakes but I can tell you with conviction that I put my heart in to my job and I follow through no matter what it takes for my team, my customers and my clients, and of course, for my own dang pride and well being! So does my name calling against Lissa somehow invalidate the claim that they are just plain wrong for what they did--or failed to do?
NOPE! They should be hung out to dry on a hot wire. These are the kinds of people who are tanking the economy too, by the way.
Whatever it takes, you need to fight to get your missing miles--or whatever you have been dissed out of out there... Sure, it would be nice if we all could just get along and no name calling would ever happen, but often times, these days, I am finding that even if you do everything right and nice as a customer, some company is going to screw things up that cost you time and money. They think this is saving them money so it's somehow ok. It is not.
I just makes me mad.
Because Lissa is still there, I have a tarnished opinion on Points.com and I feel they hardly learned a lesson here. Like a gift card that could change or die any day now, I have a feeling many customers are going to use them with the thought process that this is a weak outfit that could stiff you at any given time. I have no faith in stuff like that. I have tried to educate them on this but whatever. We shall see going forward if any of it helps, but with Llissa still there, it sure looks sad.
At least this promo FINALLY seems to have come to a close and that makes me happy.
MM.
Feb 7, 2005, 8:26 am
#1152
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Nov 2002
Location: BOS, MHT
Programs: AA ltg, B6, DL, UA, AS, SPG/Marriott Plt, HH, Hyatt
Posts: 10,052
A letter from Bill Cobb of Ebay--I repsonded to it, since it could help in the future
Date: Mon, 7 Feb 2005 07:21:03 -0800 (PST)
From: "Jeff F" <[email protected]>
Subject: Fwd: A Message from Bill Cobb
To: [email protected], [email protected], "Jeff Filipov" <[email protected]>
Dear Mr Cobb,
Thanks for your email message about improving
customer support.
I am writing you now because of something that
happened to me (and to many others) back in the
summer of '04. Several of us had been involved
with a botched promotion with ebay anything
points and another company called points.com. At
the time, many participants in the online
promotions found on the EAP site line could not
really figure out who to go to when something
went wrong with promos found on that site. We all
tried to contact Ebay and always got annoying
canned responses from reps who (A) had no idea
what EAP was, and (B) kept saying they would look
into things but never really did. They had no way
to help us deal with partner problems and it was
frustrating to have no choice in communicating
with them other than email.
Eventually, after a lot of looking, we got in
touch with someone named Scott Mencken at Ebay
and he helped. But this took months as well, and
the promotion was since over. It was now hard to
explain all that had already happened. Also, the
issue had to do with another company called
Points.com and that's why I have CC'd one Mr.
Mike Glass from that organization. A person can
move EAP points through points.com to other point
generating accounts one might have...
Mr. Glass is now fully aware of how several
people--up to 50-100 people in fact--had issues
with several promotions on his site and/or on
EAP's site in that period. From April 04 to Dec
04--and in some cases, into Jan 05, things were
still being addressed concerning promotion
problems.
The big issue for me: WHO do you talk to when
something goes wrong with a promotion especially
when partner companies are involved? Why does CS
either put you thru to the other partner or just
lie to you and tell yu they cannot help? Who is
accountable and how long should a customer wait
for things to be fixed?
Many of us may not trust EAP again and yet, it is
a part of Ebay. Ebay has ONLY email as a means to
communicate and we found this to be inaffective
when something went wrong. And yet, the cs peple
would never budge and make any exception to this
policy. I am advocating for the ability of manual
intervention by management or customer liaisons
wherever necessary. This did not happen in the
EAP promotion with Points.com last year.
If you can look into ways to make THAT better,
you may be better off. Mr. Glass and I are still
talking about ways a guy like me might be able to
help his company improve things that happen to
customers which do not fit into pre-set policies
or molds... The WHAT IF factor is huge when
dealing with promotions and partners and I am
just watching out for myself and others when
trying to participate. If it fails, we all lose.
If it works, we all win! We have a choice but it
starts with the thoroughness and willingness of
marketers and companies to put forth solid
promotions for those who, in turn, bring forth
their bottom line...
Thanks!
JEFF FILIPOV
Concord, MA
Customer ID: XXXXXXXXX
--- eBay <[email protected]> wrote:
> From: "eBay" <[email protected]>
> To: [email protected]
> Subject: A Message from Bill Cobb
> Date: Sun, 6 Feb 2005 12:12:04 -0800
>
> eBay ==>
> http://click3.ebay.com/24551595.54860.0.20283
>
> ========================
> A Message from Bill Cobb
> ========================
>
> Since becoming the President of eBay North
> America in December, I've spent a lot of time
> listening to you, our Community. There's a lot
> on your minds right now. I've been taking it
> all in and thinking hard about how we can make
> sure eBay remains a fun, safe place to trade,
> and a prosperous home for our many dedicated
> sellers.
>
> One of the issues I've heard a lot about is our
> recent fee increases, particularly the increase
> in Store Inventory Format final value fees.
> I've also heard concerns about customer
> support, the amount of change we make to the
> site on a regular basis, and trust and safety.
> We're listening to everything you have to say.
>
> eBay has become a hugely successful marketplace
> as a result of the innovation, enthusiasm and
> hard work of our Community. The site has also
> become more complex as it has grown to meet
> many of your needs. So our challenge is to keep
> pace with the Community's changing
> requirements, while preserving the things that
> make eBay so special. With that in mind, I'd
> like to give you a preview of some upcoming
> changes for the United States and Canada.
>
> eBay has a fantastic Customer Support team, but
> Meg and I agree we haven't invested enough in
> giving our CS reps the flexibility and tools
> they need to really take care of you. So, to
> start, within the next 90 days, we'll shut down
> most of our automated email responses. Our
> users will get a "real" e-mail response to
> their questions - you'll hear from a human
> being who will try to help you with your
> problem or question right off the bat. We will
> only use auto responses to acknowledge receipt
> of spam or policy violation reports.
>
> We also think the time has come to expand phone
> support. Currently phone support is available
> only to Silver, Gold, Platinum and Titanium
> PowerSellers. Starting April 1, all eBay Stores
> owners also will have access to phone support.
> We'll provide details on the benefits of phone
> support to Stores owners soon.
>
> We know pricing is a critical issue for our
> sellers. While we stand behind our decision to
> increase final value fees on Store Inventory
> Format listings - because they make sense for
> items that list with insertion fees of two
> cents - I know this increase has been difficult
> for some of our sellers. To reward our eBay
> Stores sellers, we'll be crediting $15.95 - a
> month's Basic Stores subscription - in May to
> all sellers who operated an eBay Store for the
> month of April. Stores owners will receive more
> details on this soon.
>
> We also want to do something for the rest of
> our sellers. I'm happy to announce that
> effective at midnight tonight, eBay.com and
> eBay.ca will reduce minimum insertion fees for
> Auction-Style listings, Fixed Price, Motors
> Non-Vehicle and B&I non-Capital Equipment
> Categories from 30 cents to 25 cents (CA$0.35
> to CA$0.30). eBay Germany has always used this
> pricing, and users there have benefited from
> higher conversion rates on items with lower
> starting bids.
>
> One of the great things about eBay is the
> candor and passion of our Community. Your input
> keeps this company focused on what's right and
> important. Later this month, I'll be hosting an
> online meeting to hear more from you. You'll
> see more details on the Announcement Board
> soon. And I'll periodically post notes like
> this one to talk about issues of importance to
> all of us.
>
> eBay has never stopped listening to our users
> and we never will. I know many of you already
> have Meg's e-mail address and frequently send
> her messages about things you care about. I
> hope you will do the same with me. My e-mail
> address is [email protected]. I promise I'll
> read every e-mail. And most of all, I'll
> listen.
>
> Sincerely,
>
> Bill Cobb
> President
> eBay North America
>
>
>
-------------------------------------------------
> This administrative email was sent from eBay,
> based on your account at www.ebay.com. You are
> subscribed as [email protected].
>
> As outlined in our User Agreement, eBay will
> periodically send you information about site
> changes & enhancements. Visit our Privacy
> Policy and User Agreement if you have any
> questions.
> Privacy Policy ==>
> http://click3.ebay.com/24551595.54860.0.40453
> User Agreement ==>
> http://click3.ebay.com/24551595.54860.0.40451
>
> eBay will not request personal data (password,
> credit card/bank numbers) in an email. Protect
> yourself from Spoof (fake) e-mails.
> Learn More ==>
> http://click3.ebay.com/24551595.54860.0.38346
>
> Copyright © 2005 eBay Inc. All Rights Reserved.
> Designated trademarks and brands are the
> property of their respective owners. eBay and
> the eBay logo are trademarks of eBay Inc. eBay
> is located at 2145 Hamilton Avenue, San Jose,
> CA 95125.
>
>
__________________________________
From: "Jeff F" <[email protected]>
Subject: Fwd: A Message from Bill Cobb
To: [email protected], [email protected], "Jeff Filipov" <[email protected]>
Dear Mr Cobb,
Thanks for your email message about improving
customer support.
I am writing you now because of something that
happened to me (and to many others) back in the
summer of '04. Several of us had been involved
with a botched promotion with ebay anything
points and another company called points.com. At
the time, many participants in the online
promotions found on the EAP site line could not
really figure out who to go to when something
went wrong with promos found on that site. We all
tried to contact Ebay and always got annoying
canned responses from reps who (A) had no idea
what EAP was, and (B) kept saying they would look
into things but never really did. They had no way
to help us deal with partner problems and it was
frustrating to have no choice in communicating
with them other than email.
Eventually, after a lot of looking, we got in
touch with someone named Scott Mencken at Ebay
and he helped. But this took months as well, and
the promotion was since over. It was now hard to
explain all that had already happened. Also, the
issue had to do with another company called
Points.com and that's why I have CC'd one Mr.
Mike Glass from that organization. A person can
move EAP points through points.com to other point
generating accounts one might have...
Mr. Glass is now fully aware of how several
people--up to 50-100 people in fact--had issues
with several promotions on his site and/or on
EAP's site in that period. From April 04 to Dec
04--and in some cases, into Jan 05, things were
still being addressed concerning promotion
problems.
The big issue for me: WHO do you talk to when
something goes wrong with a promotion especially
when partner companies are involved? Why does CS
either put you thru to the other partner or just
lie to you and tell yu they cannot help? Who is
accountable and how long should a customer wait
for things to be fixed?
Many of us may not trust EAP again and yet, it is
a part of Ebay. Ebay has ONLY email as a means to
communicate and we found this to be inaffective
when something went wrong. And yet, the cs peple
would never budge and make any exception to this
policy. I am advocating for the ability of manual
intervention by management or customer liaisons
wherever necessary. This did not happen in the
EAP promotion with Points.com last year.
If you can look into ways to make THAT better,
you may be better off. Mr. Glass and I are still
talking about ways a guy like me might be able to
help his company improve things that happen to
customers which do not fit into pre-set policies
or molds... The WHAT IF factor is huge when
dealing with promotions and partners and I am
just watching out for myself and others when
trying to participate. If it fails, we all lose.
If it works, we all win! We have a choice but it
starts with the thoroughness and willingness of
marketers and companies to put forth solid
promotions for those who, in turn, bring forth
their bottom line...
Thanks!
JEFF FILIPOV
Concord, MA
Customer ID: XXXXXXXXX
--- eBay <[email protected]> wrote:
> From: "eBay" <[email protected]>
> To: [email protected]
> Subject: A Message from Bill Cobb
> Date: Sun, 6 Feb 2005 12:12:04 -0800
>
> eBay ==>
> http://click3.ebay.com/24551595.54860.0.20283
>
> ========================
> A Message from Bill Cobb
> ========================
>
> Since becoming the President of eBay North
> America in December, I've spent a lot of time
> listening to you, our Community. There's a lot
> on your minds right now. I've been taking it
> all in and thinking hard about how we can make
> sure eBay remains a fun, safe place to trade,
> and a prosperous home for our many dedicated
> sellers.
>
> One of the issues I've heard a lot about is our
> recent fee increases, particularly the increase
> in Store Inventory Format final value fees.
> I've also heard concerns about customer
> support, the amount of change we make to the
> site on a regular basis, and trust and safety.
> We're listening to everything you have to say.
>
> eBay has become a hugely successful marketplace
> as a result of the innovation, enthusiasm and
> hard work of our Community. The site has also
> become more complex as it has grown to meet
> many of your needs. So our challenge is to keep
> pace with the Community's changing
> requirements, while preserving the things that
> make eBay so special. With that in mind, I'd
> like to give you a preview of some upcoming
> changes for the United States and Canada.
>
> eBay has a fantastic Customer Support team, but
> Meg and I agree we haven't invested enough in
> giving our CS reps the flexibility and tools
> they need to really take care of you. So, to
> start, within the next 90 days, we'll shut down
> most of our automated email responses. Our
> users will get a "real" e-mail response to
> their questions - you'll hear from a human
> being who will try to help you with your
> problem or question right off the bat. We will
> only use auto responses to acknowledge receipt
> of spam or policy violation reports.
>
> We also think the time has come to expand phone
> support. Currently phone support is available
> only to Silver, Gold, Platinum and Titanium
> PowerSellers. Starting April 1, all eBay Stores
> owners also will have access to phone support.
> We'll provide details on the benefits of phone
> support to Stores owners soon.
>
> We know pricing is a critical issue for our
> sellers. While we stand behind our decision to
> increase final value fees on Store Inventory
> Format listings - because they make sense for
> items that list with insertion fees of two
> cents - I know this increase has been difficult
> for some of our sellers. To reward our eBay
> Stores sellers, we'll be crediting $15.95 - a
> month's Basic Stores subscription - in May to
> all sellers who operated an eBay Store for the
> month of April. Stores owners will receive more
> details on this soon.
>
> We also want to do something for the rest of
> our sellers. I'm happy to announce that
> effective at midnight tonight, eBay.com and
> eBay.ca will reduce minimum insertion fees for
> Auction-Style listings, Fixed Price, Motors
> Non-Vehicle and B&I non-Capital Equipment
> Categories from 30 cents to 25 cents (CA$0.35
> to CA$0.30). eBay Germany has always used this
> pricing, and users there have benefited from
> higher conversion rates on items with lower
> starting bids.
>
> One of the great things about eBay is the
> candor and passion of our Community. Your input
> keeps this company focused on what's right and
> important. Later this month, I'll be hosting an
> online meeting to hear more from you. You'll
> see more details on the Announcement Board
> soon. And I'll periodically post notes like
> this one to talk about issues of importance to
> all of us.
>
> eBay has never stopped listening to our users
> and we never will. I know many of you already
> have Meg's e-mail address and frequently send
> her messages about things you care about. I
> hope you will do the same with me. My e-mail
> address is [email protected]. I promise I'll
> read every e-mail. And most of all, I'll
> listen.
>
> Sincerely,
>
> Bill Cobb
> President
> eBay North America
>
>
>
-------------------------------------------------
> This administrative email was sent from eBay,
> based on your account at www.ebay.com. You are
> subscribed as [email protected].
>
> As outlined in our User Agreement, eBay will
> periodically send you information about site
> changes & enhancements. Visit our Privacy
> Policy and User Agreement if you have any
> questions.
> Privacy Policy ==>
> http://click3.ebay.com/24551595.54860.0.40453
> User Agreement ==>
> http://click3.ebay.com/24551595.54860.0.40451
>
> eBay will not request personal data (password,
> credit card/bank numbers) in an email. Protect
> yourself from Spoof (fake) e-mails.
> Learn More ==>
> http://click3.ebay.com/24551595.54860.0.38346
>
> Copyright © 2005 eBay Inc. All Rights Reserved.
> Designated trademarks and brands are the
> property of their respective owners. eBay and
> the eBay logo are trademarks of eBay Inc. eBay
> is located at 2145 Hamilton Avenue, San Jose,
> CA 95125.
>
>
__________________________________