Originally Posted by JDiver (Post 7648720)

A new program for VIP pax is coming, according to AA: ConciergeKey Services, beginning May 1 2007.

This will apparently replace much of Premium Services, and is designed to help VIPs to AA by providing more concierge-like services, particularly the day of departure. Services will be provided by some EXP and IAD representatives, as well as on-site airport reps at 35 prime airports. I guess SMF will NOT have any. ;)

Premium Customer Services (PCS) was created so that American Airlines could differentiate the airport experience of our most important customers from that of our competition. Over the years, this service has evolved and has been known by a variety of names: 'Special Services', Premium Customer Services, and PCS. The primary objective of PCS is to provide day-of-departure assistance for our VIP customers. The Reservations organization has also been an important component in providing our key customers with great service, but never more so than with this new product. Beginning May 1, 2007, a new service will be launched called ConciergeKey. Its focus is designed to help our most important customers stay "always connected" to someone at American Airlines who can help them on the day of departure. This new 24/7 phone service will be supported by the highly skilled reps of the Executive Platinum desk at the SERO and some specifically trained overnight IAD reps at the SRO. In addition to the on-phone assistance handled through Reservations, there is an on-concourse component to the ConciergeKey service that includes airport representatives in 35 key cities and trained management in all other AA airport locations.

Customers selected for ConciergeKey services will receive a card in the mail (oh, yeah, one more card!) Some of the services provided will include reroutes, flight and seat changes, airport meeting and assistance, upgrade requests, etc. (But will they help when someone rams your luggage cart in the First Class line?) ;)

I guess recipients will know AA loves them, now "tangibilitized" with a new card. Not to mention, the intent is to help AA keep competitive for these valued folks.

Originally Posted by ESpen36 (Post 7648817)

Sounds great! I wonder how much revenue one has to generate for AA each year in order to qualify?

I suppose the old saying applies: if you have to ask, then you don't qualify. :D
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Originally Posted by jrhone (Post 7649036)

It is not a new product , the trial program was called VIP Connection, it has just been renamed based on customer feedback.

What they have done is gone through and cleaned out all the different VIP lists and merged them all in to one .

The majority of the VIPs are not film stars , they are people who not only spend obscene amounts of money with AA , but more importantly spend obscene amounts of money that belongs to other people. These are the people who affect the travel of hundreds of others, such as heads of corporations who decide on company travel policy and so on.

The new VIP list will be a lot more exclusive than the previous one.

Originally Posted by pauleeepaul (Post 7648802)

I'm not (overly) campaigning for any more stroking from AA. :D But does some Hollywood dingdong flying them sporadically make a better customer than the idiot like me who (occasionally) contorts my personal schedule to fly >100k miles on AA at mostly J/F fares? It has been eons since I got even a "howyadoin'" email from AA- not counting the usual spam crap about statements and promotions. Seems odd that so much focus is put on such a small segment of the market.

Originally Posted by frequentaa (Post 7652523)

sounds true. These people are probably the people who decide that AA is getting the business from their company. In turn the employees of said company will be traveling and earning the miles making them gold, platinum, or executive platinum

Originally Posted by alect (Post 7652542)

I know at LAX (especially recently) premium services have either in the FL or more recently on the a/c awaiting departure, gone through F and spoken with every EXP, thanked them for their business, yadayada. Last time the lady (second time I have met her) asked each of us if we knew about the 1 item LHR thing :rolleyes:

Originally Posted by jrhone (Post 7649036)

It is not a new product , the trial program was called VIP Connection, it has just been renamed based on customer feedback.

What they have done is gone through and cleaned out all the different VIP lists and merged them all in to one .

The majority of the VIPs are not film stars , they are people who not only spend obscene amounts of money with AA , but more importantly spend obscene amounts of money that belongs to other people. These are the people who affect the travel of hundreds of others, such as heads of corporations who decide on company travel policy and so on.

The new VIP list will be a lot more exclusive than the previous one.

Originally Posted by OneXMarine (Post 7648947)

AA can not, or will not, provide the basic services for travel and each week brings out a new program. The woman's website and now this.

If it were me I'd have a group of dedicated, customer service oriented folks looking at passengers who have millions of miles, have been gold, platinum, or explat, and all of a sudden drop off of the radar screen. A quick glance could tell you that they might have retired, or died, but most likely would tell you that you pushed them to another carrier. I'd then have those dedicated employees (if there are any) call them and say "Mr./Ms. Passenger, we are concerned about you and miss you. You used to fly AA "X miles" a year and we haven't seen you onboard for the past 6 months. Is something wrong?" Instead of pandering to a small group of VIP's get back to providing adequate and quality service to all of your passengers. Of course if you ask what is wrong you might hear things you really don't want to hear! :)

Just a suggestion of course!

Originally Posted by ordflyer60614 (Post 7652731)

I do agree with your comments on basic services above especially since the flight attendants have been turned into street merchants peddlings junk food back in Y.

However, I did get one of these calls last year. Lady calls me up and asked why my travel with AA was down about 50% and asked if there was something she could do for me. Of course, I asked her I'd like to keep my EXP status so she gave me a challenge of 20,000 EQPs over 90 days. I was pleased. Same thing happened to one of my colleagues around the same timeframe. Early December.