arlflyer

From your reviews and posts, it seems like most of those are in rural or suburban limited-service properties. And doing the math, they're mostly one-night stays.

Properties know who big spenders are (I am by no means one of those, in relative terms)...that, more than cut-and-dried status - however you earn it - is what gets their attention.

The properties where I am treated well - above and beyond any written rules of some program - are the ones where I spend $$, have numerous repeat stays, and, moreover, develop a relationship with management.

retiredfromhilton

An interesting question with a relatively complicated answer.

At the hotel level, most (especially in the U.S.) care vastly more about how many times you've stayed with them than your Honors tier. The response to Diamond members who stay infrequently at a given property ranges from those happy to stick to the letter of program regarding benefits, to those that treat 'orphan diamonds' as a nuisance and begrudge them almost everything. Unless they see an Amex Aspire card, most hotel staff would have to hunt to figure out if a member is a credit card member and 'real' diamonds. Very few would care enough to look.

Diamond Desk agents range from those who consider all Diamond members to be created equal,and those who are offended by the existence of members 'buying' diamond status - either with a card or a status match. They seem to hold a particular antipathy toward young Chinese and Korean Aspire card holders.

Guest Assistance (i.e. the complaints department) really only seems to care about members being reasonable in their requests and approaching them with some modicum of respect. They seem to only mention 'credit card' or 'status match' diamonds vs. real diamonds if they feel like someone is pushing the envelope with their demands and they want a colleague to validate a decision to say 'no'.

Agents have all kinds of personal tier systems for Diamonds: e.g. many will distinguish between diamonds who seem to pay for their own rooms (better) vs. those travelling at the expense of a company they obviously don't own (worse). Some will prefer guests who stay at high end properties versus a Hampton-dwelling road warrior. All will look to see what guests' record of complaints look like. One of the best assessments I heard was a Diamond agent who said a Diamond member referred to herself as 'a Diamond VIP Member'. The agent rolled her eyes and said, "I didn't have the heart to tell her, if you call the Diamond Desk yourself, you're not a VIP. VIP's have assistants." I am not sure where she would place an Aspire card holder with few stays and an assistant!

sfgiants13

ozztraveller

Few years back I got to know a front desk staff member who became the guest relations manager mention the comment "it was not their money its their company's money" when talking about problem with a regular customer they had.

I always like to hear these kind of stories as I feel it makes me a better customer and not forget the person working on the other side and how they see me.

SP03

Beano

Where on the app does it show you have been upgraded ?

:D!

"Stays" on the bottom bar > select the relevant booking > My Stay > Room & Rate

If you have been upgraded it will show a different room type to what you booked. Usually only happens 1-2 days before check-in.

darthbimmer

As someone who's had diamond status a few years from butt-in-bed and a few other years from owning a credit card, let me say that I approve of Hilton (or any portfolio) extending extra benefits to its "real" elites.

IcHot

Can you really think this is how it works or that it will benefit you?

I don't understand the mentality of consumers who think they are a group of thieves divvying the loot and they think they can cut out some shares.

It is more likely that the industry gives up on worrying about any personal accounts than they decide to shower us with goodies.

Visconti

Interesting thread and perspectives.

While I'm not a hotel analyst and not intimately familiar with how they run their business, I'd assume, loyalty is just a marketing concept and not how they assess the future value of a their guest portfolio. A guest(s) value should be assessed on what he/she will spend in the next 12 months, not based on what has already been spent. Someone with 0 stays who will likely spend more in the future is more valuable than, say, a 10 year 100 stay guest retiring whose future spending will plummet. The buy on rumor and sell on news thing seems applicable here, in my view.

I'd imagine, in this era of big data where all these metrics are dynamic and actionable immediately, it wouldn't be too hard for them to figure out, more or less, the future value of their guest demographic.

Land-of-Miles

Not sure what you mean here. In the absence of any other predictive data (and I don't see any other commonly available datapoints), your past spend is a reasonably good indicator of your future spend. Broadly those who book the lowest category rooms are unlikely to pay for higher category ones, those who have gone out of their way to save a few dollars on breakfast, food and drinks at their hotel are unlikely to expend a huge amount on F&B in the future. Past behaviours are generally a very good indicator of future actions.

IcHot

Why would a business want to give things to spenders who have proven they will shell out anyway?

Incentives work for those who are price sensitive to attract their business.

The whole concept seems lost on those who think it is a reward for "good" behavior. It is an inducement for continued behavior by suspect customers.

Do you think a teacher gives more prizes to self motivated classes or to those who are more likely to be distracted?

George M

I don't think Hilton needs to, or does treat CC Diamonds differently than BIB Diamonds, primarily because I think they're two entirely different audiences.
I think that the benefits bestowed a business traveler in the program speak for themselves, based on the success of the brand and the HH program itself.
What I believe the Aspire card intended to do was build the same loyalty from less-persistent leisure travelers who otherwise wouldn't accumulate enough hotel stays to build high status in any program. So, they incentivized loyalty in Hilton, drawing them away from other brands.
Look at what the Amex spending rewards points value - booking airfare and rental cars to stay at Hilton properties.
Many business travelers use corporate cards, and many loyal to Hilton already have a business card. But this one also gives them a nice little touch with 14 points/dollar at Hilton properties, perhaps incentivizing Hilton over splitting stays with, say, Marriott?
But, I digress. I think the real audience for the Aspire card was leisure travelers. I believe Hilton keeps enough business people in their properties M-F, but they wanted to keep beds occupied on the weekends, too.
That's where Mr. And Mrs. John Q. Public come in. I think giving them a way to receive Diamond benefits to point their travel dollars at Hilton properties, and use their cobranded card to make all of those purchases is win-win for Hilton and Amex.
What better way to create loyalty than to make someone feel special?

Land-of-Miles

I think you misunderstand the purpose of this, it is to attract higher spenders. Most properties these days can easily fill low end rooms without lavishing those who spend little with largesse, the trick is to pull in a higher spending crowd. Boosting incidental spend per guest is the easiest way of boosting overall profitability (assuming that occupancy rates are decent). Better to use incentives to secure higher spending customers to drive that income, in the internet age word gets around quickly.

IcHot

I disagree. I think you fundamentally don't understand the proposition.

High spenders are not going to be especially attracted by points or small inducements any more than they are going to clip coupons for ketchup.

These type of loyalty programs are set up for either the value conscious or those for whom others are paying the freight and in which case the points and extras are a kickback to entice them.

Loyalty programs are a mass market phenomenon rather than a high spender magnet. High spenders would spend on quality.

There is a tendency among those in the program to become believers in status and twist the true concept. That's how we get people wanting to create new levels of status to feel really special when there's really no purpose for the companies to do so.