[EXPIRED] Leading Hotels of the World - $19.28 a night (reg $500-$2000)
Oct 1, 2008, 8:18 am
#676
Join Date: Jun 2008
Programs: Various memberships
Posts: 532
Oct 1, 2008, 8:18 am
#677
Join Date: Nov 2000
Location: LH SEN, SPG Gold(SCI Gold), Hyatt Diamond, Hilton Gold
Posts: 5,451
So, realistically, what we have here is the garden-variety internet promo screw-up. Somebody concocts a promotion, gets IT to confirm they "can do it," response swamps site, promo crashes, management has to figure out what to do next.
So far, it would seem, the LHW folks aren't bad people. Just in a bit over their heads. I mean, if you were running a travel company, and some marketing guy came to you and said, "Hey, let's run a $20 hotel promo on our website," you would ask (among many other things) "are you sure we can handle this?" I know I would be VERY skeptical my IT guys could get it done. I mean, how many others have crashed and burned on this sort of thing?
But that said, there does seem to be some initial interest by LHW to make this "right." The problem is that doing so is virtually impossible. Their represented properties aren't going to want to part with too many $20 rooms, and there are probably tens of thousands of disappointed customers.
I would think the best way to salvage their reputations is to launch a broad promo offering $99 or $129 rooms for these weeks, but even that is probably a hard sell to their hotels.
As always, it will be interesting to see how this train wreck ends.
So far, it would seem, the LHW folks aren't bad people. Just in a bit over their heads. I mean, if you were running a travel company, and some marketing guy came to you and said, "Hey, let's run a $20 hotel promo on our website," you would ask (among many other things) "are you sure we can handle this?" I know I would be VERY skeptical my IT guys could get it done. I mean, how many others have crashed and burned on this sort of thing?
But that said, there does seem to be some initial interest by LHW to make this "right." The problem is that doing so is virtually impossible. Their represented properties aren't going to want to part with too many $20 rooms, and there are probably tens of thousands of disappointed customers.
I would think the best way to salvage their reputations is to launch a broad promo offering $99 or $129 rooms for these weeks, but even that is probably a hard sell to their hotels.
As always, it will be interesting to see how this train wreck ends.
Oct 1, 2008, 8:19 am
#678
Join Date: Dec 2001
Location: SPG Lifetime Plat, Hyatt Diamond, Hilton Gold:AA Plat, Now retired but previous NWA PLAT 2 Million +, United 1K plus etc etc
Posts: 541
Corrected to be Ted [email protected] (not Ted Tang as below)
I also sent an email to Ted Tang, President and CEO, copying the others listed from the various FT threads. Oh how I used to hate have angry customers send emails to the President and copying his staff....at least should ensure I receive a response of some kind.
Here's a link to all the LHW Executives. Appears just first initial and last name @lhw will work.
http://corp.lhw.com/default.aspx?page=127
FYI, while typing this, received email verification checker from Mr Tang and replied, then received confirmation that my email was accepted.
Bigshaker
I also sent an email to Ted Tang, President and CEO, copying the others listed from the various FT threads. Oh how I used to hate have angry customers send emails to the President and copying his staff....at least should ensure I receive a response of some kind.
Here's a link to all the LHW Executives. Appears just first initial and last name @lhw will work.
http://corp.lhw.com/default.aspx?page=127
FYI, while typing this, received email verification checker from Mr Tang and replied, then received confirmation that my email was accepted.
Bigshaker
Last edited by Bigshaker; Oct 1, 2008 at 8:40 am
Oct 1, 2008, 8:21 am
#679
Join Date: Jun 2004
Programs: Ozark - Tin; Eastern - Lead; Local Hoosegow - Copper;
Posts: 913
I asked that they keep the same $19,28 offer, but with a 365 day window.
Oct 1, 2008, 8:23 am
#680
Join Date: Aug 2002
Location: WAS/TYO
Programs: UA 1K, AA EXP (3MM), DL PM, BONVOY TITANIUM, HYATT GLOBALIST, HILTON DIAMOND, IHG DIAMOND AMB, et al
Posts: 5,912
Interestingly, though this "garden-variety internet promo screw-up" (
) actually required pre-registration, unlike many other "garden-variety internet promo screw-ups."So, conceivably, they should have been able to fairly accurately predict and plan for the onslaught of internet traffic.
Will be interesting to see what, if anything, LHW management can/will do.
-FlyerBeek
Oct 1, 2008, 8:24 am
#681
Join Date: Jul 2004
Posts: 2,548
I think it is a very good idea to have our frustration heard. I hope something comes out of emails sent to Management.
QUOTE=Bigshaker;10452893]I also sent an email to Ted Tang, President and CEO, copying the others listed from the various FT threads. Oh how I used to hate have angry customers send emails to the President and copying his staff....at least should ensure I receive a response of some kind.
Here's a link to all the LHW Executives. Appears just first initial and last name @lhw will work.
http://corp.lhw.com/default.aspx?page=127
FYI, while typing this, received email verification checker from Mr Tang and replied, then received confirmation that my email was accepted.
Bigshaker[/QUOTE]
QUOTE=Bigshaker;10452893]I also sent an email to Ted Tang, President and CEO, copying the others listed from the various FT threads. Oh how I used to hate have angry customers send emails to the President and copying his staff....at least should ensure I receive a response of some kind.
Here's a link to all the LHW Executives. Appears just first initial and last name @lhw will work.
http://corp.lhw.com/default.aspx?page=127
FYI, while typing this, received email verification checker from Mr Tang and replied, then received confirmation that my email was accepted.
Bigshaker[/QUOTE]
Oct 1, 2008, 8:26 am
#682
Join Date: Oct 2005
Location: CGK
Programs: LH SEN (LH*G), HH Diamond, AB Gold (1W Saph)
Posts: 5,677
So, realistically, what we have here is the garden-variety internet promo screw-up. Somebody concocts a promotion, gets IT to confirm they "can do it," response swamps site, promo crashes, management has to figure out what to do next.
So far, it would seem, the LHW folks aren't bad people. Just in a bit over their heads. I mean, if you were running a travel company, and some marketing guy came to you and said, "Hey, let's run a $20 hotel promo on our website," you would ask (among many other things) "are you sure we can handle this?" I know I would be VERY skeptical my IT guys could get it done. I mean, how many others have crashed and burned on this sort of thing?
But that said, there does seem to be some initial interest by LHW to make this "right." The problem is that doing so is virtually impossible. Their represented properties aren't going to want to part with too many $20 rooms, and there are probably tens of thousands of disappointed customers.
I would think the best way to salvage their reputations is to launch a broad promo offering $99 or $129 rooms for these weeks, but even that is probably a hard sell to their hotels.
As always, it will be interesting to see how this train wreck ends.
So far, it would seem, the LHW folks aren't bad people. Just in a bit over their heads. I mean, if you were running a travel company, and some marketing guy came to you and said, "Hey, let's run a $20 hotel promo on our website," you would ask (among many other things) "are you sure we can handle this?" I know I would be VERY skeptical my IT guys could get it done. I mean, how many others have crashed and burned on this sort of thing?
But that said, there does seem to be some initial interest by LHW to make this "right." The problem is that doing so is virtually impossible. Their represented properties aren't going to want to part with too many $20 rooms, and there are probably tens of thousands of disappointed customers.
I would think the best way to salvage their reputations is to launch a broad promo offering $99 or $129 rooms for these weeks, but even that is probably a hard sell to their hotels.
As always, it will be interesting to see how this train wreck ends.
If there are nights left over because nobody asked for those dates, publish the dates and let every registered user who hasn't gotten a room yet participate in a second round. Same rules as above for the allocation.
And so on until all 6000 room nights are allocated.
Only e-mail addresses already registered for the original promotion would be eligible for the new attempt.
Seems like the fairest way to distribute what is out there.
If I had to sort out this mess, that's how I would do it.
Oct 1, 2008, 8:27 am
#683
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: Europe
Programs: Hilton Honors, Marriott Bonvoy, Accor, Hyatt, (Former IHG Ambassador)
Posts: 1,382
Here's how it went:
Sales rep: I've got a great idea ! Lets do a $19.28 promotion for 80 minutes.
Finance manager: How much will it cost us to beef up our servers so that all those people who registered their email addresses will be able to log onto the website at the same time ?
Sales rep: We can buy some unused bandwidth from Amazon's christmas capacity for about $ 10,000 per minute (give or take)
Finance manager: Are you out of your mind ! We won't even break even !
Sales rep: No probs, we can bring cost down by only considering those internet users who will log on in Europe and the middle east...what idiot is going to be awake to book a hotel room at 5am in the USA or at 1am in the morning in New Zealand anyway ??
Sales rep: I've got a great idea ! Lets do a $19.28 promotion for 80 minutes.
Finance manager: How much will it cost us to beef up our servers so that all those people who registered their email addresses will be able to log onto the website at the same time ?
Sales rep: We can buy some unused bandwidth from Amazon's christmas capacity for about $ 10,000 per minute (give or take)
Finance manager: Are you out of your mind ! We won't even break even !
Sales rep: No probs, we can bring cost down by only considering those internet users who will log on in Europe and the middle east...what idiot is going to be awake to book a hotel room at 5am in the USA or at 1am in the morning in New Zealand anyway ??
Last edited by est-gratuite; Oct 1, 2008 at 8:40 am Reason: grammar
Oct 1, 2008, 8:29 am
#684
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Mar 2000
Posts: 17,404
Interestingly, though this "garden-variety internet promo screw-up" () actually required pre-registration, unlike many other "garden-variety internet promo screw-ups."
So, conceivably, they should have been able to fairly accurately predict and plan for the onslaught of internet traffic.
) actually required pre-registration, unlike many other "garden-variety internet promo screw-ups."So, conceivably, they should have been able to fairly accurately predict and plan for the onslaught of internet traffic.
You do sort of wonder why someone yesterday in IT didn't look at the number of registrations and say, "Guys, I don't think we can handle this number of hits." They could have at least postponed the promo.
As I've said, it's not like they are the first company to have one of these promos blow up on them.
Oct 1, 2008, 8:29 am
#685
Join Date: Jun 2004
Programs: Ozark - Tin; Eastern - Lead; Local Hoosegow - Copper;
Posts: 913
I also sent an email to Ted Tang, President and CEO, copying the others listed from the various FT threads. Oh how I used to hate have angry customers send emails to the President and copying his staff....at least should ensure I receive a response of some kind.
Here's a link to all the LHW Executives. Appears just first initial and last name @lhw will work.
http://corp.lhw.com/default.aspx?page=127
FYI, while typing this, received email verification checker from Mr Tang and replied, then received confirmation that my email was accepted.
Bigshaker
Here's a link to all the LHW Executives. Appears just first initial and last name @lhw will work.
http://corp.lhw.com/default.aspx?page=127
FYI, while typing this, received email verification checker from Mr Tang and replied, then received confirmation that my email was accepted.
Bigshaker
Oct 1, 2008, 8:34 am
#687
Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: YVR
Programs: AC 50K MM, HH DIA, GP DIA, SPG PLT, Delta Gold, Farimont Plat
Posts: 617
Good analysis.
Interestingly, though this "garden-variety internet promo screw-up" () actually required pre-registration, unlike many other "garden-variety internet promo screw-ups."
So, conceivably, they should have been able to fairly accurately predict and plan for the onslaught of internet traffic.
Will be interesting to see what, if anything, LHW management can/will do.
-FlyerBeek
Interestingly, though this "garden-variety internet promo screw-up" (
) actually required pre-registration, unlike many other "garden-variety internet promo screw-ups."So, conceivably, they should have been able to fairly accurately predict and plan for the onslaught of internet traffic.
Will be interesting to see what, if anything, LHW management can/will do.
-FlyerBeek
Prime example would be a certain large ticketing agency uses a certain appliance to fairly meter and throttle their traffic when 40 million people try to buy U2 tickets in the same five minute window...
Oct 1, 2008, 8:37 am
#688
Join Date: Oct 2008
Posts: 3
Dear Executive team ,
The 1928 promotion , what a phenomenal fiasco!!!
I have stayed at Sheraton hotels over the years and was very much looking forward to the possibility of enjoying the hospitality of your brand.
While I have stayed at the St. Regis in NY and SF, I was ceratinly willing to consider an LHW property after this promotion lead me to review the websites of the participating hotels.
BUT......... I'm afraid after reading all the postings on FlyerTalk.com, my concerns about the mismanagement of this promotion have been confirmed. Instead of encouraging my patronage, your company has effectively ensured I will likely NEVER stay in an LHW property and further more will actively avoid them now due to the frustration of this experience.
I sincerely hope there will be some form of consideration for all those who were foolish enough to waste thier time pursuing your promotion in good faith. Especially those of us on the west coast of the US, where we got up before 5AM, to attempt to reserve a room.
Thank you for your time , Rexly
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=863668
The 1928 promotion , what a phenomenal fiasco!!!
I have stayed at Sheraton hotels over the years and was very much looking forward to the possibility of enjoying the hospitality of your brand.
While I have stayed at the St. Regis in NY and SF, I was ceratinly willing to consider an LHW property after this promotion lead me to review the websites of the participating hotels.
BUT......... I'm afraid after reading all the postings on FlyerTalk.com, my concerns about the mismanagement of this promotion have been confirmed. Instead of encouraging my patronage, your company has effectively ensured I will likely NEVER stay in an LHW property and further more will actively avoid them now due to the frustration of this experience.
I sincerely hope there will be some form of consideration for all those who were foolish enough to waste thier time pursuing your promotion in good faith. Especially those of us on the west coast of the US, where we got up before 5AM, to attempt to reserve a room.
Thank you for your time , Rexly
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=863668
Oct 1, 2008, 8:39 am
#689
Join Date: Dec 2001
Location: SPG Lifetime Plat, Hyatt Diamond, Hilton Gold:AA Plat, Now retired but previous NWA PLAT 2 Million +, United 1K plus etc etc
Posts: 541
[email protected] was not a valid email address...
Bigshaker.
Oct 1, 2008, 8:43 am
#690
Join Date: May 2007
Programs: DL PM, SPG, MG, HHG, AA Gold, AMEX PLAT,
Posts: 82
Response from Leader's Club Customer Service
Just got off the phone with Customer Service for the Leader's Club. They informed me that they'll be sending out an email to all the people who registered for the promo by the end of the day. Let's keep an eye out for it since they said it'll have another offer for us and the chance to take advantage of the promo, afterall.
Their website experienced a traffic spike around 100x the norm from this promo which means their IT Dept totally underestimated the response they'd receive. They claimed to be hosted in collocation facility (data center) with their 800#'s pointing to a call center. Being in telecom, that kinda shocked me since this means their fiasco could've easily been avoided if LHW spent enough money on bandwidth and hosted the site on a real server... guess, they didn't think of redundancy for their main website... but then again, I think most of us saw this one coming a few days ago.
Their website experienced a traffic spike around 100x the norm from this promo which means their IT Dept totally underestimated the response they'd receive. They claimed to be hosted in collocation facility (data center) with their 800#'s pointing to a call center. Being in telecom, that kinda shocked me since this means their fiasco could've easily been avoided if LHW spent enough money on bandwidth and hosted the site on a real server... guess, they didn't think of redundancy for their main website... but then again, I think most of us saw this one coming a few days ago.