The Unbelivable History of A Portfolio
Oct 1, 2011, 6:44 am
#1
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Original Poster
Join Date: Jan 2004
Location: UK
Posts: 11,969
The Unbelievable History of A Portfolio
I've posted a few times about my wife's Ambassador portfolio. Or more accurately about it never having been sent. Over the years we've both been RA's or plain Ambassadors and have spent pots of cash with the group. We have loved them and rewarding their hospitality with our loyalty.
This experience has been completely perplexing. The simple inability to send a membership portfolio.
This week - whilst I'm away the portfolio was finally delivered! That is - to someone else in my village having failed to get an answer from my address they simply gave it to somoene else. I know because the attempted delivery was captured on my securty camera system which sees them going off with the pack in their hand. On the tracking site - another person completely unkown to me has signed for it. I knew it was on it's way but whilst FedEx has a film about redelivery I couldn't find any link to request it before they attempted it.
This is the history of the portfolio as explained to me by ICHG. I've had the lurker become involved - and that resulted in the membership which my wife gave up on and cancelled - being renewed without charge. But I've received no further response them from my most recent PM's to the lurkers and presume thay have abaondoned ship. That's a shame considering many of us thought that this was the first sign of any interest to the community from ICHG.
The address that has caused them (they claim) so many issues is also a business address and receives courier deliveries and post every day. For many years we received several thousand pieces of post per day. Except that is from ICHG. We have written around 50 emails to ICHG. Each received nonsensical responses except this one which is in answer to a detailed timeline request. Interestingly they claim that none of the portfolios that were never delivered ever came back to them. I do not believe a word. If they didn't get delivered some would return back to base.
Make of it what you will!
This experience has been completely perplexing. The simple inability to send a membership portfolio.
This week - whilst I'm away the portfolio was finally delivered! That is - to someone else in my village having failed to get an answer from my address they simply gave it to somoene else. I know because the attempted delivery was captured on my securty camera system which sees them going off with the pack in their hand. On the tracking site - another person completely unkown to me has signed for it. I knew it was on it's way but whilst FedEx has a film about redelivery I couldn't find any link to request it before they attempted it.
This is the history of the portfolio as explained to me by ICHG. I've had the lurker become involved - and that resulted in the membership which my wife gave up on and cancelled - being renewed without charge. But I've received no further response them from my most recent PM's to the lurkers and presume thay have abaondoned ship. That's a shame considering many of us thought that this was the first sign of any interest to the community from ICHG.
The address that has caused them (they claim) so many issues is also a business address and receives courier deliveries and post every day. For many years we received several thousand pieces of post per day. Except that is from ICHG. We have written around 50 emails to ICHG. Each received nonsensical responses except this one which is in answer to a detailed timeline request. Interestingly they claim that none of the portfolios that were never delivered ever came back to them. I do not believe a word. If they didn't get delivered some would return back to base.
Make of it what you will!
Dear Mr. and Mrs. uk1,
Thank you for your e-mail, as well as for your honest feedback.
Since the time Mrs. uk1’ Ambassador status was renewed on 08 February 2011, the service center has been placing several orders for a new Ambassador portfolio to be sent to the address indicated on the account.
We would like to take this opportunity to clarify that the service center does not literally process Ambassador portfolios. Rather, we only place orders for Ambassador materials (cards, luggage tags, certificates, etc.). A third-party vendor handles the processing and shipping of membership materials for members worldwide.
For some reason, the portfolio we ordered at the time of renewal in February, as well as the portfolio we requested in March, was either never processed or was lost in transit.
Between late March 2011 and early April 2011 IHG transitioned to a new vendor. This affected all members, and portfolios for both new and renewing members were all delayed.
The first and second portfolios we requested for Mrs. uk1 were to be mailed via regular airmail. The succeeding portfolios were arranged to be mailed via courier. However, none of the orders we placed after the vendor transition were processed due to an issue with the mailing address on file, as it seemed.
Also, after numerous attempts coordinating with our vendor to ensure the address on file is correct, none of the portfolios seemed to have been mailed. Only after the most recent order we placed on 22 September 2011 was a new portfolio processed and then mailed on the 28th of September 2011.
As requested, please find below a breakdown of the dates when we placed the orders for Mrs. uk1’ Ambassador portfolio.
Date Transaction
08 Feb 2011 Renewal / 1st portfolio (regular airmail)
19 Mar 2011 2nd portfolio (regular airmail)
23 May 2011 3rd portfolio (courier)
21 Jun 2011 Ambassador status expiry date was changed to
30 Jun 2012 4th portfolio (courier)
01 Jul 2011 5th portfolio (courier)
09 Jul 2011 Account was canceled, refund was processed after a few days
09 Aug 2011 Account was reactivated / 6th portfolio (courier)
06 Sep 2011 7th portfolio
13 Sep 2011 8th portfolio
22 Sep 2011 9th portfolio
28 Sep 2011 Portfolio was completed by vendor and mailed via FedEx
Unfortunately, we are unable to provide you with further detailed information about the processing procedure of our vendor or why the multiple orders we placed were never completed, as the service center does not have this information.
Again, we appreciate your patience and understanding in this matter.
We remain at your disposal should you need further assistance.
Sincerely,
Mxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxx (Mr)
Ambassador Services
Tel: +44 (0) 871 942 9099
+1 888 211 7996
Fax: +44 (0) 871 942 9010
E-mail: [email protected]
Thank you for your e-mail, as well as for your honest feedback.
Since the time Mrs. uk1’ Ambassador status was renewed on 08 February 2011, the service center has been placing several orders for a new Ambassador portfolio to be sent to the address indicated on the account.
We would like to take this opportunity to clarify that the service center does not literally process Ambassador portfolios. Rather, we only place orders for Ambassador materials (cards, luggage tags, certificates, etc.). A third-party vendor handles the processing and shipping of membership materials for members worldwide.
For some reason, the portfolio we ordered at the time of renewal in February, as well as the portfolio we requested in March, was either never processed or was lost in transit.
Between late March 2011 and early April 2011 IHG transitioned to a new vendor. This affected all members, and portfolios for both new and renewing members were all delayed.
The first and second portfolios we requested for Mrs. uk1 were to be mailed via regular airmail. The succeeding portfolios were arranged to be mailed via courier. However, none of the orders we placed after the vendor transition were processed due to an issue with the mailing address on file, as it seemed.
Also, after numerous attempts coordinating with our vendor to ensure the address on file is correct, none of the portfolios seemed to have been mailed. Only after the most recent order we placed on 22 September 2011 was a new portfolio processed and then mailed on the 28th of September 2011.
As requested, please find below a breakdown of the dates when we placed the orders for Mrs. uk1’ Ambassador portfolio.
Date Transaction
08 Feb 2011 Renewal / 1st portfolio (regular airmail)
19 Mar 2011 2nd portfolio (regular airmail)
23 May 2011 3rd portfolio (courier)
21 Jun 2011 Ambassador status expiry date was changed to
30 Jun 2012 4th portfolio (courier)
01 Jul 2011 5th portfolio (courier)
09 Jul 2011 Account was canceled, refund was processed after a few days
09 Aug 2011 Account was reactivated / 6th portfolio (courier)
06 Sep 2011 7th portfolio
13 Sep 2011 8th portfolio
22 Sep 2011 9th portfolio
28 Sep 2011 Portfolio was completed by vendor and mailed via FedEx
Unfortunately, we are unable to provide you with further detailed information about the processing procedure of our vendor or why the multiple orders we placed were never completed, as the service center does not have this information.
Again, we appreciate your patience and understanding in this matter.
We remain at your disposal should you need further assistance.
Sincerely,
Mxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxx (Mr)
Ambassador Services
Tel: +44 (0) 871 942 9099
+1 888 211 7996
Fax: +44 (0) 871 942 9010
E-mail: [email protected]
Last edited by uk1; Oct 6, 2011 at 3:20 am Reason: Title spelling correction attempt!
Oct 1, 2011, 7:26 am
#2
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: PARIS (France)
Programs: AF/KLM Club 2000 | InterContinental Diamond RA |AMEX Plat | Visa Infinite |Hertz President's Circle
Posts: 10,963
Once, IHG had to send me three times the RA renewal kit they've lost somewhere.
I requested a mail with signature and finally got it
I requested a mail with signature and finally got it
Oct 1, 2011, 8:49 am
#4
Suspended
Original Poster
Join Date: Jan 2004
Location: UK
Posts: 11,969
Well, that was only once - but it''s their courier. If I can see from their tracking info that they have given it to the wrong person - and the tracking clearly says it's gone to an entirely different address - having been to my property first - then I'd have thought they'd ask why!
I'm a little unclear about your comment and defense of them about this saga - is it your belief that my complaint is unfair in some way?
I'm a little unclear about your comment and defense of them about this saga - is it your belief that my complaint is unfair in some way?
Last edited by uk1; Oct 1, 2011 at 9:05 am
Oct 1, 2011, 10:28 am
#5
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Join Date: Sep 2009
Programs: Gold, plat, diamond and more
Posts: 3,360
Amazing story! And I guess you read this one which I think is even worse http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/inter...y-useless.html
We must be masochists to love IHG
Overall still my favourite, and lurker gone MIA is just symptomatic- maybe due to the total disaster with visa bonuses on CtC?
We must be masochists to love IHG
Overall still my favourite, and lurker gone MIA is just symptomatic- maybe due to the total disaster with visa bonuses on CtC?
Oct 1, 2011, 10:45 am
#7
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Original Poster
Join Date: Jan 2004
Location: UK
Posts: 11,969
Well, if my earlier account was difficult to "comprehend" I asked them to tell me how many of the undelivered portfolios were received back and just received the following reply:
I find it completely perplexing that no one in ICHG knew that this was going on - or followed it up - even though I told them many times it was my clear belief that they were not being sent each time they said it had been. Even in the earlier note they sent to me (my first post in this thread) which was received today, having asked them how many they have received back of those they were previously claiming had been sent which they now admit they hadn't even sent. And it is my clear belief that none were sent between February 8th and the end of May.
What an admission.
Pi*s Up and Brewery.
Dear Mr. and Mrs. uk,
Thank you for your e-mail.
Unfortunately, we do not receive reports with regard to returned membership portfolios.
Based on the information provided by the vendor, with the exception of the portfolio that mailed on the 28th of September, we assume that none of the portfolios that we ordered from May 2011 onwards were completed.
If you have further questions or concerns, please feel free to contact us at +44 (0) 871 942 9099 or by e-mail at [email protected].
Sincerely,
M***** P******** (Mr)
Ambassador Services
Tel: +44 (0) 871 942 9099
+1 888 211 7996
Fax: +44 (0) 871 942 9010
E-mail: [email protected]
Thank you for your e-mail.
Unfortunately, we do not receive reports with regard to returned membership portfolios.
Based on the information provided by the vendor, with the exception of the portfolio that mailed on the 28th of September, we assume that none of the portfolios that we ordered from May 2011 onwards were completed.
If you have further questions or concerns, please feel free to contact us at +44 (0) 871 942 9099 or by e-mail at [email protected].
Sincerely,
M***** P******** (Mr)
Ambassador Services
Tel: +44 (0) 871 942 9099
+1 888 211 7996
Fax: +44 (0) 871 942 9010
E-mail: [email protected]
What an admission.
Pi*s Up and Brewery.
Last edited by uk1; Oct 1, 2011 at 11:15 am
Oct 5, 2011, 11:44 am
#8
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Original Poster
Join Date: Jan 2004
Location: UK
Posts: 11,969
Update.
Those generous people at IC have taken several days but have now grudgingly agreed to extend the membership from February to September - I requested October but that was too much for them. They aren't prepared to give me a full year on the weekend cert either - it just starts with the original expiration date - whatever that was.
No explanation provided to my question as to why this wasn't escallated when I asked several times and this is the total goodwill gesture as a result of the above palaver. That is to agree to extend the membership until they sent the pack to a completely different address.
It's immaterial anyway because we still haven't got the portfolio because they gave it to someone else. It says so on the tracking.
Those generous people at IC have taken several days but have now grudgingly agreed to extend the membership from February to September - I requested October but that was too much for them. They aren't prepared to give me a full year on the weekend cert either - it just starts with the original expiration date - whatever that was.
No explanation provided to my question as to why this wasn't escallated when I asked several times and this is the total goodwill gesture as a result of the above palaver. That is to agree to extend the membership until they sent the pack to a completely different address.
It's immaterial anyway because we still haven't got the portfolio because they gave it to someone else. It says so on the tracking.
Oct 7, 2011, 2:35 pm
#9
Company Representative - InterContinental Hotels
Join Date: May 2011
Location: Salt Lake City Utah
Programs: IHG Rewards Club
Posts: 166
The courier that delivered the package was Federal Express, IHG does not own, set the polices of, or control the actions of Federal Express or it's employees. It is our understanding from Federal Express the package was left with a neighbor in an attempt to expedite delivery.
Due to the inconvenience there has been no charge for the Ambassador enrollment and the expiration date of the enrollment has been extended from 30 Jun 2012 to 30 Sept 2012. We sincerely hope this has brought you a sense of resolution.
As your concern was ongoing prior to our joining Flyertalk, and was in process with the Ambassador Service Center our involvement was limited.
Due to the inconvenience there has been no charge for the Ambassador enrollment and the expiration date of the enrollment has been extended from 30 Jun 2012 to 30 Sept 2012. We sincerely hope this has brought you a sense of resolution.
As your concern was ongoing prior to our joining Flyertalk, and was in process with the Ambassador Service Center our involvement was limited.
Oct 8, 2011, 2:41 am
#10
FlyerTalk Evangelist & Ambassador: China
Join Date: Aug 2005
Location: DEN
Programs: DL DM/MM, UA 1K, AA Exp, HH Dia, WOH Glob, IHG Plat, Marriott Gold, NA EE, Hertz PC
Posts: 17,423
The courier that delivered the package was Federal Express, IHG does not own, set the polices of, or control the actions of Federal Express or it's employees. It is our understanding from Federal Express the package was left with a neighbor in an attempt to expedite delivery.
Due to the inconvenience there has been no charge for the Ambassador enrollment and the expiration date of the enrollment has been extended from 30 Jun 2012 to 30 Sept 2012. We sincerely hope this has brought you a sense of resolution.
As your concern was ongoing prior to our joining Flyertalk, and was in process with the Ambassador Service Center our involvement was limited.
Due to the inconvenience there has been no charge for the Ambassador enrollment and the expiration date of the enrollment has been extended from 30 Jun 2012 to 30 Sept 2012. We sincerely hope this has brought you a sense of resolution.
As your concern was ongoing prior to our joining Flyertalk, and was in process with the Ambassador Service Center our involvement was limited.
Oct 8, 2011, 2:54 am
#11
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Join Date: Sep 2009
Programs: Gold, plat, diamond and more
Posts: 3,360
Oct 8, 2011, 3:44 am
#13
Join Date: Oct 2010
Location: MUC/RJK
Programs: SQ G, LH FTL, UA S, Marriott Plat, Hertz PC
Posts: 1,442
First of all to make one thing clear: I got PC Plat in January, and RA in April. I didn't get a kit for neither PC Plat nor RA. I emailed Ambassador Service in July, and the kit was shipped and delivered, with an e-mail similar to yours, explaining that they had issues with the vendor.
Let's summarize:
Originally Posted by Ambassador Service
A third-party vendor handles the processing and shipping of membership materials for members worldwide.
For some reason, the portfolio we ordered at the time of renewal in February, as well as the portfolio we requested in March, was either never processed or was lost in transit.
However, none of the orders we placed after the vendor transition were processed due to an issue with the mailing address on file, as it seemed.
For some reason, the portfolio we ordered at the time of renewal in February, as well as the portfolio we requested in March, was either never processed or was lost in transit.
However, none of the orders we placed after the vendor transition were processed due to an issue with the mailing address on file, as it seemed.
1. Member buys/extends Ambassador, or gets RA (re)qualified
2. Ambassador Services place an order with the vendor to send a kit
3. Vendor sets up the kit
4. Vendor mails the kit to the address in their CRM system
5. Courier delivers the kit
6. Ambassador is a happy camper
All of the faults that happened, happened at steps 3, 4 and 5 of the process.
none of the orders we placed after the vendor transition were processed
Your previous orders not being processed - the only blame IHG can take here is poor QA process for the vendor they're using. But the whole point of outsourcing something is that *you don't have to worry about it anymore*. If they went ahead and double-checked every order they placed at the vendor, they might just as well handle the kit shipments themselves. The problem here is that the vendor failed the trust of IHG, and IHG failed to have tracking mechanisms. Or maybe they had tracking mechanisms, but the vendor simply lied about delivering all the ordered packages. We cannot know.
I can understand your aggravation, I would be just as pissed off, but since they obviously didn't have proper correction mechanisms in place, they did the best they could - kept ordering the kits, and pushing the vendor to deliver. What else were they supposed to do?
After the whole ordeal, you got your kit (or will get it as soon as you track down your neighbor), you got a year of Ambassador membership free of charge, and additional 7 months added to it. In the seven months that passed, your wife *was* able to use all the benefits of the Amb status, other than the 5k points voucher and BOGO. Oh, and the luggage tags too. So, what exactly (other than hurt pride) is the big deal?
Oct 8, 2011, 3:59 am
#14
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Original Poster
Join Date: Jan 2004
Location: UK
Posts: 11,969
I'm not going over it all again.
There's a lot of comms between them and us. You have misunderstood what they have said. The big deal is the total incompetence and ability to recognise that their was a problem and deal with it at the time it was happening. The big deal was that it was so poor we simply gave up in June.
In August when these lurkers appeared I asked them if they could find out what had happened. It was all started off again, ie renewed and a complementary year offered, but again no box arrived - or as they now say none was sent. The lurkers here were pm'ed again to tell them that the problem was persisiting and those pms were ignored. It is the total package of disinterest and response and incompetence - and then the lack of response from the lurkers that is the big deal.
They have basically admitted that they now believe that none of the boxes that they originally claimed that they had sent to my wife between February and firstly June when we gave up and then in August and September when they started to try again - has been handled by as far as I can tell two different companies - both of them fired - that they employed. This is what I was telling them and asking for the issue to be escallated. They behaved in response to each email as though they didn't believe me. Several times after they had said a box had been sent they then said it hadn't been sent because the fulfilment house had difficulties entering our address. It was only at the end of the process that they admitted that the problems with the fulfillment house was so bad they now conclude that none of them appear to have been sent. This is backed up by the detailed comms.
The fact that fedex didn't delivered is simply the icing on the cake of the saga not the main irritation.
You have also missed out another part of their process which is inexpliquable.
From the comms from them to me it seems that when they use the term "expedited despatch" it actually means that they take over a week to actually ask for the fulfilment house for it to be sent. And then the process actually starts of merging and delivering. Expedited it isn't.
Anyway I posted the thread. Most people would get that this has been apalling. What others misunderstands or feel is unreasonable isn't going to resolve this so I'm done!
So far as the complimentary year is concerned - clearly you put a value on my time and frustration than is less than I do and that of course is your right. A simple acknowledgement of the problem and saying sorry would have been a 100% improvement on the way they dealt with this. Instead I feel that they have said "we gave you a year and tried to deliver a bosx now s*d off!"
There's a lot of comms between them and us. You have misunderstood what they have said. The big deal is the total incompetence and ability to recognise that their was a problem and deal with it at the time it was happening. The big deal was that it was so poor we simply gave up in June.
In August when these lurkers appeared I asked them if they could find out what had happened. It was all started off again, ie renewed and a complementary year offered, but again no box arrived - or as they now say none was sent. The lurkers here were pm'ed again to tell them that the problem was persisiting and those pms were ignored. It is the total package of disinterest and response and incompetence - and then the lack of response from the lurkers that is the big deal.
They have basically admitted that they now believe that none of the boxes that they originally claimed that they had sent to my wife between February and firstly June when we gave up and then in August and September when they started to try again - has been handled by as far as I can tell two different companies - both of them fired - that they employed. This is what I was telling them and asking for the issue to be escallated. They behaved in response to each email as though they didn't believe me. Several times after they had said a box had been sent they then said it hadn't been sent because the fulfilment house had difficulties entering our address. It was only at the end of the process that they admitted that the problems with the fulfillment house was so bad they now conclude that none of them appear to have been sent. This is backed up by the detailed comms.
The fact that fedex didn't delivered is simply the icing on the cake of the saga not the main irritation.
You have also missed out another part of their process which is inexpliquable.
From the comms from them to me it seems that when they use the term "expedited despatch" it actually means that they take over a week to actually ask for the fulfilment house for it to be sent. And then the process actually starts of merging and delivering. Expedited it isn't.
Anyway I posted the thread. Most people would get that this has been apalling. What others misunderstands or feel is unreasonable isn't going to resolve this so I'm done!
So far as the complimentary year is concerned - clearly you put a value on my time and frustration than is less than I do and that of course is your right. A simple acknowledgement of the problem and saying sorry would have been a 100% improvement on the way they dealt with this. Instead I feel that they have said "we gave you a year and tried to deliver a bosx now s*d off!"
Last edited by uk1; Oct 8, 2011 at 4:09 am
Oct 8, 2011, 4:26 am
#15
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Programs: Gold, plat, diamond and more
Posts: 3,360
I love the devils advocate tone And of course you raise some points. However you are always responsible not only for your (sub-)contractors but also for communicating with them on behalf of the customer when Murphy turns up.
I would be grateful if you reviewed my case as well. Your eyes might see what obvious I missed (seriously asking^).
And of course you raise some points. However you are always responsible not only for your (sub-)contractors but also for communicating with them on behalf of the customer when Murphy turns up.I would be grateful if you reviewed my case as well. Your eyes might see what obvious I missed (seriously asking^).