Email: A Note About our Transition into One Program
Dec 18, 2018, 4:50 pm
#46
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Marriott has fallen short of reasonable customer expectations with regard to the integration-related program changes and Marriott. hasn’t shown much intent and capability to make things right very quickly and easily for the negatively-impacted customers, so of course such Marriott customers shouldn’t ever be satisfied unless and until Marriott does right by the many wronged customers.
I'm still waiting for the email apologizing for Marriott's backtracking on the previously touted "no blackout date" benefit
Dec 18, 2018, 5:17 pm
#48
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Two things stand out to me.
First:
I thought the takeaway from everything was that Marriott understood legacy SPG customers cared as much or more about recognition than rewards. Yet, ever since April they've talked about how members get more points. August onwards has shown that Marriott still can't get the recognition component right. Ambassador is a perfect example. Between hundreds of ambassadors not getting contacted and properties not delivering it's been a bad four months in terms of recognition.
Really? What kind of valediction is that? Moreover, how many people know what SVP stands for? Talk about impersonal. This was written like an email to colleagues in his department thanking them for their work this year.
First:
Really? What kind of valediction is that? Moreover, how many people know what SVP stands for? Talk about impersonal. This was written like an email to colleagues in his department thanking them for their work this year.
Dec 18, 2018, 5:19 pm
#49
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Perhaps for anyone who is above Silver level, Arne should knock on your door during the holidays and hand-deliver a nice gift basket as a personal apology, even for those customers who've had an extremely smooth integration. Of course, the longest thread of 2019 would then be how Marriott was so rude to interrupt your holiday celebration.
Dec 18, 2018, 5:20 pm
#50
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Some people will be glad to see a public acknowledgement along with an apology. Others will wish that had come bundled with some free points or a certificate of some sort as a means of compensation for the frustration (extreme in some cases) they've endured.
I personally just think it was an opportunity missed - a corporate message such as this should've at least included something tangible, such as firming up a hard date for the new program or something along that line. I would've liked to have finished reading that e-mail knowing something I didn't know going in.
But let's at least recognize that he didn't dismiss anyone as "fringe," he didn't claim that all systems are now a go in spite of clear evidence to the contrary, and he did in fact apologize - something that many around here have called for repeatedly.
I personally just think it was an opportunity missed - a corporate message such as this should've at least included something tangible, such as firming up a hard date for the new program or something along that line. I would've liked to have finished reading that e-mail knowing something I didn't know going in.
But let's at least recognize that he didn't dismiss anyone as "fringe," he didn't claim that all systems are now a go in spite of clear evidence to the contrary, and he did in fact apologize - something that many around here have called for repeatedly.
Dec 18, 2018, 5:22 pm
#51
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Supposedly we now have until March 2019 to make award-redemption bookings at the current levels as opposed to January 1, 2019, when most or all of us assumed the new variable pricing would be in effect.
Dec 18, 2018, 5:24 pm
#52
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Dec 18, 2018, 6:49 pm
#53
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Dec 19, 2018, 1:50 am
#57
Join Date: May 2003
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Perhaps Hilton and others haven’t been running a lot of promos and status challenges because (1) Marriott’s integration isn’t the worst loyalty program merger ever, after all, and/or (2) anyone can get Hlilton’s highest tier Diamond status with a mere credit card, so why bother with a challenge?
On (2): Just want to mention that for us located outside the US any such pathway to Hilton Diamond (or the 20 nights to Hyatt Glob) is not possibility so for us challenges still have a meaning... I would hope that MAR continues their property expansion outside NA by also amending the loyalty program to also cater to non-US residents. I count going from points tenor to year tenor in the LT program such a step ...
Dec 19, 2018, 1:56 am
#58
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On (2): Just want to mention that for us located outside the US any such pathway to Hilton Diamond (or the 20 nights to Hyatt Glob) is not possibility so for us challenges still have a meaning... I would hope that MAR continues their property expansion outside NA by also amending the loyalty program to also cater to non-US residents. I count going from points tenor to year tenor in the LT program such a step ...
Dec 19, 2018, 1:58 am
#59
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: Fort Lauderdale, FL
Posts: 3,360
I quickly learned that there's no such thing as a one-size-fits-all compensation plan. Different people react very differently to the same offer of compensation. One person would view a discounted/comped room very favorably. Someone else would that offer as offensive because she or he views it as an attempt to ignore the problem. Those people want problems fixed and they care little about tokens.
Had Marriott offered points to everyone, it's clear that you'd be happy. Other people would undoubtedly see the offer as offensive because the underlying problems haven't been fixed.
Finally, don't forget that while many people have had major challenges, many others have not had any issues. Giving points to everyone to compensate for problems that only a portion of members experienced is not something any company would do. Respectfully, I think your expectations are not in line with that reality. (Note: I'm not saying you personally aren't due compensation. I'm merely saying a blanket gesture to everyone isn't the way to address the problems some members have had.)
Dec 19, 2018, 2:11 am
#60
Join Date: May 2003
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I stand corrected, however spending 250K-450K USD a year (vs. paying 450 USD) in annual fee) as substitute of a Hilton Diamond challenge ... it is not impossible but hardly a substitute