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Email: A Note About our Transition into One Program

Email: A Note About our Transition into One Program

Old Dec 18, 2018, 10:08 am
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Email: A Note About our Transition into One Program

I got this email...

Dear Stimpy,

2018 has been a year of change for us here at Marriott and for our members. In August we combined our three loyalty programs: Marriott Rewards®, The Ritz-Carlton Rewards® and SPG®, giving you access to more hotels, benefits and status than ever before. While merging our programs brought you many new benefits and options, we know that for some, the integration presented challenges, and we apologize for these difficulties.

As we move toward the end of this year, I wanted to take a moment to reiterate that our goal is always to provide you with memorable travel experiences and to make you feel like a valued part of the Marriott family. With that in mind, I want to personally thank you for your ongoing support, patience and loyalty during a challenging year.

You’ll be hearing more from us next year when we introduce our new brand name, representing the most rewarding loyalty program in hospitality. I want to wish you a happy and healthy holiday season, and we look forward to welcoming you at our 29 extraordinary hotel brands around the world in the new year and for many years to come.

Best,
David Flueck
SVP, Global Loyalty


Pretty vanilla. But is it correct that they are down to 29 brands now? What did they cut?
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Old Dec 18, 2018, 10:15 am
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I assume its the Bvlgari Hotels & Resorts brand since it was never mentioned at the bottom of 29 Ways to Stay but its still listed on their Hotel Brands section. (These properties don't participate in the program)
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Old Dec 18, 2018, 10:18 am
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I got the email to, frankly been better not sending anything rather than this excuse of an apology! I also feel the use of personally is completely out of context when its an email sent to in the hundreds of millions of people!

Just makes me think they really out a far way removed from the real world and what their members actually think and want!
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Old Dec 18, 2018, 10:18 am
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I got it too but not sure why they would waste our time sending out an email like that without addressing the elephant in the room when it comes to program integration. Email makes it seem like all is well and has been but issues are continuing.
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Old Dec 18, 2018, 10:19 am
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Another missed opportunity to do more than just offer a minimal apology...
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Old Dec 18, 2018, 10:21 am
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and I that was expecting a fax ...
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Old Dec 18, 2018, 10:32 am
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Some of the comments herein (but not the OP) are evidence to me that some people will find any excuse to complain. Even about a simple email.

It’s a mass generated email. It wishes everyone a happy holiday season. It also acknowledges that there were mistakes with the integration and offers an apology for those mistakes. It could have just wished everyone a happy holiday season and ignored the mistakes—but it didn’t. And yet there are complaints about this holiday email?

Really? Piling on, perhaps?

I’m sorry, but some of these comments to me are the very definition of “noise on the fringe” to which Sorenson referred in the Q3 earnings call.

EDIT: To answer the OP, I also think it’s the Bulgari brand being “dropped” from the 30 brands connotation since it doesn’t participate in the Loyalty Program.

Last edited by bhrubin; Dec 18, 2018 at 10:39 am
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Old Dec 18, 2018, 10:40 am
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Post

Originally Posted by bhrubin

It’s a mass generated email. It wishes everyone a happy holiday season. It also acknowledges that there were mistakes with the integration and offers an apology for those mistakes. It could have just wished everyone a happy holiday season and ignored the mistakes—but it didn’t. And yet there are complaints about this holiday email?
Have I mentioned that I got the same email ... they didn't give different emails depending on status

Seems to me its perfectly appropriate for an end of year email and appreciate that he realizes it required patience and had challenges.
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Old Dec 18, 2018, 10:42 am
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30 seconds of my life I'll never be able to get back (+ add another 30 for this reply )
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Old Dec 18, 2018, 11:03 am
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Originally Posted by secretalcoholic
I assume its the Bvlgari Hotels & Resorts brand since it was never mentioned at the bottom of 29 Ways to Stay but its still listed on their Hotel Brands section. (These properties don't participate in the program)
They should remove The Ritz Carlton Reserve properties as well since they not participate in the program.
FTers would be up to date about those non participation of RC Reserves (and RC Singapore) but I bet plenty of members who are not really up to date with loyalty programmes will be confused about that.

Especially if RC Rewards promotional emails still promoting RC Reserves and RC Singapore
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Old Dec 18, 2018, 11:19 am
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Originally Posted by stimpy
You’ll be hearing more from us next year when we introduce our new brand name, representing the most rewarding loyalty program in hospitality.
Ironic, since in my opinion, they killed the most rewarding loyalty program in hospitality.
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Old Dec 18, 2018, 11:23 am
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Maybe by killing "The Most Rewarding Loyalty Program in Hospitality", MR mediocre program can become most rewarding one
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Old Dec 18, 2018, 11:25 am
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Originally Posted by kaizen7
They should remove The Ritz Carlton Reserve properties as well since they not participate in the program.
FTers would be up to date about those non participation of RC Reserves (and RC Singapore) but I bet plenty of members who are not really up to date with loyalty programmes will be confused about that.

Especially if RC Rewards promotional emails still promoting RC Reserves and RC Singapore
RC Reserve isn’t listed as a separate brand for purposes of their 29 brands connotation. So while I agree it shouldn’t be included, it actually isn’t included.

Bulgari is a unique circumstance of a brand operated and distributed by Marriott but owned by Bulgari and not otherwise affiliated with Marriott by design. It’s an association of convenience.

Separating out Reserve from RC and separating out the Singapore RC just isn’t worth the time or trouble for Marriott. Nor do I blame them. Design Hitels don’t givee the same benefits, either, and there are slight benefit differences between the brands as we already know. If you can afford to stay at RC Reserve or RC Singapore, I doubt this is the pressing issue of the day.

Last edited by bhrubin; Dec 18, 2018 at 11:33 am
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Old Dec 18, 2018, 11:29 am
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Originally Posted by margarita girl
Ironic, since in my opinion, they killed the most rewarding loyalty program in hospitality.
I'll agree with others that the email said very little. But it certainly shows how Marriott is in a no-win situation. For many of us, the biggest grip was they didn't communicate during the integration and resulting issues. Now they communicate, and it's going to get ripped just about as much.

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.

Ultimately, this is a typical end of year email like many companies send out to their customers, with the addition of a small apology for the troubles this year. Standard "next year will be better" message that we all want going into a new year.
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Old Dec 18, 2018, 11:34 am
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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.
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