Marriott Bonvoy Lurker Update (Starwood/Marriott Bonvoy Lurker Retires)
Aug 23, 2019, 8:17 pm
#151
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: BNA
Programs: Hyatt Explorist, Bonvoy Plat, HHonors Diamond, DL Gold
Posts: 383
Having acquired Starwood, Marriott's Bonvoy program will continued to be compared to SPG. Starwood's SPG set many standards for which Bonvoy will be judged.
Similarly, William was an exceptional online presence for Starwood, as the original (Starwood) Lurker on Flyertalk. In several ways, William set the standard for what many SPG loyalists expect from a loyalty program's online communication and service. Marriott Bonvoy's online presence and service, especially on Flyertalk, will continue to be compared to the standard which William set.
William is still a part of the Flyertalk community, until he tells us otherwise. There is no need to quash a thread about William.
Perhaps other Bonvoy Lurkers would like to comment, but they have been relatively silent. It would be nice if they could post an updated roster of Bonvoy Lurkers. Lauren from Hilton, had better communication about a handoff after William joined that organization.
Aug 23, 2019, 8:40 pm
#152
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: Minneapolis: DL DM charter 2.3MM
Programs: A3*Gold, SPG Plat, HyattDiamond, MarriottPP, LHW exAccess, ICI, Raffles Amb, NW PE MM, TWA Gold MM
Posts: 100,413
This thread remains quite relevant.
Having acquired Starwood, Marriott's Bonvoy program will continued to be compared to SPG. Starwood's SPG set many standards for which Bonvoy will be judged.
Similarly, William was an exceptional online presence for Starwood, as the original (Starwood) Lurker on Flyertalk. In several ways, William set the standard for what many SPG loyalists expect from a loyalty program's online communication and service. Marriott Bonvoy's online presence and service, especially on Flyertalk, will continue to be compared to the standard which William set.
William is still a part of the Flyertalk community, until he tells us otherwise. There is no need to quash a thread about William.
Perhaps other Bonvoy Lurkers would like to comment, but they have been relatively silent. It would be nice if they could post an updated roster of Bonvoy Lurkers. Lauren from Hilton, had better communication about a handoff after William joined that organization.
Having acquired Starwood, Marriott's Bonvoy program will continued to be compared to SPG. Starwood's SPG set many standards for which Bonvoy will be judged.
Similarly, William was an exceptional online presence for Starwood, as the original (Starwood) Lurker on Flyertalk. In several ways, William set the standard for what many SPG loyalists expect from a loyalty program's online communication and service. Marriott Bonvoy's online presence and service, especially on Flyertalk, will continue to be compared to the standard which William set.
William is still a part of the Flyertalk community, until he tells us otherwise. There is no need to quash a thread about William.
Perhaps other Bonvoy Lurkers would like to comment, but they have been relatively silent. It would be nice if they could post an updated roster of Bonvoy Lurkers. Lauren from Hilton, had better communication about a handoff after William joined that organization.
I agree with you except that William was not the first Starwood Lurker.
It would be helpful to have a list of the current Starriott/Bonvoy Lurker team, including locations and the username of the account(s) that each is using. IIRC some of them seem to share an account on FT, so it's rather confusing, although AFAIK only William was using the "original" Lurker account until the retirement announcement appeared.
It would be helpful to have a list of the current Starriott/Bonvoy Lurker team, including locations and the username of the account(s) that each is using. IIRC some of them seem to share an account on FT, so it's rather confusing, although AFAIK only William was using the "original" Lurker account until the retirement announcement appeared.
Aug 23, 2019, 11:10 pm
#153
Suspended
Join Date: Jan 2017
Location: EWR/PHL/BWI
Posts: 4,412
Having acquired Starwood, Marriott's Bonvoy program will continued to be compared to SPG. Starwood's SPG set many standards for which Bonvoy will be judged.
Perhaps other Bonvoy Lurkers would like to comment, but they have been relatively silent. It would be nice if they could post an updated roster of Bonvoy Lurkers. Lauren from Hilton, had better communication about a handoff after William joined that organization.
Perhaps other Bonvoy Lurkers would like to comment, but they have been relatively silent. It would be nice if they could post an updated roster of Bonvoy Lurkers. Lauren from Hilton, had better communication about a handoff after William joined that organization.
Also FT is only a tiny part of Marriott Bonv*y program. One former employee won't shake Marriott at all....
Aug 24, 2019, 1:27 am
#154
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Apr 2009
Location: India
Programs: Bonvoy Lifetime Titanium, IHG Plat, HH Gold, Trident Plat, DL Diamond, AI Maharajah
Posts: 29,678
to great benefits actually....last year marriott announced that it was not going to give lifetime titanium status to lifetime spg plats with over 750 nights....we cried foul, made a big deal about it, got a lot of spg lifetime plats together, signed a petition & sent it to marriott....eventually they agreed to change the policy for us....what we did may have made a small difference in their reconsideration....had we not spoken up then we would not have received lifetime titanium status....william used to encourage us to speak up so that our voices could be heard by management....
no he won't....no one here is saying that he will....for some reason you just keep repeating that he won't....he used to help us all here in this forum & now we don't have that option anymore....there are other lurkers that remain here & we are grateful for that....but if you ask anyone who has had the need to reach out to the lurkers then they will tell you there was a world of a difference between william & all the other lurkers....
no he won't....no one here is saying that he will....for some reason you just keep repeating that he won't....he used to help us all here in this forum & now we don't have that option anymore....there are other lurkers that remain here & we are grateful for that....but if you ask anyone who has had the need to reach out to the lurkers then they will tell you there was a world of a difference between william & all the other lurkers....
Aug 24, 2019, 4:01 am
#155
Join Date: Jan 2013
Location: CEB - primary/YVR -secondary
Programs: AC*Super Elite (100K) / PR*Elite / AY*Platinum (OWE) / SPG*Bonvoy Titanium (LTT)
Posts: 2,272
Legacy Marriott customers put up with a website and app that doesn't disclose as much detail as SPG.com did, but they likely didn't know something better existed. Now, the SPG people have been downgraded to Marriott's level of mediocrity and web weakness compared to the experience we were used to. Same for the hotel property level; Marriott actually came in and ripped out the computers at many SPG properties to downgrade them to the MARSHA system. But feel free to keep thinking Marriott is superior because you never knew something better existed.
And not just us in the flyertalk community. Arne wouldnt call legacy SPG folks as "rabid" for nothing and if the majority of legacy spg members were for the merge. We were fiercely loyal and for a reason.
But anyways SPG is long gone. But now i know what it feels like to be part of the "Meh"rriott program
Aug 24, 2019, 1:16 pm
#156
Suspended
Join Date: Jan 2017
Location: EWR/PHL/BWI
Posts: 4,412
But we are not paid by Marriott or Hilton. We are just patrons that can switch loyalty rather quickly to our likings.
Aug 24, 2019, 2:24 pm
#157
formerly leemaj
Join Date: Jul 2004
Location: California
Programs: Bonvoy Titanium and LTP, Hyatt Globalist, UA Gold, SW Companion Pass
Posts: 217
Goodbye William! I was so happy you stayed on through the transition. It has been a much smoother ride knowing you were still around.
Good luck on whatever is next for you!
Good luck on whatever is next for you!
Aug 26, 2019, 10:51 am
#158
Join Date: Mar 2011
Location: New York, NY
Programs: AA ExPl, DL PM, UA Silver, Hyatt Globalist, Marriott Titanium, probably some others
Posts: 4,099
One of the many reasons I loved and stuck with Starwood for years was William's work, both with me and other members of this community. I've mostly avoided Hilton over the past couple of years, focusing my stays with Hyatt, but if Hilton continues to make these sorts of smart decisions and let William do what he does best, I'm inclined to start moving nights over to HH.
Nov 1, 2019, 3:17 pm
#160
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: JFK, DCA, BUR, YVR
Programs: AC, AS, BA, DL, HH (D), MR (T/LTP), UA (*S), UScAAre (PLT/1,87MM), WN
Posts: 5,207
It looks like David Marr also left for Hilton. From what I understand, many ex-SPG did similar lateral moves. I’ve begun the process of giving more of my business to Hilton.
Nov 1, 2019, 4:10 pm
#161
Community Director Emerita
Join Date: Oct 2000
Location: Anywhere warm
Posts: 33,747
I don't know him so looked him up. He made his move in 2017.
https://www.hospitalitynet.org/appoi.../79013725.html
https://www.hospitalitynet.org/appoi.../79013725.html
Nov 5, 2019, 12:50 pm
#163
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: Minneapolis: DL DM charter 2.3MM
Programs: A3*Gold, SPG Plat, HyattDiamond, MarriottPP, LHW exAccess, ICI, Raffles Amb, NW PE MM, TWA Gold MM
Posts: 100,413
