Kimpton recommendations after July 2014 no longer trustworthy?
Jul 28, 2014, 9:52 pm
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: AUS
Posts: 690
Kimpton recommendations after July 2014 no longer trustworthy?
Kimpton Hotels restructured their loyalty program at the end of July 2014 (details are in Kimpton Karma Rewards).
One very important detail (especially for non-members) is that the chain keeps an (unpublished) list of “behaviors” that might be “rewarded” with “special gifts like snacks”.
This is a strategy called “intermittent (positive) reinforcement” used by dog trainers, domestic abusers, and now by Kimpton Hotels on their frequent guests.
It's important to remember that any online praise or recommendations of hotels in the Kimpton chain may have been influenced by this program. I'm especially disappointed that a chain advertising to women travelers is applying domestic abusers' strategy to its own guests.
From the linked New York Times blog post:
One very important detail (especially for non-members) is that the chain keeps an (unpublished) list of “behaviors” that might be “rewarded” with “special gifts like snacks”.
This is a strategy called “intermittent (positive) reinforcement” used by dog trainers, domestic abusers, and now by Kimpton Hotels on their frequent guests.
It's important to remember that any online praise or recommendations of hotels in the Kimpton chain may have been influenced by this program. I'm especially disappointed that a chain advertising to women travelers is applying domestic abusers' strategy to its own guests.
A nice NYT blog post, with some more details about rewards for interaction:
http://intransit.blogs.nytimes.com/2...long-you-stay/
http://intransit.blogs.nytimes.com/2...long-you-stay/
Do you tweet about the hotel, attend the hotel’s complimentary wine hour, travel with your pet or run with the hotel general manager in its fitness program?
Members could be rewarded for that. Kimpton identified 200 to 300 behaviors that flag program members as eligible for special gifts like snacks left in the room.
Just how much each behavior weighs remains a secret to avoid rewarding fake enthusiasm. “What we didn’t want to do was say, ‘Tweet about us and we’ll give you points.’ That’s self-gratuitous,” said Maggie Lang, senior director of loyalty for Kimpton.
Members could be rewarded for that. Kimpton identified 200 to 300 behaviors that flag program members as eligible for special gifts like snacks left in the room.
Just how much each behavior weighs remains a secret to avoid rewarding fake enthusiasm. “What we didn’t want to do was say, ‘Tweet about us and we’ll give you points.’ That’s self-gratuitous,” said Maggie Lang, senior director of loyalty for Kimpton.
Jul 29, 2014, 9:45 am
#2
Join Date: Mar 2012
Location: DCA, IAD, BWI
Programs: National Parks Annual Pass
Posts: 316
Wow. Just wow.
Jul 29, 2014, 10:36 am
#3
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: NYC
Programs: UA/HH/Marriott Gold
Posts: 2,467
I would post a review of our fabulous stay at The Brice this weekend, but I guess that would just be the Stockholm Syndrome talking.
Jul 29, 2014, 5:36 pm
#4
Company Representative - Kimpton Hotels and Restaurants
Join Date: Mar 2012
Location: San Francisco, CA
Programs: Kimpton Karma Rewards
Posts: 92
Jul 29, 2014, 5:38 pm
#5
Company Representative - Kimpton Hotels and Restaurants
Join Date: Mar 2012
Location: San Francisco, CA
Programs: Kimpton Karma Rewards
Posts: 92
Oh dear.
Jul 29, 2014, 5:38 pm
#6
Moderator: Hawaii-based airlines & Hawai'i forums
Join Date: Mar 2003
Location: Ka ʻĀpala Nui, Nuioka
Programs: NEXUS/Global Entry, Delta, United, Hyatt, IHG, Marriott, and Hertz
Posts: 18,038
Jul 29, 2014, 7:08 pm
#7
Join Date: Feb 2013
Location: DCA/MIA
Programs: Hyatt Diamond, Hilton Gold, AA EXP
Posts: 40
Classic!
There are a lot of--what I hope are at least mildly--constructive comments to be made about the Karma changes, but I'm skeptical that the data mining conspiratorial thinking is one of them.
FWIW, I'm 1,000,000% in favor of Karma super smart social data gathering. We all have preferences that can be gleaned from smart data capturing that are useful for individual properties to be aware of. You are, after all, actively opting in to all of it. I like to Tweet/IG my stays, and I'm perfectly happy if Kimpton stores pictures of positive amenities in it's state of the art, trendsetting system.
Here's what I like about Kimpton: there is a level of personalization that runs through the veins of the company. I know that KimptonInTouch (Susan) is a real person, with a real personality, who is not parroting corporate-speak at the members on this board. I know that real people are behind the other brands, but I don't know that they're really speaking for themselves, instead of reading from a corporate script handed to them.
A month ago, I was skeptical about the direction Kimpton was headed in, but I'm incredibly deeply appreciative of the engagement that I've seen on this board. I don't know if I'll hit IC for 2015, but I'm no longer actively avoiding Kimpton stays.
There are a lot of--what I hope are at least mildly--constructive comments to be made about the Karma changes, but I'm skeptical that the data mining conspiratorial thinking is one of them.
FWIW, I'm 1,000,000% in favor of Karma super smart social data gathering. We all have preferences that can be gleaned from smart data capturing that are useful for individual properties to be aware of. You are, after all, actively opting in to all of it. I like to Tweet/IG my stays, and I'm perfectly happy if Kimpton stores pictures of positive amenities in it's state of the art, trendsetting system.
Here's what I like about Kimpton: there is a level of personalization that runs through the veins of the company. I know that KimptonInTouch (Susan) is a real person, with a real personality, who is not parroting corporate-speak at the members on this board. I know that real people are behind the other brands, but I don't know that they're really speaking for themselves, instead of reading from a corporate script handed to them.
A month ago, I was skeptical about the direction Kimpton was headed in, but I'm incredibly deeply appreciative of the engagement that I've seen on this board. I don't know if I'll hit IC for 2015, but I'm no longer actively avoiding Kimpton stays.
Jul 29, 2014, 11:42 pm
#8
Join Date: May 2008
Location: WAS
Programs: AA Ex Plt
Posts: 1,630
It's not the DL or the SPG thread. Be nice. Stay Civil 
(just in case the thread trends in the wrong direction).
Cheers
(just in case the thread trends in the wrong direction).Cheers
Jul 30, 2014, 9:27 am
#9
Join Date: Jul 2005
Programs: Alaska MVP Gold, Costco Executive Member, Safeway Club Card
Posts: 289
Here's what I like about Kimpton: there is a level of personalization that runs through the veins of the company. I know that KimptonInTouch (Susan) is a real person, with a real personality, who is not parroting corporate-speak at the members on this board. I know that real people are behind the other brands, but I don't know that they're really speaking for themselves, instead of reading from a corporate script handed to them.
Jul 30, 2014, 4:57 pm
#10
Company Representative - Kimpton Hotels and Restaurants
Join Date: Mar 2012
Location: San Francisco, CA
Programs: Kimpton Karma Rewards
Posts: 92
Oct 16, 2014, 6:16 pm
#11
Join Date: Oct 2013
Posts: 155
Annual sale in one week advertises "the lowest prices of the year starting at $119" which is odd, as I have harbor court at $110 in December. There will be a double stay credit granted with this offer, so I'm willing to change my rate to $119 in order to get double credit, but then that wouldn't be "the lowest rates of the year"
2 weeks ago about this time, I was at canary(BRG at $124/night) and the power went out, wasn't able to check in on opentable and although I did dine with finch and fork(I had the $25 food no beverage credit after all) I didn't get my 1000 open table points. Since I was able to find that $124 rate, I am under the impression that I will be able to find a rate even lower than that next week during the sale since it will offer "the lowest rates of the year".
Aug 12, 2015, 8:30 pm
#12
Join Date: Mar 2010
Location: IND
Programs: DL PM | Kimpton IC | IHG RA | HH Diamond
Posts: 107
What part of life doesn't reward you for behaviors?