Wow, I can't believe I missed this one. I never got an email and I DID hit refresh on my browser numerous times yesterday because I was trying to book a stay and wanted to get the triple Starpoint promotion here in Southern CA - and no mention of the promo there either.

I needed to book an award stay coming up next week in London and I like to use points in London because of the exchange rate. I was about 1000 pts shy in my account for a fifth night free promo so I did a mattress run last night at the Century Plaza Hotel in LA just so I could have enough points to book the London award stay.

Then I come home to find this and find out that the 5 nights would have cost me 37,500 pts. - which I had in my account so no need for last nights mattress run.

I just hung up with the Platinum Concierge who was extremely apologetic and gracious about the matter and he did mention that he was watching this thread here at FlyerTalk :)

He gave me a number to call on Monday to see if there was anything that could be done and also booked my fifth night free award stay at the Belgravia even though the stay credits for last nights mattress run hadn't hit my account yet...

Wonder how this will turn out?

For some reason I can't get any emails from Starwood right now. Not for this, several reservations I've made, or a missing stay request. I've recieved emails for years...

I fully admit I received the email, but am a tad disappointed at the very BRIEF window as the promo was designed. With a household move going on at my home, and a very busy week as schools are ending and kids going in all directions already....we did not have the time, nor take the time, last week to stop and do "vacation planning" in response to this promo. And if we had, it might well have been set to end on TODAY, Sunday, not on a SAT (i rather think a SUN night might be more typical and desireable SUSPENSE from a customer's perspective)...so darts to spg for ending a promo on a SAT night at midnight for pete's sake...and double darts for a short-fuse, email only promo like this (email is getting to be a poor communications technique in terms of dependability - read the trade rags in the IR industry). Yes, the gesture was nice...but who thought this one up ? Looks almost like one of those silly AMEX-inspired double points promos...you know...the ones where AMEX was setting up min spending thresholds that exceeded cardholders' credit lines. Duh.

Gosh...I get postcards for spg promos all over the world, and timeshares,, and such, so I know the "junk mail" hard mail system works fine...seems spg could have sent out a 35¢ postcard and given us more than a week to work plans out. Internal email systems are robust, protected, and useful...relying on external emails, single notice, when time and time again we know the system is fraight w/ problems (spam, spam catchers, spy vs spy, fraud, et al)...is an odd way to run a business and to thanks us PLATS for supporting spg in the freddys. Methings a combination of email and postcard mail alerts would have been called for here.

One could almost say this promo was designed to see how *few* would actually take them up on the offer. A sort of "minimalist" promotion...so they could say they offered it, but, alas, few took them up on it.

Oh well.

No e-mail, just good ol FT. Cashed in for three nights at Monarch Beach. Works out to close to a nickel per point.

Perhaps SPG should post their promos here. The mail would not have worked on this one. Your card would have arrived a week after the promo ended.

Trouble Shooting Dept
 

Greetings all,

Just curious here .....
Are there any other Platinums out there that did not get the email communication regarding this recent 25% off award Freddie celebration promotion ?

Over the years for some reason I seem to miss a small amount of communications from SPG.
I am not sure what causes the problem :confused:
I know SPG has my email as I get most mailings.
I'd be very interested to know if there are others.

There was also a free magazine subscription email for Platinums I did not receive either.
That one however may have been targeted.
But this one as I understand it was open to all Platinum members.

Appreciate any feedback

Well...I guess there were 'several' of us Plats that did not thus notification. As I said in my earlier post, this is just reason for me to consider taking my business elsewhere. As an SPG member who voted for SPG for the all applicable Freddie categories...this is quite a thank you. NOT. :td:

I posted (#21) that I did not get the email. William replied

"The idea that this email is going to land in every SPG Platinum member's email box simultaneously is an unrealistic expecation.

Usually, these are sent in batches. If you have an email account attached to your Starwood Preferred Guest account, have opted in to receive emails from us, then it will be sent to you. If it still never arrives, it could be because of your browser security settings, or it could have been diverted to your bulk email folder, or there could be a problem that neither of us are aware of that needs to be addressed.

Sincerely,


William R. Sanders
Customer Service Coordinator
Starwood Preferred Services"

I then went to SPG to check if I'm signed up for everything - I was, then I checked my browser securty settings - they were okay; then I checked my bulk/junk email folders - nothing from SPG. I called up comcast - my ISP asked if they had any filters I should be aware of - nothing.

I think the problem is with SPG's IT department and the programs they use to do bulk mailing. I don't think those folks know there a**es from their elbows. I can't imagine the marketing department would be stupid enough to email the promotion to only a sample of PLT's, when the promo was open to all PLT's and posted on their website (if you hit it right - another IT success).

Either way, I think the way this "Thank You" was handled was done poorly, again making PLT's - their loyal customer base angry. :td:

Cyberspace Unsolved mystery
 

OOPs sorry I missed the earlier posts. Duh :D
This thread was going on 7 pages and I didn't take the time to read them :(

I think the intended gesture was wonderful by the good folks at Starwood.
But there are certainly some improvements that could be looked at IMO with regard to the IT departments handling of these future mailings.What they might look at is beyond my scope of current understanding.

I have made such reports to SPG on such similar issues in the past.
When changes to the SPG terms and conditions were made a few yeas ago for example I never received that mailing either.
And some other assorted email communications along the way.
The odd thing is I do receive in my estimation the lion's share of mailings.
As I also understood it by the Customer Service at SPG the recent offering by SPG for the 25% off was also communicated by phone if you called the Platinum line as well.

I agree some improvement needs looking at by the correct parties not limited to this promotional mailing.
There is and has been a limited ongoing problem and I agree it probably has something to do with the IT department.
Or the mysterious dreaded cyberspace email SPG communication gobbler crusher :D

As I had no plans to book further award travel it doesn't concern me at present but could in the future.
I certainly wouldn't begin to let it affect my short term or long term relationship with Starwood either way.
It was after all meant as a goodwill gesture.
Besides when I look at my relationship with SPG through the years it's been one incredible party and journey in and out of it's loyalty program. I thank all at Starwood for the experience.

However I would certainly bring the problem up and report it to SPG because it can not be looked at or resolved without it being politely voiced .
If anyone has a copy of the promotion I would greatly appreciate them forwarding it and seeing it what it looks like.
I save much of SPG promotional history through the years saved on my computer and would like to add this to the collection
Thanks for the feedback all

Same here . I saved 7k on my upcoming SFO trip with the wife at the end of June ^

I get things form Starwood all the time but never received this email even as a Plat :(

I'm plat and never received an email. I am on the 'opt-in' list and receive all sorts of stuff from *wood. Why I didn't get this, I don't know. Makes me wonder what else I'm missing. Now I wish I didn't read Flyertalk, 'cause now I'm a bit ticked I wasn't able to get in on this.

I am also set-up to get all offer emails.

I just called Corporate Services (800-328-6242) and let them know how upset I was that we didn't all get emails for this offer. The lady I spoke to was also a bit confused after she looked into the promo code, only to find that "it was set-up as a targeted promo, however the code looks vaid for all platinums."

So apparently Starwood is now only thanking *select* Platinums for winning them Freddie awards. Good to know my positive reviews, and more importantly, $$$$ to Starwood (for all my stays) didn't help them.

If you can, I urge you all to call corporate services and show your disapproval at the way this promo was handled. They owe it to us to fix this problem, and offer a Round 2 for the promo.

(I am moments away from moving to Marriott Rewards....)

I just did the same thing. I was told by a rep in Cork that yes it was targetted and no she didn't know why. She told me she was already asked that question today and has a call into marketing to find out why. I asked her how they selected the PLTs to receive the email as I was one who voted, and voted for SPG. She was quite apologetic about the situation, almost embarrassed, but was waiting for an answer.

She told me she would get back to me with an answer tomorrow. I don't think there is an acceptable answer, not if marketing decided to target a "Thank you." :td:

Never got an email...
 

bummer. I guess all Plats must not have been eligible. I got something about buying gift cards, but I never received a 25% off Starpoint email. I had so much company that I didn't even touch Flyertalk during that time either. Any chance they'll let us get in on this if we didn't get the email?

I seriously doubt that Starwood intended this for select Platinums.
My call to the contact center last night advised me that it was open previously to all Platinum members.
I'm sure there will be plenty more excellent earning and redemption opportunities with Starwood down the road.

However if I was going to run from or consider something other then Starwood Preferred Guest I would not probably consider Marriott Rewards as my first choice.But to each their own ;) :)

Who you gonna believe, William or some random CSR? This offer was "targetted" at ALL platinums, they just blew (or further targetted) the notifications. If they care to right this wrong, they should extend the offer and provide ample notification this time around.