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Bill Hanifin
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I am a frequent flyer of Delta Airlines and have a Marriott credit card and enjoy the benefits that I get from using both companies (I like free flights and frequent flyer miles). I just booked a “free” vacation using both vendors and feel pretty good about my loyalty to them, and their loyalty back.
Loyalty is built based on consumer relationships as they are rewarded for their long term relations with a company. Loyalty programs are supposed to be used to benefit long term value and reduce retention, but has the apple cart begun to spoil?
Is loyalty becoming nothing more than a price match war as we see every day in the marketing world?
I recently was introduced to a few web sites that are a bit troublesome: Flyertalk.com and Statusmatcher.com:
- Flyer talk is filled with frequent flyer users and you can actually learn many good points and tips when it comes to traveling.
- Both Statusmatcher and Flyertalk also show you how easy it is to call up other vendors and receive the same status level that it took you some time to earn through your dedication to those very same companies.
For example, I am a Delta Gold Medallion customer-here is an example of what statusmatcher will do when you go to their site:
Delta Gold to United Airlines Premier Executive
Fax to United a copy of your Delta statement, a copy of your membership card, and a description of the status you would like (Premier Executive).
Contact Name: Mileage Plus Customer Service
Phone: 1-800-421-4655
Fax: 605-341-6140
Bingo! It is as easy as that! Send a fax over to United and boom, same status. Where is the loyalty for me in flying Delta versus someone who flies United or vice versa and simply becomes a Premier or Gold customer? Are we going to see dedicated flyers bumped if their status isn’t as high as someone who only flies the airlines only some of the time?
Here is another example:
Marriott Silver to Hyatt Platinum
Sign up for the Hyatt Gold Passport program online. Fax the following information to Hyatt (see above number): Gold Passport Number, Marriott statement showing 10 stays and Silver status.
Contact Name: Gold Passport
Phone: 800-228-3360
Fax: 402-593-9449
How much are these programs devalued when it is so easy to get the goods so easily at competitors? It will be interesting to see how these programs evolve in the near future.
Editor’s note: LOTS!
