Is loyalty dead?

[Deleted member 29185]

Silly thread really as I think I already know the answer, but apart from VA and SAA and the others of the aviation industry shunning loyalty, I also just experienced the dreaded Europcar doing the same.

My Europcar experience is as a VIP elite (top tier) customer and as a VIP I am entitled to add a 2nd driver for nicks. I made the booking but rang to advise that my wife would be picking the vehicle up as my flight will be later, to which I was told "that's OK but it needs to be in her name and no loyalty perks"? WTF?? I debated right up to the upper echeleons and to no avail....so I cancelled that and all bookings I had and rang AVIS. They have no loyalty program (in AU at least) but they had no issue in me paying for my wife to pick up using my CC (has the best hire car excess reduction). Where do these clowns get off with such ridiculous conditions??

Honestly, I've decided we're (I'm) better off without status. Has anyone decided something similar?

OH ... EDIT - I forgot to say, AVIS was cheaper for the next car class up!

 

[Mogul]

Loyalty is dead once companies take it for granted. Consumers need a carrot in order to remain loyal take it away and the customer goes.

My VA loyalty has just about ended.

 

[anat0l]

Is loyalty dead? Simple - yes.

(to be elaborated later)

 

[dajop]

Loyalty is not dead. It is just more one sided. Many customers are still fiercely loyal, business perhaps not so much.

 

[Dr Ralph]

Is this a serious question? There is only one possible answer and that is YES.

Play the game according to the new rules.

 

[Cool Cat Phil]

Woolworths have recently learnt the hard way that loyalty can be easily lost.

Frustrate enough of your customers through poorly-researched changes to a loyalty program ( ie: Woolworths about-face with Qantas Points) and customers will walk.

 

[JohnK]

Loyalty seems to have disappeared. Businesses are offering less and less.

Is it worth it?

For me hotel loyalty is marginal at best.

Airline loyalty is good to have and I would go a little out of the way to ensure I have the status.

Couldn't care less about Hire car company loyalty. I go wherever I get the most points.

 

[samh004]

Loyalty is very broad.

Some take it for granted, others do not. In the end all perks slowly erode though.

I'm still loyal to Qantas, wouldn't dream of flying anyone else, however I fly a lot less because their airfares have risen significantly. They probably think I'm not loyal anymore as my flights are down, and they probably believe I am cavorting with other airlines, but I'm not, I just can't fly as much. When I do, they get my business as they look after me. Though that might change when I lose my status as I'm not flying with them enough to maintain it

 

[kpc]

Yes but are we loyal to one company? No....we take out business to whoever gives us the best deal!

 

[serfty]

I'm still trying to come to terms with the OP.

Why were not the status benefits available? Or was Europcar being obstinate?

(I have had second driver collect a car several times over the years - it did require some paperwork but it worked - admittedly that was not with Europcar.)

 

[Steady]

They probably think I'm not loyal anymore as my flights are down, and they probably believe I am cavorting with other airlines

Im a little cynical but I would put money on the fact that QF don't think about you at all, zero, zilch, nada.

IMO the relationship you have with QF atm is 100% one sided

 

[samh004]

Im a little cynical but I would put money on the fact that QF don't think about you at all, zero, zilch, nada.

IMO the relationship you have with QF atm is 100% one sided

I was probably thinking slightly aloof... I'm sure they don't lose sleep over me

 

[dajop]

When referring to loyalty, are we talking about "loyalty programs" that mean things company does to keep you loyal? Or broadly things that do to keep customers loyal?

If the latter, Apple is a polarising example of that, they have devoted group of fiercely loyal customers, that don't need loyalty programs just a new product to buy every six months. And of course many customers that are not.

 

[Milefest]

I don't think it's dead, it can be highly beneficial to businesses to have recurring revenue at the cost of providing their high-value customers perks for their continued loyalty. I think at the moment we're seeing a watering down of these perks in the interests of short term profits. Time will tell if customers think this compromise is fair, in the case of VA, I still think it's unfairly skewed even considering their financial situation.

 

[TonyHancock]

It appears to me that loyalty is something airlines/car rental co's/hotels want their customers to believe in. For me I am in a business relationship where incentives from my suppliers may or may not induce me to avail myself of their products. Currently BA and VA offer me something that makes it worthwhile for me to fly with them. Hilton offers me something that makes me stay at their hotels and Avis is borderline on the car rental front.

What is particularly worrying is my desire to maintain Spire with IHG which is driven by desire not to be of a lower status than my colleagues in the UK and US if we have to stay in the same, dreadful, Holiday Inn somewhere. :shock:

 

[Boca68]

In response to the OP.

There is loyalty and there is loyalty (affected by status, weather, fart odour and/or dress sense)

You have already answered the question. You know it. Loyalty , in the airline/car hire/supermarket etc business, is what you percieve as the benefit for you. You felt slighted by a refusal. And you switched. You have made your loyalty based decision. Or lack there of.

You have the choice to move at anytime. The 'loyalty' provider doesn't . If you think its an inferior product, then move the loyalty, or lack of. Certainly don't sit there expecting something for nothing. No business in their right minds would do that.

 

[Steady]

Sometimes businesses seem to cut off their nose to spite their face as in the OP's case

is IHG Spire worth any more than the level below?

 

[TonyHancock]

is IHG Spire worth any more than the level below?

Doesn't seem so. :shock:

 

[Steady]

Doesn't seem so. :shock:

IHG is doing its best to get me to go elsewhere

 

[anat0l]

The long and short of it is that the word "loyalty" has no meaning any more in the parlance of which it is used to describe the relationship between a customer and a company.

I prefer to call it, mutual extortion. And I think both sides are pretty much as aware as each other as to the dynamics of that kind of relationship.

The few truly "loyal" customers who hold out are generally regarded by the majority as doing so for superficial or disingenuous reasons.