Priority Privilege Membership Renewal Promises!!!!

[franky3844]

I have had my PP membership for the last couple of years and this year decided that as I had hardly used it last year not to renew. I tend to use the Accor membership much more and there are many more choices here in Australia.
Of course the calls have now started asking me to reconsider. A few weeks ago, I asked the first guy I spoke to - to give me an idea of prices in Brisbane knowing there was not any option in Brisbane at the moment. He called back later with some prices and when I queried him about where the hotel was - he assued me it was just out of the CBD. yep - Surfers!!!
I was also told by him that from now on - PP members did not got through the website but they have their on concierge and you call them and they do all your bookings.
I still decided not to renew.

Last week I had another call - this time from his supervisor? Anyway this new guy (not sure if I should say his name) promised all the normal benefits plus my vouchers that I did not use can be carried over, also the $100 dining as well as monthly email specials that were so long (over 14 pages in all) that he could not possible tell me them all.
And best of all seeing I had been a member for so many years!! (2) and they didn't want to lose me they would upgrade me to a foundation member status.

Now apparantly foundation members are people who have had their membership for 6 years or more and they pay $450 per year for their membership instread of the $299. But they get so many more benefits and one of the main benefits is that you can stay on a regualr floor and have access to the club floor at all times.
Seeing as they do not want to lose me - I can have this for the normal price of $299 along with eveything else he promised.

He is calling back this morning for my answer and says will try to find some more sweeteners to throw in as well - gee I must be a huge loss to them!!!
He also promised that if I stay next year on the Gold Coast Crown Plaza - I can have access to their club floor and also the club floor at the Crown Plaza on the Sunshine Coast!!

Now I made some calls and neither of these places have a club floor!! I'v also just gotten off the phone from the Intercontinenal in Melbourne asking if I book a regular room - as a PP foundation member- can I have access to club floor and guess what - No one has even heard of this and NO - I cannot.

Has anyone else had these promises - or heard of these things????

I can hardly wait for the guy to call me back this morning and see what he says to my research

Any advice greatly appreciated - but must say not leaving a nice taste in my mouth at PP

franky3844

 

[Mal]

They traditionally have a hard sell, and yes I've heard similar clangers.

IMHO they are so close to false advertising at the moment, they need to be investigated by Fair Trading or similar.

You simply can't offer information that is patently false. It's a shame I haven't recorded a call from them....

The annoying thing is that membership is actually worthwhile if you stay in their hotels or dine in their restaurants.

 

[franky3844]

And even better - to top it off - my guy has just called and gave me some prices for Gold Coast next year. I asked again about Club Floor access and he said of course, I asked if he knew anything about it and told me he has stayed there and taken his wife there!!!
I told him I called and there is no such floor - he said yes there is - I will get the manager of the Crown Plaza Surfers to call me. I asked while he is organising that please ask the Intercontintal manager to call me as well and explain why they told me I cannot have access to the Club Floor in Melbourne!!!
lol - waiting to hear back
Thinking when he calls back -I am going to tell him this call is recorded!!

 

[Ricardo]

I had pretty much the same phone call last week, with the same offers, got an extra few vouchers and a free bottle of wine voucher into the bargin. You need to take what they 'offer' with a grain of salt. I have complained numerous times about the 'hard sell' tactics but nobody seems to listen. So maybe a call to fair trading would be in order, as they obvsiouly have no idea of the product they represent of behalf of IHG. In saying this I have never had any issue using any of the vouchers for anything, so the program does suit my situation, just not the sales pitch, strech them for everything and complain if you dont get what you want to your 'concierge'.

In addition my wife has worked for the current manager of the CP Surfers (David Brown) as I to had a similar coversation about the so called CP Surfers Club Lounge !!!!!

 

[fall502]

I joined again this year after letting my membership lapse due to broken promises on sign up. Contacted by PP and was promised so called extras including a free bottle of wine. Took up the offer after the 3rd or 4th call. Received the membership kit and had to make another phone call for the wine. Agree with the other comments regarding the 'offers/extras' but have found the program to be worthwhile this year.

One thing that did annoy me was that I used the 2for1 night certificate at the IHC Sydney and that as an Ambassador I am guaranteed an upgrade to the next best room which IHC Sydney would not honor. Their argument was that this certificate could not be used with any other offer. I stated that this was not an offer but a benefit of the Ambassador program and that there are no restrictions placed upon Ambassador benefits except when staying on Rewards Nights. They disagreed. Never had problems with certificates at any other IHC and will not use this hotel again.

 

[Jama]

I too got all the same promises. I did renew but the promise of rolling over unused vouchers didn't happen. Given I didn't record the call, not something you would consider necessary, I can't really do anything about it. The foundation member thing sounds like a con. I am a Platinum Priority member which offers upgrades and the like, it costs me nothing and has far more value, still don't get automatic club floor where it exists. The only bonus that PP gives is the dinning discount, I ignore the free night as it simple cancels out the annual cost if you use it, but you still also need to pay for a night to use it.

I tend to stay more with Accor due to availability. Sadly Accor's AP customer service is pretty rubbish though.

 

[markis10]

The benefits are when they have a BOGO no cert required special, I think I had 20 free nights in the last 12 months.

 

[franky3844]

Quick update and thanks for all comments.
My guy called back again this morning and started off saying how he had spoken to the manager Steve!!!! in Gold Coast - before I let him go any further I told him that I was recording our conversation.
He then got a bit flustered and said he had to apologise to me as Gold Coast had no Club rooms, also neither did Sunshine Coast as he had indicated - in fact none of the Crown Plazas did - only Intercontinentals (again another thing wrong). He had actually stayed in Sydney at ICN and had got that and Gold Coast confused as he stays so many places.
Then said that foundation members do get club access but only if staying for 6 consecutive nights.
I ended up asking his name, surname and location and told him he was going to be reported as this could not go on and he really needs to have a think about how he is trying to make his sales.
Ended in another apology.
I then called PP and spoke to a manager there and told her my story. She has asked me to email her my story and she would follow up. She kept apologising on his behalf - not her fault but he definitely should be reprimanded which I am sure is going to happen.
She also confirmed that even when I thought he was finally telling me the truth - he was still lying through his teeth - the rotten sod.
There is no such thing as a foundation member!!!!! and also he had told me in an earlier conversation that he had to be telling me the truth as all his calls were recorded - again not true.
Anyway my email has been sent.
And I am hoping something will be done.

I loved the PP product but as I told them - there is no way I would ever consider joining again after what has happened to me and I presume many many others.

 

[Ricardo]

I think they are a 'marketing' company who are possibly paid by commission or something similar which might explain the 'hard sell'. Markis may know more being the PC/PP/AMB guru.

And yes I agree the BOGO no cert deals are a winner !!

Hopefully the IC Sanctuary Cove will come to being shortly .....

 

[Jama]

I loved the PP product but as I told them - there is no way I would ever consider joining again after what has happened to me and I presume many many others.

Agreed. I have no intention of renewing again after all the lies last time.

 

[serfty]

I am here to state that unless the salesperson uses a third party telephone, then all such calls would be recorded.

It just needs a flag (time/date, sales rep, customer etc.) to pull the recording up.

Best I had was being offered "Priority Club membership for Free".

 

[Jama]

Best I had was being offered "Priority Club membership for Free".

I guess the question is. Did it happen ?

 

[serfty]

I guess the question is. Did it happen ?

I was already Platinum ... but no ... I'd already had enough of that sort of rubbish when I canned Adv+!

 

[dcm]

"There is no such thing as a foundation member!!!!!"

That's strange, because my PP card has "Foundation Member" stamped on it. I presumed that this was because I must have joined when the program started. It hasn't cost me any extra and I am not aware of any special privileges, but they did send a nice travel wallet!

 

[oz_mark]

There was a time I was a Foundation Member (at the moment, I am more of a Lapsed Member). It seemed to mean exactly nothing.

 

[Mal]

Through an affiliate link, I can get a cash rebate of $40 when signing up (or renewing) - so it's easy to assume that the pushy sales people are being paid between $30 and $50 per sign-up/renewal.

One per hour....

 

[k_sheep]

I mistakenly signed up for a pile of their lies a few years ago. Called them on their lies, and demanded a refund. Got it. Never touched them again, will actually go so far as to avoid their properties. Talk about shooting yourself in the foot!

 

[straitman]

I mistakenly signed up for a pile of their lies a few years ago. Called them on their lies, and demanded a refund. Got it. Never touched them again, will actually go so far as to avoid their properties. Talk about shooting yourself in the foot!

Interesting comment as it is so very easy to get way more value from there scheme than the cost of the program.

 

[serfty]

Interesting comment as it is so very easy to get way more value from there scheme than the cost of the program.

But then you need to stays at ICH's ... :shock:

 

[Austman]

But then you need to stays at ICH's ... :shock:

OR eat at them.

(the 2-for-1 dining I use quite a lot)