Qantas Club - What price loyalty?

[Rono]

Folks,

My Qantas Club was up for renewal in February this year and it marked 20 years of my membership.

Not a dickie bird of acknowledgement from Qantas - got me wondering - there must be other AFF members out there with way more years membership than me (whether with Qantas or someone else).
Doesn't say a lot for the customer relationship management.

Does no one recognize/reward members with 20+ years membership.
If they do - how do they do it?

Looking forward to your comments.

regards

Rono

 

[harvyk]

20 years as a QP member is certainly impressive in it's own right, but just purchasing access to a lounge probably does not rate on QF's radar. Besides no doubt over those 20 years you'd have received a free-bee or two in the way of reward flights or upgrades which you would not have received had you not signed up to the QP (and by extension QFF) in the first place.

 

[TheInsider]

Didn't Qantas at one stage have one of those life time memberships when they went for cheap?

 

[oz_mark]

Does no one recognize/reward members with 20+ years membership.
If they do - how do they do it?

I know a few places (e.g. motoring clubs) that give discounted membership after x years of service, but overall I would say that any such recognition is the exception rather than the rule.

 

[trippin_the_rift]

Qantas Club is a funny beast - it's reverse marketing. You are paying for your own loyalty.

I agree if you've been shelling out the ~$400/pa for 20 years then it should be recognised, but what would you expect as recognition?

 

[JohnPhelan]

Didn't Qantas at one stage have one of those life time memberships when they went for cheap?

Yes, they did. In fact, QF only stopped offering lifetime memberships about three or four (?) years ago. I got mine a long time ago, was about $3,000, from memory.

 

[oz_mark]

Qantas Club is a funny beast - it's reverse marketing. You are paying for your own loyalty.

Most loyalty programs are designed about getting you to be loyal to a particular supplier, rather than the other way around. It is just more obvious with the paid schemes (including the various paid hotel loyalty schemes)

 

[kpc]

Didn't Qantas at one stage have one of those life time memberships when they went for cheap?

Yes, I bought a lifetime Qantas Club membership (no longer available) in ?2002 for around $2300 (this was after I bought a life time membership with Ansett's Golden Wing club back in ?1998 for around $1700:evil. I have been QF Gold / Plat since 2005 so I have not had great value from my QC life membership either. Also on target to reach LT Qantas Gold in 4 years' time so what I thought was a wise financial decison then to buy lifetime QC membership appears not to be the case now....:shock:

 

[BAM1748]

I'm a member of the Australian Jockey Club (or what ever their new name is this year) and they reward membership loyalty with a discount after only 40 years. How good is that, fantastic.

So why would you think QF would want to reward you after a miserly 20 years.

i think it's pay your money, enjoy their beer and that's it.

matt

 

[harvyk]

Qantas Club is a funny beast - it's reverse marketing. You are paying for your own loyalty.

I agree if you've been shelling out the ~$400/pa for 20 years then it should be recognised, but what would you expect as recognition?

A couple of free drinks perhaps???...........................................Oh.....

 

[eric2011]

Yep, i've been with them since Sep 1993 (coming upto 20 years) and never a "thanks for your support" etc. Why do we continue to be loyal to someone who isnt loyal to us......because there is no where else to go who shows any loyalty

 

[harvyk]

Yep, i've been with them since Sep 1993 (coming upto 20 years) and never a "thanks for your support" etc. Why do we continue to be loyal to someone who isnt loyal to us......because there is no where else to go who shows any loyalty

Wait a second, for your $470 per year, you get a comfortable place to sit in, unlimited beer / wine / spirits (within local RSA laws), free food, free internet (a godsend overseas where you may not have easy access to internet otherwise), free showers, in an often very clean environment compared to facilities out in the main terminal, plus you can take a friend, pretty much every time you fly with QF.

In years gone past I've managed to fly enough (although all on short haul red-e-deals, thus no SG for me) to make each visit cost roughly $11.

What more could you want?

 

[eric2011]

Wait a second, for your $470 per year, you get a comfortable place to sit in, unlimited beer / wine / spirits (within local RSA laws), free food, free internet (a godsend overseas where you may not have easy access to internet otherwise), free showers, in an often very clean environment compared to facilities out in the main terminal, plus you can take a friend, pretty much every time you fly with QF.

In years gone past I've managed to fly enough (although all on short haul red-e-deals, thus no SG for me) to make each visit cost roughly $11.

What more could you want?

Sorry harvyk you miss-understand me. In my case I am not talking about QC, rather just as a loyal QF user who has been with them for 20 years. I understand you when you quote all of those above items but for me I havent recieved even a thank-you

 

[eric2011]

Oh wait...I got an email this morning inviting me to pre-register for the new FF card and even at my existing silver level. I am lucky after all.

 

[harvyk]

Sorry harvyk you miss-understand me. In my case I am not talking about QC, rather just as a loyal QF user who has been with them for 20 years. I understand you when you quote all of those above items but for me I havent recieved even a thank-you

Well, when you have received 7,000 life time SC's, they will reward you with life time silver, you'll get gold when you reach 14,000.
It's as fairer way as any to reward genuine commitment.

One could argue that I've been flying with QF for over 18 years, however until about 6 years ago I was hardly a frequent flyer, with an average of less than 1 flight per year.
I was certainly loyal, chosen them over others when I did fly and I had a choice, but I was hardly going to be changing their bottom line.

 

[eric2011]

Well, when you have received 7,000 life time SC's, they will reward you with life time silver, you'll get gold when you reach 14,000.
It's as fairer way as any to reward genuine commitment.

Sorry, didnt realise that my 20 years wasnt a "genuine commitment" just because I havent earned 7000 status credits. I am not a high flying dykwia just a normal jock off the street who flys as a treat not a nessecity. I guess I will just have to wait till I earn another 3250 status credits until my business is worth something to QF.

Not trying to argue...just put in my tuppence worth

 

[cmon0005]

Although I've had QC before as a Silver, I don't believe QC on its own is a form of loyalty (so to speak) it may feel like it, but really you're just paying some money for a service that is attainable by anyone who wishes to purchase it.

It's kind of "Fuzzy" loyalty where you pay for a service and you like it, so you continue using that service.
Whereas loyalty in a Businesses eye is continued highly profitable repeat business which is why they have Silver, Gold, Platinum, P1.etc. to classify said loyalty.

If QC wasn't available years ago when I first started flying Internationally I may never have worried about becoming a higher status and would probably just be someone who looks for the airline with the lowest fare, but having QC made me really value the experience of travelling (with QF) and made me hungry to seek out more benefits.

 

[Ausbt]

I know a few places (e.g. motoring clubs) that give discounted membership after x years of service.

21 years with the NRMA for me, and I've just decided not to renew. My last car, which I had for 10 years, never needed a single call-out. In fact I never even changed a flat - the space-saver spare was never removed from the back! My current new car came with 3 years roadside courtesy of the manufacturer, so can't see the benefit with NRMA. Plus I hate their politics - many of their directors are anti-cycling and anti-public transport right-wing fascistic clowns. They can shove it! :evil: Qantas ...I'm generally ok with, nice people in the main.

 

[Timba-Jet]

As a broad concept, loyal customers who pay year after year without much thought are the customers that require the least effort to retain. Some would call them lazy customers who just pay.

As a business if you had a limited retention budget where do you allocate those funds, to customers who would generally renew with or without a loyalty bonus or to segments that shop around and need to be wooed.

Now in some respects the above may be changing as us customers have much more access to information to seek better offers. Eg a quick online search as opposed to visiting a branch 20 years ago. Customers are not as loyal as we used to be, and it may not be so wise to not put any effort into us loyal customers.

Also digital channels make it easier for business to send a token thank you.

So maybe Qantas should give us 20 status credits for 20 years loyalty

 

[Hvr]

An interesting proposal but 20 SCs would be next to useless if you don't fly enough to attain at least PS level. Indeed it may even be seen as insulting.

How about 10% FF point bonus for QC members of 20 years plus? At least they would get something tangible and it is only paid when they actually fly a trip that earns more than the minimum 1000 QFF points.