Late in 2013 I saw an offer for the Hyatt Visa credit card from Chase Bank. It appeared to be the standard offer offering two free nights in any Hyatt with Platinum Status but there was an obvious error in the fine print. It stated Diamond status instead of Platinum status as long as you were a cardholder. Well, it did not take a rocket scientist to understand how incredibly valuable this offer was. Light bulbs went off! The offer appeared to be targeted but the website allowed everyone to apply for the card. As this was a card I had never had before I thought it was definitely worth a shot! So I did and was instantly approved.
I laid low and did my minimum spending. In the meantime I followed the appropriate thread in Flyertalk and touched base with a few others. Very soon after this was discovered ( I believe it was the next day!) Hyatt Gold Passport came out and said the offer was an error and always supposed to be Platinum instead of Diamond status. They also said that they would honor the Diamond offer for everyone who was originally targeted and applied before the error was discovered. I certainly was not targeted and I knew it. It would certainly help if the web application did not allow anyone who was not targeted to apply. But this appears to be an IT issue by itself.
I had the fortune of being a beneficiary of Fairmont Lifetime Platinum status a few years ago. Of course I was not going down without a fight. So, I contacted Hyatt Gold Passport’s main customer service by email only to receive a useless reply and wondering if the person replying even read my email. I then contacted by a Fedex letter the head of the Hyatt Gold customer service and stated my case, always being very nice and praising the company (which I do hold in high respect, this is no Wyndham Rewards or Hilton HHonors folks!). I shamelessly even tried to push my “influential blogger” status (please laugh) and only in the end made a very short statement informing them I will take other measures if this is not resolved to my satisfaction.
Some time passed and finally received a reply by email again sticking to their guns. It appears the company is doing that with everyone involved. Others are continuing the fight by filing complaints with CPFB, attorney generals and some even contemplating suing in small claims court. Not me. I am not going to fake the injustice done against me and go on crazy rants about consumer rights and evil corporations (hey, this is not a bank!). I know when to fold them. Mistakes happen. I hope the person making the mistake did not get fired and was given a second chance, I would lose sleep if someone lost their job because of trouble I made (by continuing the fight for lifetime Diamond status, how ludicrous and self absorbing is that!).
So, lessons learned:
- When you see something, you need to decide AND act fast!
- Hope for the best and expect the worst
- Fight back and talk to people who can make decisions (I should have gone straight to Jeff Zidell, head of Hyatt Gold Passport perhaps)
- Respect a company that admits a mistake and clearly lays out how they are going to handle it. And sticking to it.
- Don’t be an asshole and mention/try class action lawsuit (this is a personal thing, nothing against people who do it but would likely not going to hang out with you in the next meetup lol)
- You win some, you lose some. Life goes on. There will be another deal around the corner. I am moving on and sure going to enjoy the Andaz hotel in Maui in April!
I gained even more respect for Hyatt for handling the matter this way. You can read the review of my favorite Hyatt in Thessaloniki Greece here.
Here is a picture in the lobby of the Seattle Hyatt Place. My kids wanted to move back to it from the Seattle Westin in our Mega trip in 2012.
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First?
This is first. You have arrived in the pantheon of the most interesting TBB readers in the world now 🙂
I’m all for trying to get in on mistake fares, mistake offers, etc, but I don’t like the sense of entitlement that leads certain coupon queen personalities to file CFPB complaints, lawsuits, etc when things don’t go their way.
I agree again. I could fight this a little more but just does not feel right. I know some others got some Hyatt GP points thrown in their way, I got nada. Oh well. Life moves on.
Kudos! I too hate the sense of entitlement that’s so prevalent in our crowd. I have the same philosophy; won’t mind benefiting from a mistake, but I won’t keep fighting.
Ha! “coupon queen personalities” is the best descriptor I have read yet – fits to a T!
The CFPB was not created to protect flyertalkers trying to take advantage of mistakes. I often wonder if those who constantly file complaints with government agencies are willing to support higher taxes to pay for the manpower they waste.
Hey George,
(Insert shameless plug here)
Not sure if you know about this Diamond benefit, but it may be enough to make you jump through some hoops and give Hyatt some more love. I know it has for me!
http://first2board.com/thedealmommy/cruise-re-deux-platinum-mlife-sails-via-hyatt-diamond-high-seas/
(and I got my Diamond Status the old fashioned way, through a challenge)
I will take a look, thanks.
Just got back from my Royal Caribbean cruise benefit. I didn’t take the free cruise, but instead took the credit. It does indeed work, but I wouldn’t necessarily seek out Diamond status just for this.
I don’t think this will be around for much longer. When I talked to the travel agent, he said they were in the process of restructuring the program. It’s really only made for true MLife Platinum members who gamble heavily. Mlife Plat members who get it through “non-casino” play (such as Hyatt status match) technically shouldn’t qualify.
This isn’t about Hyatt or Greece. However, if you trusted TCB enough to give it a second shot, you could get an Amex GC with no fees and 3% back and effectively have an Amex GC that earned ~8% everywhere. (Or use Big Crumbs and have a card that earned ~7.1% back.) That’s what I would do in your position.
Thanks again. Got your email, just no time to respond. I am fine with 5% for now for the most part. It’s become routine. But local CBS stores go dry much quicker lately.
Hey neighbors, leave some for the bloggers por favor!
Despite common belief that everyone can only do a Hyatt diamond trial once in their lifetime, my wife was told by Hyatt that “we would allow you to try the program again the next time it is offered.” How that actually pans out and if they hold true to their words is another story . . .
Really? Very interesting, good to know. Thanks!