So where we stay, we get upgraded to bigger rooms king sized beds, annually we get some food vouchers... Stuff like that.
And I was thinking. Wow this is such an awesome way to lock in frequent flying customers. Cos now, we always stay at this particular chain of hotels. Why would I bother to stay at another hotel when on biz trips? I'll have a small room, not as nice amenities, etc. Even when we fly on holiday, we may choose to stay at this chain if it's not too much more expensive. Sometimes we get lounge access, free breakfast or free drinks.
Like when we went to Perth, we extended on our own personal cost to stay at our regular chain of hotels cos we get free breakfast and lounge access (free booze) and an upgraded room.
And I thought. Wow, this is brilliant. This allows hotels to lock in frequent flying customers, cos if I'm a frequent flyer, I'd prefer to stay in a bigger room and I really can't be bothered to accumulate points at another hotel chain and start from zero and stay in a small room all over again...
Now of course... The other hotel chains know this. Cos all hotels are playing this game. All of them want to lock in customers. Especially business travellers.
So, many hotels allow status matching... Meaning... If I email another hotel chain and tell them I am XYZ status with hotel H, then they will gladly give me a corresponding status with their own hotel, in an attempt to convert me to stay at their hotel chain instead. Cos if they are able to win me over, then they get another customer who will regularly fly and stay with them.
And naturally, we try to capitalize on this... We try to get a couple of upgraded hotel memberships so that we can have the option of staying at various hotels to give us a better range of options. Usually for our own travel. Cos for her business travel, we can't really change hotels cos the location is convenient and we need to follow the company's approved hotel list.
So I think it's quite fun and good for getting better experience for free...
Except... I actually know people who can't be bothered to do all these things. They can't be bothered to administer even the regular membership program of the hotel that they stay in. Much less hunt for new lobangs and try to get better membership status for other hotels that they don't stay in...
Which I think is pretty expected. If you look at all the other folks who don't capitalize on credit card schemes, bonus interest, rebates, discounts... Why should I be surprised to hear that there are many people who don't capitalize on hotel membership statuses.
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