Retrospective Loyalty Points Deduction?

Forums › Travel (planes, train, cruise) › Retrospective Loyalty Points Deduction?

tchart

2379 posts

Uber Geek

ID Verified

Trusted

#173340 20-May-2015 09:40

I'm sure I will get varying opinions on this but here goes.

The other day I noticed my loyalty points for a well known organisation had dropped without notice. I checked to see if any points had expired etc but that wasn't the case so I queried this with the organisation.

They've come back and said there was a IT issue that affected a small number of customers and they have retrospectively fixed the issue - it occurred 6 months ago in my case.

I've called them on the bad PR for zero communications on this but I feel some what aggrieved that they retrospectively deducted points for something which was their issue.

Given it affected (in their words) "a small number of customers" surely they should just wear the cost of the issue?

Thoughts?

MikeB4

18435 posts

Uber Geek

ID Verified

Trusted

#1308214 20-May-2015 09:54

I wonder what the action would have been if you had used the points already and had a zero balance?

nathan

5695 posts

Uber Geek
Inactive user

#1308242 20-May-2015 10:19

MikeB4: I wonder what the action would have been if you had used the points already and had a zero balance?

you would have to assume, nothing would happen

wasabi2k

2096 posts

Uber Geek

#1308248 20-May-2015 10:26

So you've got 3 options:

1. Communicate to everyone what happened, admit fault.
2. Just fix it, don't communicate.
3. Don't fix it, wear the cost.

It's a fight club plane conversation issue - if the blowback from 2 costs less than 1, then just do 2. If you can get away with 2, don't bother with 3.

If you consider that a lot of people wouldn't notice or assume they messed up, I can guess which option would be preferable for the company in question.

Having seen the same thing happen in what is probably a more emotionally charged industry - I am 100% not surprised.

late edit: If you have a read of a lot of the loyalty points agreements you sign they are entitled to do pretty much whatever, whenever, however they like. They could change their policies to expire all points tomorrow and not tell you.

wellygary

8315 posts

Uber Geek

#1308522 20-May-2015 14:47

They've come back and said there was a IT issue that affected a small number of customers and they have retrospectively fixed the issue - it occurred 6 months ago in my case.

I'm still confused why they have deducted the points

Did they erroneously give you extra points and then reverse it?

Did you use the points and they didn't deduct them at the time?

BlueShift

1692 posts

Uber Geek

#1308539 20-May-2015 15:10

Maybe you read the terms wrong - the card is no so much to reward your loyalty, as to test your loyalty...