Marriott CEO Sorenson: “(Program Merger) Little Bit More Bumpy Than We Anticipated”

Marriott CEO Sorenson has been on a tour in the Middle East and had opened up about losing the former Starwood flagship properties to Hilton in Dubai (read more here) and the state of program merger.

This is the same CEO that called SPG members (read more here) rabid (too fanatical about their program) and most recently asked members to stick around while they try to stabilize the platform (read more here).

You can access Marriott here.

Here’s an excerpt from Gulf News (access their piece here):

One of the biggest points of discussion to emerge out of the $13 billion acquisition by Marriott of rival Starwood Hotels and Resorts has been the merging of loyalty programmes.

Earlier this year, David Flueck, Marriott’s senior vice president for global loyalty, said that bringing the technology together had been “a very challenging undertaking.”

Responding to this, Sorenson said that while Marriott “knew it would be complicated, it was probably a little bit more bumpy than we anticipated … and the bulk of the chatter has really been around that.”

But more importantly, he said, was how Marriott had done with the substance of the rules.

“By and large I think we’ve navigated that pretty well,” Sorenson said.

“Among 110 to 115 million loyalty members, there’ll be some noise around the edges.”

Here are issues that we have covered that I don’t believe are just “noise around the edges”:

• SPG Data Integration Issues (Report Yours Here)
• It’s Monday & SPG Side Doesn’t Have Access To Booking Systems
• What Was Marriott Thinking & Trust Left?
• Update: Mr. Marriott’s Office Of Consumer Affairs (Customer Relations Escalation) Can No Longer Be Reached Via Phone
• RANT: New SPG Number & Consequences
• Marriott Make A Green Choice-Program Points Earned Cut By 67% At Starwood Hotels
• Marriott Rewards Travel Package Downgrade & Attachment Troubles
• Reader Email: Marriott Cheated Me John!
• Reader Rant: SPG Award Reservations Canceled & Points Gone?
• Marriott’s Starwood Priority? Get The Bible & Book Of Mormon To 300,000 Rooms!
• Reader Question: “That’s nice, we are Marriott.” – Where To Go?
• Reader Email: Going insane with Marriott (Cannot Login & Password Reset Done 30 Times)
• How To Contact Marriott Rewards & SPG During These Difficult Times (Without Being On Hold For Hours)?
• Reader Question: Why No Coverage Of Marriott’s Lies Towards Their Elite Customers?
• Marriott & SPG Program Merger Two Weeks Later (Report Your Issues!)
• SPG Account Update: Gained 10 Nights For 2018 & Lost 50 Lifetime Nights
• Reader Question: Lounge Access As Platinum Amenity At Legacy SPG Brand Past Merger?
• Reader Question: SPG Platinum Amenity Gone After Merger ? (When Lounge Is Closed)
• Reader Email: Marriott & SPG Booking Woes!
• Marriott Rewards Pulling A Fast One With SPG Best Rate Guarantee Claims
• Marriott “Green Choice” Or Greedy Choice? (Housekeeping Hours Cut)
• Marriott / SPG Platinum Elite Amenity: Breakfast vs Mediocre Points Credit – What To Choose?
• Reader Email: SPG/Marriott Merger Problems Rant!
• Marriott & SPG Ambassadors Moving From 200 To 300 Clients?
• One Month After Marriott Rewards & SPG Merger Blunder (Report Outstanding Issues)
• Reader Question: SPG/Marriott Merger – Still Don’t Have Correct Lifetime Platinum Premier Elite Status?
• Reader Email: The Marriott/SPG Gets Worse – Status Dropped From Reservations?
• Reader Question: Trouble Contacting Marriott Rewards & Where To Go?
• Reader Email: Is Marriott The New Black Hole? (Ambassador Program Issues)
• Marriott & SPG Merger Madness Continues: Hotels Losing Guest Stay History & Some Status
• NYT: “Marriott’s Merger of Hotel Rewards Programs Tests Members’ Loyalty”
• Marriott Rewards Deceives Members On Points To Miles Conversions
• Employee Strikes Now Affecting 23 Marriott Hotels Around The US (Book Away!)
• Reader Email: Marriott Rewards Award Disaster & Customer Service Of No Help!
• Marriott Rewards Email Alert: Points Expiring In 23 MONTHS!
• Reservation Management Function On SPG App & Website (Marriott Skin) Now Entirely Useless

Conclusion

You have to bear in mind that when they talk about 110 to 115 million program members perhaps 85% to 90% of those don’t even stay or are active within the program in any given year and thus not even affected by this mess they created.

Most impacted are the higher value (Marriott words not mine) SPG members whose accounts were converted to Marriott’s unstable platform on August 18, 2018 when the system simple was neither ready nor properly tested. Numerous problems have lingered ever since.

The program were mostly on the right track until the mess that took place on August 18, 2018. Marriott should have known better and have competent team in place to lead this project.