Thomson Loyalty Scheme

[Grez]

Remember in the Q+A when the often promised Thomson loyalty scheme turned out to be a monthly e-mail and possibly a bottle of wine in your cabin? That to me seemed as though there was going to be no proper loyalty scheme, but the Social Media team are still promising that it is coming -

 

Hi Jack, Thanks for your post. We're currently looking into implementing a loyalty scheme, so please be assured that this is something we've got in the pipeline. However, if you'd like us to stop calling you to offer you upgrades, please private message us your booking reference so we can take you off the call list. ^Christina

Like · Reply · 14 December at 13:55

 

Do you think this is the case, or are they just having people on, knowing full well they are never going to launch one?

[kruzseeka]

Remember in the Q+A when the often promised Thomson loyalty scheme turned out to be a monthly e-mail and possibly a bottle of wine in your cabin? That to me seemed as though there was going to be no proper loyalty scheme, but the Social Media team are still promising that it is coming -

 

Hi Jack, Thanks for your post. We're currently looking into implementing a loyalty scheme, so please be assured that this is something we've got in the pipeline. However, if you'd like us to stop calling you to offer you upgrades, please private message us your booking reference so we can take you off the call list. ^Christina

Like · Reply · 14 December at 13:55

 

Do you think this is the case, or are they just having people on, knowing full well they are never going to launch one?

 

Last year in the Q&A Fraser said he was looking into a loyalty scheme. What I had hoped for and I suspect others would also have wished to see was something more in line with Thomson 's competitors.

From Fraser's response to this year's Q&A it seems he has decided instead to give 'little thank-yous' e.g. a bottle of wine in your cabin. You are even asked on the Customer Evaluation forms if you have received such recognition. Now that is all very nice and appreciated too - we got a bottle of bubbly on arrival on our recent cruise but a loyalty scheme in the sense of what you get from other cruise lines - it is not. It seems as though they are just paying lip service to the notion.

Even if it wasn't as generous as their competitors it's not much for people who have invested so much loyalty, emotional attachment and thousands of pounds over the years to Thomson.

One couple on board this week had done 50 cruises with them - they really should have more than a bottle of wine - of course they may have had but it all seems very random. At what point do you qualify and is there any scale of enhanced reward for such as them?

 

I would sincerely hope the new CEO will come in with a fresh perspective and try to see things from the customers' point of view but whatever they do I would suggest they need to make it;

Fair, consistent and transparent. :rolleyes:

 

But to answer your question Grez unless the new CEO has a different view I suspect that's it - sadly!

[Huddersfieldtourist]

An issue Thomson would face with any loyalty scheme is errors and omissions. Also third party bookings - for example if you have always gone with say your partner and he is the lead name ( Fred Smith ) but you now go as a second named party on a booking with someone else ( say your sister ) and your name is ( elsie jones ) how do you expect Thomson to recognise you from this ? I use this as just one of many examples of potential issues.

 

Without no formal loyalty scheme there can be no such errors and Thomson seem to be trying to reward those it is aware of whenever possible it would seem. Some got a bottle of wine, some got canapes via the Matire D on the recent TA for example.

 

I can see both sides of the issue. The difficulties faced by Thomson and whether there should be a scheme and if so how it should operate fairly.

 

I am sure Thomson will want to retain loyal customers and perhaps some of their loyalty reward to past customers is trying to recognise their requests and ideas put forward which to those people would be worth more than a free photograph or £25 on board spend or whatever.

[davetrucker]

"I am sure Thomson will want to retain loyal customers and perhaps some of their loyalty reward to past customers is trying to recognise their requests and ideas put forward which to those people would be worth more than a free photograph or £25 on board spend or whatever."

I do not think so I recently contacted care @thomson and got no satisfaction ,so I e-mailed the MD of cruises via care .I got a reply from them saying that it had been passed to his team but not reply from them also wrote to him and guess what no reply. Does that sound like a company that wants to keep loyal customers

Edited December 27, 2013 by davetrucker