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Loews Hotels has announced that it will be terminating its YouFirst Loyalty program effective December 6, 2018. The move comes as no great surprise since it must be incredibly difficult to run a loyalty program with only 24 properties in the US and Canada. Interestingly, Loews say that they will continue to recognize their best customers without the need for a program, although they have not given any details on how this will work.
Loews stated that “YouFirst isn’t enticing or relevant” and that the benefits provided by the program don’t meet their guests’ needs. This raises a couple of questions. First, why not listen to their customers’ feedback and change the program to meet their needs? Next, why is Loews unwilling to go the extra mile and make the program enticing and relevant, instead of giving up and shutting it down?
Our Take
Loews is by no means the first or last hotel loyalty program to close down. Fortunately, Loews has given 6 months’ notice to members, so if you are one you have plenty of time to plan, and extract any benefits due before handing back your card.
Source: View From The Wing
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This is incredibly disappointing as we used the program, frequently, for Portofino Bay hotel at Universal Orlando. The benefits made staying at Portofino, or one of the other onsite hotels, more affordable. Loews has just lost a very loyal customer.
WIll also miss 100b credit and room upgrades. I had “lifetime” plat status too.
Loews said that they will continue to recognize their best customers without the need for a program, although they have not given any details on how this will work???
I talked with them a few minutes ago and they said the “recognition of their best customers would be on an individual resort basis” so basically it’s up to the resort staff. I hate that because it was my go to for Universal trips.
I use the program because we frequent the hotels for a quick getaway to Orlando. I am going to miss this program and hope that they find ways to keep enticing their “best” customers to return. I finally am reaching 10 visits in a 12th month period!:/ It has influenced me greatly, when choosing hotels, because of the loyalty program. I will say that they treat their guest wonderfully. You feel like you are truly appreciated as a guest.
Goodbye $100b credit and room upgrades. I often picked Loews over less expensive Universal Orlando area Hotels (such a Cabana Bay or off-site hotels) because my benefits made it worthwhile. Now, I expect that Loews will be losing some of my business.
Always sad to see a loyalty company go down. Would have at least hoped that they merged with someone else.
A loyalty program merging with another loyalty program? The brand isn’t going out of business, they’re just ending their loyalty program, for which they haven’t found the desired value.
Sad to see this go. We are top level members and receive great benefits. $100 food and bev credit per stay, free room upgrade. Big reasons why we always stay at Loews properties. Always spend more than $100 credit. Hoping whatever they offer next will want us to keep coming back.
I didn’t know they had a program to begin with.
If Loews management expected to remain independent, I suspect they would fix the program somehow. But why bother if you’re just going to sell out to a bigger chain with its own loyalty scheme?
I do not know a single person who is a member, so I don’t think it will be a huge loss.
definitely sounds like a buyout is on the horizon
Why do you say that? Other than a realization that their loyalty program isn’t providing a desired value, what is your indication of such?
This is really sad. I wonder if Loews is in the process of trimming expenses to ready itself for sale to a larger hotel chain.