'Tis the season
Latest battleground in credit card wars: AmEx and Chase offer cardholder loungesin The Galleria
Just in time for the holiday shopping season, Chase offered access to a VIPLounge for customers who held one of the three credit cards the banking giantoffers in conjunction with Continental and United airlines.
The Chase VIP Lounge includes amenities like comfortable seating, free Wi-Fi andcomplimentary gift wrapping.
In this tough economy, it seems financial services companies are relying more than ever on travel perks and rewards points to woo customers and earn new business. But this holiday season, American Express and Chase have taken a new approach in Houston: Cardholder lounges in The Galleria.
A few weeks before Thanksgiving, Chase began mailing out advertisements to customers who held one of the three credit cards the banking giant offers in conjunction with Continental and United airlines. And since November 25, Chase has operated a lounge for such cardholders near Nordstrom that includes amenities like complimentary gift wrapping, coat and bag check, flat screen TVs, Wi-Fi and phone charging.
“It pampers worn-out holiday shoppers and provides a well deserved break from their boundless shopping lists,” says Chase's David Gold.
The lounge has also served as a venue for special events like a four course dinner with Chef Danny Trace of Brennan’s and Monday Night Football viewing with Matt Schaub. These events were marketed as part of Chase’s Inside Access program, which offers access to exclusive dinners and other events in several cities including New York and Chicago.
David Gold, general manager of Chase Card Services, explained the company’s goals in creating the cardholder lounges in Houston and Short Hills, New Jersey via e-mail. “It pampers worn-out holiday shoppers and provides a well deserved break from their boundless shopping lists,” he said.
Shortly after Chase opened the VIP Lounge, American Express launched a similar initiative for its cardholders. Located on the second floor near the Westin Galleria, the American Express Cardmember Escape provides guests with gift-wrapping, complimentary Wi-Fi, phone charging stations and vouchers for Starbucks coffee.
“We like to provide a respite for people from the hectic mall experience during the holidays,” Elizabeth Crosta, director of public affairs for American Express, said. “By giving people the opportunity to relax and get some gift wrapping done, we can make the shopping experience a bit nicer.”
“We like to provide a respite for people from the hectic mall experience during the holidays,” AmEx's Elizabeth Crosta says.
Considering the Galleria’s standing as one of America’s largest shopping malls, it makes sense that both Chase and American Express would host such events there. “Houston cardmembers are very important to us – it’s one of our biggest markets. We’ve been doing a number of things to remind customers what it’s like to be a cardmember, and it’s important for us to take these kinds of experiences out of New York and to folks in other cities,” Crosta said.
The American Express Cardmember Escape closes Friday, and if you’re a Continental or United Chase cardholder you have until Christmas Eve to take advantage of the VIP Lounge. Neither company offered specifics about plans for next year’s holiday shopping season, but both indicated that these initiatives were extremely successful and said that Houston cardholders can expect more exclusive events and amenities in 2012.
