Skip to Content

Click on a label to read posts from that part of the world.

Map of the world

Starwood Preferred Guest program offers FaceTime customer support



As a kid, I remember playing with a video phone at the local phone store - and thinking how cool it would be if we all had access to video phones in the future. Well, the future came, and along with a total lack of jet packs, video phones never really took off.

Apple has managed to change that with their FaceTime application, and while it is by no means the first video calling application, it is the first to become mainstream. Thanks to its easy to use interface, lack of need for configuring settings, and massive install base, FaceTime is a huge hit.

And with that huge hit, comes new ways to use the service. One of the first customer support applications in the travel industry comes from Starwood Preferred Guest, the loyalty program for Starwood hotels.

On Twitter this morning, an SPG rep announced that they will be offering live chat sessions with their customers using FaceTime. The actual practical applications are relatively limited, but some customers may prefer to talk to a rep face to face instead of using email or phone. What do you think? Would you use a FaceTime chat session instead of picking up the phone, or do you think this is more of a gimmick designed to make them look cool?

FaceTime customer support calls - a gimmick or a great tool?
Just a fun gimmick, but I'd still try it once or twice13 (27.1%)
A gimmick that I'd never be bothered to try16 (33.3%)
A fantastic tool - a great way to get personal customer support19 (39.6%)

Filed under: Business, North America, United States, Internet Tools

Search Travel Deals

Gadling Features

Categories

Become our Fan on Facebook!

Featured Galleries (view all)

Svalbard: The World's Northernmost Inhabited Place
The National Bonsai and Penjing Museum
10 Islands To Visit Next
Revere Hotel Boston Common
A Breaking Bad tour of Albuquerque
The Volvo Ocean Race onboard Team Abu Dhabi
Virgin Galactic's Gateway to Space
Breakfasts around the world
FoodFlags

Our Writers

Grant Martin

Editor-in-chief

RSS Feed

Don George

Features Editor

RSS Feed

View more Writers