Struggling to get a retention offer on my PRG

[DeeBee78]

• Total spend in the 10 months I had the card for 2017 was over 14K.
• My payment is due on the 6th of February. I am making a payment of January's statement balance, plus all new charges since then- roughly $3K. I want the next statement to cut at $0.
• I got on chat yesterday, where I was informed that I opened up my account on 2/10/17, which means that the annual fee is going to hit the next statement that cuts on the 12th or 13th of February. 
• I have another MR-earning card so I won't lose my MR points, but what about the pending points from my January statement, and the pending points from my future February statement that won't show up until March? I've had decent spend on this card over the last two months, so I don't want to lose 5K of MR's if I close the card. Does Amex still give those out if I close the account?  Obviously I won't spend $195 for 5K of MR's, but I would like to keep what I've earned.
• When I call the number on the back of my card and say "cancel my card" The automated system goes through all the motions. I never get transferred to an agent. I took it right up to the last step where it said, "Are you sure you want to cancel your Premier Rewards Gold card?" and chickened out. 

Any idea why I'm not getting a CSR to give me a rention offer, and being forced through the automated system? 

[CreditCuriosity]

Usually retention offers if offered aren't offered until after the AF hits as you have 30 days to cancel after AF posts if you can't get a retention offer after fee posts and don't feel the card suits your needs anymore to justify whatever AF, you can cancel at that time.

[UpperNwGuy]

If you like the card, keep it.  If you don't like the card, cancel it.  Retention offers are like free tapas at bars in Spain.  Sometimes you get them, and sometimes you don't, but it is always at management's initiative, never the customer's initiative.

[SBR249]

If you really want to check for retention offers why not just ask for an agent and straight up inquire about anything they might be able to offer you? I find that instead of playing coy or dancing around the issue most people tend to appreciate just straight up blunt honesty, it saves everyone time and you'll get a straight answer. Of course, one should always be polite but I'm sure getting to the point won't hurt you any. 

I also feel compelled to point out that retention is really a two way street. I don't know about your spending habits but if you cost AmEx an SUB and whatever other benefits you get with the PRG and then didn't swipe it enough for AmEx to recoup much of that there's really not much incentive on their part to want to retain you as a customer, especially at the cost of another year's AF. I'm sure some analyst somewhere has already done the math to figure out who is really worth the effort to retain and who really isn't going to bring home the bacon for AmEx no matter how much they sweeten the deal. 

[bourgogne]

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wrote:

If you like the card, keep it.  If you don't like the card, cancel it.  Retention offers are like free tapas at bars in Spain.  Sometimes you get them, and sometimes you don't, but it is always at management's initiative, never the customer's initiative.

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curious, been to spain many times, pretty much all over + hondarribia & san sebastian numerous times and have never once seen free tapas.  I am not doubting your story but come on, this is a unicorn right?  lol

[DeeBee78]

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wrote:

If you really want to check for retention offers why not just ask for an agent and straight up inquire about anything they might be able to offer you? I find that instead of playing coy or dancing around the issue most people tend to appreciate just straight up blunt honesty, it saves everyone time and you'll get a straight answer. Of course, one should always be polite but I'm sure getting to the point won't hurt you any. 

I also feel compelled to point out that retention is really a two way street. I don't know about your spending habits but if you cost AmEx an SUB and whatever other benefits you get with the PRG and then didn't swipe it enough for AmEx to recoup much of that there's really not much incentive on their part to want to retain you as a customer, especially at the cost of another year's AF. I'm sure some analyst somewhere has already done the math to figure out who is really worth the effort to retain and who really isn't going to bring home the bacon for AmEx no matter how much they sweeten the deal. 

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Going by these forums DP’s, I’m following the procedure that several others have reported success with. Asking to cancel the card to get to a retention agent, but I’m not actually getting to an agent. 

I still have my outstanding questions about my accrued (but not paid out) MR’s, and want to know what will happen to those if I cancel my card. 

[SBR249]

There have been reports over at FlyerTalk that AmEx will expedite the posting of pending points if you call them and ask for it. In those cases, it was because the points were needed urgently for a limited time transfer airline bonus but I don't see why AmEx won't do the same here. This will give you an excuse to talk to an agent and explain things and you may even be offered a retention deal. I would imagine that you may need to have paid the balance for those purchases down before you ask for this though. 

Once you get them posted, you can then ask for MR to be transferred to your other card. 

Edit: the DPs on FT were from back in 2013 but the M2M blog over by the boarding area mentions a similar story from back in 2015. There are also reports that AmEx will allow you to access your MR points for 60 days after you close your account to spend them down. 

[SkyCommander]

You have to say agent or press 0 to get to a live person and ask about retention. I will be getting the AF on my PRG a couple months after yours. I’m under the impression PRG is a 2 year card if you utilize the 2 $100 airline credits for the two years for $195 AF. I love the MR potential of the card but hate how the airline credit works so I don’t know if I will be keeping.