# New AGR Contractor



## sechs (Sep 6, 2008)

I'm curious what folks' experiences are with the new contractor.

I was having some trouble getting some segments properly credited, and between this week and last, the ball was completely dropped. The person with whom I spoke today (who had a definitively "northern" accent) basically had no idea what I was talking about, when I called the check up on it. After thirty minutes on the phone, however, the CSR said we'll have it fixed by the end of the day, and it actually was. I'm hoping that this is a sign of things to come.


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## DivMiler (Sep 7, 2008)

sechs said:


> I'm curious what folks' experiences are with the new contractor.
> I was having some trouble getting some segments properly credited, and between this week and last, the ball was completely dropped. The person with whom I spoke today (who had a definitively "northern" accent) basically had no idea what I was talking about, when I called the check up on it. After thirty minutes on the phone, however, the CSR said we'll have it fixed by the end of the day, and it actually was. I'm hoping that this is a sign of things to come.


When did the "new contractor" come on board, and where did you hear about it? Who is the new contractor?


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## AlanB (Sep 7, 2008)

DivMiler said:


> sechs said:
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> > I'm curious what folks' experiences are with the new contractor.
> ...


The transfer was supposed to have occured during August and I haven't heard that it didn't happen. And based upon Sech's experience, it looks like it did happen.


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## sechs (Sep 8, 2008)

Procedures seem to be the same, but the CSR with whom I spoke was clearly still feeling her way around.


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## DivMiler (Sep 8, 2008)

DivMiler said:


> When did the "new contractor" come on board, and where did you hear about it? Who is the new contractor?





AlanB said:


> The transfer was supposed to have occured during August and I haven't heard that it didn't happen. And based upon Sech's experience, it looks like it did happen.


Thanks. Where do you all hear this stuff? Is there another AGR discussion site besides here and FlyerTalk? and

Who is the new contractor?


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## AlanB (Sep 8, 2008)

DivMiler said:


> AlanB said:
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> > DivMiler said:
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Hmm, let's just say that a little birdie told me. I didn't find that info on any forum, it came to me directly from a very reliable source.

As for who the new contractor is, that I don't know. All I do know for sure is that they are located in Canada.


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## chuljin (Sep 8, 2008)

AlanB said:


> DivMiler said:
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> > AlanB said:
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And there are at least two of them. The past couple of times I've called to redeem, I get the same agent, but he asks me 'Where are *we* going?' :lol:


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## the_traveler (Sep 8, 2008)

chuljin said:


> 'Where are *we* going?' :lol:


So where are you taking me *chuljin*? :huh: I have nothing to do this weekend! :lol:


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## GG-1 (Sep 8, 2008)

the_traveler said:


> chuljin said:
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> > 'Where are *we* going?' :lol:
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Aloha

But since today is Chilin's Birthday, Traveler should be taking him out for a train ride. :lol:


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## the_traveler (Sep 9, 2008)

GG-1 said:


> the_traveler said:
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> > chuljin said:
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I've already got my birthday present picked out!

A 12,000+ mile Amtrak trip next month! :lol: (And my birthday just happens to be next month too!  But I will return home by then, so have to spend it "not rolling"!  )


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## chuljin (Sep 9, 2008)

the_traveler said:


> GG-1 said:
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As have I picked my own, much less impressive one, an 800-mile one to the bay area and back this weekend.


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## Guest_soitgoes_* (Sep 13, 2008)

Hmmh...it seems as if the new contractor hasn't fully taken over (or at all?).

The AGR domain/website is still hosted by Carlson and the address for AGR correspondence is still in MN.

It could just be a gradual transition, I suppose.


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## DivMiler (Sep 15, 2008)

Guest_soitgoes_* said:


> Hmmh...it seems as if the new contractor hasn't fully taken over (or at all?).
> The AGR domain/website is still hosted by Carlson and the address for AGR correspondence is still in MN.
> 
> It could just be a gradual transition, I suppose.


Possibly. However, I wonder why neither a Google search nor a search of the Wall Street Journal from the past year yields any comment on either Carlson or Amtrak Guest Rewards and their relationship in any way (besides what's been mentioned here and on FlyerTalk). I'd think a switch of AGR from Carlson to another company would warrant a mention _somewhere_.


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## profwebs (Sep 17, 2008)

If the new contractor did indeed take over, thn maybe it is a good thing. My points for my last trip were posted to my AGR account the same week as my trip.


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## Joel N. Weber II (Sep 17, 2008)

chuljin said:


> And there are at least two of them. The past couple of times I've called to redeem, I get the same agent, but he asks me 'Where are *we* going?' :lol:


I think I got the ``we'' there when I called to make my most recent non-AGR-redemption reservation, though, too.


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## sechs (Sep 27, 2008)

Anyone notice new descriptors for manual point postings? I was checking my account today and noticed that the manual posts for several segments, as well as for bonus points on those segments, now have appropriate descriptions.


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## sechs (Oct 7, 2008)

Another observation: You can't book a sleeper reward with a tier 1 rep. They will send you off to "a specialist" to book the award.


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## AlanB (Oct 7, 2008)

I'm not sure if that's just a general improvement for the AGR program, or something to do with the pending transfer to the new contractor. However, I can tell you that the transfer didn't happen in August as expected. It's now slated to happen next month, November.


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## sechs (Oct 7, 2008)

I wonder if some functions have moved over whilst others have not.


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## chuljin (Oct 7, 2008)

Not sure whether it's related to the completed-or-not transfer to the new contractor or not, but I noticed something interesting:

It used to be that points never ever posted on Sunday or Monday (I CMINfully track such things, and have 238 posted tickets to support this) ...

... until yesterday, when a ticket from last Tuesday was posted.

Interesting (to me, anyways).

_Edit: scrub that...I had another look, and I had two tickets post on Monday 5/5/08. So yesterday's wasn't the first one, but it's exceedingly rare._

_Further edit: OK, scrub the scrubbing...I found those transactions on the AGR site, and it turns out they were manual ones after I called and whined. _  _ So yeah, yesterday's was the first __*automatic*__ posting on a Monday. _


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