Vitality - new "Play" rewards

joshgeake

We used to have a selection of rewards and it's fair to say that this played a significant part in our decision to go with Vitality (for 8+ years).

Now we have to play some silly dog game to "earn" the same rewards. The rules list and timeframes for earning, claiming and using the rewards have been enormously complicated too.

We used to get 5x cinema tickets a month, now it seems we get none?!

It's more "fraud" than reward and I hope the execs at Vitality towers are getting bitten hard over it.

We're certainly not going to be renewing.

IW74

Anyone else been emailed a free Vue cinema code by Vitality today? I don’t even have a policy with them anymore :-D
its also still letting me find Stanleys each Monday, and after not finding any extra ones for the first 5 weeks or so, I’ve found 2 extra ones for the last 2 weeks. Maybe they’ve re-tweaked the odds after the negative feedback on here and on Trustpilot…

ShortArms_LongPockets

Has anybody thought about referring them to Advertising Standards?  They claimed to be "supercharging my rewards" when in fact they are supercharging their own budget savings.  Like everyone else, despite getting max points last month (160+), my "rewards" have been dramatically reduced.... Hardly seems like honest advertising?

EmmyLouDaisyBoo

A new low this morning! No game today as there are 5 Mondays in June and we might actually score a decent reward. 

jfk_2

The Stanley game "upgrade" is utter rubbish and I won't be bothering with it since it does (as others have noted) seem to be a con. If they're going to change what was a decent perks system which actually rewarded making some physical effort with a luck based system they should at least be honest about the reason for it. Is it just cost cutting or is it some deluded idea from an intern they decided to indulge?

My next renewal is in December, I'll certainly be looking at alternatives. Shame as their cover is very good and I have had great value for money from it over the last 12 years.

UnhappyCustomer123

I agree with the comments before mine. The changes Vitality have made are ridiculous. I am not a child or a pet dog, i do not need to "play" to get rewards. There is no chance or skill involved, its their algorithm as to how many rewards they choose to give. its a cost cutting exercise pure and simple. Not fair considering we all signed up to a plan that had a better rewards program.  

What exactly was wrong with move more, exercise etc and you will earn points. The more points you earn the more rewards you get. Simple. They see the benefit as the more you exercise the healthier you should be and therefore less likely to make a claim on a policy therefore reducing what they may pay out. 

You used to earn points which would automatically generate rewards. Another cost saving for them is putting time limits on when you can choose and use the reward. If you forget to chose your reward by the Sunday, its lost. Good for them not for you. 

I have tried to raise a complaint to them but i seriously doubt they will respond or care. I feel Martin Lewis and his team needs to take a look at this himself and ask them for us as it appears we have no voice. 

I will look to move my company policy away when it next renews if this is not changed back or for the better. 

WillPS

I got 8 Stanleys in April and May, and with 2 Mondays left I should have at least 8 in June too, but I still think this whole "Play" business is utter balls.

Surely it'd have been better to have Stanleys earned based on the amount of points earned in a week, and them be allowed to accrue until the member has earned enough to redeem for something. Perhaps you wouldn't earn a reward every month any more but at least it'd be transparent and equitable.

I get my policy through work so there's not really much I can do by way of protest, but I hope enough people do to cause them to change. 

jfk_2

IW74 said:

getget said:

It's a joke. By the way I've calculated the odds:

• 19% chance of getting that second reward (which used to be free)
• 0.0125% chance of getting the third reward

The requirements have also changed, from a monthly total to a constant weekly amount. Be sick for a week and you won't get your monthly reward. Meet the requirements and you'll have a 19% chance of getting what you used to.

And the genius is that they brand it as an upgrade, where you can earn 3 rewards.

What are the odds of ‘playing’ 3 weeks in a row and not finding a single Stanley? Be interested to know if anyone else has found one yet…

Exactly that, 3 weeks and only the "gifted" dog. All other tiles empty.

jfk_2

IW74 said:

So 4th week, and my grand total...
4 Stanleys.

It asked for feedback on Vitality Play on the app this morning so I let them know exactly how I felt, and told them I've cancelled my policy and they've lost a customer because of it. I'm sure they won't care, but made me feel better!

Ditto here. 4 weeks, 4 useless mutts.

WillPS

Just a thought, could it be that the number of Stanleys to be found on that grid isn't random, and it's actually linked to the number of activity points you achieved? I've been getting 40 activity points most weeks.