As both a long-time collector and former employee, this isn’t easy to write.
Over the years, AIR MILES slowly eroded the trust of its most important stakeholders — first, the collectors. The expiry policy, the confusing split between Dream and Cash balances, and a series of decisions that benefited the business and partners more than the collectors made loyalty feel one-sided.
Now, that same erosion of trust has reached employees. AIR MILES was once a culture that put people first — collaborative, energized, and values-driven. Recently, though, leadership’s emphasis on simply having bodies in seats has replaced that vibrancy. The callous rollout of return-to-office wasn’t about rebuilding culture — it's not purposeful. The result? Eroded trust and disengaged teams. It's less inclusive to parents of young children, caretakers, or if you live farther with a long commute that impacts the quality of life.
Other forces — like partner exits and market disruption — mattered, but they were symptoms. The core issue was a failure to evolve meaningfully and put the collector first — and, increasingly, to put the employee first.
