Hyatt Gold Passport - Gold Passport Email CS Refuses To Credit 1W For Stays Credited To Miles!

I've tried already 3 times, and each time I email asking for diamond amenity points for stays that have been credited to miles I get an answer back that no diamond amenity is awarded when miles are chosen.

I've even tried referring to them to this link (http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/9110790-post4.html), but no dice.

Why aren't the Email CS reps better informed?

I called once on Tuesday and had credits posted for 6 different stays. I also had one of those stays changed from points to miles because it posted incorrectly (even though I checked in and checked out via kiosk and requested miles). Maybe you'll do better calling?

I called once on Tuesday and had credits posted for 6 different stays. I also had one of those stays changed from points to miles because it posted incorrectly (even though I checked in and checked out via kiosk and requested miles). Maybe you'll do better calling?

I'm about 50/50 on phone calls, but that's besides the point. Why aren't their Email CS agents better educated on their own policies?

Did you call the Diamone line? I find Diamond line agents have more knowledge about this thing than regular line agents.

Just mention "I would like you to MANUALLY add the welcome amenity points to my account" and you are good to go.

It was a nice surprise and more than welcome addition as GP introduced the choice of F&B or GP 1.000/500 bonus points as Diamond Welcome Amenity approximately four years ago. Independently from that it’s GP standard policy that we can earn additional bonus points (eg GX, GPXXX) if opt to earn points or miles (eg AX) if we opt to earn travel partner currency. Or in GP wording (http://goldpassport.hyatt.com/gp/en/offers/pop_bonus_tc.jsp):

Gold Passport Bonus Points: Guest must choose Gold Passport points for their stay and pay an eligible rate.
Airline Bonus Miles: Guest must choose airline miles for their stay, pay an eligible rate and present a valid airline program membership card at check-in.

Unfortunately, Gold Passport Concierge was not consistent in her reply. The question, if we surrender the option to choose bonus points as Diamond Welcome Amenity if we opt for earning travel partner currency at a specific stay, was answered in a different way.

The entry OP linked (was referenced by SanDiego1K several times) is a single post form a thread (http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/hyatt-gold-passport/774130-diamond-welcome-amenity-points-w-miles-selected-hp.html#post9110790) named Diamond Welcome Amenity Points w/ Miles Selected at HP. Here is the other entry (http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/7834256-post21.html) (bolding is mine):

Dear Flyer Talkers:

I understand there has been some confusion about the Diamond amenity, 1,000 Gold Passport bonus points. The Diamond amenity should be awarded for eligible and non-eligible stays completed within the United States and Canada. Therefore, if a Diamond member chooses to use their Gold Passport points for a stay, they will be given the choice of an amenity and can choose the 1,000 bonus points for the stay. I hope this has cleared up some of the confusion caused.

Sincerely,
Karen Smith
Gold Passport Concierge

Please be fair and don’t show aggression if you don’t know in which direction Hyatt associates are trained. Bear in mind that employees we deal are working in a Call Centre and have their directives which definitely differ form one of Karen’s reply (if HP/HSS & GH/HR/Hyatt brands are treated equal).

Diamond Amenity. I want points please! (http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/hyatt-gold-passport/134861-diamond-amenity-i-want-points-please.html)
Are there "amenity points" awarded upon check in as a Plat/Diamond? (http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/hyatt-gold-passport/469169-1000-point-diamond-amenity-check-once-per-stay.html)
Diamond Welcome Amenity Points w/ Miles Selected at HP (http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/hyatt-gold-passport/774130-diamond-welcome-amenity-points-w-miles-selected-hp.html#post9110790)
1000 Point Diamond amenity on award stay? (http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/hyatt-gold-passport/664184-1000-point-diamond-amenity-award-stay.html)

Unfortunately, Gold Passport Concierge was not consistent in her reply.

Perhaps I've gone blind, but I don't see the inconsistency. We are entitled to our diamond amenity in the US, Canada, and Caribbean whether:


We chose points for the stay
We chose miles for the stay - requires manually posting the points
We have an award stay


Now, I've been known to read too quickly and misread. And perhaps it's completely obvious, and I'm having a stupid moment. But could you try once again to show the conflict? Are you speaking of her saying we get amenity points on award stays conflicting with the Ts and Cs? A review of the diamond benefits (http://goldpassport.hyatt.com/gp/en/benefits/membership_diamond.jsp) makes it clear that suite upgrades are only available on paid stays, but is silent on the amenity being good only on paid stays. Thus, I assume - just as with free internet and free breakfast - that it is as Karen has posted, and we get it on all stays. BTW, Starwood gives platinum amenity points on award stays.

I've tried already 3 times, and each time I email asking for diamond amenity points for stays that have been credited to miles I get an answer back that no diamond amenity is awarded when miles are chosen.

I've even tried referring to them to this link (http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/9110790-post4.html), but no dice.

Why aren't the Email CS reps better informed?

Same thing happened to me when I submitted a request by email last week. So I called GP CS, didn't mention the email, and they immeadiately posted my diamond welcome aminity points.

Perhaps I've gone blind, but I don't see the inconsistency. We are entitled to our diamond amenity in the US, Canada, and Caribbean whether:


We chose points for the stay
We chose miles for the stay - requires manually posting the points
We have an award stay


Now, I've been known to read too quickly and misread. And perhaps it's completely obvious, and I'm having a stupid moment. But could you try once again to show the conflict? Are you speaking of her saying we get amenity points on award stays conflicting with the Ts and Cs? A review of the diamond benefits (http://goldpassport.hyatt.com/gp/en/benefits/membership_diamond.jsp) makes it clear that suite upgrades are only available on paid stays, but is silent on the amenity being good only on paid stays. Thus, I assume - just as with free internet and free breakfast - that it is as Karen has posted, and we get it on all stays. BTW, Starwood gives platinum amenity points on award stays.

+1, I'm not seeing any inconsistency in Karen's replies. In fact the opposite is true, they're totally clear and leave no room for vagaries: A Diamond member should always get the amenity points. As to why there is so much confusion among CS agents must be a training issue.

Perhaps I've gone blind, but I don't see the inconsistency. ... Now, I've been known to read too quickly and misread. And perhaps it's completely obvious, and I'm having a stupid moment. But could you try once again to show the conflict?

My bad, I should not have quoted Karen's answer about 1W bonus. I tried to differ between GH/HR/Hyatt & HP/HSS as the latter offered no option to choose a "Diamond Welcome Amenity", but I failed! Sorry about that and thanks to give me a chance for a second start!

After Hyatt acquired AmeriSuite from Blackstone Group and rebranded it to HP, GP did not offer an option to choose a "Diamond Welcome Amenity" but attached 500 GP points to every Diamond’s stay (same goes with HSS). BUT these points only find the way to members’ account if s/he opt to earn points for this stay. Now surprise to me, as GP let earn bonus points if we opt to earn points and bonus miles if we opt to earn miles.

In 1/08 question arises if members who opt to earn miles at HP stays have to contact CS to add 500 GP points manually. With reference to thread titled “Diamond Welcome Amenity Points w/ Miles Selected at HP” Gold Passport Concierge conformed.

Her answer was favourable to us customers as other comparable FGPs like Marriott Rewards (http://www.marriott.com/rewards/terms/elite.mi#eliteguarantee) grant their Platinum Arrival Gift 500/250 bonus points option only to point earning members, BUT offer F&B instead. This was not an option at HP (and HSS) at this time, and Diamonds who opt to earn miles would left out.

There is no doubt that HP/HSS offer the option to choose between F&B and bonus points as a "Diamond Welcome Amenty" since a couple of months.

As two members reported that they have it in writing that Diamond's are not entiteled to choose GP bonus points as Welcome Amenity, might it be possible that Karen’s answer from 1/21/08 is outdated and Hyatt associates trained on the contrary?

Diamond member should always get the amenity points.
As Diamond's have a choice of 1,000 bonus points or Food and Beverage option at Hyatt properties in the U.S., Canada and Caribbean & a choice of 500 bonus points or Food and Beverage amenity at Hyatt Place and Hyatt Summerfield Suites your statement is incorrect (at Hyatt properties outside of North America and Andaz hotels no bonus points as welcome amenities).

As two members reported that they have it in writing that Diamond's are not entiteled to choose GP bonus points as Welcome Amenity, might it be possible that Karen’s answer from 1/21/08 is outdated and Hyatt associates trained on the contrary?

Honestly, I think it is poor training for agents. As recently as 2 days ago, I got my amenity points on Hyatt Place stays where I had chosen miles . I've got a highly experienced Private Line Agent. If policy had changed, she would have advised me, and would refuse to post the points for me.

Some agents are confused (pephaps they think of Gx bonuses). T&Cs (http://goldpassport.hyatt.com/gp/en/benefits/membership_diamond.jsp) are very straightforward:

Receive a special welcome point bonus or food and beverage amenity during each stay
Welcome amenity consists of the following: at Hyatt properties in the U.S., Canada and Caribbean; a choice of 1,000 bonus points or Food and Beverage option; at Hyatt properties outside of North America and Andaz™ hotels a Food and Beverage amenity will be provided; at Hyatt Place and Hyatt Summerfield Suites a choice of 500 bonus points or Food and Beverage amenity; at Hyatt Vacation Club Resorts 500 bonus points will automatically be awarded

Honestly, I think it is poor training for agents.

That’s not my view.

If an e-mail is sent to a contact centre, any agent goes by a reference manual and uses text modules in his/her answer. If four written answers (three from one customer!) are going in one direction, I have no doubt they found their reply in their reference manual, which is provided from GP.

Independently from that: Points credit is designed to post automatic. Process starts at check-in and every GH/HR/Hyatt folio from an US property shows a line “Bonus Code”. All applicable bonuses will post to members account. From reports I read, 1W bonus has to be requested and added manually, if member opt to earn miles. Why does GP not speed up the process and implement an easy to create tool to fix this?

Greetings
I too have run into the refusal situation by the Diamond line by more then one agent regarding the 1k amenity points when choosing miles and the points not posting.
As many here are aware consistently trained agents has been a problem for some time now.
Especially since the Diamond desk dept was downsized/merged some time ago.
Best thing to do is call not email.
If the agent in question starts reinventing rules ask to speak with a supervisor or manager nicely
Though it can be frustrating the agent always comes back and says it is now posted :)
Sometimes you actually get a great agent too with a can do attitude who posts it with no fuss
Thats the Hyatt we all admire and respect :cool:

Why aren't the Email CS reps better informed?
Probably because those Email CSRs are really Reservations Agents masquerading as CSRs, just like the phone reps (at least as of 1-2 years ago when Hyatt got rid of the fantastic dedicated CSRs and turned them into poorly-trained multi-taskers instead).

Just mention "I would like you to MANUALLY add the welcome amenity points to my account" and you are good to go.
This is a VERY important point. I often get a "No" answer upon first request. I then tell/train them that they need to post it manually and I have had it done for me dozens of times previously. They will then normally go talk to a supervisor themselves to figure out how to post it manually, but if they don't and continue to tell me it's not possible, I ask them to speak to a supervisor. This strategy has never failed me so far, but if even the supervisor denied this then I would have them put me in contact with Hyatt Consumer Affairs.............or else I would use the old FT mantra: hang up, call again 5 mins later and hope you get a different CSR/Supervisor who actually knows the rules. ^

As two members reported that they have it in writing that Diamond's are not entiteled to choose GP bonus points as Welcome Amenity, might it be possible that Karen’s answer from 1/21/08 is outdated and Hyatt associates trained on the contrary?
No, just poor training.

Honestly, I think it is poor training for agents.
+1

If four written answers (three from one customer!) are going in one direction, I have no doubt they found their reply in their reference manual, which is provided from GP.
Let's face it, probably 98% of the calls they receive are from non-Diamond members. They probably get used to Golds/Plats asking for a G bonus for a stay where they chose miles. The CSRs (I mean Reservation Agents) probably have it hardwired into their brains NOT to give any points on stays that miles were chosen for. Ever since Hyatt got rid of the dedicated CSRs a year or two back, the quality of CSRs have gone downhill. Nothing against the new CSRs, it's fully Hyatt's fault because they haven't trained them. And even if they have trained them on this, there's only so much stuff one person can fit into their brain and between all the reservations knowledge they need and all the GP knowledge they need to have, they are bound to forget little things like this that aren't often requested. Probably the majority of GP Diamonds don't even know themselves that they can get 1W points for a Diamond amenity on an award or miles earning stay. They probably just choose a F&B selection instead. And let's also face it, most Diamonds don't often choose miles anyways, so this situation occurs fairly rarely. In fact probably only when GP offers good miles earning bonuses such as the current UAL 5K promo or the "Stay 2, Get 2500 bonus miles" promo.

Greetings
I too have run into the refusal situation by the Diamond line by more then one agent regarding the 1k amenity points when choosing miles and the points not posting.
As many here are aware consistently trained agents has been a problem for some time now.
Especially since the Diamond desk dept was downsized/merged some time ago.
Best thing to do is call not email.
If the agent in question starts reinventing rules ask to speak with a supervisor or manager nicely
Though it can be frustrating the agent always comes back and says it is now posted :)
Sometimes you actually get a great agent too with a can do attitude who posts it with no fuss
Thats the Hyatt we all admire and respect :cool:
+1

I'm in the "poor training" camp - we've seen numerous instances of "made up" rules and T&Cs in the past year and a half - since they disbanded the dedicated "Diamond" line.

Is there really a diamond line?

I call this number which greets with "Thank you for calling the Hyatt Diamond blah blah" but asked me if I wanted reservation or goldpassport. Then it transfers me to whatever I choose and they sound like the regular line I had called before with no mentions of the Diamond line. Does this sound right or have I been calling the wrong number?

Is there really a diamond line?

I call this number which greets with "Thank you for calling the Hyatt Diamond blah blah" but asked me if I wanted reservation or goldpassport. Then it transfers me to whatever I choose and they sound like the regular line I had called before with no mentions of the Diamond line. Does this sound right or have I been calling the wrong number?

This is my experience. Occasionally a CS rep will mention Diamond status or thank me for my Diamond membership, but there is pretty much no difference between the call-in line for Diamonds now and that for lower tier folks.

Just had an interesting convo with a rep while waiting to convert from points to miles.

Seems there is no way in their system to give both the diamond amenity points + miles on the same form.

The only way they can give both is to change the stay document to show miles and then add another line which shows as a bonus. This is on the account screen - not on the actual stay document which you can view.

So for every stay, I now have up to 3 lines. The regular stay line, a bonus line for the diamond amenity, and then an award line when a free night is earned.

I agree there should be a way to do both in the same place - but I suspect we're talkinig about Hyatt IT having to do something, and that's not something I look forward to. I'm grateful the system is working :)