What Honors status information do hotel staff see at check-in?
#16
Join Date: Dec 2010
Location: Long Beach
Programs: HHonors Diamond, Hyatt Diamond
Posts: 1,171
I think some of the hotels use this information to send out individual offers to customers. Last june we spent a long weekend at the La Quinta resort and Spa. It was our first time at the property and maybe went a little overboard at the bar and resteraunt(all of which rocked). we then followed that up with 3 more stays in the next 4 months(gotta love cheep palm springs rack rates in the summer) I then received a letter from the resort including a voucher for 200 off food and drink on any 3 night stay thru the end of 2011. I dont think this was jsut randon but more likely them watching my pattern of spending. That or they noticed my 3 year old really loves all 41 of the pools they have on grounds
#19
Join Date: Apr 2005
Location: ATL
Posts: 802
I some ways this is fine and in others it bothers me.
My favorite is the reaction from the desk clerk when I check in after a day of work. My work clothes are black Dickie's cotton work clothes. You know, the ones you get at Wal-Mart or rent from Cintas. I will be covered with machine oil, grease, ink and paper dust, fresh from the plants in which I work.
They will look at me and say, "Yeees? Can I help you?" like I am there to get directions to the Super 8 or the Motel 6. I hand them my Amex and they pull up my reservation and my info. This usually enlists a stream of ers and uhs and a stuttering "Welcome back to our property Mr. Nails." They will often say, no kidding, "I see your Hilton Honors Diamond status and ....." It comes off as being very insincere, well, because it is. Sorry, I do not wear a custom-tailored Italian suit so that you can recognize my status without your computer.
Bottom line, I get this a lot less at Hampton and HGI's and more at the 2Tree and Hilton's, but it occurs time to time everywhere. It is also much more prevalent with the male desk clerks than the females, either that or the women hide it better.
What is really, really fun is when I stand in the Hilton Honors line for check in. Not only does the desk clerk get a tweak, it gives me great pleasure to accept the check in packet with all of its amenities and the desk clerk mentioning the Exec lounge and the free breakfast and free internet, and the upgraded room, while the guy in the fancy suit in the non-HH line gets a key and directions to the room.
My favorite is the reaction from the desk clerk when I check in after a day of work. My work clothes are black Dickie's cotton work clothes. You know, the ones you get at Wal-Mart or rent from Cintas. I will be covered with machine oil, grease, ink and paper dust, fresh from the plants in which I work.
They will look at me and say, "Yeees? Can I help you?" like I am there to get directions to the Super 8 or the Motel 6. I hand them my Amex and they pull up my reservation and my info. This usually enlists a stream of ers and uhs and a stuttering "Welcome back to our property Mr. Nails." They will often say, no kidding, "I see your Hilton Honors Diamond status and ....." It comes off as being very insincere, well, because it is. Sorry, I do not wear a custom-tailored Italian suit so that you can recognize my status without your computer.
Bottom line, I get this a lot less at Hampton and HGI's and more at the 2Tree and Hilton's, but it occurs time to time everywhere. It is also much more prevalent with the male desk clerks than the females, either that or the women hide it better.
What is really, really fun is when I stand in the Hilton Honors line for check in. Not only does the desk clerk get a tweak, it gives me great pleasure to accept the check in packet with all of its amenities and the desk clerk mentioning the Exec lounge and the free breakfast and free internet, and the upgraded room, while the guy in the fancy suit in the non-HH line gets a key and directions to the room.
This type of thing happens at among others, Neiman Marcus also. Years ago, I was in the market for a new Italian Suit. I owned a supermarket and car wash and always dressed in jeans and tennis shoes. I walked into the NM in Atlanta with $1,500 cash (in 1991 dollars) from the store safe stuffed in my jeans. No one would even look at me. Meanwhile, 3 different guys in suits came into the mens dept. and the sales reps were all over them. I simply walked out, went home and called the lady that dressed the local CBS TV news anchors and usually took them to Neiman Marcus. She called the manager of the mens dept and I went back the next day with her. They had liquor and a private screening room for me. I wore the same jeans in there and dropped 5k that afternoon. Needless to say, they were very nice to me the second time around.
#20
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: Boston
Programs: HHonors Diamond, Marriott Platinum, United 1K,
Posts: 208
^
This type of thing happens at among others, Neiman Marcus also. Years ago, I was in the market for a new Italian Suit. I owned a supermarket and car wash and always dressed in jeans and tennis shoes. I walked into the NM in Atlanta with $1,500 cash (in 1991 dollars) from the store safe stuffed in my jeans. No one would even look at me. Meanwhile, 3 different guys in suits came into the mens dept. and the sales reps were all over them. I simply walked out, went home and called the lady that dressed the local CBS TV news anchors and usually took them to Neiman Marcus. She called the manager of the mens dept and I went back the next day with her. They had liquor and a private screening room for me. I wore the same jeans in there and dropped 5k that afternoon. Needless to say, they were very nice to me the second time around.
This type of thing happens at among others, Neiman Marcus also. Years ago, I was in the market for a new Italian Suit. I owned a supermarket and car wash and always dressed in jeans and tennis shoes. I walked into the NM in Atlanta with $1,500 cash (in 1991 dollars) from the store safe stuffed in my jeans. No one would even look at me. Meanwhile, 3 different guys in suits came into the mens dept. and the sales reps were all over them. I simply walked out, went home and called the lady that dressed the local CBS TV news anchors and usually took them to Neiman Marcus. She called the manager of the mens dept and I went back the next day with her. They had liquor and a private screening room for me. I wore the same jeans in there and dropped 5k that afternoon. Needless to say, they were very nice to me the second time around.
#21
Join Date: Jul 2009
Programs: Hilton Gold, Club Carlson Gold, IHG Platinum
Posts: 112
It is funny how salesmen make assumptions based on how you are dressed or what you drive. My story is I went shopping for a new SUV. The car I was driving had a lot of miles on it, and although there was no dents or dings, rust was starting to form on the lower panels as the car was 14 years old. Anyway, at a couple of car lots, the salesman would snub their noses at me like there was no way I could afford a new car. Little did they know that I had most of the money saved up for a new car. I eventually bought a new car at a car lot where the salesman treated me like a person, without making assumptions based on what I was wearing or what I was driving.
#23
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Feb 2009
Location: From ORK, live LCY
Programs: BA Silver, EI Silver, HH Gold, BW Gold, ABP, Seigneur des Horaires des Mucci
Posts: 14,177
#24
Join Date: Dec 2022
Posts: 77
Im specifically wondering if hotel staff can still see how many times you have visited a specific property? As well as if they can see how many future reservations you have at that specific property and if those two pieces of information have any impact on chances of upgrade?
#25
Join Date: Sep 2012
Location: NW London and NW Sydney
Programs: BA Diamond, Hilton Bronze, A3 Diamond, IHG *G
Posts: 6,321
Yes, a property should be more likely to upgrade a very frequent guest, but you can also make friends with the manager and ask outright.
They can definitely see this information in the back office, whether check in staff can access it, know how to access it, or care about it is a different question.
They can definitely see this information in the back office, whether check in staff can access it, know how to access it, or care about it is a different question.
#26
Join Date: Jul 2012
Programs: HH D
Posts: 1,628
An additional question with the subject in mind would be: what is changing in this respect with the switchover from Hilton's own customer management system 'OnQ' to Hotelkey's cloud-based Property Engagement Platform? Over 1000 properties have already changed over to the new system.
Hilton Seeks to Enhance Guest Services and Reduce Wait Times with Latest Technology Implementation | (hoteltechnologynews.com)
Hilton Seeks to Enhance Guest Services and Reduce Wait Times with Latest Technology Implementation | (hoteltechnologynews.com)
#27
Join Date: Aug 2020
Location: Somewhere in the Mid-Atlantic
Programs: Hilton Honors Diamond
Posts: 608
Im specifically wondering if hotel staff can still see how many times you have visited a specific property? As well as if they can see how many future reservations you have at that specific property and if those two pieces of information have any impact on chances of upgrade?
An additional question with the subject in mind would be: what is changing in this respect with the switchover from Hilton's own customer management system 'OnQ' to Hotelkey's cloud-based Property Engagement Platform? Over 1000 properties have already changed over to the new system.
#28
Join Date: Feb 2013
Programs: Hilton Diamond
Posts: 4,194
It is funny how salesmen make assumptions based on how you are dressed or what you drive. My story is I went shopping for a new SUV. The car I was driving had a lot of miles on it, and although there was no dents or dings, rust was starting to form on the lower panels as the car was 14 years old. Anyway, at a couple of car lots, the salesman would snub their noses at me like there was no way I could afford a new car. Little did they know that I had most of the money saved up for a new car. I eventually bought a new car at a car lot where the salesman treated me like a person, without making assumptions based on what I was wearing or what I was driving.
#29
Join Date: Feb 2013
Programs: Hilton Diamond
Posts: 4,194
As far as what hotel front desk can see - I actually wish there was information prominently placed about being a return guest because it gets a bit old checking into somewhere I have been over a dozen times+ and being asked "Have you stayed with us before" or not even being asked but given the speech of what is where and when.