Gratuities for front desk staff
Mar 23, 2017, 12:01 pm
#61
Join Date: Aug 2001
Location: Wayne, PA USA
Programs: DL MM, Marriott Bonvoy Lifetime Titanium, HHonors Gold
Posts: 7,242
I stay, at least, one night per week, in the same hotel in Budapest
I'm always treated very, very well & the majority of the staff know my name.
Two weeks ago, I asked, when checking in, if there was a possibility to upgrade a "very special customer" who had no status with Marriott, for the following evening (one night stay - I would still be a guest)
Customers exact quote "OMG, they put me in the Presedentail Suite"
(Those of you who have stayed in Budapest; know the hotel by now...)
I sent a note of thanks to the generic "front desk" email account
Last week, upon checking in, "Mr Wickersley, thank you for the note, but please don't do it again. ***** got reprimanded"
My view - its good to say thanks, but cash (or staus!) for favours; clearly does not go down well.
I'm always treated very, very well & the majority of the staff know my name.
Two weeks ago, I asked, when checking in, if there was a possibility to upgrade a "very special customer" who had no status with Marriott, for the following evening (one night stay - I would still be a guest)
Customers exact quote "OMG, they put me in the Presedentail Suite"
(Those of you who have stayed in Budapest; know the hotel by now...)
I sent a note of thanks to the generic "front desk" email account
Last week, upon checking in, "Mr Wickersley, thank you for the note, but please don't do it again. ***** got reprimanded"
My view - its good to say thanks, but cash (or staus!) for favours; clearly does not go down well.
Mar 23, 2017, 6:27 pm
#62
Join Date: Mar 2007
Location: SJC/SFO
Programs: WN A+ CP, UA 1MM/*A Gold, Mar LT Tit, IHG Plat, HH Dia
Posts: 6,284
Yes, when someone goes above and beyond in providing service it is always best to be vague when writing thanks. A simple, "John/Jane exceeded my expectations in providing excellent customer service" is best. Sometimes to provide what the customer wants requires a bending of the rules and if the thank you note is specific, the thank you note backfires on the employee.
Second, yes, it's important to be careful about how much detail to provide in writing a letter of compliment. The great thing the employee did to make you happy may well have been contrary to policy. It could be grounds for a reprimand or even termination. Think about that and use judgment with specifics.
In the example I gave above, I wrote specifics in the letter because I knew the FDM's actions were within the latitude given to her position. Another time I wrote a letter of appreciation came at a different big hotel when the FDC upgraded me to a 3,000sf suite. It was AMAZING. Out of concern the GM might not think very highly of that choice I wrote my letter somewhat vaguely. I recognized the FDC for making me feel especially welcome on a busy night and for giving me "an upgrade" "as a Platinum Elite" that made my visit truly enjoyable and an experience I will always remember.
Mar 31, 2017, 8:04 pm
#63
Join Date: Feb 2013
Posts: 1,815
In the hotels in which I worked, the acceptance of any cash or gifts by the Front Desk staff was grounds for termination. Since the Front Desk can easily give away something the hotel can sell, any cash/gift was considered a bribe.
Cash was never accepted under any circumstances. But, if a guest insisted on offering a gift, the staff to politely refuse a few times and then take it. Any food was discarded and items of value were donated.
Based on my experience, I'd say that Google is wrong. Tipping the Front Desk is not appropriate and it places the hotel staff in a very uncomfortable situation.
This is what I'd recommend. Complain up; compliment down.
If you have a problem, start at the hotel and appeal upward to the chain, if necessary. If you want to compliment an employee, do it at the corporate level. (Or cc, as SkiAdcock writes.) This process helps the hotel and the employee.
One year, our best PBX (telephone) Operator won Employee of the Year for the entire chain. One reason was because he had a history of compliments given to Corporate over many years. He got an extra week's pay and a free trip to Aruba.
Cash was never accepted under any circumstances. But, if a guest insisted on offering a gift, the staff to politely refuse a few times and then take it. Any food was discarded and items of value were donated.
Based on my experience, I'd say that Google is wrong. Tipping the Front Desk is not appropriate and it places the hotel staff in a very uncomfortable situation.
This is what I'd recommend. Complain up; compliment down.
If you have a problem, start at the hotel and appeal upward to the chain, if necessary. If you want to compliment an employee, do it at the corporate level. (Or cc, as SkiAdcock writes.) This process helps the hotel and the employee.
One year, our best PBX (telephone) Operator won Employee of the Year for the entire chain. One reason was because he had a history of compliments given to Corporate over many years. He got an extra week's pay and a free trip to Aruba.
At the company I used to work for, tips were forbidden, but you could accept gifts up to $150 value. So I have given FD and staff candy, cookies etc. I would really hate to know that they had to throw it away.
Mar 31, 2017, 9:32 pm
#64
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Denver, CO, USA
Programs: Sometimes known as [ARG:6 UNDEFINED]
Posts: 26,683
Does anyone know if Marriott has an official policy on this?
At the company I used to work for, tips were forbidden, but you could accept gifts up to $150 value. So I have given FD and staff candy, cookies etc. I would really hate to know that they had to throw it away.
At the company I used to work for, tips were forbidden, but you could accept gifts up to $150 value. So I have given FD and staff candy, cookies etc. I would really hate to know that they had to throw it away.
Don't know what Marriott policy is today, but it used to be that tips upon the performance of a service were ok, but a "tip" obviously being given as a bribe for an upgrade or a free bottle of wine delivered to the room was a "deadly sin" - grounds for immediate termination.
In my current company there are strict ethics codes that require you to ask permission before receiving any gift valued at over $25. This is because without such a code, contracted vendors suddenly have great seats to the Broncos game that they'd like you to enjoy - usually right about the time their contract is coming up for renewal.
Apr 1, 2017, 3:01 am
#65
Join Date: Feb 2013
Posts: 1,815
Think about the world we live in these days. Unless you're quite well known by the staff, you're one of thousands of guests they interact with every year, and you're giving the staff candy and cookies. Between germophobia and Halloween creepy old man stories, I wouldn't be at all surprised if most of it goes to the circular file.
Don't know what Marriott policy is today, but it used to be that tips upon the performance of a service were ok, but a "tip" obviously being given as a bribe for an upgrade or a free bottle of wine delivered to the room was a "deadly sin" - grounds for immediate termination.
In my current company there are strict ethics codes that require you to ask permission before receiving any gift valued at over $25. This is because without such a code, contracted vendors suddenly have great seats to the Broncos game that they'd like you to enjoy - usually right about the time their contract is coming up for renewal.
Don't know what Marriott policy is today, but it used to be that tips upon the performance of a service were ok, but a "tip" obviously being given as a bribe for an upgrade or a free bottle of wine delivered to the room was a "deadly sin" - grounds for immediate termination.
In my current company there are strict ethics codes that require you to ask permission before receiving any gift valued at over $25. This is because without such a code, contracted vendors suddenly have great seats to the Broncos game that they'd like you to enjoy - usually right about the time their contract is coming up for renewal.
Apr 3, 2017, 12:34 am
#67
Join Date: Nov 2011
Location: California
Programs: Hyatt Global, Marriot Lifetime Titanium
Posts: 2,282
Think about the world we live in these days. Unless you're quite well known by the staff, you're one of thousands of guests they interact with every year, and you're giving the staff candy and cookies. Between germophobia and Halloween creepy old man stories, I wouldn't be at all surprised if most of it goes to the circular file.
In these times, we ARE quite well known by the staff. They have our I.D., our credit card numbers, our addresses and our credit rating. They also have up to decades of stay history, even if that information is on computer memory instead of the FDA's memory.
If I gave something criminal to the staff, it would not take long to find me.
Apr 4, 2017, 2:54 pm
#68
Join Date: Jul 2008
Location: Exactly where I want to be
Programs: IHG Gold,SPG Gold, HH Gold, Marriott Gold, Hyatt Discoverist, Delta Kettle, AMEX Plat, DL AMEX Plat
Posts: 1,434
In the US, I'm not sure that $9-$12/hr (the salaries I've seen at various US hotels for the FDAs when I've gone job-shopping) can be called a "living wage." We have a joke at my current FD: if some receives a tip, it isn't a tip, but "breakfast" or "lunch" - we can afford to pay for a meal that we usually would skip...
Last night at work, it was just me at the Front Desk (acting as PBX, FDA and MOD) and my favorite bellman/shuttle driver. We are a 160-room property. It was a slow night, occupancy-wise. I checked people in, checked people out, got luggage out of the bell closet for departing guests, made airport transportation for 3 guests, took a call from a guest coming in Wednesday and forgot to book restaurants for their 5 nights, called restaurants for said reservations, took a grocery order for a guest arriving Thursday, booked a snowmobile excursion for a guest. My bellman loaded/unloaded luggage from vehicles, escorted people to rooms, drove the shuttle to drop off/pick up guests in town. He made $75 in tips in 8 hours. I was given $3 by one guest for getting his family's luggage out of the bell closet and loading it up on a cart and take to their Uber driver. I gave the $3 to my bellman...
Last night at work, it was just me at the Front Desk (acting as PBX, FDA and MOD) and my favorite bellman/shuttle driver. We are a 160-room property. It was a slow night, occupancy-wise. I checked people in, checked people out, got luggage out of the bell closet for departing guests, made airport transportation for 3 guests, took a call from a guest coming in Wednesday and forgot to book restaurants for their 5 nights, called restaurants for said reservations, took a grocery order for a guest arriving Thursday, booked a snowmobile excursion for a guest. My bellman loaded/unloaded luggage from vehicles, escorted people to rooms, drove the shuttle to drop off/pick up guests in town. He made $75 in tips in 8 hours. I was given $3 by one guest for getting his family's luggage out of the bell closet and loading it up on a cart and take to their Uber driver. I gave the $3 to my bellman...
Apr 4, 2017, 3:21 pm
#69
Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: TUL
Programs: AA EXP 2MM; Marriott Titanium; Hilton Diamond; Hyatt Explorist; Vistana 5* Elite; Nat'l Exec Elite
Posts: 6,177
In the US, I'm not sure that $9-$12/hr (the salaries I've seen at various US hotels for the FDAs when I've gone job-shopping) can be called a "living wage." We have a joke at my current FD: if some receives a tip, it isn't a tip, but "breakfast" or "lunch" - we can afford to pay for a meal that we usually would skip...
Last night at work, it was just me at the Front Desk (acting as PBX, FDA and MOD) and my favorite bellman/shuttle driver. We are a 160-room property. It was a slow night, occupancy-wise. I checked people in, checked people out, got luggage out of the bell closet for departing guests, made airport transportation for 3 guests, took a call from a guest coming in Wednesday and forgot to book restaurants for their 5 nights, called restaurants for said reservations, took a grocery order for a guest arriving Thursday, booked a snowmobile excursion for a guest. My bellman loaded/unloaded luggage from vehicles, escorted people to rooms, drove the shuttle to drop off/pick up guests in town. He made $75 in tips in 8 hours. I was given $3 by one guest for getting his family's luggage out of the bell closet and loading it up on a cart and take to their Uber driver. I gave the $3 to my bellman...
Last night at work, it was just me at the Front Desk (acting as PBX, FDA and MOD) and my favorite bellman/shuttle driver. We are a 160-room property. It was a slow night, occupancy-wise. I checked people in, checked people out, got luggage out of the bell closet for departing guests, made airport transportation for 3 guests, took a call from a guest coming in Wednesday and forgot to book restaurants for their 5 nights, called restaurants for said reservations, took a grocery order for a guest arriving Thursday, booked a snowmobile excursion for a guest. My bellman loaded/unloaded luggage from vehicles, escorted people to rooms, drove the shuttle to drop off/pick up guests in town. He made $75 in tips in 8 hours. I was given $3 by one guest for getting his family's luggage out of the bell closet and loading it up on a cart and take to their Uber driver. I gave the $3 to my bellman...
In that same 8-hour period, you as the FDA made $72-$96 (based on your $9-$12 statement).
I've excluded the $3 tip given to you and then subsequently given to your bellman!
Apr 5, 2017, 12:12 pm
#70
Join Date: Jul 2008
Location: Exactly where I want to be
Programs: IHG Gold,SPG Gold, HH Gold, Marriott Gold, Hyatt Discoverist, Delta Kettle, AMEX Plat, DL AMEX Plat
Posts: 1,434
So, in your example, if your property pays the bellman as a tipped employee, the bellman earned about $92 for the 8-hour shift (assuming the $2.13/hr tipped federal minimum wage).
In that same 8-hour period, you as the FDA made $72-$96 (based on your $9-$12 statement).
I've excluded the $3 tip given to you and then subsequently given to your bellman!
In that same 8-hour period, you as the FDA made $72-$96 (based on your $9-$12 statement).
I've excluded the $3 tip given to you and then subsequently given to your bellman!
Most of the FDAs and bellmen around here are holding down 2, sometimes 3, jobs to make ends meet...
Apr 5, 2017, 12:27 pm
#71
Suspended
Join Date: Mar 2002
Location: Canada, USA, Europe
Programs: UA 1K
Posts: 31,452
In these times, we ARE quite well known by the staff. They have our I.D., our credit card numbers, our addresses and our credit rating. They also have up to decades of stay history, even if that information is on computer memory instead of the FDA's memory.
If I gave something criminal to the staff, it would not take long to find me.
If I gave something criminal to the staff, it would not take long to find me.
Apr 5, 2017, 12:58 pm
#72
Join Date: Oct 2015
Programs: Hilton Diamond, Marriott Platinum
Posts: 41
If the staff member is from the Front Desk, I wouldn't tip. If it was someone from the Bell Staff doing the exact same thing, I would. That's simply because the Bell Staff in the United States is a "tipped" position that earns far less per hour when compared to the Front Desk.
Is the system stupid? Of course. But, it is what it is and nothing short of government regulation is going to make hoteliers pay the Bell Staff more than minimum wage.
Is the system stupid? Of course. But, it is what it is and nothing short of government regulation is going to make hoteliers pay the Bell Staff more than minimum wage.