Do Starwood Lurkers correlate member posts against real-life people?
Dec 15, 2013, 6:20 pm
#46
Join Date: Nov 2011
Location: California
Programs: Hyatt Global, Marriot Lifetime Titanium
Posts: 2,282
I have asked lurkers for help a couple of times, and of course PM'ed ( using my
FT nom de plume) and gave them my real name and account number.
So they could easily track my posts with and match them with my real name,
if they had the time and inclination to do so. So what?
FT nom de plume) and gave them my real name and account number.
So they could easily track my posts with and match them with my real name,
if they had the time and inclination to do so. So what?
Dec 15, 2013, 9:01 pm
#47
Suspended
Join Date: Jul 2001
Location: Watchlisted by the prejudiced, en route to purgatory
Programs: Just Say No to Fleecing and Blacklisting
Posts: 102,095
To answer the headline question: "yes, but sometimes they misidentify".
Mar 5, 2015, 4:22 pm
#48
Join Date: Feb 2013
Location: Miami, FL
Programs: UA 1MM, AA Plat, Marriott LT Titanium, Hyatt Glob, IHG ♢ Amb, Hilton ♢, Hertz Pres
Posts: 6,016
They all know... I've had GM's respond with my real name directly via email when I solely described an issue to them via the FT Starwood Hotel Master Thread. My Ambassador recently emailed me because he saw my review on a Starwood property on FT and asked if I wanted him to follow up with the property. And clearly the Lurkers know as I've PM'ed them with my info directly. So every level at Starwood knows who I am.
I understand if you're disconcerted by this... but the reality is if you're trying to retain anonymity, posting on boards with identifying info (stay patterns, hotels, upgrades, etc.) isn't the way to do it.
It's smart of Starwood to track what their customers are saying, especially one's who review on the Internet. By attempting to assist with any problems before they get too severe - they may short circuit some very poor reviews via social media or other avenues where they may lose customers or business.
I do not believe they have dubious motives - but rather positive ones.
I understand if you're disconcerted by this... but the reality is if you're trying to retain anonymity, posting on boards with identifying info (stay patterns, hotels, upgrades, etc.) isn't the way to do it.
It's smart of Starwood to track what their customers are saying, especially one's who review on the Internet. By attempting to assist with any problems before they get too severe - they may short circuit some very poor reviews via social media or other avenues where they may lose customers or business.
I do not believe they have dubious motives - but rather positive ones.
Mar 5, 2015, 5:05 pm
#49
Join Date: Oct 2014
Programs: IHG Spire, Marriott
Posts: 574
Why the sudden revival of this thread, TravelinSperry? That being said, the topic's quite interesting and I believe lurkers on this forum are fair and transparent. I wouldn't be too worried if *wood corporate knows who I'm on FT. Individual properties however is a different matter.
There are other forums in which spg members actively discuss gray areas, website glitches, ways to cheat promos etc. and lurkers there are more 'formal' and sometimes take great lengths to report those behaviours.
As you would have noticed when you travel, Asians (myself included) enjoy enforcing rules and almost take pride in policing regulations on the job. I've had some bad experience when the FD agent forget to carry their positive intent on a stressful day.
There are other forums in which spg members actively discuss gray areas, website glitches, ways to cheat promos etc. and lurkers there are more 'formal' and sometimes take great lengths to report those behaviours.
As you would have noticed when you travel, Asians (myself included) enjoy enforcing rules and almost take pride in policing regulations on the job. I've had some bad experience when the FD agent forget to carry their positive intent on a stressful day.
Mar 6, 2015, 7:45 am
#50
Join Date: Feb 2013
Location: Miami, FL
Programs: UA 1MM, AA Plat, Marriott LT Titanium, Hyatt Glob, IHG ♢ Amb, Hilton ♢, Hertz Pres
Posts: 6,016
I revived it because a few days ago my Ambassador emailed me because he saw my review on a Starwood property on FT and asked if I wanted him to follow up with the property. Until then, I only knew for sure the Lurkers and certain GMs knew me... and wasn't 100% sure everyone at *Wood did (or that they correlated to us).
But after that email - I became 100% sure (not that it matters to me specifically) but I thought it helpful to let everyone know since they may care. As such I was going to create a new post... but this one seemed recent enough to add to it rather than announce it via a new thread. Sorry if that's poor protocol on my part.
But after that email - I became 100% sure (not that it matters to me specifically) but I thought it helpful to let everyone know since they may care. As such I was going to create a new post... but this one seemed recent enough to add to it rather than announce it via a new thread. Sorry if that's poor protocol on my part.
Mar 6, 2015, 10:52 am
#51
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: BOS/UTH
Programs: AA LT PLT; QR GLD; Bonvoy LT TIT
Posts: 12,753
I've told my Ambassador what my FT name is. Sometimes she reads my reviews.
Mar 6, 2015, 6:58 pm
#52
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: Minneapolis: DL DM charter 2.3MM
Programs: A3*Gold, SPG Plat, HyattDiamond, MarriottPP, LHW exAccess, ICI, Raffles Amb, NW PE MM, TWA Gold MM
Posts: 100,404
If your comments/reviews are honest and fair, I don't see the problem. If someone has been trying to "cheat" in various ways, maybe their identity should be known. OTOH, I can imagine that the FT crowd can be more difficult than the average guest because we generally know the rules and therefore might be more likely to complain (either here on FT or at the property) when something is wrong.