remymartin

This is indeed worrisome. I believe last year there was thread about Starwood's new CRM including FT, twitter etc information. I am "okay" with Starwood having them, but when I check into a new hotel, I would prefer they only have the information available that I too can see on www.spg.com.

UKTraveller4Fun

I am afraid the days of a hotel or airline or any other big corporation having just that info showing to them is long over.

We all have profiles businesses build on us when doing business with them and these days that includes interaction on social media.

That said I really am not a fan of the idea that social media means you can make accusations at people or companies and remain anonymous, if you have something to say you should be willing to stand by it and put your name to it!

supatight80

This is exactly why I love the lurkers. I'm not a big fan of emailing a specific property about my complaints/issues.
Outcomes were never to my satisfaction if I did it myself.

So now, all I do is post here and 110% William, Christina, or Theythus will do all the dirty work on my behalf with excellent results. I would say they always have delivered without me having to go 1on1 battle with the property.

Having said that, I will never post something negative here unless I'm giving them a *hint hint that when I post something negative here, it really means I am asking for their intervention without specifically asking for their intervention.

m0hamed

Agreed.

If you think you're anonymous you would be horrified on what data companies actually have on you.

You do realise that you simply liking a Facebook page of *wood, SPG or a property they pull the information of your social media profile and can import it into their database against your account? Add to that your Linkedin and other social media and any other info on the www. And that doesn't even consider how they can also intersect big data to get even more information on you.

Use a SPG Amex? They know what washing detergent you use and have an entire customer profile and can probably predict what your next cc transaction is going to be.

Linked to your Uber account? They know where you travel, when and if you're staying at a non *wood property.

The ridiculousness of this post, however, is asking a customer care representative of SPG on FT for help and expecting they wouldn't use your information to act on it in attempting to find a resolution. That is truly ridiculous.

Sabai

This.

A couple of years ago I had an issue with the perfectly awful Sheraton Towers in Cairo; I was put on a Club Floor but charged for breakfast.
The lurker sorted this out and the hotel reimbursed me; I don't see how this could have been resolved absent my personal details.

Lurkers: You are one the very best features of SPG; I hope that Marriott has the sense not to synergize you out of existence.

KENNECTED

I think this is utter nonsense.

Like many long time FT contributors, it's not hard for a hotel to put together to dots and find out who a forumer is. Many times I, and others, will read a review on the SPG website then look at Trip Advisor, MP or FT and figure out who the person is.

I feel and think this post is an attempt to villainize the Lurkers as a whole over what can be viewed as a mistake by one. The Lurkers have always been transparent and professional IMHO.

Unless it's something extremely outrageous or the complainer is really in the wrong, I personally do not believe a property will "black list" any guest for marginal or negative comments made on this forum or any other social media platform. If anything a property will use comments to improve service. I have had properties call me and ask for pictures and video based on comments. If anything an "issue" should strengthen your personal relationship with a property.

Couple questions, Anaom:

• What is the fear of posting a negative review on this or any social media platform?
• What is your fear if a property knows your identity if you post comments (good, bad or indifferent) on FT or another social media platform?

UKTraveller4Fun

Couldn't agree more!

bhrubin

Your outrage seems misplaced.

You had complaints about a SPG hotel, you shared those with a SPG Lurker--who is an SPG employee--and then later you heard from the new GM of the same SPG hotel. Now you're outraged and complaining again?

The new GM contacted you. Apparently, not hearing everything you want to hear is worse than hearing nothing at all. I'd say you are creating your own drama here.

The Lurker alerted the hotel. That is what is supposed to happen--you alert a SPG employee about an SPG issue with an SPG hotel, and the SPG hotel contacts you regarding the issue.

There is no reason for outrage here.

Also, your comment later that you're just trying to help other travelers is totally laughable. I'd say you were pissed and trying to shame the hotel...and now you're pissed and trying to shame the Lurker.

Dr. HFH

Agree completely. I would add that the way that the thread/initial post is structured, as a "Public Service Announcement," OP is actually trying to exact revenge on Lurkers/hotel/SPG by telling people not to stay at SPG properties.

jibi

I think it is simply letting people know that posting on here under a pseudonym may not be anonymous when you contact one of the Lurkers. I don't recall OP telling anyone not to stay at a hotel (or even this hotel) or being malicious in his comments in any way. I agree with some others who say OP is a tad misguided with his comments and that the GM was the one who was out of line.

However, his question was generic. It did not require specific PII data to receive a response to his question. "We had a guest stay at your property who had a question regarding your policies. Can you elaborate on this policy?" By sharing that PII data, along with his post here, the GM was provided a vehicle to read his honest feedback, which was made anonymously at the time, and retaliate based on the connections made. The GM was definitely in the wrong. However, the difference between "connecting the dots" to identify a FT user and what happened here is that the information was provided to the GM. That's not a good precedent to set.

Again, this doesn't say that the Lurkers don't provide the most amazing and beneficial service on this entire website and in the entire industry. They are beyond reproach when it comes to the value of the service they provide. OP simply said that people should be aware that their anonymous identity may not be as anonymous as they'd assume in certain situations when communicating with the Lurkers. In those situations, it may be better to contact the hotel or customer service directly, which means you are volunteering your real identity rather than facilitating communication via an anonymous online persona.

bhrubin

I must call your comments misguided, as well.

If the OP shares info with a Lurker to get satisfaction on a specific incident or issue, the OP clearly has waived any pretense for anonymity. Anyone who doesn't understand that is...lacking, to put it politely.

This OP is simply balling about nonsense. This isn't about anonymity. This is about exacting revenge about SPG. The OP is railing at the moon now. The OP is entitled to rail at the moon, of course...but we are entitled to call that out, too.

navelfluff

This is the Internet. In the words of my former CEO in 1999, "You have zero privacy anyway. Get over it."
http://archive.wired.com/politics/la.../1999/01/17538

ZenWorld

I think there are a few things here that we should be aware of.

1. If you email Lurkers and identified yourself, there should be no expectations that it would remain anonymous. Perhaps OP thought Lurkers will help keep his identity anonymous, but a good reminder that Lurkers are the face of Starwood, and if they think they should identify you to the property, they would.

Even if it was not their intentions to do so, but accidentally did so, you have to forgive the Lurkers, because once you identified yourself to SPG, you have already given away your anonymity.

(Hence if you really want to be anonymous, be totally anonymous.)

2. Be constructive with your feedback. In this way, even if you are identified, so long as your feedback is constructive, there is no worries about being blacklisted. And if the property blacklists you for being constructive, be thankful, it is not a property worth returning to, as they can never improve, and will always be delivering poor values.

If I receive an email GM that reflects he/she is really poor with handling constructive feedbacks, I will be grateful as it makes my future stay decisions easy; I vote with my wallet.

3. We all have a lot of wishes. Not all will be granted. Differentiate between wishes and base expectations. If you find that in most of your stays, SPG has failed to meet your base expectations, then either SPG is not the brand for you, or you need to adjust your base expectations.

We can give feedback to improve, but do know yourself if it is a "it would really good if the hotel can do that, and we would not hesitate to return if so", vs "if the hotel does not do that, we will not even consider staying again". And if you communicate to the hotel, express it so they understand which is which.

If you ask for a "good to have" wishlist and write it as a "must-have", the feedback may come across to the hotel that you have unrealistic expectations.

If the hotel misunderstood your intentions, clarify.

If the hotel does not wish to understand you despite your best efforts, you can weigh it and vote with your wallet.
(maybe stay only on good rates, stay less, or avoid.)

4. Finally, I hope SPG and hotel GMs will keep their minds open to constructive feedback. I think most of the time, they are really good at it. SPG Lurkers are still among the best in flyertalk, so I give them the benefit of the doubt due to their consistency, and if it was really by accident, remember my point 1. and forgive them.

If you want to be anonymous, be truly anonymous.

karenkay

I'm still curious about the contents of the letter the OP received from the GM. OP said he thought it was snarky...if you're really trying help flyertalkers, posting it would allow us to see how said GM responds to criticism, and would assist others in determining whether to stay at that property in the future.

Any chance you'd be willing to share it, OP?

Keyser

i agree....i think the letter would help fters much more than warning them not to share info with the lurkers....