ckendall

I had a fairly simple matter that I tried to handle with a regular phone agent and after explaining it three times and getting the wrong answer three times I asked for a supervisor; after a bit of time on hold the matter was resolved in about 30 seconds. So there is some hope but the front level cluelessness is a bit upsetting.

MSPeconomist

I've had some bad experiences with supervisors too.

RogerD408

Maybe call it Competent Support Services (CSS) and require 150 nights, an FT user account with over 100 significant posts (no just +1's) in the SPG forum, and approved by a majority of Lurker votes. These members can also be identified as a Master Member of the SPG forum so others will know they actually know what they are saying and not just someone chiming in to build their overall FT post count to be able to modify wiki posts or join other forums.

Dr. HFH

... it's time to request assignment to a different Ambassador.

1readyset2go

This is what they mean by "enhanced"!

margarita girl

I have a BRG for an upcoming stay. I can't view my reservation online because even when I click "Update Preferences", I get this message:

OK, fine! Call the Plat desk, and the agent tells me SNA can't be applied because it's a BRG. She even spoke to her supervisor who told me to contact the BRG team.

Will try again later.

MSPeconomist

This is what I mean when I commented upthread that it's the supervisors too who are incompetent, although I sometimes suspect that when a call center agent is asked for a supervisor, they just hand the call to a neighboring regular agent who will support what they just told the customer.

RogerD408

What you may want to do is send a PM/email to the Lurkers giving them your rez details and ask them to check into this. And if you should have names of the agents, they may help get them retrained, if needed. Don't be afraid to escalate, especially when you feel you're being lied to!

margarita girl

Do not attribute to malice what can be explained by incompetence, or something like that.

HUCA worked. Just spoke to a very pleasant agent, Amanda, who was able to apply the SNA. ^

sfozrhfco

It is mostly likely and issue of timing. There are various computer systems involved as the BRG agent modifies the reservation and the hotel does their thing. I have found just waiting a day or two resolves the issue and the online reservation updates so that you can request a SNA or Y24.

For general customer service issues, yes, I have noticed a gradual decline in service but I have also found that over the past 77 nights I have taken this year, that there was only one instance where I actually needed to call the Platinum concierge. Yes, I had to call twice and yes, I had to insist that the agent call the hotel to modify a cash and points reservation but it was resolved. If it is not a issue requiring a manual issuance of an SPG award, I can either resolve the problem myself or deal directly with the hotel. I have likely stayed at far more SPG hotels than a customer service rep in middle of nowhere USA anyway, so it makes sense to use the knowledge I have to deal with the issues in the most efficient way possible.