For the record the challenge is still out there. ALthough it took quite a lot of time to get to a Supervisor.

I just lost my status (down to Silver) for 2004. In 2003 I had to choose btwn SPG, Hyatt, Hilton and Marriott and Marriott got short stick.

Called MR to ask about options, Agent says please hold---
After about 3 mins-
Agent say
1) OK "Sir"—(always love that). “You can buy back Gold for 35k pts” (yeah right)
Or
2) “You can challenge back to Gold for 12 nights in 90 days” (already have 15 booked).

I of course ask what about the Plat Challenge of 18 nights in 90 days. If you are going to give me a challenge give me a tough one with a bigger payoff.

Reply- "Sir you can only challenge back the level you lost, please make a choice".

I reply that I do not understand why my choices are limited and that I would like to understand the 18 nights in 90 day option if that is open to me and if it is not why I am not eligible for it. Do they want to see the competitor status to match via challenge?

Reply-“Sir- This is MARRIOTT you do not get to pick and choose what you can get, these are both gifts to you” (someone remind me what a gift 35K pts for Gold) is.

Again I ask why newbie’s with no status on Marriott get challenged to Plat and please allow me to speak with a supervisor or check with one yourself.

Reply- “Please hold”

After 5 min hold, "My supervisor says no way that you are asking to go from Zero to Plat".

I ask how 22 nights is Zero (and they were all at very high value properties but lets not confuse the agent) and again compare it to newbie’s.

Of course I try to explain (very politely) the logic of this vs. someone with no status getting a Plat Challenge. We go around for 5 mins, the agent gets hostile (raises her voice and says “I have been here 2 years and I KNOW that this never happens- are you calling me a liar?”). I remain calm and continue with basic logic, asking what I should do, quit my account (agent replies if you want to forfeit 500k pts go ahead) and ask for the challenge on a new account, send in faxes of my other status? What could I possibly do to make me eligible for a Plat Challenge.

Very important to note that never once did I get excited or angry, although I think my calm disturbed the agent. Did not even take offense figuring that the agent was either misinformed or playing her role. I asked on more than one occasion to speak with a supervisor to short cut this but she kept putting me on hold to “check with her supervisor”.

Eventually the agent says fine if you do not believe me talk to my supervisor.

2 mins later Supervisor gives it to me but first- Supervisor asks what he can do for me, he understands I have a concern about challenges. I explain the dilemma and ask him what to do.

Reply- “Our agents are not empowered to offer the Plat challenge to existing MR customers, but I am” (I did not tell the Supervisor about the agent getting hostile- no upside for me).

Supervisor asked me
Q- “xxx (uses my first name) how many total nights did you have in Hotels last year”
A- “ more than 175” (did not get my 200 for the first time in many years).

Long Pause from Supervisor,

Q- how come we only got 22 of them?
A- Cities and availability was my answer (not sure competitive promos would have worked in my favor).

Supervisor –“Hmm so if we give you a challenge, do you plan on switching some of that to us”
A-,”if you earn it you get it, I am not sure what Plat is worth compared to SPG, Hyatt, Hilton”

Supervisor said “Fine, you can have a 90 day challenge for 18 nights, we look forward to having you as a continued MR Plat member”

Good with me Good with Marriott

Now to go get the 18 nights, 12 was just too easy and I wanted Plat to round it out this year. I have a 15 nights (should have called 30 days ago) that will credit in late Feb but somehow I bet those won’t count.

Valid for 2004 only must qualify the “Hard Way” for 2005 (according to the Supervisor). Now we will see if Plat is really better than Gold J and how it compares to SPG Plat, Hyatt Diamond. If it really is better than Gold then Marriott will get some more of my $$ if not it stays with SPG, Hyatt, Hilton

Whole exchange took more than 20 min..... Hope Plat is worth it.