Originally Posted by
Flying for Fun
I am finding your reference to Ambassador Service to be ambiguous. Are you pertaining to the services of an Ambassador in general or are you pertaining to Ambassador services at the property level? You have your Ambassador Elite Status that is now universally recognized as a separate tier. That tier and recognition doesn't provide additional benefits at the property level other than Your24. The only additional stated benefit is a "personal concierge" whom, from posts upthread, is pretty limited in the scope of what they can do for you. Am I misunderstanding something here?
James
Well the survey was about "Ambassador Service" which I think was intended to distinguish between "Ambassador Service" and the Ambassador status tier, although I think that's ambiguous ... but it was their term not mine.
I'm assuming they meant Ambassador Service to mean what existed before their was a separate status tier, meaning the person in the video who "personalizes" your stays to use another term from the program.
Originally Posted by
bhrubin
Having proper Ambassador status as its own highest status tier was the single best thing Marriott has done. That has allowed hotels to easily recognize and act on our status without any need or obligation for each of our Ambassadors to contact hotels in advance as was true with SPG. It makes it much more obvious now that the hotels execute or fail to execute, rather than anything the actual Ambassadors have or have no done.
Thats why I again was pre-upgraded at the SLS Beverly Hills weeks ago from an entry level room to a one bedroom suite. That’s why I yesterday again was further pre-upgraded to the SLS Suite. I didn’t even have to mention anything to my Ambassador...though that doesn’t mean my Ambassador didn’t reach out. I’ll never know....nor do I need to know.
+1
Interestingly, I had given up on the SLS from a stay a couple of months ago where they wanted to charge me for the one bedroom suite that was available for a one bedroom stay. I gave it another chance for a stay with a GF and they upgraded me to the one bedroom suite two days before I arrived! Then they allowed me to check in mid-morning and have a 4 PM checkout. I'm confident its because of the Ambassador status tier and being a repeat guest, although it again highlights some training issues at the property level based on my previous experience.
As for the status tier and recognition at the property level, I'm pretty happy. I'm getting suite upgrades on almost every stay and just cleared an SNA for a seafront suite at a prime property that I booked at a very reasonable corporate rate. When I stay internationally, I'm usually getting something like wine, chocolates, fruit, or macaroons in my room. My only complaint (which I can't really use that term) is that I used to get a lot of handwritten notes from GM's when I was a legacy Plat Premier under the old Marriott program and more unsolicited room service in the US and that seems to have stopped. But that's more a hmm than a complaint. I'll hit 20K at Marriott this month and probably be at $30-40k at the end of the year depending on work and unpredictable trips (and a few thousand more at Hyatt/Hilton).
I think Arne had a horrible communication plan regarding integration and it upset a lot of people. He also failed to put the right resources in upfront -- although he could have saved a lot of resource by communicating better. And I think Arne is out of touch. Plus, a lot of hotel staff didn't get trained in a timely manner/ I realize that upset people (and frankly some people just don't like Marriott) but things seem to be working very well now. OTOH, I'm sure Hyatt and Hilton would like a bigger chunk or all of my hotel spend so I'm glad they're looking into the "Ambassador Service."