Originally Posted by
C17PSGR
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.
I think it meant anything to do with the Ambassador program. But to each, their own!
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.
Always hard to know, but there’s no doubt IMO that being a repeat guest AND Ambassador makes for a very good likelihood of being very well treated if at all possible.
That being said, for my first SLS stay in 2017 I did get pre-upgraded several days before arrival to what was referred to as a Lifestyle Suite...which turned out to be spacious and well appointed but incredibly dark with barely a window looking out to the central courtyard. On mentioning my appreciation for the upgrade but disappointment with the room on a routine follow up call, the manager apologized, told me about the upcoming (and since completed) renovation to remedy my concerns...and then gave us a $100 F&B credit by way of apology. I was very surprised and tried to decline...but when we were at the rooftop bar, the staff there reminded us we had a credit and pressed us to use it.
That was incredible service. And that made us want to return every time we are in LA.
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... 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).
The handwritten note is one of those details that I couldn’t care less about. I am often stunned by how much this matters to people. I’d much rather have a nice welcome amenity and upgrade. A note is always lovely when I get it. But I never expect it...or care so much about it.
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."
I think Arne was promised things that didn’t turn out to be as easily done and set expectations that turned out to be harder to deliver than they were. I also think the SPG crowd was a lot more entitled and afraid of change than it wants to admit and found Arne to be a very convenient scapegoat. I do think most of the nonsense WAS fringe noise. I do think Marriott IT is embarrassing. I do think Marriott really did an amazing job keeping both program running parallel for as long as it did, and did an even better job merging the three programs into Bonvoy—which is basically SPG with a few reductions and a lot more enhancements for the top tiers. I think too many SPGers were too entitled based on little spend. Now I like that Marriott rewards me more as a big spender. Arne helped and hurt. But everyone wants a scapegoat. I don’t need a scapegoat.