Originally Posted by
pinniped
Perhaps it's because anybody at a Marriott hotel can access and update these records for any reason, and the client is unaware and/or has no control over how the data is used.
At my firm, we of course have a CRM sytem and also know that our vendor partners are using the same types of platforms. But only a very limited set of people have access, and both our clients and our vendors are fully aware of how these systems are used in our industry. We would never allow an office receptionist, for example, to access this system.
It's possible, I suppose, that Marriott has tightly restricted its system and/or requires a General Manager to review every free-form comment. But perhaps part of the minor freak-out here is that it seems like this isn't the case - just from the comments in this thread. It sounds like hourly/front-line employees have access and that the comments entered aren't entirely professional.
First off, it's completely unclear what precise data is accessible and by whom. FT'ers upthread have mentioned that their files have included absurd levels of irrelevance, e.g., every e-mail they've ever sent to customer service at Marriott. Not all of this stuff is going to be accessible on a property's PMS. Let's not overgeneralize or lump everything together as far as either data or who can access it without having that specific information. It doesn't help reasonable, factual discussion here.
Comparing different industries also lacks relevance because hospitality is a front-line industry. Front-line employees are who guests deal with and ideally guests should never even have to deal with anyone but front-line employees. CRM data relevant to guest desires is useless if front-line employees don't have it. At the vast majority of properties, the general manager is not the guy who is going to be doing anything specifically relevant to 99%+ of guests.
As an example of this, by far the number one, shall we say, 'fixable' or perhaps 'avoidable' guest complaint is about room noise. That's why many hotel chains give guests the option to self-input that data directly in the reservations system (e.g., request a high floor or a room far from the elevators, etc.). If a guest complains about room noise, staff are going to make a note about it in the PMS so they know what specifically the problem was (hallway noise? elevator? traffic from a certain road? etc.) and to put that guest in a quieter room from the get-go next time. It's front-line employees that are going to handle these reservation requests and/or room assignments. Perhaps that's also why some of the notations may appear "unprofessional", because it's these same front-line employees hurriedly putting this information in.
In any case, the point of my post was simply this: Businesses, including hospitality businesses, value customer data because it helps to
improve the customer experience. Describing a CRM system as an "Internal System Where they can criticize you!!" is such a laughable overreaction that it's hard to believe this thread actually has 200+ replies that aren't entirely derisive, but I suppose that's the disconnect between those who have only been on the guest side of things versus those of us who have worked in the industry.
Even worse, requesting 3000+ pages of data to be sent hardcopy is beyond ridiculous, even for the most paranoid. It's an absurd waste of resources, both human and physical.
Originally Posted by
txirish
It's human nature that these reports will be completely negative, or almost so. The default guest interaction is smooth and friendly. Short of huge tips, thank you gifts, etc., no staffer would feel a positive experience was out of the ordinary.
This is some seriously wild fantasy about "these reports". The reality is that hotel staff are largely nonplussed by guest requests, even from guests that you might consider to be very difficult, if for no other reason than that it happens many times every single day. It's just the reality of the hospitality industry. Most staff are way too busy to care about these interactions, much less have the time to write "these reports" about them.