Originally Posted by Lefty33
With Marriott the mix of company managed to outside managed is about 45% Company and 55% non-Company.
And as a former Company employee I can tell you that for some things it does matter a lot if the location is Company managed or not but on the issue of upgrading I personally have never seen or heard anything that would make that theory universally true. Naturally there are always renagade locations that will do what they choose but for the majority the issue of upgrading is left up to whatever the FOM, Rooms Controller, and the individual desk clerks decide to do.
Please correct me if I'm missing something, but are you saying that most of the time it isn't the advertised rules/T's & C's that matter, but rather employees' descretion (and Marriott tolerates it as "business as usual")?
That causes me to think there
may be a real bases basis for Marriott elites' complaints about hassles regarding upgrades and SPG posters' claims that Starwood personnel grant them automatically, at least most of the time.
In the earlier, referenced thread (that's linked to this one in the OP), there were two posts detailing verbal contortions to utilize at check-in in order to receive them.
When you think of it, it's kind of ridiculous that it takes engaging in "word games" to receive that which the rules state (granted, with qualifications) has been
earned by virtue of demonstrated loyalty on a scale exceeding the competition's definition of that term.
Perhaps, in light of this, Marriott should consider a more certain recognition for its best customers - something it can control, like discounted point requirements or the waiving of capacity controls on awards for those holding the Gold and Platinum status.