Certainly you don't need to show aggression to the FD clerk but in my experience, you must be aggressive (perhaps assertive is a better word) to actually get all the elite benefits that the loyalty marketing programs have promised.

Otherwise a good percentage of time you will go without. And this is not limited to the Marriott chain.

Perhaps a verbal checklist is better. Did my upgrade go through? Was I given the CL floor and/or access? Can I request late checkout now? Etc.

Its too bad you have to ask after a full day of travel and working, but sadly necessary. Otherwise, they'll usually just swipe your card and hand you a key to be done with the transaction and be done with you not matter how much you smile.

Take my PLT gift delivery guarantee experience the past year. I must have stopped at the FD at checkout to tell them that my gift hadn't arrived and could they make the switch to points - at least 6 times before I came aware of the $100 rule (I'm a new PLT this year). Finally, ONE FD Agent, the 7th, told me what I was due and went to process it.

Sometimes, I'm convinced that they are trained this way, don't offer the earned amenities until they beg for it...