chuxter

:-: My dear HHonors Friends:-:

I thought I would share with you today, a sample letter that I use (and have used) time and time again regarding written complaints at HH hotels.

Keep in mind that you should
1) Resolve at the hotel location first
2) Send to member care center (Send snail, fax and email at the same time) and CC the hotel (snail, fax and email)
3) Follow-up, and mark when you sent the original letters, and if they go unanswered (after 14 days) then ask for an increase in your request. Keep tracking till the get resolved. Example I had moldy walls and blood stained sheets at a Hampton Inn in Raleigh, at first I ended up getting 5K points and I ended up with 25K, a credit for the stay and a credit for an upcoming weekend.

I hope this helps.

================================================== ===

My Name
123 Main Street
Anywhere, USA 56789
678.555.1212


Hilton Reservations and Customer Care
Attn: Reward Requests
P.O. Box 9025
Addison, TX 75001-9025


Dear Manager:

Please be aware of the following issues regarding my stay at the NAME & LOCATION OF HOTEL

For the purposes of this letter please reference Confirmation # XXXXXX

1. List the problem and a possible resolution to fix
2. List the problem and a possible resolution to fix
3. List the problem and a possible resolution to fix
4. (Close with a compliment always!) I was very pleased with the housekeeping staff they were very excellent during my stay and prompt!


In addition to addressing these issues, and in consideration for these inconveniences LIST YOUR RESOLUTION HERE (for example) I am requesting a credit of my HHonors account XXX points.


Regards,


My Name - HH Diamond 123321456

CC: Hilton, LOCATION STATE

darthbimmer

I hope the examples in your template aren't typical of what you complain about. Most frequent travelers I know consider minor nuisances, such as having to walk to the elevator around the far side and having bland food at the managers reception, part of the territory and not worth spending time on beyond bringing them to the attention of the front desk manager.

sc8077

Dear Hilton,

Upon my arrival, you said welcome back Mr. X. I expect to you say welcome back Mr. X, Your majesty.

I like to point out the following:

1. The carpet in the my room did not have enough bounce to the ounce.
2. I would like to point out the ice machine only dispensed 23 ice cubes with each push. In other places, I usually get 25.
3. The light on my desk was 65W. I prefer a soft 75W.

Due to these major setbacks, I expect you to provide me with Diamond status and 300k points.

You really got 100k in one year..damn you complain too much!!!

smmrfld

How much time do you waste in your travels noting insignificant quibbles, documenting them, and then trying to scam points? Get a life!

[QUOTE=chuxter;11075710]:-:
1. The outside of the hotel was in need of some cleaning, I noticed several days where the maintenance man was standing at the front kiosk but was not attending to the grounds outside the hotel (many of the ash tray receptacles were spilling on the ground.)
2. Of the two elevators in the front lobby, only one was operational during my stay. It was a little inconvenient to have to go across the courtyard to the additional elevators each time. At no time was a sign put up as to “when” the elevator would be fixed, upon my departure it was still not fixed.
3. The nightly manager’s reception was a little bland at best, the same snacks were served all 5 nights of my stay. At other Embassy suites they try to mix things up a bit, I would suggest the same.
4. I was very pleased with the housekeeping staff they were very excellent during my stay and prompt!

sallyerd

IMO, your letter is nothing but a shakedown. I agree with the earlier poster, I hope you only complain about major concerns. Nickeling and diming managers into giving you 5000 HHonors points isn't the high road I would expect from fellow FlyerTalkers. I wouldn't blame Hilton employee lurkers for making a copy of your form letter template to use as a bullseye target practice for their manager's office.

omegadeal

This is one of the reasons that I don't complain unless it is something really bad that I need an immediate remedy for (i.e. bugs in the room, etc.) I think it is hard for HH to understand the real complaints vs. the people just wanting comps.

I've only complained twice in the last three years.

1) First time was at the Doubletree Tyson's corner where the gym equipment was damaged and I thought someone would get injured if they continued using it. The manager offered me a free dinner, which I declined and just asked them to get the thing fixed.

2) The second was at the ES Tahoe. It was a busy weekend and my room hadn't been serviced for the third day in a row even though I was gone 6-8 hours per day. I asked for some fresh towels and explained the situation. They offered to service the room, but I was already in for the night. They did send up the towels with some room service appetizers as well which I accepted only because they were already there.

I'll typically vote with my wallet these days and just check out early or not rebook that particular property. I would post a good or bad review here as informational for other FT'ers since I value FT'ers reviews more than anywhere else.

BTW - the 23 vs. 25 ice cube thing was funny and made me laugh

chuxter

Dear Posters:

Thank you for your candid thoughts, they are appreciated.

I would say that in the day and age, people accept mediocrity far too often. I believe people should expect excellence in branding, that being Hilton. Though I admit, the items given in this example were perhaps frivolous (to some) I can point out when I stayed at a Hampton Inn, where the walls were moldy, I mean seriously that’s a health hazard, and that the sheets they made the bed with had pretty obvious blood stains in them.

When your paying nearly 1,000 a week on hotels, what should one expect? However I believe that (for the most part) the feedback I provide is a valuable service to the hotel. Should one not be compensated for this?

There are some amazing Hilton locations in the world. If you want to consistently bring a first rate brand to the market, feedback like this, is the only way to bring about this change.

Ok so maybe I went a little overboard, at the hotel in Houston who flew the American Flag, which was tattered, however if no one tells them, how can they expect to change.

I remain...

PS: Yes, I did get that many points in a year, and I just used them for a fabulous vacation at the Budapest Hilton (see my entry in that thread)

smmrfld

No, you shouldn't...especially since your prime motivation appears to be scamming points. BTW, Hilton has the ability to note shysters like you in OnQ...I hope they catch on soon and stop this nonsense.

chuxter

Blackballing LOVE it.

They get 50+ grand a year from me in bookings. It pehaps appears to you that way, but that's just one person's opinion.

Corporations pay thousands of dollars a year on QC, secret shoppers etc. Whats a few points to a multi-billon dollar corporation, besides they keep my brand loyalty and referrals.

smmrfld

Hilton's cross-brand CRM system (among other things) that has the ability to note repeat visits and customers who, uh, let's say, "have issues". Used properly, the system spots repeat complainers, problem guests, etc.

chuxter

Yea, I just read all about that. So I'd be identified, so what? BFD. We've come to expect less of what we pay for, we should GET what we pay for. In today's economy, I just don't hear them saying. Please don't spend your money here you complain too much. Go give marriott your business...HUH??!?

But we're getting off topic...

Anyways this was just a thread to provide opportunity to those who (in your opinion) would want to express their concerns.

Peace to you today!

smmrfld

Your're right...and the rest of us that have posted in this thread are clearly misguided. Best of luck in your future efforts as a Hilton undercover sleuth.

missdona

When I left the Conrad in Singapore, I handed a letter to the exec. concierge commending each member of their staff (by name) that made my stay special. Along with that, I did point out a couple of areas where they could improve and they called me to follow up. The purpose of my letter was to applaud the staff and give the property room to grow. It never occurred to me to ask for points when writing the letter.

Unless I am majorly inconvenienced, I would never consider requesting a point value from management.

TR7_DFW

So what will happen if/when they stop giving you points for your "valuable service"?

It sounds to me like you really don't care about whether things are actually fixed...you just want to nitpick for points.

trilinearmipmap

I've complained to various hotel management three times out of maybe a hundred plus hotel stays.

At a Sheraton in Vancouver there was no bell staff to help with my luggage, I hauled my luggage to my room myself, then the next morning none of the hotel staff could tell me the location of my conference meeting rooms, instead they sent me on a wild goose chase all over the hotel including barging into a meeting of JAL executives looking for my meeting room. I wrote a complaint letter not to get compensation but to explain why I wouldn't return to their hotel, and I ended up with an apology and a $50.00 dining certificate.

At a Sheraton in Hawaii repeatedly over several days the waitstaff would ignore me and my wife when we went for evening drinks. Meanwhile they would serve everyone around us promptly. I have never experienced anything like this before or since. I e-mailed the manager in the hopes that we would be served the next time we showed up for drinks in the evening. We received an apology and a fruit plate but the poor service continued.

At a Hilton the radiator/heater fan was loud on and off all night, they wouldn't move me to another room, then they wouldn't extend my checkout time by an hour so I had to miss part of my conference waiting 45 minutes for bell staff to arrive to check my luggage. I wrote a complaint letter in the hopes that they would improve their service as a 45 minute wait for bell staff and a loud heater fan are unacceptable. As unexpected compensation I received a two night stay at their best suite.

As far as the format of the complaint letter I keep it factual but also point out something along the lines of "I generally wait no more than five minutes for bell service at ****** hotels where I usually stay when traveling" so the management gets the idea that it is a competitive business with standards of service that are expected to be met. I also point out the good things about my stay in a complaint letter.

I've found it worthwhile to complain when there is something worth complaining about, and I complain with a view to improving service at an establishment. If clients at my business felt they received poor treatment, I would really appreciate some negative feedback even if only to say "Here is why we won't be using your services any more". Whining over minor issues and blatantly requesting compensation is beneath most of us I think.