Keyser

requalified for ambassador service thanks to 100 nights at spg only properties....i have been assigned the same ambassador i had last year....

EWRFlyerAL

My Ambassador has been MIA the past two weeks. I have sent multiple emails requesting assistance including with a reservation this weekend and have gotten no responses. Anyone else have the Ambassador disappear?

bhrubin

C17PSGR

I was unable to make a reservation online the other day as my trip shifted while at the airport and called my ambassadors direct line. I rolled into a voicemail system that wouldn't allow a message or allow me to dial 0.

I then called the Ambassador number and it answered with someone who greeted me by name. She took care of the reservation -- which involved calling the hotel directly -- and then called me back to confirm everything.

deac83

Had a similar experience. I had a reservation with the Visa cert on it. Canceled it and shockingly it didn't immediately repost to my account. My Amb. was off, 1st time rang over and disconnected. 2nd time I was on hold for 20 min with no answer. Hung up and called the direct general Amb number, it was picked up immediately. She fixed my problem relatively quickly.

I know they are completely slammed mine is thinking about quitting. We confirmed that they have a problem in the email system. I sent her an email on a Friday and then followed up on Monday. She was able to document that she never received my Friday email.

deac83

I was Plat Prem (i.e. the invite only for Marriott top 2% pax) for 10 years. I was told by GM's that the front desk sees 'plat' but many don't realize that Plat Prem was different from Plat. I realized a long time ago that they needed a different name, maybe Titanium so the front desk would have zero question about your level. My experience was that Marriott properties delivered a differentiated level of service to PP's about 10% of the time. When a property recognized you as a PP it was great but 9 of 10 times they seemed to think you were just another Plat. I spent 10 years training front desk staffs on the difference (i.e. they need to UG the PP's, even if they don't check in at 5pm).

I 'quit' the program and went to Starwood for the Ambassador service. Unfortunately, not all Ambassdor's are created equally. The program was much more defined than Marriott's old PP, there were actual benefits to the Ambassador. Having colleagues receive special attention confirmed that. After my first year I received a survey and gave very negative reviews, I was contacted directly by the head of the program. They gave me a new Ambassador based on that. The reality is took a couple of tries to get one that lived up to the intent of the program (I wasn't asking a lot, but again I knew what other Ambassadors were doing for my friends). I've had my current Ambassador for 3 years and she is great. She is on top of my stays, and gets really focused on my family vacations.

I really find it amusing when asked if the Ambassador is a real benefit. For those coming from Marriott where the PP was a vague level with no real defined benefit other than 'their best service and a phone number' I can understand the skepticism. Of course my fear is that Marriott will dumb it down and/or drive the good ones out of the company.

Since I'm completing my 100 nights at legacy SPG, for my Ambassador renewal, I have no idea how Legacy Marriott properties are handling it. I know my SPG properties have zero problem providing UG's no matter when I check in and they know I have an Ambassador.

C17PSGR

I might debate the legacy Marriott PPE program but that being said, I think we've collectively decided here that legacy SPG do not know (pre 8/18 or post 8/18) whether a guest has an ambassador unless the ambassador has contacted the property in advance of your stay. I think its also clear that properties often treat repeat guests well (I think that's with all properties whether its Marriott, SPG, IHC).

Are the properties you are referring to properties you have previously stayed?

I've had five SPG stays since 8/18 -- at a W, a Westin, two Sheratons, and a Luxury Collection. None upgraded me before I arrived. None recognized me as anything other than a Plat. I did get upgraded on two of the stays where I intentionally arrived at 3. Both of thus upgrades involved a FD agent clicking around to see what they had available.

I did, however, receive points and spend credit for those properties under the new rules so that part of it is working (well the Sheraton's haven't credited yet ...)

ethernal

Just to pile on with another data point.. I have reached out to my Ambassador three times since the merger (using the "new" address since the last one). First time I reached out two weeks after the merger I got a response in two days (the longest it had ever been). Second time it took about four days to respond. Most recent time (on a time sensitive request that I labeled in the title as such) it has been six days and no response.

I know it is not her fault - she used to respond same day every time (at the very least with a "I'm working on it - hold tight" type email) - so this is clearly something to do either with extra volume as a result of the merger or just an increase in case load.

I've never seen huge value in the Ambassador service, but it was always nice and I do think that it has been beneficial to have in some cases. Unless things radically change post-merger in the next few weeks, I see virtually no reason to maintain Ambassador service next year - I have had 0% success rate with confirmed Your 24 (besides one accept with a 2 PM check-in at a hotel with a 3 PM standard check-in time) over the past two years.

I feel like I will be far better served getting max status at two different chains than maintaining status at one (I average 150+ nights a year without credit card bonus so it would be relatively easy to do).

To me it is crazy that Marriott decided to trash the Ambassador program by overworking the Ambassadors and eliminating their utility given that those who are staying over 100 nights a year are the most likely to be able to maintain max status via two different brands.

JBauer

ethernal

Same with me. I would imagine between the new Marriott-eligible folks and the post-merger issues they are completely overwhelmed. Service quality has gone from 100% same-day response (when in the office) to hit or miss within a week.

dimramon

Same here. I typically get a response after 3 days from the after hours desk stating they are helping out "today". I don't want to be snarky and ask who was helping out 3 days ago, but oh well...
I rarely use the service and I have some gripes with it anyways.

damon88

hockeyinsider

Either there are too many platinum premier ambassadors -- 100 room nights isn't that many -- or there aren't enough agents.

ethernal

Well, there are probably too many Platinum Premier Ambassadors - as you said, 100 nights isn't that many - especially with the geographic availability of Starriott. But either way, if they are going to offer it as a benefit they need to staff to that level.

It's just very frustrating in the new world. In the rare event I needed help with something, I would either email the hotel directly to avoid bothering my ambassador, or I would email my ambassador. Now I can't email hotels (missing addresses) and my ambassador is unreliable (and sending an email to the general ambassador address doesn't have much better response times).

I guess I could call in but I handle most of my travel logistics while in the air so phone calls just don't work.

While perhaps it is reflective of reality given the sheer number of Starriott elites - Marriott is doing a very good job of making me feel like a very non-preferred guest.

K7Beach

Question here. If I cross over 100 nights this year but don't make the spend requirements, what happens in 2019? Do the nights over 75 just roll ever to the next year qualification?...or do they roll over after the 100 level? I am pretty sure I will not make the spend but wanting to see what happens when I don't. Forgive me if this has been answered in another thread.

K