No Platinum Chat in the new program
Aug 30, 2018, 5:41 am
#6
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: Toronto
Programs: UA 1K, AC MM E75, Marriott LT Ti, IHG Dia Amb, Hyatt Glob
Posts: 15,519
Aug 30, 2018, 6:25 am
#7
Join Date: Feb 2010
Programs: MR-Amb, Hyatt-Globalist, AA-EXP
Posts: 1,744
A few times while trying to make reservations I had a popup message asking if I'd like to chat. The functionality seemed very similar to the old chat, but the agents weren't as helpful. They were able to make a reservation for me, but then I had a couple reservations that I couldn't apply SNAs to and one I couldn't cancel online. It was clear that the chat agent was just trying to do exactly what I could do online. He ultimately just gave me the phone number of the hotels and told me to call myself.
But I don't see a way to force a chat, and the popup message hasn't happened since last week.
But I don't see a way to force a chat, and the popup message hasn't happened since last week.
Last edited by spgplat21; Aug 30, 2018 at 6:36 am
Aug 30, 2018, 6:43 am
#8
Join Date: Jan 2015
Location: Kuwait (KW)
Programs: Qatar Airways, Hyatt, Hilton, Marriott, IHG
Posts: 2,711
Aug 30, 2018, 8:57 am
#10
Join Date: Sep 2010
Location: Chicago
Programs: Hyatt Glob; UA 1K; BonVoyage LTT (RIP SPG); HH Dia; JX Insighter
Posts: 1,642
Aug 30, 2018, 10:09 am
#11
Join Date: Feb 2008
Location: In the air
Programs: Hyatt Globalist, Bonvoy LT Plat, Hilton Gold, GHA Tit, BA Gold, Turkish Elite
Posts: 8,717
In the dying days of the SPG programme they switched Plat chat to a Marriott system which was significantly worse than SPG (agents were not trained and didn’t even get passed account info) but stopped working entirely after a few days when wait times went above the time that anyone waited. It was then withdrawn.
I can only hope they reintroduce an online chat facility when (let’s not say if) Marriott customer service comes back online, and that they ideally learn some lessons from SPG and make it a moderately positive user experience.
It was was my experience with Plat Chat which made me commit enough stays to get to Ambassador in the first place. If I were to one year lose my Ambassdor the programme would lose a lot of its appeal if the next level down means little to no channel of communication to the programme for hotel bookings or queries.
I can only hope they reintroduce an online chat facility when (let’s not say if) Marriott customer service comes back online, and that they ideally learn some lessons from SPG and make it a moderately positive user experience.
It was was my experience with Plat Chat which made me commit enough stays to get to Ambassador in the first place. If I were to one year lose my Ambassdor the programme would lose a lot of its appeal if the next level down means little to no channel of communication to the programme for hotel bookings or queries.
Aug 30, 2018, 10:37 am
#12
Company Representative - Starwood
Join Date: Nov 2000
Location: Austin, Texas
Programs: Marriott Employee Level
Posts: 31,593
Rumors regarding the end to Platinum Chat are just that. See this site for more details.
It would seem that the reason chat cannot be had at the moment is the pressure of call volume on the call centers. I understand folks need/want to call since the merger, so no alleged "victim-blaming" there. It's just the reality of the moment at this given time. Platinum Chat will be available as call volume allows.
Best regards,
William R. Sanders
Social Media Specialist
Marriott International
[email protected]
It would seem that the reason chat cannot be had at the moment is the pressure of call volume on the call centers. I understand folks need/want to call since the merger, so no alleged "victim-blaming" there. It's just the reality of the moment at this given time. Platinum Chat will be available as call volume allows.
Best regards,
William R. Sanders
Social Media Specialist
Marriott International
[email protected]
Aug 30, 2018, 11:15 am
#13
Join Date: Sep 2013
Programs: SPG Plat and Lifetime Plat DL Gold HH Diamond
Posts: 32
Thanks William, and certainly understandable on call center pressures.
That said, those pressures are entirely of Starriotts own making. The poorly designed, tested and implemented combination of the programs, the botched updates and self induced issues are all issues, not surprisingly, driving this volume. Marriott needs to find ways to communicate with customers, not remove them.
For example, the fact that I can not merge my accounts is because of a slight variation in my name and it necessitates that I call an agent to make the change is absolutely ridiculous, and is illustrative of how badly managed this whole process has been.
Making matters worse is that Marriott has largely been silent on all this. Transparency and honesty can go a long way to soften the impacts of a negative situation. Apparently Marriott thinks sticking its head in the sand is a better approach.
That said, those pressures are entirely of Starriotts own making. The poorly designed, tested and implemented combination of the programs, the botched updates and self induced issues are all issues, not surprisingly, driving this volume. Marriott needs to find ways to communicate with customers, not remove them.
For example, the fact that I can not merge my accounts is because of a slight variation in my name and it necessitates that I call an agent to make the change is absolutely ridiculous, and is illustrative of how badly managed this whole process has been.
Making matters worse is that Marriott has largely been silent on all this. Transparency and honesty can go a long way to soften the impacts of a negative situation. Apparently Marriott thinks sticking its head in the sand is a better approach.