How to escalate a complaint with customer service?
Jul 10, 2019, 9:34 am
#1
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Join Date: Aug 2001
Location: London. Edinburgh, Cornwall
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How to escalate a complaint with customer service?
Has anyone had any success escalating a complaint beyond the response from customer services?
It seems the Marriott approach is to pass complaints about a property straight back to the property (in some cases, back to the exact employee who caused the issue in the first place) and then to regard whatever the property says as the final word.
I recently stayed a property where, for the second consecutive stay, there was a slew of issues ranging from room not being ready despite evening arrival and mobile checkin, refusal to consider a room upgrade despite plenty of inventory being available, failure to mention or offer the welcome amenity or breakfast, refusal to grant club access until pressed, failure to credit the stay or points, refusal to grant late checkout unless I paid a fee etc etc. It was the most egregiously problematic stay I’ve encountered in more than a decade. My complaint was forwarded to the rooms manager of the hotel, who flat out lied by saying we’d been offered an upgrade both times, that front desk associates never forget to offer the welcome amenity, that missing points both times must be a problem with my account, etc. I was even more astounded when a Marriott “Sr Elite Service Associate” clerk rounded off the exchange with: “This case is closed.” Wow.
Is there a higher authority with a little more common sense? The hotel clearly won’t be ‘making good’ anytime soon but an accurate and reasoned response shouldn’t be so hard to obtain.
It seems the Marriott approach is to pass complaints about a property straight back to the property (in some cases, back to the exact employee who caused the issue in the first place) and then to regard whatever the property says as the final word.
I recently stayed a property where, for the second consecutive stay, there was a slew of issues ranging from room not being ready despite evening arrival and mobile checkin, refusal to consider a room upgrade despite plenty of inventory being available, failure to mention or offer the welcome amenity or breakfast, refusal to grant club access until pressed, failure to credit the stay or points, refusal to grant late checkout unless I paid a fee etc etc. It was the most egregiously problematic stay I’ve encountered in more than a decade. My complaint was forwarded to the rooms manager of the hotel, who flat out lied by saying we’d been offered an upgrade both times, that front desk associates never forget to offer the welcome amenity, that missing points both times must be a problem with my account, etc. I was even more astounded when a Marriott “Sr Elite Service Associate” clerk rounded off the exchange with: “This case is closed.” Wow.
Is there a higher authority with a little more common sense? The hotel clearly won’t be ‘making good’ anytime soon but an accurate and reasoned response shouldn’t be so hard to obtain.
Jul 10, 2019, 10:27 am
#4
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Join Date: Aug 2001
Location: London. Edinburgh, Cornwall
Programs: BA GGL, British Midland Lifetime* Loser
Posts: 7,941
Sheraton La Caleta Tenerife, Spain.
It was hard enough to get elite benefits under SPG, now with Marriott the hotel seems to have given up altogether. The hotel itself is great. This was my 14th stay and the front desk asked, as they always do, "Is this your first time here?" That's the level of preparation, recognition and attention to detail you can expect at this property when it comes to benefits.
It was hard enough to get elite benefits under SPG, now with Marriott the hotel seems to have given up altogether. The hotel itself is great. This was my 14th stay and the front desk asked, as they always do, "Is this your first time here?" That's the level of preparation, recognition and attention to detail you can expect at this property when it comes to benefits.
Jul 10, 2019, 10:42 am
#5
Join Date: Nov 2001
Location: GEG
Programs: Marriott Lifetime Platinum, Hilton Diamond, Lifetime SkyClub, AS MVP
Posts: 2,408
Sheraton La Caleta Tenerife, Spain.
It was hard enough to get elite benefits under SPG, now with Marriott the hotel seems to have given up altogether. The hotel itself is great. This was my 14th stay and the front desk asked, as they always do, "Is this your first time here?" That's the level of preparation, recognition and attention to detail you can expect at this property when it comes to benefits.
It was hard enough to get elite benefits under SPG, now with Marriott the hotel seems to have given up altogether. The hotel itself is great. This was my 14th stay and the front desk asked, as they always do, "Is this your first time here?" That's the level of preparation, recognition and attention to detail you can expect at this property when it comes to benefits.
https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/marr...er-thread.html
Jul 10, 2019, 10:52 am
#6
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I would pick the single issue which matters and complain about that. It makes it easier to elevate if the need arises.
In this case, the complaints are fact-based and require a response from the property so dealing with them at the corporate level is not really helpful unless all Marriott wants to do is toss you a few points.
In this case, the complaints are fact-based and require a response from the property so dealing with them at the corporate level is not really helpful unless all Marriott wants to do is toss you a few points.
Jul 10, 2019, 10:55 am
#7
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Yes, I'll update the master thread when all's done. (Although I kinda feel like a stuck record on there!)
But there's a wider issue here. There must be a customer service recourse within Marriott, surely? This is the second time (different property) a hotel complaint has been "answered" by the exact same employee who caused it. At least on the first occasion the Marriott representative had the sense to realise that the response was incorrect.
But there's a wider issue here. There must be a customer service recourse within Marriott, surely? This is the second time (different property) a hotel complaint has been "answered" by the exact same employee who caused it. At least on the first occasion the Marriott representative had the sense to realise that the response was incorrect.
Jul 10, 2019, 11:00 am
#8
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Not sure I understand. If a hotel is consistently failing to deliver any elite benefits, that's the single issue. It's not going to be fixed by the hotel, but by Marriott Bonvoy. There's a systemic problem here and I can't get past "well, we credited the missing points."
Jul 10, 2019, 11:13 am
#9
Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: SFO
Posts: 4,911
Not sure I understand. If a hotel is consistently failing to deliver any elite benefits, that's the single issue. It's not going to be fixed by the hotel, but by Marriott Bonvoy. There's a systemic problem here and I can't get past "well, we credited the missing points."
#1 so did you end up getting your welcome amenity of points or breakfast? If yes, I would not include it into your complaints. Just mumble jumble at this point.
#2 club access you got after pressing the issue
#3 upgrades, uphill battle (worth complaining I guess)
#4 late checkout, appears to be a resort so not guaranteed.
Make your complaint clear on just a few clear points. If I press the issues at the hotel and I get it, I take it as a win at this point since Marriott customer care probably won’t care. Take your biz elsewhere seems to be the motto.
Jul 10, 2019, 11:20 am
#10
Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: HNL
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Jul 10, 2019, 12:17 pm
#12
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Makes sense, and I agree about moving on 
Rather than apology points, I’d like to be able to stay at this hotel and relax without constant arguments, follow-ups or excuses that turn out to be false. Either that, or the hotel should leave Bonvoy.
But to answer the points:
1. Yes, the hotel agreed after the complaint to credit both the missing stays, in compliance with the T&Cs. And yes, the hotel agreed after the complaint to credit the missing welcome amenity from both stays.
2. Yes, the hotel granted Club Access each time after a brief argument about whether Platinums should have access.
3. Both stays I was refused the upgrade despite screengrabs of the website showing all the various categories of ‘available’ rooms available. Both times the hotel then offered the upgraded room on the second day when the rooms manager showed up for work. It’s more the dishonesty and hassle that I don’t appreciate.
4. Even in the case of resorts, properties must offer late checkout if it is available; this hotel sells late checkout for a fee. While it’s not guaranteed at resorts, If it’s available for sale, it’s available for elites. Those are the rules. Yes, I eventually got my 1pm and 2pm checkout requests on each stay this year, after more argument.
Rather than apology points, I’d like to be able to stay at this hotel and relax without constant arguments, follow-ups or excuses that turn out to be false. Either that, or the hotel should leave Bonvoy.
But to answer the points:
1. Yes, the hotel agreed after the complaint to credit both the missing stays, in compliance with the T&Cs. And yes, the hotel agreed after the complaint to credit the missing welcome amenity from both stays.
2. Yes, the hotel granted Club Access each time after a brief argument about whether Platinums should have access.
3. Both stays I was refused the upgrade despite screengrabs of the website showing all the various categories of ‘available’ rooms available. Both times the hotel then offered the upgraded room on the second day when the rooms manager showed up for work. It’s more the dishonesty and hassle that I don’t appreciate.
4. Even in the case of resorts, properties must offer late checkout if it is available; this hotel sells late checkout for a fee. While it’s not guaranteed at resorts, If it’s available for sale, it’s available for elites. Those are the rules. Yes, I eventually got my 1pm and 2pm checkout requests on each stay this year, after more argument.
Jul 10, 2019, 12:18 pm
#13
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Jul 10, 2019, 12:19 pm
#14
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