How to escalate a complaint with customer service?
Jul 10, 2019, 6:45 pm
#16
Join Date: Feb 2008
Location: In the air
Programs: Hyatt Globalist, Bonvoy LT Plat, Hilton Gold, GHA Tit, BA Gold, Turkish Elite
Posts: 8,720
In general I do have sympathy as Marriott usually now do seem to refuse to open tickets for service issues (I can’t even get resolution on basic issues as an Ambassador), but in this case it’s not clear what the OP really wants - there don’t seem to be any open issues for his stay, and expecting corporate to tell you they’ve fixed systematic issues for a hypothetical future stay is always a big ask.
Jul 10, 2019, 7:29 pm
#17
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: BOS/UTH
Programs: AA LT PLT; QR GLD; Bonvoy LT TIT
Posts: 12,755
I'm not sure just what you would complain about:
So the hotel didn't do what it was supposed to, you called them on it, and it got fixed.
So the hotel didn't do what it was supposed to, you called them on it, and it got fixed.
So the hotel didn't do what it was supposed to, you called them on it, and it got fixed.
So the hotel didn't do what it was supposed to, you called them on it, and it got fixed.
So the hotel didn't do what it was supposed to, you called them on it, and it got fixed.
Your real complaint here is that you wouldn't have received what you were entitled to without asking (arguing/demanding/whatever). But there's no remedy for your problems because once you asserted yourself, you got what you were supposed to. So what you're really saying to Marriott is, -- Just wanted to let you guys know what's going on here. Yes? I'm sorry to say this, but Marriott won't care. The only thing you can really do is take your business elsewhere. But you said that you like the hotel; so you really have to decide if the additional hassle is worth staying at this property.
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.
Your real complaint here is that you wouldn't have received what you were entitled to without asking (arguing/demanding/whatever). But there's no remedy for your problems because once you asserted yourself, you got what you were supposed to. So what you're really saying to Marriott is, -- Just wanted to let you guys know what's going on here. Yes? I'm sorry to say this, but Marriott won't care. The only thing you can really do is take your business elsewhere. But you said that you like the hotel; so you really have to decide if the additional hassle is worth staying at this property.
Jul 10, 2019, 8:19 pm
#18
Join Date: Aug 2018
Posts: 902
Originally Posted by ajamieson
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.
This is not a hotel issue. It’s a IT issue as it’s the system that does the posting once the stay is completed. It might be the case that stays don’t post correctly because the hotel is coding the rates incorrectly or some other mistake (I had that happen to me with a LC property that would code BRG rates as “locally negotiated rates” which are not eligible). In any case, the remedy for that is to get a folio for your stay and submit it to Marriott—they will fix it.
After the merger there was a discussion whether elites were no longer entitled to lounge access at resorts and I believe Marriott had several sheraton resorts close their lounges. But if it is a sheraton and it has a lounge, you’re entitled to use it. Apparently, you got to use it.
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.
This is always a tricky issue because online inventory does not always equate to real inventory, as we’ve been told numerous times here on FT.
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.
Although that appears to have been the case with SPG (at least according to some posts by the lurkers), I am fairly confident that is no longer the case with Bonvoy. Resorts are not required to give late check-out to elites if there is availability. They may offer it as a courtesy — and as a longtime guest I would definitely expect that courtesy.
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 11, 2019, 12:55 am
#19
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: Fort Lauderdale, FL
Posts: 3,360
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."
That said, there are penalties built into the franchise agreement. In order to remain a Marriott-flagged property, a hotel must have X complaints or less every year. But, how complaints are measured can vary. For example, if a guest complains to corporate that she or he legitimately wasn't offered an upgrade and the hotel lies and says it was offered, corporate will almost certainly not penalize the hotel because they don't know it was a lie. Essentially, the hotel gets the benefit of the doubt.
So the answer to your titular question is that you can't really escalate. Essentially, escalation is merely corporate sending the complaint back to the hotel. The only real exception is if the complaint is related to a life safety issue.
Unless you have irrefutable proof that a hotel is telling lies, your best course of action is to post public reviews and stay elsewhere.
Note: The above information is based on working in both franchise and corporate-owned hotels. It is a macro-level description of how the hotel industry functions. It is not how I think the hotel industry should function.
Jul 11, 2019, 6:56 am
#20
Join Date: Sep 2007
Location: IAH
Programs: UA MM, AA almost MM
Posts: 1,164
IMHO consistency is important especially for high level elites who tend to spend a big chuck of their lives in hotel rooms. When benefits are published, they should be honored consistently. Having to argue for every benefit you earn through your loyalty to the brand is not a good way to start a trip. I loved the pre-merger Marriott and stayed there when it had property in areas I visited. As a leisure traveler, it doesn't happen often. As a lowly Gold, I used to consistently get benefits as published including breakfasts and upgrades without arguments. Now I am not so sure. After reading all the complains on FT, I have decided to book my next 7 night Marriott stay though Hotels.com which consistently gives me 10% return in form of free nights. I have received many surprise upgrades and welcome gifts (although not as generous as Marriott did for me) because of my gold status with Hotels.com. Had the new Marriott been more consistent in applying benefits promised, I would have continued to book directly on Marriott.com to enjoy benefits promised to a lowly Gold. The commissions saved should be enough to pay for the benefits promised.
Jul 11, 2019, 8:05 am
#22
Join Date: Oct 2012
Location: UK
Programs: Bonvoy Lifetime Titanium Elite, UA 1K
Posts: 822
Jul 11, 2019, 11:04 am
#23
Original Poster
Join Date: Aug 2001
Location: London. Edinburgh, Cornwall
Programs: BA GGL, British Midland Lifetime* Loser
Posts: 7,950
Originally Posted by SHLTP
You can't. I've stopped trying. I've given up
Originally Posted by MePlatPremier
I am fairly confident that is no longer the case
but it seems this hotel isn't concerned either way.
Originally Posted by ilove2fly
Having to argue for every benefit you earn through your loyalty to the brand is not a good way to start a trip
Jul 11, 2019, 11:52 am
#24
Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: New York
Programs: Marriott Bonvoy Lifetime Titanium, Delta Skymiles Platinum
Posts: 650
I'm not sure just what you would complain about:
So the hotel didn't do what it was supposed to, you called them on it, and it got fixed.
So the hotel didn't do what it was supposed to, you called them on it, and it got fixed.
So the hotel didn't do what it was supposed to, you called them on it, and it got fixed.
So the hotel didn't do what it was supposed to, you called them on it, and it got fixed.
So the hotel didn't do what it was supposed to, you called them on it, and it got fixed.
Your real complaint here is that you wouldn't have received what you were entitled to without asking (arguing/demanding/whatever). But there's no remedy for your problems because once you asserted yourself, you got what you were supposed to. So what you're really saying to Marriott is, -- Just wanted to let you guys know what's going on here. Yes? I'm sorry to say this, but Marriott won't care. The only thing you can really do is take your business elsewhere. But you said that you like the hotel; so you really have to decide if the additional hassle is worth staying at this property.
So the hotel didn't do what it was supposed to, you called them on it, and it got fixed.
So the hotel didn't do what it was supposed to, you called them on it, and it got fixed.
So the hotel didn't do what it was supposed to, you called them on it, and it got fixed.
So the hotel didn't do what it was supposed to, you called them on it, and it got fixed.
Your real complaint here is that you wouldn't have received what you were entitled to without asking (arguing/demanding/whatever). But there's no remedy for your problems because once you asserted yourself, you got what you were supposed to. So what you're really saying to Marriott is, -- Just wanted to let you guys know what's going on here. Yes? I'm sorry to say this, but Marriott won't care. The only thing you can really do is take your business elsewhere. But you said that you like the hotel; so you really have to decide if the additional hassle is worth staying at this property.
I hate when I have to do that. It is a complete waste of my time and I value my time. I end up aggravated and not focusing on either the business I am there for or the vacation I am supposed to enjoy. It's just bad business on the part of the hotel and Marriott should be aware. I understand that the property is a franchise and Marriott cannot exercise direct control over what they do. But the property must have a reason to want to be branded a Marriott property. Consistent issues with any customers, and especially elite members, should cause them to lose their franchise status. So the complaint can and should be made even if there is no compensation.
Jul 11, 2019, 12:14 pm
#25
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Oct 2001
Location: check swarm
Programs: DL DM & 2MM, SPG/Bonvoid LT Titanium, Hyatt Globalist, $tarbucks Titanium
Posts: 14,404
Since Marriott Corp Customer Care seems to inept, in the rare times I've needed to sort through an issue the property couldn't solve I used the Better Business Bureau of Maryland to resolve my cases. It seems the BBB has someone they are in direct touch with at Marriott who quickly resolved the issue so it would post as 'resolved' with the BBB.
Jul 11, 2019, 12:15 pm
#26
Join Date: Aug 2018
Posts: 902
Care to share what is your source for that? Or did you just pull that one out of thin air? It’s definitely not on the T&Cs or on any of Bonvoy’s published materials that if a resort is willing to provide late checkout for a fee it must allow for free to plats and above.
Jul 11, 2019, 7:02 pm
#27
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: BOS/UTH
Programs: AA LT PLT; QR GLD; Bonvoy LT TIT
Posts: 12,755
You should not need to kick and scream and fight for benefits you are entitled to. I think that is the point here and I agree with it 100%.
I hate when I have to do that. It is a complete waste of my time and I value my time. I end up aggravated and not focusing on either the business I am there for or the vacation I am supposed to enjoy. It's just bad business on the part of the hotel and Marriott should be aware. I understand that the property is a franchise and Marriott cannot exercise direct control over what they do. But the property must have a reason to want to be branded a Marriott property. Consistent issues with any customers, and especially elite members, should cause them to lose their franchise status. So the complaint can and should be made even if there is no compensation.
I hate when I have to do that. It is a complete waste of my time and I value my time. I end up aggravated and not focusing on either the business I am there for or the vacation I am supposed to enjoy. It's just bad business on the part of the hotel and Marriott should be aware. I understand that the property is a franchise and Marriott cannot exercise direct control over what they do. But the property must have a reason to want to be branded a Marriott property. Consistent issues with any customers, and especially elite members, should cause them to lose their franchise status. So the complaint can and should be made even if there is no compensation.
Jun 8, 2021, 6:55 pm
#28
Join Date: Jul 2016
Posts: 9
Work-Stay Pass Epic Truth in Advertising Fail-- Plus Fraud
I'm going to try to make a long story short as best I can. I'm a Titanium Elite Member. I was driving from Baltimore to Gulfport and had driven over night. I decided to book a Work Stay Pass in Birmingham, AL because I could check in at 6am and check out at 6pm. I checked in at around 10am. Then because the weather was so rough the next day, I decided to stay over again. Because I had to give a presentation the next day and had a series of back to back zoom meetings, I booked the Work Stay pass again so that I could check out at 6pm and proceed with my day of meetings, uninterrupted. During the day after the first night's stay, I went downstairs to get something to drink from the pantry. I stopped at the front desk and said I needed to get my key renewed. The person was renewing the key and said, "and you want the late check out, right?" I said, Yes. The next morning, housekeeping starts knocking on my door from early on, while I'm in my Zoom meeting and I had the Do Not Disturb sign posted. I called down to the front desk and asked if they could confirm with housekeeping that I have late check out and to please honor the do not disturb sign. The person at the front desk said they aren't honoring any check outs beyond 1pm. i said, I booked the special rate (and paid more) for the Work Stay pass, I verified this in my email confirmation. She said she didn't see that in my reservation and that she would talked to the manager but that the manager wasn't in so I would have to speak with him when he comes in. I said I have back to back to back meetings so I couldn't keep going back and forth on the phone. And the whole point of booking the work stay pass was because of the "work uninterrupted" guarantee!! So I called Marriott Customer Service in hopes that they can help to explain, since I booked the rate online. They said they would call the hotel and try to sort it out. I said, thank you and if there is a continuing issue, if they could just slip a note under my door because I can't be interrupted. (again, the whole point). After that, I decided I would just leave at 4pm and take my last meeting from the car. The situation was too aggravating. The next day, I get a charge for an extra night!! When I called Customer Service and they investigated, the Manager said it was because "the guest refused to leave before 6pm" !!! I said not only did I pay to stay until 6pm, I actually ended up leaving at 4pm!! This was a month ago. In spite of a lengthy conversation and email exchanges with the corporate office, I'm still out $200 in false charges!! PLUS I paid extra for a rate with benefits I did not receive. SO frustrating!
Jun 8, 2021, 7:07 pm
#29
Company Representative, Marriott Bonvoy
Join Date: Feb 2019
Programs: Marriott Bonvoy
Posts: 1,089
I'm going to try to make a long story short as best I can. I'm a Titanium Elite Member. I was driving from Baltimore to Gulfport and had driven over night. I decided to book a Work Stay Pass in Birmingham, AL because I could check in at 6am and check out at 6pm. I checked in at around 10am. Then because the weather was so rough the next day, I decided to stay over again. Because I had to give a presentation the next day and had a series of back to back zoom meetings, I booked the Work Stay pass again so that I could check out at 6pm and proceed with my day of meetings, uninterrupted. During the day after the first night's stay, I went downstairs to get something to drink from the pantry. I stopped at the front desk and said I needed to get my key renewed. The person was renewing the key and said, "and you want the late check out, right?" I said, Yes. The next morning, housekeeping starts knocking on my door from early on, while I'm in my Zoom meeting and I had the Do Not Disturb sign posted. I called down to the front desk and asked if they could confirm with housekeeping that I have late check out and to please honor the do not disturb sign. The person at the front desk said they aren't honoring any check outs beyond 1pm. i said, I booked the special rate (and paid more) for the Work Stay pass, I verified this in my email confirmation. She said she didn't see that in my reservation and that she would talked to the manager but that the manager wasn't in so I would have to speak with him when he comes in. I said I have back to back to back meetings so I couldn't keep going back and forth on the phone. And the whole point of booking the work stay pass was because of the "work uninterrupted" guarantee!! So I called Marriott Customer Service in hopes that they can help to explain, since I booked the rate online. They said they would call the hotel and try to sort it out. I said, thank you and if there is a continuing issue, if they could just slip a note under my door because I can't be interrupted. (again, the whole point). After that, I decided I would just leave at 4pm and take my last meeting from the car. The situation was too aggravating. The next day, I get a charge for an extra night!! When I called Customer Service and they investigated, the Manager said it was because "the guest refused to leave before 6pm" !!! I said not only did I pay to stay until 6pm, I actually ended up leaving at 4pm!! This was a month ago. In spite of a lengthy conversation and email exchanges with the corporate office, I'm still out $200 in false charges!! PLUS I paid extra for a rate with benefits I did not receive. SO frustrating!
We would like to help look into this issue, if you could provide your reservation details to us via private mail here or by email below.
Best Regards,
Christina Z
Specialist, Social Media
Marriott International
[email protected]
Jun 8, 2021, 7:49 pm
#30
Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: SFO
Posts: 4,914
I'm going to try to make a long story short as best I can. I'm a Titanium Elite Member. I was driving from Baltimore to Gulfport and had driven over night. I decided to book a Work Stay Pass in Birmingham, AL because I could check in at 6am and check out at 6pm. I checked in at around 10am. Then because the weather was so rough the next day, I decided to stay over again. Because I had to give a presentation the next day and had a series of back to back zoom meetings, I booked the Work Stay pass again so that I could check out at 6pm and proceed with my day of meetings, uninterrupted. During the day after the first night's stay, I went downstairs to get something to drink from the pantry. I stopped at the front desk and said I needed to get my key renewed. The person was renewing the key and said, "and you want the late check out, right?" I said, Yes. The next morning, housekeeping starts knocking on my door from early on, while I'm in my Zoom meeting and I had the Do Not Disturb sign posted. I called down to the front desk and asked if they could confirm with housekeeping that I have late check out and to please honor the do not disturb sign. The person at the front desk said they aren't honoring any check outs beyond 1pm. i said, I booked the special rate (and paid more) for the Work Stay pass, I verified this in my email confirmation. She said she didn't see that in my reservation and that she would talked to the manager but that the manager wasn't in so I would have to speak with him when he comes in. I said I have back to back to back meetings so I couldn't keep going back and forth on the phone. And the whole point of booking the work stay pass was because of the "work uninterrupted" guarantee!! So I called Marriott Customer Service in hopes that they can help to explain, since I booked the rate online. They said they would call the hotel and try to sort it out. I said, thank you and if there is a continuing issue, if they could just slip a note under my door because I can't be interrupted. (again, the whole point). After that, I decided I would just leave at 4pm and take my last meeting from the car. The situation was too aggravating. The next day, I get a charge for an extra night!! When I called Customer Service and they investigated, the Manager said it was because "the guest refused to leave before 6pm" !!! I said not only did I pay to stay until 6pm, I actually ended up leaving at 4pm!! This was a month ago. In spite of a lengthy conversation and email exchanges with the corporate office, I'm still out $200 in false charges!! PLUS I paid extra for a rate with benefits I did not receive. SO frustrating!
seems like if it was one property, how many reservations did you make? The first work pass from 6am to 6pm, and if you overnighted, did you have another reservation for night number 1? And it appears you booked another work pass the following day? So in total you paid for 3 rates?
hope the lurker can sort it out for you.