Hotels asking for your company's name
 

Over the past month or two, I've been asked twice who I work for, and once whether I am at my location for "business or pleasure". Once in the Midwest, and once on the West Coast. I am trying to figure out if this is a weird coincidence, or a new thing. FWIW, I was traveling on a corporate rate for business on both occasions.
Unless I have a business card to show, I typically don't want to discuss my employer's name when other people are nearby.

If you are using a corporate rate, they have every right to ask to verify that you are eligible for such rate.

You aren't legally obligated to answer.

There was a stretch of time where every hotel asked for my company's name. I was not using a corporate rate AND my company's name is listed in my MR/Bonvoy profile. Ugh.

I seriously doubt that's what's happening here, rate verification happens to me occasionally and they don't ask who I work for, they ask for proof that I work for XYZ Corp.

I wouldn't read much into it. The sales team is probably asking the FD to get as many company names as possible so they can go prospect said companies that weren't/aren't on their radar...

Yesterday's conversation was as follows:
Front desk: "Are you here for business or pleasure?"
Me: "Business"
Front Desk: "Who do you work for?"
I respond after a brief hesitation and she types something in the computer.

First time staying at this location.

I'd much rather give them my company's name than my cell phone (which I have been asked to provide at Marriott and other hotel groups).

Usually something that happens at limited service locations, they actually have to fill in a box in the computer.
Nothing to do with rate verification

It's for sales. If you stay enough time, they can give you a corporate discount rate. I had a VMware polo on one time when I checked into the Homewood Suites in Orlando and got a call from their hotel a week later asking about my stay and was wondering if we're interested in a corporate rate. (I don't work for VMware).

Seems weird as when I was staying at the same hotel for a project, on a project/corporate rate nonetheless, they still asked the company I worked for, which I assumed was to correctly match to the project rate being used.

As other folks noted, this is almost certainly something done by the individual hotel and not Marriott Corporate. It's merely the Sales Department prospecting for business. Asking a simple question is not brutish. Not even close.

As to benefits, if I were able help my company save money, I'd certainly do it. Not everything in the world has to directly benefit me. To be clear, we're talking about doing something that takes less than 30 seconds and requires zero effort.

I am glad Marriott is tracking down the abuse of corporate rates! Perfectly legitimate questions when traveling on corp rates!