Ambassador service - how to extract value?
 

During the good old days, I had had from 'average' to super good ambassadors that could make magic, but even the average were able to respond within a reasonable timeframe, and get things done that were not standard (like get me a room even if no availability, or get an approval for a your24 or an upgrade almost guaranteed on special occasions).

My last experiences with the ambassador service are totally underwhelming. Basically I get exactly the same I would get if I did things on the app, but with a 3-4 day response time delay.
I have never gotten more availability than what the app shows. Never gotten any Your24 approved, they simply say they'll pass the request to the hotel (which invariably denies it), never gotten any special request fulfilled...

Basically, the ambassador service has become a standard customer rep, that is not even able to answer promptly to requests, at least by email.

Am I doing something wrong, like maybe phone is better than email, or are these the new rules of the game?
Are there any other channels to 'get things done'? Happy to do extra work myself for a Your24, or to get availability when the system does not show. The ambassador route does not work anymore for me.

There is a ton of discussion of this in other threads...

I'm not an AMB yet but likely will be next week and the only advice I've gleaned is to expect nothing and to use phone rather than email to contact the AMB people.

Best Advice: Hope for the best but prepare for the worst.. numerous experiences that my old SPG one dealt with (the little things like greeting cards in the room, bringing my fav local beer and etc) as well as requesting points (back-dated)/upgrade confirmation just requires more time and effort via phone/e-mail.

I rarely if ever used the Ambassador's and see it as nothing more then a better phone line and more experienced agents. I called the ambassador line trying to make some reservations for dinner and some activities since the hotel is short staffed with no concierge. The ambassador was going to call the hotel, so a complete waste of time.

FYI I am staying at the La Posada in Santa Fe any recent experiences, since I am now looking at the residence inn for a third of the price. Room and location are not as nice, but service will be the same.

Agreed. The Ambassador service has plummeted. For me, the major value is that I can send an e-mail and get minor items resolves without spending time on the phone. Beyond that, nothing special.

Ambassador service is definitely useless overall. The one nice thing is that they will make requests and notes on reservations that aren’t your own. This is a nice, soft benefit for people that travel with friends often. It’s hard to say what is driving this but I now often receive suite upgrades on 4 room bookings, even if I’m the only person with meaningful status.

Datapoint of the ambassador service getting worse. Sent email about two recent stays not posting my welcome points. 4 days for a response and they only commented on adding points to one of the stays not the other. Had to respond back again to get those and found out the JW Marriott Orlando didn't post points either. I shouldn't have to call and talk on the phone these should be taken care of. $40k with marriott this year and counting, very bleh. To add to the laughfest, I posted the experience in the Marriott FB group and Marriott Denied the post and told me to reach out to them, LOL.

IMO the only real value might be Your24, assuming that a random Ambassador can get the hotel to approve the request. It's more likely to matter at properties (resorts and convention centers) that don't "guarantee" 4 pm checkout.

Ambassador service - how to extract value?
 

Have your Ambassador make a reservation for you at a nearby Hyatt. ;)

"Hi, can you apply a confirmed suite upgrade certificate for me at the Park Hyatt Zurich next month? Oh whoops, sorry, wrong program . . . never mind!"

I thought all the ambasaadors were, by in-large, eliminated. I think that one FTer claimed to still have one, which infuriated many other FTers.

As of a couple months ago, my Ambassador still seems to work for Bonvoy but I think her hours have been reduced.

I made Ambassador in 2019... and I have been extremely underwhelmed in the very few opportunities to use them. So much so that I decided I would only maintain my "natural" status in Marriott based on stays I can't direct elsewhere. Upgrades within the US are few and far between... and pleasant surprises are essentially unheard of.

Possibly even better than best advice is stop giving Marriott your business. They have run the loyalty program customer service into the ground and are planning to finish it off with a massive devaluation in 2023. It is unfortunate for all of this to have happened and continue and I don’t know if it was necessary or a good plan for Marriott business wise?