What information does Marriott keep on us?
 

I checked into a marriott today and in the routine process of checking in, the desk agent asks me, "So how was your stay at the Marriott in Rome" Flabbergasted that a history of our stays comes up in a routine check-in process--i took it matter of factly and told her answered her question.

But it got me thinking. . .what do info do they attach to your profile? Obviously a history of our stays. Do they know if you are a complainer? What kind of breakfast you order? Whether or not you have had any arguments with agents before?

If you don't want them to keep track of you, don't use your rewards number...

Its a trade off- Points for your Privacy...

It makes me a little quesy that my history of stays should be a subject of public discussion at the check-in counter with a clerk, who is a complete stranger to me.

It's really no different than the airlines, who keep a record of your travel history. When checking in for a flight from Hawaii I was asked if I'd enjoyed my flight with the airline from London almost 2 months earlier. I was a little surprised that they knew, but the question was conversational while waiting for luggage tags to print, rather than an inquiry into my travel habits. I wouldn't worry too much about Marriott's database unless you're running from the law or something.

If you belong to Intercontinental's Six Continents Club, you can see your total lifetime nights, stays and dollars spent when you log in.

I have nothing to hide and am, in fact, glad Marriott tracks my business activity. I spend a ton of $$'s with them and I'd like to think that would come into play when I need a favor or have a special request.

I think some of the above comments miss the point. To me, the point is not whether there is a problem with Marriott tracking the activity generated by our Marriott Rewards accounts or whether anybody has "something to hide" or not. The point is whether when you are checking in at the hotel at the front desk with, presumably, others present, you want an unrequested public discussion of the status of your account and where you may or may not have stayed the past year or two. I, for one, don't; unless I specifically ask for it.

Last weekend while having a few drinks at the Hard Rock in DC, I met a guy who used to be the front end manager for the Marriott at Newark Airport. He told me they track all kinds of information in your portfolio including whether or not the traveler was a "PIA" (Pain in the *ss). He told me this is done to warn other hotels in the chain about potential problem guests. His hotel used this information in assigning rooms. Accordingly a Platinum "PIA" usually did not get an upgrade!

The original poster's point was, as I understand it, what type of information does Marriott keep on MR's members. He/she wasn't necessarily questioning the propriety of discussing the details publicly. But the thread kind of took that turn.
However, I do agree that ones travel history is probably best not broadcast to everyone in ear shot.

Be default, it only shows the last few stays if I remember correctly - on thier first/default screen. Same as with airlines - UA for example shows the last four flights the passenger took with UA. I don't see any problem with it. If you don't like it, then don't put your rewards number in. Simple as that.

I was also surprised to hear a Marriott agent in Los Angeles ask me about my latest stay in Montreal, Canada.

I asked him a few questions about the Marriott computer system. It turns out that your last three stays appear on the first screen of the checkin procedure.

I suspect agents can use this info to assess your loyalty. This might have an impact on upgrades.

Patrick

Jehovas Witnesses will mark you as "HBH" 'Home but Hiding' when they visit your home and you do not answer the door but they know you are there avoiding them!

So you see, this sort of thing happens EVERYWHERE, welcome to the new millenium.

I also see your point, I would not care to be checking in when it is busy and the clerk asks if I enjoyed the in-room entertainment provided by the concierge during my recent stay in Vegas...if you get my drift.

I understand your concerns.

Maybe you can also look at it from a different view - it can also be an advantage if there are several hotels in the same city. The same happened to me with Starwood in Vienna when I arrived in the Imperial after I just had left the Bristol which is located 2 blocks away. The lady at the check-in desk in Vienna welcomed me and told me that she can see that I stayed the night before at the Bristol. Afterwards she gave me the card key to a one-bedroom suite ... http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/wink.gif .

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I go out of my way to stay at Marriott hotels, as (usually)a single female traveling along. The room service is wonderful, my profile of a room near the elevator, WSJ in room or reserved for me, etc. When a bracelet was missing from my room (the employee was aprehended- bracelet not found)during a quick room switch, management reimbursed me the cost upon investigation. In other words, They are very careful to come around the desk & hand me the envelope with the room card with no verbal mention of the room number. I like that. In other words, I have no problem with the profile kept on me - as it appears to be positive and helpful to all.
Carolyn

http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/ideasmilie.gif Now I know why I was treated exceptionally well by the staff of 3 of the 4 hotels I stayed at during a 4 night trip to Orlando. All were different brands under Marriott and I "bounced" around to earn something for individual stays, I forget-- some promo for certificates, silver status or bonus points. I was surprised by how great the staff at these 3 hotels were on these visits (compared to previous Orlando visits or the staff at the same brands around the country). The fourth was a FI near I-Drive and could probably not care less about whatever the others saw (they had alot of traffic of what I would describe as "once in a lifetime" tourists).

Now I understand. Since they knew when I checked-in that I was traveling alone and bouncing around Marriott brands in Orlando, I guess they thought I was either a travel arranger or critic on a research trip. The free hot breakfast buffet at the Courtyard was worth this minor privacy intrusion! http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/biggrin.gif


[This message has been edited by traveling_again (edited 11-01-2003).]

Or maybe they noted I was a big tipper... http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/tongue.gif

[This message has been edited by traveling_again (edited 11-01-2003).]

Just to clarify my reason for the first post. I have long since been dissuaded of the notion that there is any shred of electronic privacy afforded to customers.

I was just amazed that in the routine process of checking that sort of information is displayed OR the agent went out of her way to dig into my record. Also, I think it is helpful and interesting to know what exactly is in my profile. I go out of my way not to receive the "PIA" label as few disputes are worth the long term disadvantage.

[This message has been edited by NeoOfTheCRS (edited 11-01-2003).]

Does it bother you that the check-out clerk at the supermarket knows what you are buying? That he/she remembers you from last time? Does is bother you that the person in line behind you sees what you're buying?

The desk agents at several airport clubs greet me by name and know my travel patterns and seating preferences.

The bartender at my regular hotel bar knows what I want when I ask for 'the usual'.

Several hotles get me the room/location/bedding/pilows/etc. that I prefer without my asking.

Would all of these bother you?

The person may be a stranger but he/she is an employee of the company you are dealing with. I'm not sure what you mean by a 'publc discussion'. Did he yell it to everyone in the room or do you consider every 1:1 conversations to be open to the world. Do you carry around a personal cone of silence?

It's the digital age. You have no privacy. Especially if you willingly give them identifying information.

chpappas....welcome to FT and the Marriott forum! Good post...look forward to hearing from you again in the future.

Hello Everybody,

I am new to FT having just heard about the site. I don't travel too much with only being a Silver this year and Gold the past 10 but my brother does work for Marriott in CA so I asked him for some assistance about this topic.

1. At the property level all that can be seen is the obvious of address, phone, e-mail, number of nights, member level, points/miles, CC if one is one your profile, last three stays, whether you have any e-certs ordered and total number of points.
Total miles cannot be seen.

2. Marriott Rewards in UT can see all stays at any time and place.

3. If you do bounce around and do 4 hotels in 4 nights that will not have much bearing on your profile as your stays take at least 48-72hrs. after C/O to post to your profile at the property level.

4. As for most recent stays being discussed, Marriott encourages the FD to do such things when the time and situation permit so expect more of it.

5. As for the PIA comment on profiles, there is a small line or two to type comments but doing that is highly frowned upon and almost never done. My brother said that in almost 10 years with the company he thinks he has seen maybe 1.

I hope this helps a little and I look forward to posting with everybody in the future.

Thanks.

Thanks, Lefty33, and welcome to FlyerTalk.

That's interesting information.

When I checked into a Marriot last week, the front desk asked "How was your stay at the Hilton in New York 3 weeks ago!" http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/eek.gif http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/eek.gif

just kidding http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/wink.gif

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"If life doesn't offer a game worth playing, then invent a new one."
-Anthony J. D'Angelo

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[This message has been edited by socrates (edited Mar 23, 2004).]

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[This message has been edited by socrates (edited Mar 23, 2004).]

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[This message has been edited by socrates (edited Mar 23, 2004).]

Since Socrates brought it up, you might want to check out this for the details on the urban myth of details on the magnetic key cards.

http://urbanlegends.miningco.com/lib...l_keycards.htm

If only we could get all of the "bulk forwarders" to check out the source of the information before blanketing the world, this type of mis-information would stop.

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[This message has been edited by socrates (edited Mar 23, 2004).]

Thanks for the info Lefty. It's interesting to know how Marriott tracks and utliizes customer information.

Like CPRich, I do not see a problem with a desk clerk asking how your trip to XYZ was. It's clearly an effort by Marriott to let the customer know that your business is appreciated, as well as being an attempt to personify the guest experience.

One cannot expect or demand absolute insularity when venturing into the public domain.

As to the privacy issue. I think that an employee should use discretion according to the circumstance ( it's my observation that most times I check in, the clerk circles and points to my room number rather than saying it aloud when others are standing near the desk ). It's a small thing, but it's a subtle reminder of what our world has become.

I hope that Marriott continues to personalize the guest experience. It's a nice gesture and in my opinion a necessary escape from privacy issues.

Barry

I agree that in 99.9999% of cases, it's a nice thing. But I can also think of situations where one would not want one's travelling companions to know where one has been in the past.

After checking in to the Mariott City Center Minneapolis recently, the check-in agent mentioned my stay in Boston the week before, as well as 4 weeks before. Also asked how it was.
While a little bit taken aback, I though it was nice to see that there is a little recognition of the frequency of stays within a brand(MSP almost every single week 3-4 days). Isn't that ultimately why we do it? (not for recognition, I mean, but for the perks of remaining with a brand?).

I do not object to Marriott keeping their staff informed about previous stays, etc. and maintaining data profiles and such. But I cannot see any valid reason for receptionists to make any comment at all about previous travel, especially since they are usually just trying to make conversation. It seems to be a one-sided intrusion of privacy, and I absolutely hate it when some dizzy receptionist wants to chat in the public forum of a reception desk about my home address or my previous trips or indeed ANYTHING personal at all. I look at them like they are in a sort of fiduciary relationship with me, as they have credit card, identification card/passport information, past stays etc., and I feel that it is highly unprofessional and intrusive for them to "use" the information at their disposal for any purposes that are not directly pertinent to the transaction at hand. If they want to show recognition or appreciation for loyalty, then they should say something along the lines that they are offering lounge access or an upgrade in appreciation for your status, loyalty, or whatever. But this unnecessary business of reception clerks wanting to chat about your previous stay in New Orleans (that perhaps your travelling companion shouldn't know about!) or how you like living in Paris, or whatever, is obnoxious and unprofessional in the extreme.