Thoughts on Getting Points for a Minor Inconvenience
 

Thoughts? I've had bad things/minor inconveniences happen at two hotels this week and let the hotel know. In both cases, the hotels gave me points without my asking. I always worry about complaints being taken less seriously when this happens, and am not really after the points. I want the problems corrected. I actually almost didn't tell the second hotel what happened because I didn't want the embarrassment of having them give me points. Am I wrong to feel awkward about getting the points? Am I the only one that feels this way?

BTW, the first hotel, Minneapolis West Marriott, dropped the ball on a feather free room despite my profile making this clear, someone from Marriott reaching out to them, the housekeeping manager swearing twice that it was done and my calling the front desk begging them to check a second time because so many housekeeping managers drop the ball on this.

The second hotel, the Addison FS, had the wrong sized fitted sheet on the bed, which, of course, didn't cover the entire mattress. I didn't notice this until the middle of the night, tried to fix the sheet and realized the problem. At that point, I just let it be and slept on the other side of the bed. They also missed my wake-up call. While the points are appreciated, am I the only one embarrassed by this?

Sleep well, don't be embarrassed at all. Management (probably) should appreciate you bring this to their attention they are the concerned type as they should be. This is their thank you.

The other-side is when you complain about something minor at a REN (like not setting the clocks forward for DST, waking late for work then getting a smart-assed remark like "well we had to reset 500 clocks, some were bound to be missed".

Again, you didn't ask/demand, don't fret.

Well, the last time I didn't get my feather-free room, I got a free 2-night stay, so I wouldn't fret about a few points thrown your way...

But to address the broader issue, here's my take. When I mention/complain about something, be it big or small, my main goal for bringing it to their attention is to correct the situation, not only for me in the short term, but for future guests. After all, how is a hotel supposed to know how it can improve its service without specific feedback? I have no problems accepting compensation in this context, not just because I'm incredibly cheap and never refuse a freebie :D, but because I firmly believe that the best way of ensuring an issue is corrected is by there being a real cost to the property in the case of a service failure. Considering that Marriott itself has implemented such financial penalties within its Elite Guarantee scheme means that they believe this to be true as well.

Actually, this makes me feel somewhat better. I did get two nights comped a couple weeks ago from a hotel that had previously promised it would never happen again, assured me over and over it had been done, including an assurance by the very guy who promised me it wouldn't happen again, and was embarrassed when there were feather pillows. I'm sure that housekeeping manager won't be given EOM for May.

What I really want is to figure out how to make this not happen.

1. It's in my profile.
2. Marriott has warnings all over what the hotel sees.
3. My understanding is someone from Marriott calls the hotel ahead of time to warn them.
4. I call that day and get the name of who I speak to.
5. I explain "Just because the housekeeper says it's done doesn't mean it's done. Please double check. I know you really think it means it's done, but trust me, I have this conversation all the time and quite often it turns out it's not done, so please, please, please either check it yourself or ask your manager to check it."

If anyone can tell me what else to do, I'm all ears. Or eyes, since this is the Internet. Throwing points after the screw-up doesn't solve the underlying issue!!!

Its one of those things that may never be fixed past a certain percentage, say 80% or so. An (tolerable?) error rate is always going to exist. Law of diminishing returns. Hotel rooms are two pretty broad homogeneous products to employees (double, king) and a lot has to go RIGHT for your preference to be executed flawlessly and carved out every time by largely low paid, unconcerned employees.

Not saying its excusable but you must realize some of this given your profession!

I've just always thought, and was taught, that if you're going to get paid to do a job, you do it 100%. I'm fortunate to work in an industry where there are professionals who care about what they do. I speak in front of groups where everyone in attendance is always trying to understand the difficult concept at task, because it will help them do their jobs better. I've been spoiled, I guess.

No one is perfect... I would be more concerned when they do not fix it when you bring it to their attention.

Of course, if you feel embarrassed to take the points, tell them to not post them.

I have often said "I want to make you aware of this issue, but I do not want compensation. Just please take care of it."

I actually said this numerous times to the second hotel. I told them that I almost didn't tell them because I didn't want compensation, but though they should know. With both hotels this week, I didn't know points were going to be posted until they showed up. While I appreciate the gesture, it's a little embarrassing.

You're weird :p :D I totally don't get the embarrassing part. You did them a service by pointing out a problem w/ service. They decided to thank you in a way that they thought would be of benefit to you. While not required by you it was a nice gesture. To say you're embarrassed about it is just tres strange in my mind. Take it in the manner in which it was intended & move on. Hey, you could take the extra points & switch to LeMerigot @:-)

Cheers.

+1 Accept it and move on! Throwing a few points at the problem lets them alleviate their guilt. As some who doesn't think the PAW points accumulate to anything substantial, accept and use them to your benefit! Complain away!

Hmmm, I could upgrade to the better hotel... I will stop feeling guilty and accept the points.

One time at a SHS i was assigned to my room-probably 3:30 or so, went to the room and housekeeping had just started cleaning it. I went back to the front desk to be put in a different room. No issue for me at all. The manager at the front desk was horrified. She gave me another room and insisted on 5k points. I did push back on those but they showed the next day.

I never ask for upgrades when traveling without my wife. I don't need them by myself and figure I have a finite number over my lifetime. :D

I have asked for points or comp. over major issues. In fact, twice in the past three weeks, major issues that totaled 63k in points. (One at BWI one at Aruba Stellaris.) But, for going back to the desk for 5 mins, I didn't need anything.

I should get in on this. What are the steps? 1)Select Feather-free room and Foam pillows in my Marriott profile. 2) Check in and inspect room and find feather pillows 3) Go down to front desk and accept apology and bonus points. 4) When asked if I want housekeeping to change pillows respond with "no thanks the bonus points fixed the problem" Someone should start a new thread called "Guest initiated pillow bonus points promo"

Actually, it's not just feather pillows: it's feather comforter and feather mattress cover. And it's not just swapping out the pillows. It's waiting for housekeeping to remake the bed while I'm stuck out of the room. When it happens on a 1:00 am check-in, there are often no foam pillows anywhere in the hotel so someone has to go to Walmart or to a nearby Marriott property. Sometimes I only have five hours to sleep to begin with, and this issue cuts it down to four. Even when it happens in the afternoon, I just want to get into the room, out of my suit and start doing some work, but because it wasn't done, I need to waste 45 minutes while housekeeping takes care of what they said was done previously.

Don't be embarrassed about the points. Hotels pay a lot more money than that for mystery shopping programs to unearth problems like this. They want the feedback and they want you to feel that you had a good experience. Points are probably a very cheap way to accomplish that.