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Originally Posted by camachinist
(Post 7229502)
If such questions would be answered accurately in a few minutes, I'd be right there with you. My last three experiences with humans at Marriott have indicated other, both with regards to accuracy and time. Sorry to say. I am curious how someone can so easily talk to the GM with regards to something as mundane as a room upgrade. I have had a hard time getting to a GM, even with a substantial issue in-house. Maybe those who enjoy such easy access could give us a class on achieving it :)
My main reason for attempting to verify issues independently is because experience has taught me that hotel employees, like many businesspeople in general, lie when it suits them. Not an indictment, just reality. Pat Upgrades are a different issue. In my instances, I am not inclined to challenge the usual info at the front desk that there are no upgrades available. If I'm checking in at the end of a day of travel (as is usually the case), I usually don't have the energy to make the effort even when its pretty clear that the property likely has upgraded rooms available. |
Originally Posted by holland
(Post 7228207)
...and in all cases, I'm following the corporate travel policy of the company I'm working for (client) or representing (prime contractor). Whoever pays my expenses gets to dictate the terms of my travel such as which hotels they'll reimburse for, how much, etc. Not everyone is out to rip you off, Socrates.
Perhaps a better example would have been since the hotel companies (all of them) are large providers of hotel rooms to consultants at a reduced rate they (the consultants) should reduce their hourly rate versus what they charge non-hotel companies for their services |
Originally Posted by aaupgrade
(Post 7228344)
While we can attempt to put the PC spin on this to appease us FTers, the bottom line is that Marriott is choosing to do this now because it wants to sell rooms at higher prices. At the same time it needs to walk a fine line and not alienate its corporate and government clients. Well I see a few things in this action:
1. If it was 2002 and rooms were empty Marriott would not be doing this, they would be begging for you to stay at their hotels at any rate. Like Vail Marriott during ski season for $115/night, now it is going for $459+/night and there are no government rates available as there were 3 years ago. 2. Marriott is still not offering government per diem rates in some cases(Cincinnati example in previous post) but requires government ID and use of Government credit card. Well guess what, no government employee is going to stay there because they are not per diem rates. But that is by design because this hotel does not want to sell any rooms at per diem rates, so it can sell higher priced rooms to its corporate or non-affiliated customers. 3. This is strictly a bottom line business decision. Putting a spin on it to make it sound noble or ethically acceptable is BS. And on the other side, making it out as Marriott trying to shaft us is not a valid spin either. Granted it may be the end result, but Marriott is just making what it thinks is a good business decisions. Is it greed, one could argue it is. But the same argument could be used with respect to those of us that are selling real estate at 200% above what we bought it for 5 years ago. Now each decision Marriott makes will lose or gain customers. Yes, and there may be some of us who defect to the competition. The only problem there is that the only competition that we can defect to are hotel chains that are not running at full occupancy and then one must ask, "Why is that?". Kind of a scary thought IMO. I rarely use government rates but when I do it is because that client is government. I will deal with these situations on a 1 on 1 basis when that time comes. Right now that is not a factor. If it means staying at Courtyard instead of the FS Marriott/Ren, or staying at Hilton instead then so be it. |
Originally Posted by camachinist
(Post 7229502)
I am curious how someone can so easily talk to the GM with regards to something as mundane as a room upgrade. I have had a hard time getting to a GM, even with a substantial issue in-house. Maybe those who enjoy such easy access could give us a class on achieving it :)
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Originally Posted by keeton
(Post 7181632)
That's why in my scenario, I said the guest was a Platinum Premier. They are a good customer by any stretch. Do you challenge them at every questionable stay?
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Originally Posted by AA53
(Post 7232586)
Sorry, PP or not, anyone stealing codes they are not entitled to should be told they are paying the rack rate. Good customers don't steal from those who they do business with. In this case, I would enforce the policy or show him/her the door.
Who said they were stealing? In my original scenario, the fact that the person showed up with the wife and kids could have been because the wife had family in the area and was going to visit while hubby was at his GOV work. The logo shirt could have been something from a trade show. The person could have been perfetcly entitled to the rate. All we knew was that he was a Platinum Premier. The real point was how do you challenge the questionable without alienating your best (or even good) customers. |
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