Greetings,

I am the GM of a hotel in the Marriott chain and recently learned of this website. I am reading the posts to see what our customers are really feeling and saying about us. I will not be as available as the "official" Marriott person Chris but will try to answer a question or give a suggestion of how to get resolve with an issue when I can.

I look forward to improving the customer experience for our guests and having a positive relationship on Flyer Talk.

Cheers,

GM-

Welcome to FT, GM. We could use your professional input and opinon.

Thank you

Great! Welcome to FT GM4MARRIOTT You are a very welcome addition here.

What level marriott are you a GM at? Just so I know whether to ask FS or Ltd Svc MR questions for you

GM4Marriott welcome to flyertalk.
Your input here could be invaluable.
However,please be forewarned that Marriot takes a very dim view of employees posting here and have admonished those that have done so in the past.
So it would be best to keep any and all info regarding your employment and personal info on the QT.

Welcome to FT, GM4.

I look forward to your input and insights from the other side of the desk.

BigguyinPasadena,
Thanks for the heads up-geez now I am nervous to be on here. I just planned to answer any straight forward questions etc. not divulge any proprietary info-I sure hope that is not against the rules. I love my guests and feel this is a venue to get a pulse on what some are feeling so at the very least I can take action at my own hotel.

It's nice to here from you, and I'm sure the value of your participation will be 2-way. Your participation is certainly not against any of the Flyertalk rules.

bigguyinpasadena made it sound like Marriott might have issue with me being on here

Indeed WELCOME

Thats Marriots problem, that said, I would make sure to open up a new email address that would be used just for FT correspondence and so if anyone should be able to view it it wont reveal your true name. So say use [email protected] and when applying for that Yahoo address put John Jones as your name and Zip Code of 90120 as lonng as you arent CA based.

Also just Never mention which City/State your Hotel is in, there are many Airline Employees that are members and post on FT and have been with Us for awhile now and most Airlines also have said policy

I would have a signature if I was you something to 'although a Marriott employeee I am NOT an offical spokesperson for MR'.

Its DUMB of any Hotel or Airline as there is so much to be gained for BOTH Us and The Company.

I hope You stick around as Im sure your future Guests will come to benefit from what you read on FT and we will benefit as well hearing from the side of a GM

GM4,

I agree with craz. Don't worry about Marriott. Just remain anonymous and periodically remind us that your opinions do not necessarily reflect the corporate line.

There are lots of employees of hotels, airlines and rental car agencies who regularly post on these forums in that same manner. As long as they are honest, their insights are usually very well received and add to the value of Flyertalk.

I hope you will be an active participant in this forum.

I don't know if it's so much "have issue" as it is as MI being "somewhat insular" or "guarded" instituion with attendant culture.

Certainly nothing against the guy -- he can only do as he's instructed, only go as far as he's empowered, but over on the SPG Board there's the "Starwood Lurker" who appears to have a constant presence, will respond to issues not only when directly asked, but who will also initiate dialogs as he deems appropriate.

It's obvious that's part of his job description and that his superiors appreciate that they should provide for an (for lack of a better term), "ombusman-like", officially-sanctioned presence.

We've been told, here (and it's been reiterated on the "Mr. M. Blog) that MI has people in higher-level, decision-making positions reviewing this board as it's frequented by what MI has defined as it's best and most loyal customers.

The trouble is that either that isn't true, or if it is, it appears that long-standing issues discussed here are, for some reason, simply not being addressed or commented on, at least officially.)

I don't want anyone to think that I'm anti-Marriott; Ihave been a freauent guest for more years than I like to admit to, have LT Plat status. I also find that I've experienced far more good-to-excellent experiences as a guest than less-than-satisfactory ones.

My perspective is one of someone who frequents FS properties over 90% over those of the competition.

That being said, there are a couple of aspects to the day-to-day administration of MR that I think need to be addressed (personal hot buttons, not my intention to suggest that I'm representing everyone's by any means.

1. I don't know the reason (though I can speculate), but it seems that MR promotions that require interface with hotel personnel are not administered consistently. (Examples - EEOs/Buy One Weekend Night/Get One Free, Bonus Bucks, other incentives or Elite Guarantees). Not only are there inconsistencies in handling of them from hotel to hotel, but also (to an extent) by CSRs manning Marriott 800 Numbers.)

I might well be wrong, but my take is that although the storied "Marriott Manual" may be updated but I just don't think that's sufficient. I also think that there's a marked difference (generally, not specifically) between MI and non-MI hotel administration of franchised properties.

2. My other hot button (and on this one, I don't think I'm unique here) is that it appears that Marriott doesn't have enough control of franchises or the ability to discipline them (other than the egregious ones that result of stipping them of their flag).

Two hard-to-believe recent examples discussed here.

A. A hotel in Santa Monica considering itself "a resort" and not providing full Elite benefits (even though Marriott International doesn't list the property with its other JW, Marriott or Ren resort properties.

B. There's a long-stay property (in the Midwest, I think) that takes it upon itself to set it's own US Government Per Diem Rates. Chris got involved provided input as to Marriott's intervention, but apparently (unless I've missed the latest posts) issues remain.

Last but not least -

Welcome (and apologies for the core dump).

Welcome to FT! We look forward to your input, and hope we can provide input to you as well! And given your willingness to participate, I have a feeling that your hotel is run quite well/has the attitude we're all looking for when we stay at Marriotts.

We may be cranky at times, but you'll find that overall most of us love Marriott & we do praise as well. I've written 2 letters recently to GMs of hotels I've stayed at complimenting them on their staff, service, attitude & I cc'd the 'big guy' so he'd know how great those properties are.

Cheers.

Welcome, I wonder if you would tell us what property you manage. I am curious if its in my region. Maybe I have stayed there?