You are right. And as long as you are not a jerk about it, I have no problem with you reminding the folks that they're supposed to provide that to you.

The problem is that some folks think they deserve things that they are NOT entitled to. And they are jerks about it. That makes things very difficult for folks like you and me, who only want what we're supposed to get! Think of it this way -- if some butthead has just *****ed at you because he didn't get something he wasn't entitled to, what are you going to think when someone else comes up to you with a request, even if it's a reasonable one. As hard as you try, you're human, and you're going to be thinking in the back of your mind, oh, God, not another one.

I'd have to agree with this. If you encounter a difficult or uninformed employee, I'd try to escalate it politely. If that doesn't get you anywhere, write a nice letter and try to get your benefits on the back end of the trip. Social etiquette still applies when you feel you've been done wrong me thinks.

You've said it perfectly.

Almost every day over the past few weeks, FT has had one or two new "topics" from folks spouting ever-more outlandish demands for compensation.
For some folks, getting what they paid for - but no extra -- has become grounds for outrage.
"I bought a U ticket to fly A to B, and to arrive safely. But the weather screwed up the system - so OK, I arrived alive at B, but it was late!! I'm *very* important, you know - so now the airline owes me headset vouchers, drink coupons, miles, two seats in F, a few certs ..."
Now most of us *despise* weather delays, of course - but after Little Rock and similar disasters, we have the sense not to while about an airline or pilot delaying us on a legitimate question about flight safety in a storm. (And we wouldn't accuse the airline staff of lying until we'd PROVEN that's true.
For whiners who expect the airlines to pay for *everything* that doesn't suit their taste, I suggest
a) try motorcoaches
b) file future grievances toward He who created the storms/snow/ice/whatever.

You got it. I would hate to work customer service for that very reason. Whatever happened to the saying, you get what you pay for? Want first class? Well, pay for it!

Being a President of a retail operation, you have no idea how wide spread this sense of entitlement is, and how people attempt to take advantage of every little thing.

The real threat in all this is that too many abusive situations tends to desensitize one - and that can impact those who DO deserve something more.

Generally speaking, I'll listen. But if you're acting like a *******, I'll either refuse or give you the minimum at best.

Ask nice, treat the staff with some respect and be reasonable, and I'll bet my staff falls over backwards to help you.

Just like the travel industry.

Bottom Line: Acting like a jerk is usually not a good strategy.

I stayed at the Conrad in Singapore for my 2nd time. I am Hilton Gold. On the stay, I stayed on an award ticket. Got upgraded to the executive floor. Everything was impeccible & delivered as promised. Will recommend the Conrad without hesitation! Once last year, I stayed at a Hilton & received an inferior room with no breakfast. Asked nicely for upgraded room with breakfast, said can't upgrade because you did not pay "rack" rate. To keep the peace, I did not argue & politely complained later. Got a coupon for 50% off rack rate for a future stay at that hotel. Gave the coupon away on FT as a new member of FT.

I generally agree with the sentiments here. But it's a real balance that has to be struck. Becasue seomtimes being right and being entitled is not enough...

Here's an example: I wanted to fly IAD-SFO on Thursday, so bought a ticket on the 9:30am flight this past Sunday, figuring, hey, its a 757, I dont need to check on upgrade availability.

Lo and behold the sucker's nearly full and I'm waitlisted. SO, I figgure, ok, I ain't going to go through the stress of a gate upgrade, so I'll move to the earlier 7:30 flight since first looks wide open. Besides, that way I can enjoy the best darn airport Bloody in the country at the circle bar during the extended layover.

The response: Sir, I'll have to refare that. Never mind the outrageous price I already paid for the "discount" ticket, rules are supposed to be rules. Same day, same route, different time: free change for 1ks.

"I've never heard of such a thing, sir."

So I say, I'm quite sure of it, could you please check? "Sir, you can either take your chances on the PA1 list or let me refare this ticket."

What would YOU do in this situation?

I mean, I KNOW the rules. I am playing by them. I am NOT being unreasonable. I am NOT demanding anything to which I am not entitled. I should ream this woman, right? Read her the riot act, demand her superior, get her butt fired for incompetence and incredibly poor customer service. Right? Right?

To me the solution was simple: "Gosh. Well. You must be right, I'm sorry. Tell you what, lets just leave the reservation as it is and I'll cross my fingers. Thanks so much for your help today!"

Hang up.

Call back.

Ticket changed in 2 minutes by the CSR who answers.

Same thing at Hiltons....if I dont get what I feel I am entitled to, I just call the Diamond desk. They hate to, but will usually work it out with the hotel.

Same reason I avoid the IAD 1k Center, except to go in there and tease them.

Its no mystery, my "sense of entitlement" is borne by the published benefits of the particular loyalty programs to which I belong. If HHonors didn't promise Diamond members breakfast vouchers, I wouldn't have expected one at my most recent stay at the Reno Hilton, aka Hilton's Hotel from Hell. Having been in the hospitality industry myself, I understand that some guests are overbearing jerks. And I stress, my experience at most Hiltons is uniformly positive. I believe the point of this thread whether or not we have false expectations when we ask for benefits that the loyalty programs promise us.

Worst of all, those who don't know their business often take the greatest umbrage: 'Are you telling me I don't know my own business/job??'
As others have posted, I hang up & call again, hoping for another agent.

------------------
Flyertalk.com ...because miles & points don't grow on trees!

This issue of entitlement is great. There are a lot of good comment and mostly thoughtful.

My main issue is if you offer a loyalty program you need to train people on the benefits to your customer. The whole idea is to encourage long term loyalty to your brand.

If you do not provide what you offer is where it can hurt your loyalty form the best customers. Remember the company elected to offer in in exchange for our continued business.

I feel the best comment is to try and always be polite and you will usually get more from the company.

They need to remember why the program is offered. It is not a free gift as some uninformed employees state, but an earned benefit offered by mutually accepted terms and conditions.

From a FT perspective, if the threads concerning the Reno Hilton had instead discussed a Starwood property, the Starwood Lurker would have been all over the situation and promptly told us the steps being taken toward service recovery. Starwood cares about its loyalty program's members. What about Hilton HHonors? It has a disobedient child (or step-child as Park Place Entertainment claims to be) and apparently prefer to ignore its inappropriate behavior, which means it is approving of and reinforcing it.

------------------
Biggest Little 1K (in The Biggest Little City) In The World

Look at the dead and dying Priority Club threads to see where an attitude like the one discussed above leads you.

Recent threads have focused on who had the most numbers of stays prior to abandoning the program.

There are no colder words than displaying a card that represents you spend 90+ nights a year with a program and having the desk clerk toss the card back to you with a "I gotcher number already". This program should be the poster child of curing brand loyalty.

So I think that sa long as I have choice of where I stay, you either give me a reason to return, or hold open the door for me on my way out.

Last year I had two airline award tickets issued in the wrong names--names so garbled they represented people who don't exist. True, I contributed to the mess by allowing my stepmother to make the reservations for her and my father using my frequent flyer number. She gave their first names and the agent assumed my last name. Pretty tricky when you have to present picture ID!

Several CRs wanted $50 per to "redeposit" the miles in my account and reissue the tickets. After several arguments, I just kept calling back until I got a Customer SERVICE Representative who did it for free, and was pleasant about the whole thing.

When a particular property "doesn't participate" in the chain's loyalty program, shouldn't that be noted on the website, printed advertising and reservation confirmation? I'd love to see the Hilton website loaded with asterisks for places that opt out. Maybe that would be a corporate wake-up call.

On the airlines, the benefits of the various tiers of the programs are fairly rigid and documented. I've never been let down on a published benefit.

In the hotel programs, it seems that there are a number of issues
1) training
2) franchised hotels (an issue you'd really never have with the airlines)
3) ambiguity in the rules.

On training, I've had hotel desk clerks open their procedures manual on more than one occasion to look up a rule. It never hurts to ask politely.

On franchised hotels, it's pretty hard to deal with. I was at the Embassy Suites in Markham (Toronto) a few weeks ago, a franchise, with my HHonors Gold -- didn't get anything (including any credit for the stay, I had to request it).

On ambiguity, there's a lot of it, esp. in HHonors. I just went to look up what kind of late check-out is available with HHonors, since I once asked a Hampton Inn for 3 PM checkout and was told "we NEVER do 3 PM for late check-out." There's no documentation on what time defines late check-out for Gold HHonors members, just that it is available. And the booklet says "You may request an upgrade [emphasis mine] to the best available room, subject to availability at time of check-in..."

On cars, I'm only in Hertz -- 5* program, and yes, I usually get an upgrade (including a Jaguar S-Type and two Mercedes C/E on my last trips to Germany). They seem pretty good at upgrading, but it's also fairly random how much of an upgrade.