Now that you're back, Starwood Lurker, perhaps you could drop into this thread, and put one fire out before starting another? http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/wink.gif

[This message has been edited by Wingnut (edited Dec 03, 2003).]

The user id is fitting. I plead the fifth. http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/wink.gif

Sincerely,

William R. Sanders
Customer Service Coordinator
Starwood Preferred Services

[email protected]

Well, that's the easy way out.

Sorry if you missed this on that thread; however, it still applies:

Sincerely,

William R. Sanders
Customer Service Coordinator
Starwood Preferred Services

[email protected]

So it is true that politicians feel no need to talk and respond to their voters after the election is over? http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/smile.gif

I don't know. You'd have to ask a politician. http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/wink.gif

The decision is in Randy's capable hands. When he is ready, he will speak his mind. And, whatever that decision is, I will be able to live with, even if it goes against what I feel are in everyone's best interests.

Sincerely,

William R. Sanders
Customer Service Coordinator
Starwood Preferred Services

[email protected]

I'm sorry, Starwood Lurker but I don't really think that's good enough.

I usually try to stay out of the "politics" of FT because IJAFBB and all that, but then the powers that be decided to have elections, and you decided to stand, and I decided to vote (for you, as it happens). So to think that the only people you need to discuss your point of view and motives with are the handful which comprise the moderators of the forum, the board admin and Randy, while ignoring the thousands whose votes you solicited just isn't on.

I have no axe to grind. I'm not a Starwood guy (a good proportion of my travel is in the UK and you simply don't have enough properties here). But your presence on the Starwood board, and the level of service and attention you give to the posters there, would be enough to make me switch to Starwood were I US based. As someone who's never stayed in a Starwood property, the only impression of your company's brand I have is through you.

And something like this ruins all the good work you do.

I don't think there's some sinister plot afoot. I imagine you noticed the thread and you let your IT guys know that they should have sorted the registration process at their end (as no doubt you've told them countless times before). You were probably about to go away, you may have thought "I don't want to come back and find that thousands of posters are whinging about not being able to sign up for this" so you quickly emailed FT admin and asked them to remove the link.

If that's close to what happened, for my money only very the last bit was a mistake (and a very minor one at that). And I guess from the proliferation of smilies in your recent posts that you may realise that.

The big mistake is in not saying "I made a mistake, I'm sorry, I won't do it again." And that's the mistake that undermines your work.

If all the preceeding hypothesis is wildly mistaken, then I apologise. But if you won't tell us your point of view or your motives, then what else should we think?

I think expressing my motives to Randy is quite enough. I am willing to accept whatever he decides. Aren't you? http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/smile.gif

Besides I do not think my asking for assistance was a mistake, but there is no explaining that will suffice for that apparently. http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/wink.gif

Sincerely,

William R. Sanders
Customer Service Coordinator
Starwood Preferred Services

[email protected]

[This message has been edited by Starwood Lurker (edited Dec 03, 2003).]

Couldn't agree more with your second statement. Couldn't disagree more with your first.

Well, "no explaining" certainly does seem to be your policy.

[This message has been edited by Wingnut (edited Dec 04, 2003).]

Again, I explained to the moderators of the Starwood forum, to the Flyertalk admin, and to Randy himself. Why? Because they were the people who had the authority to act on a request. And, you know, that's all it was...a request. It could have been denied and I would be just as satisfied with their explanation of why they couldn't do that. But, no, it was one simple request that got fulfilled to chagrin of many posting to this forum. Why? I don't know. Maybe they - the moderator who acted, the admin who acted, and Randy himself - all agreed that it was a reasonable request. Will I continue to get such requests acted upon? How do I know? We are all still waiting for Randy to decide on that.

Sincerely,

William R. Sanders
Customer Service Coordinator
Starwood Preferred Services

[email protected]

You often say "just an opinion", "I can express my opinion just like ozstamps does", etc.

However, that is just not true. You are not just any ordinary poster, you represent a large company here that apparently now thinks that its interests are more than once or twice different from the interests of posters on this board. Furthermore, you are a member of the Talkboard. Therefore, your opinions and actions obviously - and you know that and use that - have a different weight than those of regular posters.

Therefore, you are sort of a "public figure" on this board and you will have to live with people discussing your actions and motives here, as long as Randy does not prohibit that.

Since you are a "public figure" here, it is very legitimate that people on this board - and even more the ones who voted for you - ask for an explanation if you take certain actions and express certain viewpoints.

Why would you be afraid of discussing your viewpoints with the people who voted for you?

Furthermore, you are using this board to further your company's interest. I am not discounting the fact that you, as far as I know, have also helped many posters here (which should also be in your company's interest anyway). Thereby you managed to build a very good reputation with the people here on this board, which led to you being elected.

I am not sure if you realize that you are on the verge of losing a good bit of the goodwill you built here - this is at least my impression. You will have to judge for yourself if that is in your company's interest. Your company had their motives for sending a customer service representative in here, and I assume that they feel they have been benefiting from the good reputation you built here. I am not sure if that benefit would be the same if the excellent reputation of their representative here were not exactly the same anymore with many users.

With regards to the questions of posting links to promotions and with friendly exchanges of awards between online buddies to help each other out, like with everything else here, this is Randy's board and he can set it up and make the rules and be advised by whom he pleases.

However, regardless of Randy's decision in this matter, I am just not sure if you realize how your "I talk to Randy, I don't have to explain myself to you guys" attitude is being received here.

Good luck.

Ok folks... honestly... have we not gone in enough circles about this yet? Lurker, along with the rest of us are awaiting Randy's word. At that point, then people can complain (either in Randy's direction or some other direction of thier choosing). Until then, all possible things thinkable regarding this subject seem to have been covered on either one of these two (three if you include Talkboard) threads. http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/smile.gif

Thanks. More reason than ever to plead the fifth, if you ask me. http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/wink.gif

Honestly, I really think the response to all this has been super-hyperbolic if not downright irrational. Maybe it's time to retire as the Starwood Lurker and just leave Flyertalk altogether. When someone is dealt as heavy a hand as you suggest, there is no safe haven.

Goodnight and good luck to all.

Sincerely,

William R. Sanders
Customer Service Coordinator
Starwood Preferred Services

[email protected]



[This message has been edited by Starwood Lurker (edited Dec 03, 2003).]

Don't disagree with you there!

Very much disagree with you here!

Don't forget how many people appreciate all the help you've given over in the Starwood forum - they far outnumber anything in these forums.

Sounds like you have decided to take your toys and leave the sandbox. If that is what I am reading, goodbye.

And the bit about the heavy hand is only because you refuse to answer questions here and continually say I have taken it up with Randy. Guess what, he is not asking you the questions, we are and would like the courtesy of a reply - something you refuse to do.