sbtinme

I'll agree here that I, too, have had to chase these down over the past few years and I largely suspect that I missed a few along the way. I recall last fall calling into SPG to report a missing plat amenity and the super helpful agent took a few moments to scan previous months and advised me that she'd found two other missing 500 points. She had them all posted. Had she or I not proactively looked into this, these would never have shown up as "missing" at all. That's why I tend to agree that the SPG figure of 1% may be low.

I'll also say this: if 1% of my US Mail went missing, I'd be screwed. Goal should be 99.9% accurate postings.

I've long wondered why *wood doesn't aggressively simplify this whole process such that the 500 points are the default (and, thus, would post automatically). The only thing that could change the default would be a guest's choosing another amenity option which the front desk clerk would then need to simply enter a "tick" onto the guest record indicating what the other choice would be. Wouldn't that kill all the birds with one stone?

It really shouldn't be this hard. Since the *wood hotels I frequent all tell me that virtually everyone takes the 500 points (certainly 90% or better do), then make that the auto-posting default. All other choices would require the front desk to make a notation. That way, any stay would automatically get the 500 points unless otherwise changed.

Wouldn't that work??

yosithezet

Is that 90% of those who are offered or 90% of those who... ah, nevermind.

Starwood Lurker II

I agree that some members dislike the hassle of remind themselves about Platinum amenities. But I could also tell you that there are a couple of them who would like to opt for the best amenity. They would leave it to the very last minute, finding out what are the amenities available before making their best choice, leaving themselves satisfied and proud. Gee! I have made a wonderful option of amenity!

Honestly, a lot of work could be saved for both the guests and the property if every platinum member gets just one option of amenity. But soon, we will have members writing it hoping that they have more options like free internet, free parking, free laundry, free breakfast and the list goes on..

I agree I should not have post commented in the beginning...

[email protected]

Truly

Free laundry, now there is a nice amenity. The Millenium Hilton Bangkok offered me four items a day laundered as one of my Diamond benefits. It was very convenient as I am normally too cheap to pay hotel rates for laundry (even in Bangkok!) Something to think about!

By the way I did, as promised, get an email back within 48 hours, notifying me that my 500 missing points would be credited in the next 7-10 days. I will be watching for it.

Truly

leandrorar

Totally agree. Just uncheck the box if the guest wants the another amenity.


LR

mikeef

3 of my last 4 stays haven't gotten the plat amenity to post (2 X Sheraton Jerusalem, 1 X W New York). Two phone calls have gotten one of the two Sheraton amenities to post.

I'm not sure about that "1% goes missing" number. Is that based on people who have reported it missing? If so, I'm guessing it's only that low because such a small percentage of us is anal enough to track it.

Mike

troyb

Funny this should pop back up again. Just last week I called the Platinum line to ask a couple questions about some upcoming reservations. After answering my questions, the Platinum Concierge volunteered to check if all of my platinum amenity points had posted properly. This was completely unprovoked and unrelated to anything I had called about. Surprisingly, he found 3 or 4 that had not posted - and I monitor things pretty closely.

^ to that Platinum Concierge

to the properties that did not properly post my points

Globehopper

Well since starting this thread some time ago, I still have to chase down those elusive critters known as the Platinum Amenity.

The most recent example: Sheraton Brussels during the UK May Bank Holiday.

They didn't even bother to send out the free postcard (given at check in) to anywhere in the world that I finally filled out for the first time.

I like the idea of an SPG profile where you can sign up for a default PA setting, to be overriden if the hotel is providing a nice local gift.

izzik

well, I spoke with Plat Concierge today and they fixed the missing amenity points from 2 past C+P stays. Originally tried e-mailing SPG, only to run into someone who wasn't quite with it ("The stays referenced have not been posted to your account..."). According to the Plat Concierge, they said the amenity will likely post automatically if there is another charge (food/bev) on the bill. If that's what it takes (instead of chasing it down) then great! ^

sbtinme

Maybe.... but I say to the SPG system that after all these years still allows for the fairly consistent inconsistent posting of Plat amenity points. I, like others, strongly suspect that the 1% figure is flawed. Late last year I also worked with a Plat Concierge who took the time to comb through my stays and found 3 missing 500 point credits. This only was uncovered because she and I discussed the issue and she took the time to look through the details. At least in my own little world, those three missing credits are more like 10% missing credits -- not 1%.

Regardless, I still fail to understand why a system isn't set up globally that does the following:

- when a Plat guest checks in, the front desk agent asks which amenity they prefer

- there is no card to check off or sign, rather the agent enters the guest's choice into the guest folio record and it becomes an electronic record

- if no choice is entered at the hotel level, for whatever reason, the default will ALWAYS be to post 500 amenity points to the guest's SPG account at once.


--------

Such a system would allow for a fully documented history of who selected what amenity should history ever be needed and would surely reduce the number of missing 500 Plat amenity points by 99%, no?

Globehopper

I have found that C&P and Starpoint stays have the most trouble triggering the PA points to post, and that one should not have to incur an incidentals charge to trigger such points.

That said, there have been plenty of cash (credit card really) stays that still fail to trigger the PA from posting.

SanDiego1K

I've just returned from Europe and 8 Starwood stays. I requested the platinum amenity of 500 points on each of the stays. Yet only *ONE* posted. That's 12.5% of my stays where the amenity posted. In each case, I signed the platinum card choosing the 500 points. In several cases, the person who checked me in subsequently saw me, and told me they had submitted the request for the points. Yet the points did not post.

Today, I called chasing the points. I asked to be transferred to the proper department to file a complaint about the problem. The platinum concierge herself spent some time talking to someone. She returned, saying that only property specific complaints could be filed. Since my problem dealt with 7 properties, there was no way to submit a complaint.

Regardless, it seems to me that there is a systematic problem when there is such a high failure rate.

AZ Travels the World

No question it is a systemic problem, at least in my experience. I have suggested before that members who have to chase these points should be awarded double the points, at the expense of the hotel. I'm betting these incidents would be considerably reduced. Even if not, Platinum members would at least feel their time chasing them was worth the inconvenience.

3544quebec

From my last 17 stays since April 1st 10 Plat bonuses have posted and 7 have not.

I rang the Platinum Concierge a month ago about the first few that hadn't posted and was advised that she would contact the hotel involved and contact me back by email - I haven't heard anything since.

I rang again today and the agent said she would look into it. Why might I be sceptical that this will be easily resolved? Perhaps because the last time a hotel didn't correctly post 1000 bonus points it took me 4 weeks, 8 emails and 5 phone calls dealing with 5 different people in all before the points were finally posted along with a paltry 1000 point customer service posting to compensate me for the total waste of time I had experienced.

It seems that SPG doesn't follow the policy that the first person you contact will ensure that your problem is resolved.

bl4666

When I filled out the Platinum Amenity card today at a Westin property in Virginia I noticed the point has reduced to 250. Has anyone noticed the reduction at other locations?