writerguyfl

Hopefully I'm not overstepping here, but I'll offer some additional comments. I never worked at a Starwood hotel...so, keep that in mind. Still, I'd imagine that Starwood uses a similar system to what I am trying to describe.

In each of the chains in which I worked, virtually all communication between Central Reservations and the hotel was done electronically using CRM (customer relationship management) software. When a guest calls the chain with a compliment, complaint, or request, a case is created. The case gets set to the hotel where it is assigned to the appropriate department. Once resolved, either the hotel or the Central Reservations agent will contact the guest.

While this process takes longer than a single phone call, it has many benefits. First, everything gets tracked in writing with time-stamps. Second, it ensures that the person making decisions at the hotel have the knowledge and authority to make that decision. This ensures that all guests receive the same treatment when experiences similar problems.

But, as I wrote earlier, if your mindset is "I want this fixed immediately", you will be disappointed.

Flews

I'm doing this more often now myself. Especially with the new cancellation rules being introduced. Still, it can be problematic if the property fails to links the bookings once you've arrived, such as for the current double points promo.

As for the PC, I haven't been using it much lately, but did find it helpful for PCs to ocassionally contact properties for me about special requests. I wondering if the new policy is no contact at all, or just no contact by phone?

Cheers,

mahasamatman

That can always be cleaned up after the fact.

Flews

Not always. I still have an unresolved snafu at the Hamilton Sheraton that I'm told can't be fixed.

Cheers,

MSPeconomist

Not necessarily. When this happened to me, I waited for almost an hour while the front desk staff tried to combine my reservations at check out. I wouldn't have cared except (1) there was a promo for triple points for longer stays in the right part of the week, and (2) I was a bit concerned about the additional stay showing in my account. In most years, I first requalify for Plat on stays and then later on nights. The hotel finally gave up and just gave me some customer service apology points to approximately make up the difference as well as the green choice points that wouldn't post either due to the separate reservations.

Every now and then I worry that the apology points in my account could look bad.

mahasamatman

I have a 100% success rate at getting things fixed after the fact.

Why did you try to fix it with the hotel? It's far easier and more reliable to work directly with SPG.

seawolf

In my opinion this is more trouble than it is worth. I just call the hotel directly to add/drop nights of central reservation can't/won't handle it.

Flews

How nice for you. :-:

Cheers,

Canada101

"We have been asked to no longer call the front desk"

If this is really the case, then what is the point of having Platinum Concierge? Why not just tell Platinum guests to contact the property? From my experience, the big problem with this is far too many properties don't care about SPG status. Far too often, Platinum "perks" like upgrades are completely inconsistently handled.

I am NOT a high maintenance Plat but on the odd occasion when I need anything from a property where I stay regularly, chances are I already have a local contact that sending them an email or calling them prior to arrival is something I can easily do on my own. The fact that I stay at that property regularly, regardless of my SPG status, is often good enough to have my request handled properly by my contact.

Why would I need the Platinum Concierge to intercede on my behalf? More often than not it is because the property is one where I never or rarely stay so having the Plat Concierge now tell me to call the property myself is moronic and renders this so called "benefit" (Platinum Concierge) utterly useless.

It is truly idiotic for Starwood to create a "rule" telling Platinum Concierges "to no longer call the property".

writerguyfl

Did you read the entire thread? "Do not call" does not mean "do not contact".

PointWeasel

I read the entire thread and calling is much more timely than sending an email with a reponse time of 5 business days. Good lord.

MSPeconomist

I wonder whether Ambassadors are similarly forbidden to call hotels.

Crazy4Birds

William,

It seems to me that there are a significant number of properties that completely ignore a platinum concierge and/or ambassador level email. There seemed to be much better and more effective communication when phone calls were allowed. And certainly when something goes wrong, problems are not solved in real time. The system would be much more customer friendly if potential problems were addressed proactively (e.g., the platinum concierge or ambassador knows that a hotel has received a message by direct phone interaction with the hotel), rather than waiting for these problems to keep occurring and then trying to address them retroactively, hoping that the hotel at some point decides to start reading their emails. It is no fun to be the customer in cases where hotels are retroactively being asked to explain why they have not accommodated very basic room requests, and I'm not talking upgrades.

yvr76

In some cases I've used Platinum chat to ask them to contact the property day of informing them of a late arrival (to avoid being walked). Easier to do than calling myself in a noisy airport and/or want to avoid roaming fees.

So would they decline to call the property in this case on my behalf?

update - read OPs post more carefully. Looks like he was specifically request they call for a reservation change.

tbaumann3

I would like to address the OP reason for calling the Plat Line. Hotels may have a different rate for each night of the week. Most notably, Friday and Saturday are generally significantly lower rates at hotels frequented by business travelers. Therefore, when you book a multi-night reservation, your rate is generally the average of the individual nights booked. When you remove a lower cost night from a multiple night reservation, the average rate for the remaining nights will increase.

If you are able to get the hotel to honor the original rate when a cheaper night is removed, more power to you. However, people could take advantage of this generosity by, for example, booking Mon - Fri when they only need Mon - Thur to get a lower rate at booking and then calling back later to cancel Fri.