SPG Ambassador worth it?
#136
Bad business decision by the hotel. Allowing a guest to leave his/her bags guarantees that the guest will return to the property. Some percentage of those guests will get hungry and eat at the property, or meet a friend for a drink ("I have to go to XYZ Hotel anyway to get my bags, -- let's just meet there") even if all they're doing is picking up their bags. Also reduces the probability that a guest in your situation will decide to change hotels for the second stay. Silly, silly, silly management.
#137
Join Date: Jan 2005
Programs: SQ, QF, UA, CO, DL
Posts: 2,874
This.
I also find that a good ambassador is just that... your ambassador. If you have a really good one, they make for a good "middle wo/man" to assist with billing issues, other issues, etc.
Calling properties directly is not always viable especially when you are 14 hours apart, there may be some language barrier, etc.
I also find that a good ambassador is just that... your ambassador. If you have a really good one, they make for a good "middle wo/man" to assist with billing issues, other issues, etc.
Calling properties directly is not always viable especially when you are 14 hours apart, there may be some language barrier, etc.
#138
Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: SYD
Programs: UA GS, BA Gold, Marriott Titanium/LT Plat, IHG Gold, National Exec Elite, Hertz PC
Posts: 1,419
So I have a question on what Ambassadors can access... The one assigned to me has been helpful, useful, and friendly. But often, I find the rates she's quoting me are higher than what my corporate Concur site is reflecting. IE: $173 vs $160 for a suite for instance. I asked if she was using my corporate codes, and if her price was including something else but she keeps assuring me that its the correct price.
Any thoughts? And yeah, I often just end up booking it myself via Concur and letting her handle unusual requests or last minute changes instead.
Any thoughts? And yeah, I often just end up booking it myself via Concur and letting her handle unusual requests or last minute changes instead.
#139
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: SMF
Programs: Bonvoy Titanium, SPG LTP
Posts: 1,526
I'm wrapping up my one and only year as a P100 (made a big push to get lifetime). My ambassador was nice and generally helpful when I contacted her about something. I'm a fairly low maintenance traveler and like to do my own planning...there were generally two kinds of issues I relied on her for. One was missed stay credits/errors. It was nice to be able to just e-mail her and get it taken care of. The other was complex award reservations (higher room category/travelling with a kid). Now that I'm about to be ambassador-less, I'll go back to the usual route of taking care of those.
I'm not aware of any special treatment during any of my stays as a result of my ambassador. I wasn't expecting a lot, but as others have mentioned, it's kind of weird that they ask you about preferences (drinks, snacks, even kid's birthday), but nothing ever materialized on that front.
It was nice having a single point of contact for issues, but I think I'll survive without. I had a billing error on a stay this past weekend and thought, "one last thing for my ambassador?" but the GM's address was listed on the bill so I e-mailed him directly. It was resolved within minutes.
So, I guess for me, the answer to the question in the thread title is no.
I'm not aware of any special treatment during any of my stays as a result of my ambassador. I wasn't expecting a lot, but as others have mentioned, it's kind of weird that they ask you about preferences (drinks, snacks, even kid's birthday), but nothing ever materialized on that front.
It was nice having a single point of contact for issues, but I think I'll survive without. I had a billing error on a stay this past weekend and thought, "one last thing for my ambassador?" but the GM's address was listed on the bill so I e-mailed him directly. It was resolved within minutes.
So, I guess for me, the answer to the question in the thread title is no.
#140
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: Calgary, AB
Programs: AC SE100k, Marriott Titanium, Accor Platinum, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 428
I know there are many variations on my company/firm name because of the different jurisdictions so I'm kind of wondering if that's causing it too.
#141
Join Date: Jul 2004
Posts: 2,548
I am sure there are some pro-active Ambassadors out there, but I think this program is a bit over-hyped with their video marketing. Let's see how my first year being a LTP Ambassador goes, but in my head I've already planned to not exceed 75 nights and will share the love to Hilton and Marriott (before full merge). If they decide to add a choice of Ambassador OR a different benefit, then I'd aim for 100 nights.
I'm wrapping up my one and only year as a P100 (made a big push to get lifetime). My ambassador was nice and generally helpful when I contacted her about something. I'm a fairly low maintenance traveler and like to do my own planning...there were generally two kinds of issues I relied on her for. One was missed stay credits/errors. It was nice to be able to just e-mail her and get it taken care of. The other was complex award reservations (higher room category/travelling with a kid). Now that I'm about to be ambassador-less, I'll go back to the usual route of taking care of those.
I'm not aware of any special treatment during any of my stays as a result of my ambassador. I wasn't expecting a lot, but as others have mentioned, it's kind of weird that they ask you about preferences (drinks, snacks, even kid's birthday), but nothing ever materialized on that front.
It was nice having a single point of contact for issues, but I think I'll survive without. I had a billing error on a stay this past weekend and thought, "one last thing for my ambassador?" but the GM's address was listed on the bill so I e-mailed him directly. It was resolved within minutes.
So, I guess for me, the answer to the question in the thread title is no.
I'm not aware of any special treatment during any of my stays as a result of my ambassador. I wasn't expecting a lot, but as others have mentioned, it's kind of weird that they ask you about preferences (drinks, snacks, even kid's birthday), but nothing ever materialized on that front.
It was nice having a single point of contact for issues, but I think I'll survive without. I had a billing error on a stay this past weekend and thought, "one last thing for my ambassador?" but the GM's address was listed on the bill so I e-mailed him directly. It was resolved within minutes.
So, I guess for me, the answer to the question in the thread title is no.
#142
Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: DFW
Programs: Marriott Ambassador, United 1K, AA Platinum Pro
Posts: 6
Hi r415,
I'm sorry to hear that you haven't heard back from the team.
I would be happy to contact them in order to request a new Ambassador for you. Please send an email to our address with your account details and your Flyertalk Username so we can further follow up.
All the best,
Alice Kons
Specialist, Social Media
Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, LLC
[email protected]
I'm sorry to hear that you haven't heard back from the team.
I would be happy to contact them in order to request a new Ambassador for you. Please send an email to our address with your account details and your Flyertalk Username so we can further follow up.
All the best,
Alice Kons
Specialist, Social Media
Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, LLC
[email protected]
#143
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: Calgary, AB
Programs: AC SE100k, Marriott Titanium, Accor Platinum, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 428
I'm still in my first year with the Ambassador program. I honestly do rely on my ambassador quite a lot more than my own corporate travel services as she is quick to respond, handled multiple bookings, changes in transit, etc. For my birthday recently, I got a rather nice surprise box waiting for me at home a few days prior. It was an amazing fluffy waffle style bathroom monogramed with my initials along with a very nice handwritten letter.
#144
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Sep 1999
Location: New York, NY, USA
Posts: 12,474
I envy you. As we can see from various posts, it really depends on who your ambassador is. I got nothing for BD. I suspect there is a customer scoring system built into CRM. Depending on your profitability/importance score, you get different ambassador and are treated accordingly.
Last edited by TerryK; Mar 24, 2018 at 6:31 pm
#145
Join Date: Jul 2004
Posts: 2,548
If what you suspect is correct, I will make sure to stop at 50 or 75 nights and will not aim at 100 anymore. Reading some blogs about welcome amenity signed by Ambassador made me think I would get extra special treat at check-in. No such love for me. My ambassador would just forward all my restaurant requests to the hotel concierge anyway - I can do all that directly bypassing a middle person.
I envy you. As we can see from various posts, it really depends on who your ambassador is. I got nothing for BD. I suspect there is a customer scoring system built into CRM. Depending on your profitability/importance score, you get different ambassador and are treated accordingly.
#146
Join Date: May 2013
Location: Canada
Programs: AC 100K, Bonvoy Titanium, National Exec Elite
Posts: 91
Just had one year of it, my first, and likely my last. The ambassador program was useless for me. I tried. I genuinely gave lots of chances, but it wasn't anything extraordinary. Continuing with 75 nights again is fine with me and go to other hotels throughout the year.
#147
Join Date: Mar 2009
Location: Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
Programs: UA-1k, 1mm, Marriott-LT Platinum, Hertz-Presidents Circle
Posts: 6,355
In short no. If you need a lot of business travel with several stays a week it can be helpful to manage the chaos, but for leisure I say not needed and not much value given.
#148
Join Date: Jan 2014
Posts: 687
Has anyone else seen this service go completely downhill? I haven’t heard from my Ambassador since November (not even when I requalified in December) and finally emailed them today regarding a rather serious issue with a hotel. My Ambassador did not even respond, someone “helping them today” responded with a reference number and told me I would get a response in 5-7 business days.
I’ve had the ambassador service for 4 years now and have never been impressed but this is a new low.
I’ve had the ambassador service for 4 years now and have never been impressed but this is a new low.
#149
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Feb 2004
Location: YVR
Programs: AC SE 2MM; UA MP Premier Silver; Marriott Bonvoy LT Titanium Elite; Radisson; Avis PC
Posts: 35,254
Has anyone else seen this service go completely downhill? I haven’t heard from my Ambassador since November (not even when I requalified in December) and finally emailed them today regarding a rather serious issue with a hotel. My Ambassador did not even respond, someone “helping them today” responded with a reference number and told me I would get a response in 5-7 business days.
I’ve had the ambassador service for 4 years now and have never been impressed but this is a new low.
I’ve had the ambassador service for 4 years now and have never been impressed but this is a new low.
#150
Company Representative - Starwood
Join Date: Jan 2011
Location: Guangzhou
Programs: SPG
Posts: 1,021
Has anyone else seen this service go completely downhill? I haven’t heard from my Ambassador since November (not even when I requalified in December) and finally emailed them today regarding a rather serious issue with a hotel. My Ambassador did not even respond, someone “helping them today” responded with a reference number and told me I would get a response in 5-7 business days.
I’ve had the ambassador service for 4 years now and have never been impressed but this is a new low.
I’ve had the ambassador service for 4 years now and have never been impressed but this is a new low.
Best Regards,
Christina Zhou
Social Media Specialist
Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide
[email protected]