Comments

1. I agree with you 100% Gary, but clearly the person commenting was not a good fit for the service industry.

2. With all due respect to the front desk agent, It’s a $8,000 suit…………and it’s called a kindness upgrade and it never expires………

3. Good points. I like my benefits, and I think I deserve them for following the rules of the program, but I’ve also never raised my voice with a desk clerk. Sounds like s/he ran into one too many a-holes.

4. I just don’t get this. My own, unscientific, belief is that people who travel enough to be elite, whether airline or hotel, have learned what expectations are reasonable, while it is the less frequent traveler who has the more outsized expectations. I know in my case that I have tempered my expectations in the past five or so years of extensive travel in a way I did not prior thereto.

5. It is also not particularly a front desk agent’s role to determine or question whether I “deserve” promised elite benefits without paying for them . . .

6. Sounds like someone needs a new job. Note I didn’t say career because a person with that crappy attitude will likely not last in any position very long.

7. I didn’t know where this post was going, but certainly agree with where it came out.
   .
   As a general principle and matter of upbringing, one should be kind and polite in your interactions with other people. That applies to service providers of course, but also service users. A side effect is that one generally catches more flies with honey than with vinegar, but that’s secondary to the broader principle.
   .
   That said, the comment that you report seems a little suspicious to me. If I follow the argument correctly, the commenter made a regular practice of refusing to give people benefits that they were entitled to get due to their participation in the hotel elite program. If that’s true then it’s not surprising he or she got pushback from the guests. Doesn’t justify cursing, but still not too surprising.

8. PS: I have to add — people hating me because I’m beautiful is not a problem I’ve ever had or am likely to have!

9. Ironic that it comes from a Marriott front desk agent, as that program has issues differentiating between its elite levels. It seems even she considers them all roughly equivalent & being Platinum with Marriott really does make very little difference over silver in my experience.

10. I seriously question that this commenter is a real JW Marriott front desk staffer. I have seen few “platinum” members being rude to FD staff. In fact I’ve seen more rude behavior from staff than from guests, and have never heard ‘DYKWIA’ used in connection with “platinum” status. That’s more likely to come from those with no status trying to bully their way into being treated like they imagine Plat folks would be treated.

    And the tone of “why should it make any difference whether you receive…your breakfast” seems way off. If the terms of the reward program entitle someone to a free breakfast, or an available upgrade, why should a FD staffer want to withhold it, since it costs that person nothing at all.

    Why would someone like this be reading VFW anyway? This sounds much more like a “down with the 1%” diatribe {thousand dollar suit, starving children, etc.} than the opinion of someone with just 6 months on a service job.

11. It’s simple – be nice to the lowest level of the staff. They’re simply working within the constraints of the system. They have little power to change anything most of the time. If you don’t get what you feel is appropriagte, simply escalate in a polite manner. Asking for a manager isn’t an act of anger, it’s the appropriate action. Managers are called that for a reason – they have override and judgement capabilities granted to them. They also tend to understand arguments based on customer loyalty, etc. and smart ones will do what it takes to keep a customer.

12. @jfhscott “My own, unscientific, belief is that people who travel enough to be elite, whether airline or hotel, have learned what expectations are reasonable, ”

    I wish that were so! But after sitting next to a tirade fit for a 4 year old from a Concierge Key member on an American flight last week, I guess it just doesn’t jive with my experience.

13. I must agree with what others have said, with that attitude this front desk person does not need to be working directly with customers.

    Second, if the agent above does work at a Hotel with 1000+ rooms that limits that particular hotel to only one of 16 Marriotts in the world. All of these hotels are also convention centers in very large cities.

    This together helps me understand why the hotel is charging for everything and seeing the higher percentage of elite clients who want these same things for free.

14. That attitude seems to crop up a lot in hotels. While that quote seems unusually bitter, a think a lot of the disconnect comes from the fact that hotel people view loyalty from the perspective of their own property rather than as a group. And other chains that are mostly franchises its even more so.

15. LarryInNYC… come on! You are a very beautiful man! 😉

16. @TravelMSY Yes, having the front desk people recognize you is worth easily as much as Platinum. I get absolutely superb treatment at some Marriott properties I frequent, making it difficult to book away.

17. I think the email is an actual worker from Mariott. He reminds me of the airline steward who left on the slide. He is bitter because Mariott created a program for elites. This does not surprise me. And I can state I never cursed anyone at the front desk and I have encountered more than my share of prickly front desk clerks. What chaps my *ss is when I have to tell the front desk clerk about things I am supposed to get as part of status or some program etc. So if I am supposed to get club access via a key, or free internet whatever and I have to tell them and they have a blank stare into space. Traveler MSY made a great comment. With that being said I can go back to the same hotel twice in a week and they would not recognize that I have been there before.

18. Being in the hospitality industry myself, I recommend that people be nice to the FD agents. FD agents are less willing to help a guest if they are giving an attitude or pulling a DYKWIA. You’d be surprised by what some guests do to FD agents. I personally witnessed a guest throw a glass bottle at one of my colleagues.

    Also, as Nick mentioned, being a regular at a specific hotel helps a lot when it comes to upgrades. For example, we only upgraded regular guests to our Presidential Suite if we needed the room that they were originally booked for.

19. It may be a little off topics. But how many or which JW Marriott have 1000 rooms? I know there are 67 JW Marriott out there.

20. @Gary, when you encountered a fit from an unpleasant Concierge Key member last week, do you suppose that passenger would have thrown the same type of fit if they had no status at all, but had the same underlying sense of entitlement? I wasn’t there so I will trust you. Elites have higher expectations – after all they are promised x, y, or z for their loyalty, and they are reasonable to expect that such promises will be generally fulfilled. The above front desk agent apparently does not grasp this unremarkable concept. But I submit that the experiences elites have in becoming and maintaining elite status makes them better judges than occasional travelers of what to anticipate. I’d rather be serving elites who have been promised “entitlements” than non elites who think they are entitled any day.

21. It’s not just the Marriott folks who don’t quite understand the elite philosophy as their premium brand does not get it with their Ritz Carlton credit card…..the fact that they require you to pay “rack rate” to get their club upgrade is really astonishing that they put that product on the street for $395……yelling at them is not the answer…….staying at Relais and Chateau and Hyatt is my answer……….you have to vote with your pocketbook!

22. @Gary, I think you’ve really nailed it here.

    I have rarely received unbelievably good service with an airline, but I get it all the time at hotels. At the same time, I know exactly what to expect with airlines, since the policies are so much clearer than hotel policies.

    This reminds me of an interesting experience I had at a Westin in NYC where I (as an SPG Gold) was told that a single handicapped queen on a high-floor was an upgrade over a standard double double. Obviously, this is ridiculous, and I would have appreciated a clearer upgrade policy.

    At the same time, at a chain like Kimpton, the individual hotel employees go far out of their way to wow customers. I would hate it if they went to a standardized upgrade policy that removed potential suite upgrades but guaranteed a one-class upgrade. Even at Hilton properties, I’ve been able to finagle some pretty incredible upgrades by being nice, tipping well, and clearly articulating what I want.

    So, it’s a bit of a mixed bag. I happen to enjoy negotiating additional benefits and better service, so I like the human element better than the automation. But, I do understand the frustration that travelers feel when they do not get what they feel “entitled” to.

    The great news is this: there are a lot of options, and there is a lot of competition. I trust the market to force the industry to find ways to deliver better value to customers.

23. This guy says he is leaving his job. He doesn’t say whose decision that was. I suspect Marriott fired him for a very offensive attitude towards its best customers. Marriott understands that repeat business is essential to its existence – thus its elite program. This employee doesn’t get that.

24. I like the tone and the message here. My favorite thing is to watch elites jockeying to get on a plane or to check in and to try to one up one other with self-importance. Thank you for reminding all of us to pause and realize we are not all that!

25. I actually take a lot of care to choose the right check in agent. If there is an option, I scope out the different agents first and try to choose the more pleasant/sharp looking ones. I believe this makes a big difference in what I get upon check in. Like you said, a loyalty card is only an opportunity for some nice privileges; it’s up to you to turn the opportunity into a nice hotel stay with perks and upgrades 🙂

26. This is rubbish. The hotels benefit from the strong marketing of those elite programs and promised benefits. If they didn’t work to their benefit the hotel chain wouldn’t have offered those benefits in the first plates.

    The same individual can be rude or polite regardless of the elite benefit. The unhappy hotel staff should understand that these are benefits that were many times promised to the guests. Here I am of course not referring to “upon availability” benefits.

27. There is also a huge disconnect between the behavior of low and high value customers. Actual rich people just book the first class seat or suite that they want and be done with it. The hotel staff definitely notice who is who.

28. I agree with your approach. Service work is tough and some people are jerks, well a lot of people are jerks just look around you on the interstate during rush hour.
    I think you catch more flies with honey or at least get better treatment and have more fun.
    If I owned a hotel chain I would be thrilled if 40% of the guests are elite status because they are the ones that keep me in business.
    What bothers me is that I have to ask for what was promised to me. I usually don’t bother. You know you stand at the front desk they pull up your reservation and can see you have stayed like a million nights and have hundreds of thousands of points and you hand them your brand loyalty credit card on top of that and many times they just treat you like it’s your first stay with them. I don’t ask a lot but I do remember when I’m treated well without asking.

29. Please, let us get the I’m important attitude out of the way. I travel internationally quite a bit. Unlike those that travel on the firm’s expense, mt tab is on me, which is a family business.
    I am tired of seeing all these fellow passengers that would be unlikely to fly anything but coach if the firm was not paying travel. I had to endure two middle aged men whining because their firm would not arrange greeters at FRA. My train of thought is that if someone can’t find their way through an airport (yes, FRA is not the easiest) then they are simply not capable of representing their firm’s interests well.
    The same applies to Hotel stays. Quite honestly, I spent the equivalent of months at the Airport Sheraton in FRA. The foolish questions and actual stupidity demonstated by the American buinessmen is just appalling. The amazing thing is that these same people do have the knowledge to demand upgrades and perks based on the prestige level earned by all their firm paid nights.

30. Manners are what separate the civilized from the uncivilized, which is especially important when 200 strangers come together in a pressurized tube, or are separated by thin walls in 30 meter hotel rooms.

    So I just follow Patrick Swayze’s advice from Roadhouse: Be Nice.

31. Excellent commentary. I’m sure those of us who travel frequently empathize with front desk workers, flight attendants or gate agents. I’ve seen too many foot stomping situations were I marvel at thier ability to maintain their composure. A bit of kindness after those meltdowns goes a long way

32. You make a good point Gary in that being polite should be the norm irrespective of status.

    It is of little surprise that the person who sent you the e-mail is leaving the hotel; he clearly does not have the right attitude for the service business. I accept that he is in a low paid job and most of the customers he deals with probably have an income he can only dream of. However his resentment should not alter his level of professionalism.

    The reason hotels offer these elite status cards is very simple, competition. All these elite card holders he refers to have choices, they can stay in Starwood, Hilton, Hyatt, Holiday Inn etc. The card system provides an incentive for a business traveller to choose to stay in a certain brand of hotel for the privileges. A life on the road is not all glory and people often miss that point.

33. Years ago, I was Hilton Gold (on stays) and we had a reservation at a Hilton resort in San Diego. This Hilton did not have a separate check in for Hilton status. We spoke to a gentleman (Hilton Diamond) that stayed 60 nights/yr at that property and 160 nights/yr at Hiltons. When we got up to check in, we politely asked why there was no separate check in for Hilton Gold/Diamonds. The clerk asked what they could do and we asked that our parking could be comped. DONE!

    Bottom line: It pays to be polite and ask for something reasonable. We haven’t been back to that hotel so we do not know if have separate check in for HHonors.

34. As more hotels sell off their properties I see this happening more often. This use to only a “European problem” however its everywhere. And I have to say it makes sense to me, why would I give someone who costs my property more benefits when a regular, no status guest is my- friend, similar nationality, nicer, hotter, etc
    All these franchises will only make things worst.

35. I find it odd that the front desk staff doesn’t understand that the “elite” guests have “paid” for the perks by staying with the hotel a certain number of nights. Essentially these members are getting a volume discount in the form of a free breakfast, and the desk clerk who tries to cheat them out of it should rightly be corrected.

36. I feel qualified to respond to this post as I have been on both sides of the desk before. I worked FD through college and do hold a degree in Hotel Management and then later on took a road warrior job that afforded me top tier status for both Hilton and SPG.

    Even though I worked at an elite heavy hotel where we did do our best to make all our elite members happy, we could not please everyone. Most of the elites were quite understanding if an upgrade didn’t occur or we forgot to mention the free breakfast. Occasionally we had the high and mighty elite who would throw down their card and expect the heavens to open and angels sing since they graced us with their presence. And yes, I did work with some fellow FD agents that hated elites and their smug attitudes but both of these were typically the outliers.

    When I became a road warrior, I knew the elite programs inside and out and what I was entitled to at both Hilton and SPG but made it a point to never be a dick to the front desk about a missed upgrade or them not giving me my free breakfast coupons. On these occasions, I would ask politely if breakfast was included as an elite or if their was any upgrades available when I didn’t get one. Most of the time, I would joke around with them which I could always tell made them smile as it put us on the same level.

    As Gary said above, treat them not as a servant who’s soul job is to do your elite bidding but as a fellow individual who is just doing that they can to get by and make ends meet. Most people who work the FD take great pride in making other people’s day with little things like an upgrade or suggesting their favorite restaurant. Hence, they work in the hospitality business.

37. One more reason to avoid working in hotels – and avoid staying in them, as often as possible. At least in ht hotel industry, “Status” and “Upgrades” are a joke! That same “Room 435” can be called – and billed as several types of room, depending upon what “status” you present. The only ‘status’ benefit that costs us real money is the various ‘club’ features. We limit the ‘club’ hours to move your cheap ass into the dinning room when possible. We pour the cheapest wine we can buy. We mark them ‘Closed for Remodeling’ as often as possible and the jobs always take longer than expected. Why? The house does not want to spend any extra bucks on you. The only ‘Club’ benefit proven to attract business is breakfast. We hate it, but we’re stuck with it. If you get a free breakfast, don’t expect anything else. While the front desk folks CAN give you a lot, they usually are not required to do anything other than bill a standard room as a Junior Suite, just to impress you. If you are polite and demonstrate the same personal respect that you demand, you might get a few extras, but demanding this or that just won’t score. The very junior desk clerk has far more power and control than you may believe.
    -I’m NOT a hotel desk clerk, but I was one, briefly, early 40 years ago. Recent posts and comments suggest that not a lot has changed over those years: regardless of your ‘status,’ if you behave like a jerk, you’ll get a room in the basement. If you are polite and reflect the general tone of our hotel, I’ll give you the best that I’m allowed to offer – or at least make you think so. And please remember, about 95% of the rooms are +/- about the same, despite the different names. Status alone will never get you into those top 5% of rooms – that’s where we make our minimal profit and the only key that fits is cash (or a hefty approval on your magic card.) Again, I’m not a hotel desk clerk and I do not play one on TV.

38. @Cook: Well that certainly hasn’t been my experience with Hilton or Priority Club. My status with those two has almost always given me a clearly larger room (usually some sort of suite with at least two rooms and often a kitchen), a free breakfast, and free internet access on the hotel’s computer. (I refuse to carry my own computer while traveling – vacation is vacation.) And what’s wrong with free breakfast? Beats paying the hotel’s $20+ ripoff fee for the same, or shlepping around the neighborhood trying to find a decently priced restaurant.

39. Last month I checked into a Gaylord resort (recently acquired by Marriott). I am a Marriott silver elite member, although I stay more often & have higher status with Hilton & Hyatt.

    The bellcap that opened the door and insisted on taking my luggage adamantly pointed me to the very long general checkin line, where I saw some of my colleagues who had arrived for the conference we were attending. It was only when I was halfway through the line that I spotted a separate line for elite members, which only had a couple people waiting in it. Turns out I should have been in that line…because I wasn’t I didn’t get a grey door key, which caused the spa consternation about my free access, until I showed them my silver elite member card.

40. i find this diatribe very strange and atypical. without exception virtually every marriott, hilton, hyatt and priority club clerk makes a point to thank me for my business and my loyalty. the only exception was the awful IC Rome where the bad attitude has been well documented.
    as for how to handle the front desk, i tried the friendly approach for several years, but did not find the results to be good. so now i go for the direct approach – i politely ask if there are any upgrades available, or perhaps other perks. since they rarely seem to be volunteered. the results have been better, and left all of us smiling.

41. Just the other day in the Grand Hilton, Seoul when I checked in to the Club Level Executive floor on my own dime, another hard earned pamper weekend, I was told that I had to pay for wireless. As a Hilton Gold member and especially since the website stated that wired and wireless is free for Gold and Diamond level, I was surprised to hear this. I’ve stayed at the Grand Hilton for seven times now, so am no stranger to it.
    I was greeted by doubt from the agent. Because of her frosty attitude, I had thought maybe Hilton was tailoring back yet another benefit.

    I was asked where I got the information, and I stated it was on the website. I then offered to find this information on the website. I was asked to email the information, which I did, and then I received the wireless as complimentary and with an apology.

    I think this front desk person was new to the job, and perhaps did not have all of the facts. However, I did not care for the suspicious tone from the agent as if I was trying to get away with something for free. I insisted politely that I chose the hotel because of my status and the wireless benefit.

42. This reminds me of a check-in at a Hilton last month. Nothing really went right for my check in: 2 double beds, low floor, basic room, close to the elevator… basically the opposite of all of my profile preferences.

    The desk agent apologized and almost visibly braced for my to lose my cool… I simply said “you guys must be busy! No problem, I’m happy to get a bed and get some sleep”.

    He was so overwhelmed with gratitude that I wasn’t a jerk that I had to stop him from giving me things. He comped room service that night and sent up a bottle of wine.

    The point is: I’m sure the person you quoted is exaggerating a bit, but based on the reaction I got because I was being nice, I have no doubt they put up with more crap than we realize.

43. I lost my cool with a FD agent a few years back when the room type I had confirmed earlier in the day (when I could not check in because it was not ready) was no longer available when I did check in late that night. The Manager calmly told me that there were many things she could do, but not if I was going to continue to yell at them. Good for her. She was right, I was wrong. They put us up in a nice alternate hotel – no charge at all – and I apologized for being a jerk.

44. I was once told that by a part time hotel shuttle driver who was a friend of mine, that the hotel he worked at (it was near an airport), made $65 million in profit in a “bad” year. I don’t know financial details, or what that comes out to in margin, and this hotel might be particularly lucrative due to location, but if that’s a bad year, I can’t imagine that hotels make a “minimal profit”, as an earlier commenter stated

45. Attention brand managers: Is some markets we have no choice, in many we do and we notice.

    IMHO Hyatt takes notice and capitalizes where others fail. I vote with my $’s as often as I can.

46. Funny how a few people mentioned that they paid for their status, when I’m sure their companies did.

47. The original story sounds a little suspect to me, but since Marriott is such a large company anything is possible. Marriott is far too big (both the company and their individual hotels) and pays far too little in wages to ensure consistently great service. Marriott also owns Ritz-Carlton, which does have consistently good service in my experience, but most of their other brands are so hit or miss that you can’t really depend on much unless you’re a frequent guest at that specific property. I can’t recall ever blowing up at a Marriott employee. The last person I was unfairly upset with was actually an SQ employee (or at least had an SQ badge) when my luggage appeared to go missing after a short nonstop flight at the beginning of a long trip. They took it in stride and didn’t return the attitude which made me feel even worse when they eventually found my luggage. Since then I’ve tried to assume the best while expecting the worse instead of the other way around.

48. That’s why I only pursue status in one hotel chain. Hyatt. It’s because I like their hotels in the first place. I’m happy with a standard room.

    I hate all the other brands and hotels in general.

49. What’s truly baffling about this, and I’m assuming your all adults here, is reminding yourselves and patting one another on the shoulder for remembering manners and common decency is the point of this article and following comments?

    Do you see the dire problem this “elite” card you are speaking of has created in yourselves, that you are raising your glasses in haughty praise for acting on simple concepts we all were taught as children?

50. ACTUALLY YOUR THE ONE (WHO WROTE THIS DUMB ARTICLE) WHO IS MISREABLE! THE TITLE IS SAYING THAT FRONT DESK CLERKS HATE YOU BECAUSE YOUR BEAUTIFUL (I DOUBT THAT) THEY HATE YOU BECAUSE YOU OBVIOUSLY HAVE A NASTY SELF ENTITLED NARCISSIST ATTITUDE WHERE YOU THINK YOUR BETTER THAN EVERYONE ELSE! I THINK YOU ARE IN DESPERATE NEED OF AN ATTITUDE ADJUSTMENT!!!!! GET OVER YOURSELF!!!!!

51. Ive worked at the front desk for yearsss!!! I love what i do but i dislike to the highest nature when guests becomes irate with me. I work overnight so by the time i get to work and have whats left of vacant rooms, i check platinum guests in who wasnt preblocked and i get the worst attitudes ever. during otc i had a man who was coming towards me like he was about to hit me…his friend had to hold him back. i was alone because there wasnt an overnight manager. i finally told him until he can speak to me the way i spoke to him, he will be ignored. he was yelling at the top of his lungs. i ignored him and continued assisting the guest i was before he interupted us. one lady had her finger to my nose yelling because housekeeping didnt clean her room but her room had a dnd..do not disturb on the door. and during my graveyard shift, there are no housekeepers. i offered her clean blankets until morning and she had her fingernail to my face and i just concentrated on not grabbing it and breaking her finger in three. the security stepped in on both incidents. i was 7mths pregnant so i got emotional and couldnt catch my breath while i tried assisting my next guest. the guest kept telling me to calm down but i told her sorry for the wait, i know its late and shes tired and i will check her in as quickly as i could. i believe my tears came from knowing i couldnt respond the way i wanted to because i have to stay professional no matter how ugly it got. and because i was pregnant. on both situations the manager in the morning compd their night and sent up wine and all type of amenities. i was soooo upset because they were in the wrong and i felt the guest can do and treat the workers any way because they dont want to have bad scores and loose a dollar. i ended up quiting.

52. one more thing…i was contacted by another manager and they asked me to come back…

    but i treat every guest the same. i dont show favortism on guests who are higher ranked than others,because i treat all my guests as they are high ranked…even first time guests. i dont want a guest who is next in line to see me react to highly and then on their check in, i do a normal check in. if i dont recognize a guests, i still personalize the check in experience…afterall, even platinum guests started off as a first time guests.

53. I just ran across this and found it VERY humorous! I completely get why the person would post something like this and I would love to add a correction… We hotel employees (for the most part) have absolutely no problem giving Platinum members upgrades IF AVAILABLE, but the issue comes down to guests throwing the “I’m a platinum member you HAVE to accommodate me or I’ll throw a hissy like a man/woman child” While some of you may not have ever done this yourself, you would be shocked how often it happens (every day). I have been in the industry for over 8 years and I also am a General Manager. While I agree this is not the industry for me and I am in school to change careers, I do want to say, please for one moment think about how difficult it is to keep a smile on your face while person after person day after day yells complains gives you attitude and the tries to get you fired because they didn’t get what they weren’t “Promised” but offered if available. Also the hotel sometimes cannot just poop out a room if its not physically available. So yes…if you booked a suite through the hotel and paid for it you are MORE than entitled to be upset if you aren’t given that, but if you booked through a third party or expected it as a courtesy then take it just as that, its a courtesy and not a promise. But as the post says, thanks for staying with us…those of you who aren’t complete A-holes…

54. Sorry FDCs, but it is all a matter of trust. How much do we trust that the FDC is giving us the straight dope? After Starwood began the Suite Night program it seemed that my suite upgrade percentage was dropping considerably unless I used a Suite Night award which I like to save for resorts or special occasions. For my next stay at the Westin Seattle, before heading downtown from the airport, I checked the hotel website and saw that they were offering standard suites for that night. Upon check in I was not offered a suite. I politely told the clerk that I was puzzled because I saw suites were available on their website. Miraculously a suite was produced. So as the old saying goes…trust but verify.

55. “What do you mean you dont have a room for me? DYKWIA? You better kick someone out of this f***ing place or you will be looking for a new job!!”
    – I’m sorry sir. This night has been booked for 10 months. (my response to this customer during the cities biggest music festival)

    “I need a 3pm check out time.”
    – I’m sorry sir. We cannot extend check-out today. We have 40 rooms coming in at 1pm for a family reunion and all the suites are booked.
    “Well then I guess I dont have to stay at Marriotts anymore.”
    – I’m very sorry sir.
    “So you really aren’t going to help me? DYKWIA?”
    – Sir, you just asked too late. We have known about this reunion for months and even posted the sign last night that read “No late check outs. Sorry for the inconvenience.”
    “Well I guess I am a Hampton guy now.”

    “Well if I check in at midnight I should pay less.”
    – On the other side of that coin, sir, it wouldn’t be fair to charge our guests who got here at 3pm more money. Our hotel “day rollover” isn’t until 6am… I can offer you a better price then.
    “How about you just doing it right f***ing now? DYKWIA?”
    – Sorry sir. It’s all computer regulated. I have no override.
    “IDGAF!! You are going to do it and you are going to do it now.”
    – No sir. I am not. But if you would like I could check the prices around the area to see if something would better suit your price range.
    “Go f*** yourself.”

    “Why is my bill $620????????????????”
    – Well ma’am. It was $120 for the night. Our housekeepers have evidence that you smoked in the room as well as had a dog in the room. We are not bet friendly and are completely non smoking.
    “Well how is that my fault? DYKWIA? You are going to refund me everything!!!”
    – No ma’am. Your key card holder clearly states that smoking and pets are forbidden as well as the sign at the front entrance, back entrance, 2 side entrances and in the elevators.
    “Well I will just cancel my credit card then and you wont get anything.”
    – Whatever you feel you have to do ma’am but I cannot reverse these charges.

    I could go on for days and days and days with similar scenarios. I have had people tell me they worked for the state and not having rooms available to them is illegal. I have had customers grab our standing signs and throw them over the desk at me. Had one customer literally kick out double doors in and shatter the glass (because he thought the door being locked at 2am for safety was stupid). I’ve had a mother tell her kid to s*** on the floor because the bathroom was full and she wasn’t waiting… to which he did, then she looked at me, smiled and walked away. Had customers who think we are a daycare and dont monitor their kids and get mad when we call the cops on their child because their child was playing ding-dong-ditch and wouldn’t cooperate with us when we told them to stop. Yes I have called the cops 9 times on children. And every single one of them was justified. I have had a woman abandon their kid in our hotel while she drop 5 hours away for a party. Then kept calling us to go check on her child. We called the cops for child abandonment because no one in our hotel is a certified child care specialist and honestly it isn’t our job.

    Being hospitable is one thing. But most people take a hotel as their person slaves when they stay.
    Why am I not carrying your bag? Cause we arent a full service hotel and as the only one here I cannot leave the front desk.
    Why do they not deliver in this town after 11pm? I dont know I dont work for that company.
    You’re liable if something happens to my child. No… we arent… literally not in any way because he would have needed an adult to get into the hotel room… that adult is responsible.

    I had to have a man arrested for jumping our counter and taking all our money from the drawer simply because “they didnt have any free cookies left so they owed me.”

    This is why most FDA, NA and FDC seem under-empathetic and seem to not really care about your problems.

    But it goes further… it’s not that we dont care because we dont want to… it is because more times than not, caring bites us in the ass.

    I have been stolen from, lied to, had my entire hotel trashed, been scammed, hustled… all in my first 2 months… simply off giving people “a break” or the “benefit of the doubt.” 90% of the time it will bite you in the ass.. and when that happens your manager is NOT on your side.

    It’s not that we dont want to care. I personally giver every customer the benefit of the doubt, sadly now with a lingering suspicion. Want an upgrade? Not if the computer doesn’t allow it… tip or not. Want a late check-out? Not if the computer doesn’t allow it… tip or not? Honestly… now… because of people… i dont do anything for a customer if my computer pops up the “Manager over-ride required” message. Do I have a manager over-ride? Yes… because I am NA and the only one on duty. Do I have free reign to use it as I please? No… and I wont do it just to get a customer to calm down… that customer isn’t going to pay my bills while I find a new job… period.

    OH… but… THE BEST PART IS… no one I mentioned in this post was UNDER a Platinum status. The AVERAGE Platinum members do act worse than the average customer without a status. I dont say that because I dont like my job (I enjoy it a lot actually because it’s the best people watching). I say that because it is the truth.

    I treat no one any different. Status or not. I give the gifts are PLATs are allotted and nothing more outside of reason. Same with my Silvers and Golds. You get what you get and nothing else. NO I cannot let you walk away with $50 in food because you feel we owe you… but I can get you a free ride in the back of a squad car if you try. And I have. Because that comes out of my paycheck. That goes against my employee review.

    However, “DYKWIA” is the easiest way for me to make sure you get the bare essentials. Rude to me… I wont be rude back… but suddenly everything “above and beyond” requires a manager override.

56. We aren’t like that because we want to be. Most of us like our job and we like our customers. I love talking to Mr. S every night when I get on my shift before he goes to bed… and Mr. D every morning when I am about to get off work and he just woke up. Mr. A saved me from being arrested when a customer attacked me and I knocked her out (She was 300+ lbs and I am barely 110… it was a lucky hit after she had struck me twice for not giving her a free room simply because “I cant pay for another.) Ms. E and Ms. C always brighten my day every Friday when they arrive and every Tuesday when they leave for the past 2 years. I would do anything for Mr. Sas and Mr. P. Mr. Sin and Mr. Sun by my dinner every Wednesday just so I will chat with them, but they know I would chat regardless of the food.

    THESE are the PLATs I live for. The ones who actually understand hospitality usually equals your attitude. These customers get overrides anytime they ask and I am more than willing to talk the pizza delivery guy into getting us a bit extra for them.

    The customers who come in in a bad mood, make you repeat yourself 100 times because they arent satisfied with your answer, and blame you for their self-caused issue (not making a reservation on a S/O night, want an upgrade when you just explained to them they were buying the last room, and literally grab $100 worth of food from breakfast to take on their trip) are the ones that usually have bad experiences. YOU ARE IN MY HOUSE… not the other way around. I am an extremely gracious host. But when you act entitled (to something you arent), rude, disrespectful and down right idiotic, you get the bare minimum I am required to give you.

    Hate you because you are too beautiful? Sweetie… I would never hate another human being without a REAL justified reason. Screaming and yelling? Doesnt bother me. Cussing? You cant say something I havent heard. But being disrespectful just to be disrespectful? I got nothing for you.

    For the most part I love PLATs. They know the drill, you dont have to spend a lot of time educating them about hotel procedures (breakfast hours, check out time, ect.. ect..) and they know exactly what they want so they become easier to please.

    Hate you because you are beautiful? I live in Florida. I love latina women. You can’t touch the scale of beauty I have seen walk into this hotel. AND… even if you could… why would I be mad at some great eye-candy on an otherwise boring job? You sound like you are entitled and very pretentious. BUT… you would still get my 100% walking into this hotel… and their aren’t many ways you could stop me from giving it to you. I worked for DirecTV for 2 years… you cant even come close to surpassing my tolerance level. But I hope you have a great day. And if you come to my hotel I KNOW you will have a great stay.

    But you really should consider increasing your personal “Self-awareness” because you are extremely out of touch with your own reality.

    You should read: “The Pantheist World View” by Harold Wood and “Self Awareness: How To Spot And Change Your Own Behaviour and Disempowering Beliefs With A Proven Step-By-Step Formula For Dramatically Improving You Self … Of Your Life” by Allan Twain

    They would seriously improve your life and seemingly self-important, egotistical attitude.

57. I have been stolen from, lied to, had my entire hotel trashed, been scammed, hustled… all in my first 2 months… simply off giving people “a break” or the “benefit of the doubt.” 90% of the time it will bite you in the ass.. and when that happens your manager is NOT on your side.

    I must say I find much of your story to hard to believe especially the paragraph above. It is all about trust. Does a guest trust that when a FDC says something it is actually true or are they just being lazy or uncooperative or just don’t know their job. There have been several times that I know FDCs were not giving me the straight dope. That causes my blood pressure to rise although I have refrained from the actions you claim to experience routinely.

58. first off i have not once ran into a “beautiful” elite member especially PLATINUM status in NYC. If anything the front desk agents are better looking. Since they’re husbands cant keep their eyes off us and cant stop chatting with us. They’re usually over weight or frail skinny washed up b*tches that drink the moment they arrive.

    Overall we are in the hospitality business we understand always try to give the absolute best service. It is difficult when these “elite members” give you a hard time for something that is not even our fault. The fact that they can be so obnoxious to say front desk agents “hate on them” just proves what assholes these people really are. B*tch please. Their companies pay for everything. Its not coming out of their pocket. Act like a decent human or at least have some manners.

    May the force be with all the front desk agents this is not an easy job but we love what we do!

59. I’ve worked in every hotel from the flea-pit motel to now a five star five diamond property up and down S. Florida. And as a front desk agent, Night auditor, phone operator and now Front office manager, Platinum Elite members have EARNED their benefits; whether it’s staying many nights away from their family on business or just to be on vacation–they signed up for it, they’ve earned the points and so they’ve earned the benefits. That’s not a problem for me. I’ll gladly tell you everything that your status is entitled to. It’s when you expect and demand more than the benefits I’ve just explained to you. EVERTHING ELSE other than what that little key envelope insert lists is NOT GUARANTEED. DO YOU UN-DER-STANNNNNDDDuh? lol–it’s not guaranteed. You’re not guaranteed an upgrade if the hotel is sold out–oh you see we are still selling online? Well, we love revenue, so why don’t you book it and see how quickly you’re walked to another property for the night? You’ve traveled the world and this is the first room that doesn’t have pay per view? Well–there’s a first time for everything. Just like you feel as a certain level member you are “beautiful” and unique and should be recognized as such, not all hotels are the same. Even in large chains like Marriott–their autograph collections are literally one of a kind and independent so don’t expect all the Marriott benefits you’re used to at a property that is only AFFILIATED with Marriott and not OWNED by them. Just do your flippin’ research. Platinum elite’s and guests in general will take whatever the FD agent says as gospel then turn and use it against them when they don’t get what they want that’s why all FD agents are taught to never guarantee anything. Master manipulators those who consistently stay in hotels. I tell all my agents to be ware.

60. I agree with literally everything that front desk agent said and I guarantee you 90% of front desk agents will as well. I’m a front desk supervisor and I’ve never seen so many grown ass adults throw tantrums in my LIFE. And to correct you, we hate YOU, not our jobs. The job itself is fine but the shitty, entitled, pricks that throw a full fit because they can’t get what they want, is NOT OKAY. Just know when you act like that, the entire front desk will be talking shit about you and we have every reason to. Also when you threaten to never stay there again, our first thought is “PLEASE DONT”. We get 30+ platinum Elite checks in PER DAY. You are not special