Owner Services is not getting better...

[Saintsfanfl]

The full rewards number is no longer on the confirm email so I believe that part is an improvement but I just had another bad experience with an inept rep. After adding a renter's name they sent the email. It usually comes in seconds so I ask and the rep said "Yep, to amy{1234}@aol.com". Say what? Who's email address is that? It's not mine. "I know it's not yours but it's here in your account saved". I have never heard of that email address. Why would you not send the email to my email address? "Your wife must have done it". No my wife has never once called MVCI in her life. "The email stayed in there from your last request and now you are switching the name". No! I have never added a name to this reservation until now! "The email must have been on a different reservation". No again! I have never ever provided any email address except my own, which you confirmed with me when I called.

So some random person received my reservation confirm with my renters names on it. Thank goodness you "hopefully" cannot use the cancel button and cancel the reservation. It let's you try but hopefully will eventually state that you have to call MVCI.

I was thinking about tacking onto this thread but it's been a while and isn't directly relevant.
http://tugbbs.com/forums/index.php?...marriott-reservation-what-is-going-on.244622/

 

[SueDonJ]

Is there any chance that for any prior reservations in your account, a guest's email address was taken by Owner Services or at check-in, and somehow ended up as the primary on your account? That's the only reason I can think of. It's one thing (of many ) that worries me about renting - I don't want anybody who's using my reservations to give their email address to any Marriott people.

 

[Quilter]

One of our owners at Ocean Pointe had her email hacked and it has been a nightmare for her. She had an aol.com email address.

My daughter's instagram was recently hacked. The hackers changed her email and then changed her password. Several of her friends had their accounts hacked so they figure it was one of the places they logged on in Europe.

 

[Quilter]

On another note. . .on 3/4 when we checked in at OP the clerk at the front desk was confused about my reservation. She said another name was attached to my reservation (I'll use Smith here). I had a reservation for Smith at Oceana Palms on 3/10. That Smith was coming to Ocean Pointe on 3/11. A different Smith (the brother) was checking in at OP on 3/4 (until 3/11). I didn't make either of the reservations for Smith at Ocean Pointe. She went in the back and did some checking. When she came back she said Owner Services had taken it upon themselves to attach the Smith to my reservation.

Doesn't make any sense.

 

[silentg]

What was your name again? They make mistakes and try to blame you. No one uses my email but me. Messed up my prescription info at drug store, had me in another insurance, lost my prescription and blamed me for the error. It isn't only Timeshares that mess up, but they all act like it's not their fault.
I interact with the resort staff as little as possible, no presentations etc. I made an exchange yesterday for May in Weston, FL and they already sent me an invite to a presentation! No means no!
Silentg

 

[MOXJO7282]

I was actually going to write a post about how much help I've been getting from the Owner Services group recently. I'd like to think the OP's experience is isolated because I've done quite a few name adds over the years and normally I do get excellent assistance but have certainly gotten my share of less than adequate CSRs. I usually can sense it and just excuse myself and redial for someone who may be more experienced.

 

[Saintsfanfl]

What was your name again? They make mistakes and try to blame you. No one uses my email but me. Messed up my prescription info at drug store, had me in another insurance, lost my prescription and blamed me for the error. It isn't only Timeshares that mess up, but they all act like it's not their fault.

I do not normally get very personal on TUG but with this I cannot help myself. My wife went to CVS to get a NuvaRing(etonogestrel/ethinyl estradiol) prescription. They instead gave her Estring(estradiol). She went back to ask them if they were sure she had the right thing. One prevents pregnancy and the other can help it happen. Needless to say we ended up with a 6th baby after adopting a sibling group of 3. CVS corporate was extremely apologetic for a few months until they realized we did not save the evidence and then they did a 180 and their stance was "We do not retain video or any records after 60 days". They actually claimed they did not retain inventory records. How can you be a pharmacy and claim you do not retain what drug you gave a patient?

This really happened and don't even ask why we didn't notice or save the evidence. All I can say is when your spouse tells you a strange occurrence at the drug store pay attention.

The baby is great thought and I would not trade him for the world.

 

[Saintsfanfl]

I was actually going to write a post about how much help I've been getting from the Owner Services group recently. I'd like to think the OP's experience is isolated because I've done quite a few name adds over the years and normally I do get excellent assistance but have certainly gotten my share of less than adequate CSRs. I usually can sense it and just excuse myself and redial for someone who may be more experienced.

Here is the thing. I have had a ton of great experiences as well. The problem is that we pay a boat load of money for these good services. When we get good service we get what we paid for. We pay enough to cover the good service and the investors to line their pockets. When we get reservations emailed to unknown people and have renters that haven't paid call and change reservations it's a big problem. You haven't had an unknown redweek renter call owner services and change your reservation for you but when you do you are not going to be happy about it.

 

[Saintsfanfl]

Is there any chance that for any prior reservations in your account, a guest's email address was taken by Owner Services or at check-in, and somehow ended up as the primary on your account? That's the only reason I can think of. It's one thing (of many ) that worries me about renting - I don't want anybody who's using my reservations to give their email address to any Marriott people.

It is definitely possible but I looked through all my renters that I have ever dealt with and never an Amy except a week ago on a Redweek inquiry that did not respond back. It is still definitely possible with people checking in and an email address. The rep acted like it was some kind of drop down where they selected the first option. I have never requested they send an email to a renter and she had just confirmed my email and also did not ask for the renters email address. Even if she thought that the renter was supposed to get the email she didn't ask for this renters email so it really doesn't make any sense except a careless clerical error that she did not want to admit to. She clearly admitted that she knew she did not send it to my address even though she was waiting for me to say I received it. It did not make any sense and she acted completely clueless on why she she chose that email address.

That is what bothered me those most. No explanation on where the email address came from or why it was chosen when the rep knew it was not mine.

 

[MOXJO7282]

Here is the thing. I have had a ton of great experiences as well. The problem is that we pay a boat load of money for these good services. When we get good service we get what we paid for. We pay enough to cover the good service and the investors to line their pockets. When we get reservations emailed to unknown people and have renters that haven't paid call and change reservations it's a big problem. You haven't had an unknown redweek renter call owner services and change your reservation for you but when you do you are not going to be happy about it.

I do not normally get very personal on TUG but with this I cannot help myself. My wife went to CVS to get a NuvaRing(etonogestrel/ethinyl estradiol) prescription. They instead gave her Estring(estradiol). She went back to ask them if they were sure she had the right thing. One prevents pregnancy and the other can help it happen. Needless to say we ended up with a 6th baby after adopting a sibling group of 3. CVS corporate was extremely apologetic for a few months until they realized we did not save the evidence and then they did a 180 and their stance was "We do not retain video or any records after 60 days". They actually claimed they did not retain inventory records. How can you be a pharmacy and claim you do not retain what drug you gave a patient?

This really happened and don't even ask why we didn't notice or save the evidence. All I can say is when your spouse tells you a strange occurrence at the drug store pay attention.

The baby is great thought and I would not trade him for the world.

Compelling story that has a happy ending thank God. Those are the babies that are destined for something special.

Anyway I'm definitely not diminishing the huge error Marriott made that exposed you to risk just saying from my experience they are pretty good CSRs overall.

What is definitely frustrating is when you get one at the worst time, when you're trying to secure that high demand week and they're humbling through the process.

At least you discovered it now and it wasn't something that somehow prevented someone from checking in.

As I now recall I did have one major issue a number of years ago where I got a call from a renter frantic that they couldn't check-in because they name wasn't on the reservation.

To this day I don't know what happened but know it wasn't an error I made but either a system error or manual error by a CSR. I have emails that documented that I put the person's name on my reservation and sent it to the renter and the renter says they verified their name was added as well but that was 10 months prior and Marriott had no explanation as to how or when the name was removed. If I hadn't answered my cell for an extended period of time that day those people would have thought they were scammed but luckily I answered as they were at the front desk and I quickly fixed the problem.

Now I make sure I always give my cell to my renters and have it handy on check-in days just in case. So screw ups can happen but in over 100 rentals that has been the only major problem I've had so hopefully that is the last problem you encounter too.

 

[Saintsfanfl]

When I first started renting I was paranoid when I didn't hear from the renter then I eventually realized that they don't care to contact or give feedback unless something goes wrong.

 

[Quilter]

This month my mantra has been "Dealing with Marriott shouldn't be so difficult". From a couple incidents I've began a practice of 2 "checks" to add to my list of things to do:

Call the front desk the day prior to any guest checking in. This can be done in the evening when the desk isn't flooded with new arrivals. Ask if everything is in order for the reservation the following day.

Also ask if the front desk will be sure to get a credit card from the guest for any "incidentals".

The week before the Smith confusion mentioned above we checked in at another property. We arrived the same day as one of my guests. Our reservation was in my name/MR number and the guest was in DH's name/MR number. After our own check-in I asked if our guests had arrived and what building they'd be in. The clerk was following the rules of reservation privacy and wouldn't tell me room number (which was fine) but we discussed optimal room location and the front desk was very helpful. +1

After settling our bill on the morning of check-out, I asked if our guests had already checked out. Clerk: "No, but that's okay, there's no charges on that room". Me: "Well if there were you do have a credit card on file don't you?" Clerk: "No, we didn't get one." Me: "You always take a credit card when you give out keys." Clerk: "No, some of our owners let their guests check-in without giving credit card." Me: "Even my own children have to hand over a credit card when obtaining keys." Clerk: "No, this reservation was attached to the other and we didn't need to get credit card." Remember, I mentioned above the reservations weren't even the same name and MR number.

Fortunately all went well. The family was lovely and the children well-behaved but I shuddered at what possible charges I could have been liable for. It was a grandma, mom and 6 children .

When I arrived at Ocean Pointe I was asked for photo i.d. and credit card. So I asked the clerk, "Do you always make sure to get credit card before you give room keys?" "Oh yes, always". I then had her note on some upcoming reservations to be sure to get credit card from my guests.

 

[Tokapeba]

These problems are in no way limited to Marriott. I have two timeshares at one resort in Tahoe and stay in one and rent the other. I have learned over the years that I should have them both the same week. I always call ahead and put the guests name on the reservation. About half the time when the guest goes to check-in and the front desk can't find their name in the reservation. One time the guest was checking in at midnight and security was checking people in at that hour. Security was about to send them away and the guest called me. I had a hard time convincing security to let them in, but we worked it out.

Another time the guest checked out before I did and the front desk deleted all the keys, including mine. I couldn't get into my room.

I can't always rent the whole week, so often have someone checking out and someone checking in mid week. The cleaning almost never goes as planned. The last time I spent about an hour at the front desk trying to figure out how to fix the problem. I have decided that I must come up with my own letter that will answer all the questions and potential problems.

It's easy to complain about reservations and front desk people, but these people aren't highly paid. They probably haven't been doing it very long and won't be doing it much longer.

 

[amanda14]

I really want to post about my "lovely" service experience at my local Honda dealership. Point is it happens in all different scenarios and entities. Still pissed about it though

 

[Saintsfanfl]

These problems are in no way limited to Marriott. I have two timeshares at one resort in Tahoe and stay in one and rent the other. I have learned over the years that I should have them both the same week. I always call ahead and put the guests name on the reservation. About half the time when the guest goes to check-in and the front desk can't find their name in the reservation. One time the guest was checking in at midnight and security was checking people in at that hour. Security was about to send them away and the guest called me. I had a hard time convincing security to let them in, but we worked it out.

Another time the guest checked out before I did and the front desk deleted all the keys, including mine. I couldn't get into my room.

I can't always rent the whole week, so often have someone checking out and someone checking in mid week. The cleaning almost never goes as planned. The last time I spent about an hour at the front desk trying to figure out how to fix the problem. I have decided that I must come up with my own letter that will answer all the questions and potential problems.

It's easy to complain about reservations and front desk people, but these people aren't highly paid. They probably haven't been doing it very long and won't be doing it much longer.

I cannot believe you have two renters using the same reservation week. I don't even think I would want to do that with friends and family.

As far as security sending someone away that should be there, I can see that happening at many places but not Marriott. I admit my gripes are relatively minor.