As of today, Marriott is automating the process of assigning guest rooms, including elite upgrades. While replacing human tasks with AI doesn’t always sound like a customer centric move, maybe this is actually good news? I first covered this topic several weeks ago, but with this process being implemented as of today, I want to…
Continue reading: New Marriott Front Desk AI Tool Assigns Rooms, Elite Upgrades
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This sounds a lot like the automatic room upgrade algorithm that Hilton has been using for awhile, including notifying members in advance that they have been upgraded.
Though the Hilton system has its drawbacks- no automatic upgrades are run if the hotel is at a certain occupancy level, and real world experience is that front desk agents rely on the algorithm, and generally won’t proactive look to see if a better room is available upon check-in
I agree that this is a good thing; particularly if AI 'learns' and can be enhanced/improved/refined as the system matures, to factor in exceptions, etc. I'm curious how it factors in arrival time (from the emails) and whether that's automated or fed into the tool manually (both would be possible, in theory).
Why even bother with nights. If anything, all else being equal, for 2 members who spend the same amount of money, the one who spends less nights should get a higher upgrade priority. It’s better to encourage high value (per night) customers to spend more nights at the chain.
Bonvoy instituted a similar system several years ago following the Starwood merger. It works like this:
Bonvoy number and Status Leve: 245 011 945 Lifetime Titanium
Available Upgrade inventory: nil
Upgrade?: DENIED
It's been working perfectly for years.
Not sure why AI is needed for this. This kind of process automation is what computers have been used for for decades.
One thought is that like at AA, Lifetime Plats who no longer stay frequently may be disadvantaged here, if the algorithm prioritizes current year nights and/or revenue.
Why do I sense that award inventory management will expand? And, why do I sense that individual properties will be able to somehow override the process? After everything Marriott management has done and said, why?
A few things:
1) This is hardly AI. It’s certainly not as advanced as was originally reported.
2) It is highly unlikely that a majority of the 70% of Marriott properties operated by a franchisees/licensee or third party for a franchisee/licensee will actually use this. It’s almost certainly only going to be a reliable thing at Marriott-operated properties.
3) This won’t stop the games that many properties play. Many properties avoid suite upgrades by not placing suites into Marriott’s inventory. If you want a suite at these properties you have to book directly through the property. So the properties with cheap owners or cheap management companies will continue to cheat elites out of suite upgrades.
4) What’s sad is I think the vast majority of customers would probably prefer Marriott fix certain benefits like the breakfast benefit. Considering this is hardly AI or hardly fully automated, I’m not sure this will fix anything. It certainly sounds like hotel staff will still need to manually do things.
No it won't stop the games that properties play, what it will do is provide another party to blame. They will use it to absolve themselves of all responsibility by claiming the AI did not.
If a hotel company says AI enough times in an earnings call, it will get the same multiple as OpenAI
We need to convince them it's like saying candyman five times into a mirror and maybe they'll stop
Am I the only person that sees this as an improvement? At least front desk AI has some "intelligence".
Since the old comments were purged, I have to re quote myself.
@OMAAT
Why some recycled posts keep the comments and why some the entire comments got purged?
I wonder how this will affect other types of upgrades, such as Marriott STARS.
It's not.
And from the description it doesn't sound to involved what most informed people mean by AI.
But labelling any piece of software as AI is how to get the development budget approved.
As a lowly lifetime platinum, I haven't gotten significant room upgrades at many Marriot properties for a while. With the new software, the chances of upgrades are even slimmer. I'll choose to stay elsewhere as loyalty means very little these days.
My hot take? This is only potentially good news for guests because Marriott is otherwise such a hot mess when it comes to upgrades.
My biggest concern is that I've occasionally had to get into a fight with a hotel to the effect that "No, if the upgraded room is a King room only accessed through a wardrobe in a British estate, I don't want it".
Yes, there's some sarcasm there, but there are hotels where it feels like the layout can put you at the far end of the universe...and if I'm catching sleep between flights/before an early flight and am weighed down by luggage? I probably don't consider giving up my preferred smaller bed for that.
The other issue is whether the system will do a good job of pairing up stays that get spilt over 2-3 reservations due to rate availability issues.
The best case for uptake on it is that some franchisees might use it as a cheap way to get rid of a paid position and save some money.
That being said, I wish Marriott would decide that they were better served by losing a few hundred bad properties and sorting out their guarantees.
How about they automate posting nights and points correctly. Lately, for every stay, I had to go through the Ambassador desk and even then the general ambassador associates would take many follow ups, and (re)sending folios multiple times before a stay is posted correctly.
As a lowly Gold thanks to Amex, I'm always a bit perplexed why people get so worked up about upgrades in hotels. If I want a suite, I book a suite? Ultimately for me at least, all I care about is that the room is clean, has hot shower and working air con and anything beyond that is a bonus. 🙂
I long gave up on caring about Marriott upgrades and find I'm much happier because I've managed my own expectations. SPG used to be great about upgrades which did drive a certain expectation and behavior (because back then if you pushed for an upgrade you had decent odds of a good outcome). Once Marriott took over that quickly changed and I realized asking was basically a waste of time.
Now I prefer just booking hotels like Four Seasons where I actually consistently get upgrades just by using their Preferred partner program.
Curious at the practical adoption. Over the years I found many hotels preference upgrades based on individual hotel loyalty rather than my Marriott status. I stayed at the same Westin in Dublin for months and progressively got upgraded to better and better suites each week - none of which would have been eligible for elite upgrades. That behavior is more consistent than elite-status based upgrades in my experience.
I'm so happy that I've achieved Lifetime Platinum status just in time for peak enshitification!
As it should. Lifetime anything is ridiculous, you're not worth anything to the brand anymore.
My status as a lifetime titanium member has not been recognized by the front desk associates at the last four properties I've stayed at when checking in, and parking lot views were the norm...
Westin La Paloma
Residence Inn Sedona
JW Marriott Starr Pass Tucson
Westin Tempe