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Identify who is arrivingUse arrival reports from GPS and PMS to plan for
upcoming stays. Prioritize Cobalt and Elite members,
ambassador requests and redemption stays.
Check member statusReview the benefits and amenities members
qualify for.
Plan to deliver member benefits, requests, preferencesUse the GPS and PMS to ensure all of the member’s preferences and requests
are being reviewed.
Manage logistics Ensure all rooms are allocated and blocked based on
member requests, preferences, and upgrades.
Document late checkout requests.
Prepare key cards, ensure appropriate member
collateral and arrival gifts are available.
Communicate plan to all departmentUse communication channels such as daily standup
meetings to share plan details.
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PRE-ARRIVAL PLANNING Prepare for each member’s experience. Understand what tools and resources to use for pre-arrival planning and how to capture information for arrival. Review profile information, preferences and requests to ensure accurate room blocking and benefit delivery. Handle ambassador requests to accommodate requests from our most valuable members. Collaborate with other departments to ensure member experiencesare pulled through in the entire hotel and throughout the entire stay.
ARRIVALS REPORT (PMS) / GUEST PLANNING SCREEN (GPS) PROPERTY MANAGEMENT SYSTEM (PMS) MOBILE
Review Membership tiers to understand volume and what benefits need to be delivered upon.
Review member profile preferences (room type, floor preference, hobbies, favorite drinks or snacks, etc.) and historical interactions.
Review reservation requests to check all stay-specific requests such as connecting rooms, feather free room, etc.
Review milestone achievements to prepare for any milestone celebrations, for example reaching a status or renewing membership status.
Review the Ambassador Service identifier (AMB) to identify Ambassador Elite members who have access to the ambassador service.
Review the Cobalt program identifier (COBALT) to identify Cobalt members.
Review Suite Night Awards requests to check if Suite Night Award requests have been approved or denied (all GXP SNA Open Cases).
Review all non-members to identify guest that should be offered enrollment.
Review upgrade rank to upgrade members based on their ranking.
Review the Partner/Memberships column to identify member airline or credit card affiliations and the benefits you should deliver.
Review open cases, including ambassador requests and previous incidents.
Review various information (reservation, rate plan, number of guests, time of arrival) to understand the reason of the stay and personalize greetings, recognize first vs. returning visit, acknowledge preferences or inquire about the purpose of the stay.
Assign guaranteed room and bed type, connecting rooms, etc. based on member preferences, requests and upgrade ranking.
Assign rooms for members using suite night awards once approved.
Prioritize upgrades based on rank column in GPS. If your hotel does not have GXP, use your PMS Elite
arrival report. Consider late checkout requests and Member volume
when blocking rooms. Add alerts to non-member reservations for enrollment
opportunity. Prioritize redemption stays for upgrades. Verify that a valid certificate is available for the
redemption stay (depending on PMS, either available for selection or already attached to the reservation).
Add notes to ensure a flawless delivery at time of arrival (e.g. mobile check-in, Suite Night Award denied, Happy Anniversary!).
Review mobile control panel for upgrade and late checkout requests, where applicable.
Assign Special Service Codes (X2, L3), as needed. When granted, send upgrade notifications. Assign the guest ready rooms according to the arrival time requested. Send room ready notification once guestroom is cleaned and ready.
ENROLLMENT
Check for potential enrollment opportunities and set daily enrollment goals.
COMMUNICATE WITH OTHER DEPARTMENTS
Housekeeping: Late checkouts, Your24 arrivals and departures, specific in-room needs and requests (e.g. extra towels, crib, feather free).
F&B: Expected Elite member volume, amenity requests.
OTHER
After Night Audit is completed: verify all stays have been processed depending on your PMS.
Prepare welcome or in-room notes. Prepare loyalty welcome collateral, e.g. key packets, upgrade collateral. Depending on your PMS, set up share accounts or routing instructions for
redemption stays, Cash + Points, etc. as needed (property specific details).
WELCOME, RECOGNIZE AND THANK MEMBERS FOR THEIR LOYALTY
Deliver a personalized warm welcome, greet members by name and thank them for their loyalty. Mention membership tier. Recognize special status, e.g. ambassador level or Cobalt membership. Communicate on-property benefits such as free wi-fi, welcome gift and giftshop discount. Deliver F&B collateral (where applicable) as part of the welcome gift, e.g. breakfast or $10 F&B credit
certificates. Point out locations and opening hours for on-property benefits as needed, e.g. lounge or restaurant
locations. Confirm late checkout time with all Platinum Elite members and above and note in PMS; Acknowledge
Your24™ request, if applicable. Confirm guaranteed room type. Recognize additional preferences noted on the guest’s reservation. Confirm room upgrade (including Suite Night Awards) or check for last-minute complimentary room
upgrade opportunities for eligible members, such as Platinum Elite members. Acknowledge any special occasions. Show special attention and appreciation if member is on a redemption/free night award stay. Ensure
certificate is attached to redemption stay reservation. Deliver Marriott Bonvoy Loyalty program welcome collateral, such as key packets or room upgrade
materials. Thank members for their loyalty. Express gratitude to the member for choosing your hotel. Escort member to room or direct them to the elevator.
The Arrival conversation differs between members and is unique to each person:
Mobile check-in is more condensed and allows for less touchpoints.
Redemption stays need to be treated differently and provide an elevated experience.
Cobalt Program members should be greeted by the General Manager.
Make adjustments based on what you discovered during pre-arrival planning (e.g. previous issues, late check-in, anniversary, etc.).
ARRIVAL / CHECK-IN CONVERSATION FLOW This is the moment of truth and the first time you can personally interact with members. You have a lot of information to cover while also providing a quick and efficient check-in experience.
Deliver to Platinum Elite/Titanium Elite/Ambassador Elite
members depending on Elite welcome gift and/or
breakfast selection.
Not applicable at all locations.
There may be additional collateral based on your hotel needs. Where applicable, use other existing loyalty collateral that may be brand or property specific. NOTE
PROACTIVELY AVOID MISSING STAYS When members stay on rates that do not qualify for points/miles earning, explain this to the
member as they check in.
Partner with the Event Management team to help the planner and attendees understand that
members who are part of a group will not receive points or air miles for incidentals until the last
member of the group has checked out.
Review the Stay Error Correction Report (MBV6) in Marriott Reservations Data Warehouse
(MRDW).
If you uncover a rate program is not built properly and does not allow points or miles to be
awarded, contact your Revenue Manager.
At time of arrival, identify reservations without a
Marriott Bonvoy number and ask the guest if
they are currently a member.
If the guest is a Marriott Bonvoy member, add the
number to the reservation. Look up the number with
the lookup tool.
COMMON CAUSES OF MISSING STAYS The Marriott Bonvoy membership number was not on the reservation by the time
of checkout.
The daily Marriott Bonvoy file did not transmit (Opera and Fidelio only).
The Marriott Bonvoy average daily rate maximum is set too low.
Room rates are not set correctly and are not eligible for points/miles earning.
A Member’s account number has not been properly activated and unsuccessful
enrollment.
A Member hasn’t checked out yet.
A Member’s room was billed to a master account, or the stay appears on the Stay
Error Correction Report and is waiting for action.
If they are not a member, mention the benefits of the
program and encourage them to enroll.
For details, see:
Missing Stays course in the DLP
Missing Stays information on MGS
MISSING STAYS A missing stay means a member’s account has not been automatically credited with Elite night credits and/or points for their stay or other qualifying charges, such as a meal at the hotel’s restaurant or an in-room movie.
Delivering membership benefits and acting upon member requests and preferences
plays a big role in delivering the Marriott Bonvoy Loyalty promise.
Membership tiers help you prepare to deliver the correct member benefits upon
arrival and to organize appropriate member collateral.
For details, access the Benefits At A Glance on MGS.Cobalt Program members receive additional benefits at Luxury brands. Refer to the Cobalt Program Guide for details.
This table is a snapshot of benefits available to Elite members. The following pages
provide more information about the benefits you will act on at the front desk.
Deliver enhanced and elevated experiences for members on a redemption stay. These are the stays that matter
the most to them and have a big impact on member loyalty and satisfaction.
Recognize that this is a special stay and consider additional delighters and recognition to exceed expectations.
Redemption stays are earned stays and important to members. Treat redemption stays differently. Be appreciative
and offer sincere gratitude for choosing to spend points at your hotel.
Pre-arrival planning is critical to ensure the proper processing of certificates for reimbursement.
Verify that a valid certificate is available (depending on your property management system, it is either available for selection or already attached to the reservation).
If no valid certificate is available or attached, contact Marriott Bonvoy Property Performance & Support to assist. At check-in, collect a different method of payment.
HOTEL STAY REDEMPTION OPTIONS
NOTE Points Advance is a member benefit that allows Marriott Bonvoy members to book redemption stays before having sufficient points to cover the booking. Points Advance MGS page
TOP TIPS
REDEMPTION STAYS• CATEGORY AND REDEMPTION LEVELMembers may use points for all or some nights of their stay. The
amount of points they need to use varies, based on how busy
Elite Welcome Gift Choice in your hotel’s Property Management System (PMS) job aids on
Marriott Bonvoy Operations MGS page
Gold Elite members receive a gift of points: No hotel action required.
Platinum Elite/Titanium Elite/Ambassador Elite members receive a welcome gift that differs by hotel brand, and region so refer to the Elite Benefits At a Glance for details. Some Welcome Gift choices are available daily while others are offered upon arrival.
At those hotels where Platinum Elite and above members have a choice of welcome gift:
If member selects points, process the transaction in your hotel’s PMS.
If welcome amenity is selected, follow your property specific processes and collaborate with F&B to
promptly deliver amenity to members.
If breakfast is chosen as the welcome gift, be prepared to explain the delivery of the complimentary
breakfast, some hotels use an automated process, while others issue a physical certificate.
If the F&B credit is chosen, explain where it is available and present the credit certificate to the member.
Explain where member can enjoy complimentary breakfast if there is a restriction.
This benefit is tied to a guarantee and Members receive compensation if a welcome gift is not offered.
Ensure daily that you have enough certificates on hand.
Inform F&B team of member volume to ensure adequate inventory and that the team is prepared for
volume in restaurants if applicable.
Understand in detail what Elite welcome gift your hotel offers and know how to enthusiastically explain
it to a member.
Be prepared to explain that the Elite welcome gift differs by brand.
The Ritz-Carlton, Edition, Design Hotels provide points above property for the Elite welcome gift so
Gold Elite, Platinum Elite, Titanium Elite, Ambassador Elite members are eligible for a complimentary room upgrade upon arrival based on availability.
Upgrades may include rooms with desirable views, rooms on high floors, corner rooms, rooms with special amenities, rooms on Executive Floors. Suites are only included for Platinum Elite, Titanium Elite
and Ambassador Elite members. Not all brands participate, refer to the Benefits at a Glance.
Review Mobile Control Panel regularly throughout the day to validate Room Upgrade Notifications are being delivered (if applicable).
The upgrade rank in GXP prioritizes the upgrade order based on the member’s Elite level, how much they spend annually, and if the stay is an earned redemption night stay
Create and apply a room attribute code in the PMS to easily identify upgrades when blocking, checking in guests and sending mobile room ready notifications (where available).
Actively promote room upgrades and be enthusiastic. It’s a great benefit and you should be happy to share it.
Set reminders within your PMS system for associates to confirm the late checkout time. Notify housekeeping and ensure you’re not blocking members into upgraded rooms that have late departures.
Take credit and inform the member that they received this upgrade because of his or her loyalty.
At check-in, use upgrade collateral and tell members about the upgrade and features that make the room unique.
Identify room upgrade opportunities during pre-arrival planning process.
NOTE AP hotels should refer to the No Suites Go Empty program.
Members can use SNAs any time they book a paid stay or redeem a free night award stay.
Hotels without GXP do not participate in SNAs. For other exclusions, review Member Terms & Conditions.
Suite Night Awards job aids:
Suite Night Awards Empower: Guest Experiences - Other Case Types
Suite Night Award Member Journey
Update PMS with a note to inform the associate at check-in if the SNA was confirmed or denied.
CONFIRMED SNA:
1. At time of booking, Loyalty backend systems will automatically change the room
pool to the confirmed room upgrade type if the eligible room is available.
2. The Member will receive an email stating that the SNA is confirmed at the hotel.
3. At the same time, a case is automatically created in Empower: GXP. The front
desk must immediately block the room in the hotel PMS system to ensure that
the request can be fulfilled.
4. The reservation is automatically modified with the SNA approved room pool. The
rate(s) and rate program(s) remain unchanged.
Monitor EMPOWER: GXP regularly to learn the most recent status for all SNA requests.
If SNA request is approved, assign and block the Member in the confirmed room pool immediately.
DENIED SNA:
1. If no eligible inventory is available by 2 PM local time the day before arrival, the SNA is placed
back in the Members account.
2. The Member will receive notification that the SNA request cannot be fulfilled.
3. IMPORTANT: It is critical that the front desk does NOT upsell or upgrade this Member at a cost
upon check-in. The SNA request was denied so asking the Member to pay for this upgrade does
not support a positive Member experience.
TOP TIPS
CALL TO ACTION
SUITE NIGHT AWARDSSuite Night Awards (SNA) are room upgrades to a suite or select premium room that members can request during the booking process. Platinum Elite/Titanium Elite/Ambassador Elite members can select these awards as one of their Annual Choice Benefits.
Take credit and inform members that they received their guaranteed room type because their loyalty or because of their status.
Integrate task into pre-arrival checklist.
Plan ahead to ensure room blocking is optimized.
Not all brands participate. See Benefits At A Glance and Member Terms & Conditions.
This benefit is tied to a guarantee and members receive compensation if they don’t
receive their requested room type.
Platinum Elite, Titanium Elite and Ambassador Elite members are guaranteed their requested
room type.
US/Canada/Europe: honor bed type (e.g. king or two double beds).
CALA/APAC/MEA: honor room type for Platinum Elite; honor both bed and room type for Titanium
Elite & above.
At check-in, confirm requested room type.
At check-in, use appropriate verbiage to inform Members at time of arrival of free internet eligibility and how to access the internet.
What does book direct mean? All Marriott global websites (e.g., brand, marriott.com), Marriott mobile app, Marriott Reservation voice channels, any Marriott hotel, Passkey.
Where needed, a report in MRDW is available to help you determine who should/should not receive free internet. See MRDW Report job aid.
The following brands offer only a single tier of internet free to all guests on property: Moxy, Four Points, Element, Aloft.
Edition and Design Hotels offer free basic internet to all guests.
Delta hotels offers free enhanced internet to all guests.
Bvlgari Hotels does not participate in Marriott Bonvoy loyalty program benefits.
MEA continent has 8 hotels that offer free basic internet to all guests.
Members and Silver Elite members receive free internet access when booking through direct
channels. Members staying at APAC hotels receive free WiFi regardless or booking source.
Gold Elite, Platinum Elite, Titanium Elite and Ambassador Elite receive enhanced internet access,
where available, no matter the booking channel.
Know your brand’s and hotel’s general internet offer.
Know your hotel’s specific instructions on how to access Wi-fi.
Work closely with Ambassador Service team to ensure these memorable moments are elevated and executed.
Special request code M0 indicates a member is participating in this program.
Develop a specialized hotel-specific amenity offering.
Integrate ambassador special requests into existing pre-arrival and in-house service delivery checklists.
Create an approval process to add a personal local touch (at own cost) to surprise and delight these members.
Ambassador Elite members are our most loyal and most profitable guests. Costs for amenities for their stays should be
included in the individual hotel’s hospitality budget. This would also include any special amenities requested by the
Ambassador Service team for special occasions celebrated by these guests while at the hotel. There may be times where
the special surprise and delight may be over and above the usual. In these cases arrangements can be made to share the
costs with the Ambassador Service team.
Communicate across hotel departments to ensure total hotel awareness and pull-through. Establish department Connectors
to act as the primary point of contact.
Record in your guest relations platform what amenities are sent to avoid repetition.
Associate members are not eligible for Ambassador Service.
Ambassador Service resources:
MGS Page Ambassador Service Job Aid Your24
Review and respond to ambassador cases within 24 hours.
EMPOWER: GXP users check GXP Customer Care Open Cases. Hotels
not using GXP, reply to ambassador requests via email or phone.
Pre-block rooms for Ambassador Elite members. Add notes to member reservation
in your PMS.
TOP TIPS
CALL TO ACTION
AMBASSADOR SERVICE Ambassador Elite is the highest tier of all Marriott Bonvoy Elite levels. Members with 100 nights and $20,000 in qualifying spend receive Ambassador Elite status. A dedicated team of ambassadors advocates on the members’ behalf to make their stays highly personalized and memorable. Ambassadors handle most of the member interactions and requests directly.
Cobalt Program resources:MGS Page Luxury Hotels should review the Cobalt Program Guide
COBALT PROGRAM Cobalt members are top priority guests and influential leaders in their field. Work with the Ambassador Service team to deliver Elite benefits and exceptional experiences.
TIER/BRAND COBALT BENEFITS ON PROPERTY POTENTIAL PROPERTY COSTS
Be familiar with all aspects of Elite Benefit Guarantees:
Ultimate Reservation Guarantee, Guaranteed Room
Type, and Guaranteed Elite welcome gift.
These guarantees hold hotels accountable to the
promises made to members.
When the benefits are not delivered, it can be a costly
mistake because the member is entitled to
compensation.*
Know the specific compensation your hotel must provide
when the Guarantees are not met, and deliver the
compensation with a genuine apology.
Use the Benefits At-A-Glance to be familiar with the Elite
Benefit Guarantees that are applicable to your hotel.
They vary by brand, continent and membership level.
* Note: associate members not eligible for Elite Benefits Guarantee of cash compensation or points.
See the Exploring Member Benefits course on the DLP and
the Benefits At A Glance on MGS
Be familiar with your hotel’s compensation guidelines.
Understand the authorization levels and approval processes
for service recovery compensation.
Remember that points are not the only compensation
solution.
Use the eBonus tool to apply bonus points to a member’s
account.
Make sure to use the correct bonus code.
See the Loyalty Service Recovery course and eBonus course on
the DLP.
MGS key word search: eBonus tool
Be familiar with your hotel’s compensation guidelines.
Understand the authorization levels and approval processes for
service recovery compensation.
Evaluate each situation to ensure you have done everything to
restore the members loyalty.
Understand how your hotel receives alerts (via GXP or email) and
how to close a case.
Be familiar with the turnaround time.
See the Loyalty Service Recovery course and GXP Cases course on
the DLP.
GXP cases page 7
YOU’RE UNABLE TO DELIVER ELITE BENEFIT GUARANTEES
SERVICE ISSUES DURING THE MEMBER’S STAY
ALERTS FROM CUSTOMER ENGAGEMENT CENTERS
1 2 3
SERVICE RECOVERY SCENARIOS The ability to turn member’s service failure situations into an opportunity strengthens a member’s Loyalty; when this does not happen, there can be emotional and financial impacts.
2. Enter Bonus information - property, member account number and bonus details*
3. Provide Preparer Information - your first and last name and contact information
4. Provide Approver Information - your supervisor’s name and contact information for approvals
5. Submit bonus entry
NOTE *Each transaction must include an approver and his/her contact information.
APPROVAL PROCESS1. Access the eBonus Search tab
2. Pull up & review details of each Pending entry
3. Approve or reject entries as appropriate
Approvers can only approve/reject entries from other users (not their own)
Rejected entries require a comment to go back to preparer
Validation errors can only be rejected
Entries must be approved within 48 hours of posting
For more information on the eBonus tool, including access, FAQs and reports, visit the eBonus page on MGS
Review the eBonus course in the Digital Learning Platform
The eBonus tool allows approved users to post Marriott Bonvoy bonus points or frequent flyer miles to a member’s account.SERVICE RECOVERY – EBONUS TOOL
Greet the member warmly and confirm they are ready to check out.
Review comments in your PMS/GXP to confirm that any requests or incidents have
been handled.
Ask about the stay and if there are any additional requests you can assist with.
If the member raises any issues, apologize for the incident and follow your hotel’s
best practices or service recovery plan to resolve the issue as quickly as possible.
Confirm that all the charges are correct and issue the final invoice/folio as a copy
or email.
Let the member know that points earned on the stay will be credited to their
account.
This is your last opportunity to ensure the Member leaves without any concerns about their stay. While this may be difficult as many guests bypass the front
desk at checkout, it is important to find ways to create lasting impressions until the end.
Thank the member for staying, with an invitation to return.
Finally, offer to help with the member’s next steps, like arranging transport or helping with
baggage.
For checkouts without a membership number, check with guest to avoid missing stays.
If the guest checking out is not yet a member of the Marriott Bonvoy Loyalty Program, take
the opportunity to offer enrollment.
For Members using mobile checkout, you still have an opportunity to make a lasting
impression.
Monitor the Control Panel regularly and process checkouts in your PMS, ensuring members
receive their folio by email.
DEPARTURES CONVERSATION FLOW Departure sets the tone for the beginning of a member’s next stay; it also encourages them to recommend your hotel, and Marriott, to others.
Review Mobile Daily Summary Report in Control Panel for missed activations.
WEEKLY Review Stay Error Correction report.
Ensure enrollment targets are met and evaluate how to help associates to overcome objections.
MONTHLY Review Missing Stay report.
Review Enrollment results (discuss any discrepancies and look for ways to improve).
Review Property Enrollment Audit report (evaluate results and identify training opportunities).
Review EMPOWER: Guest Experiences reports to track service issue trends.
Review Missing Stay Verification Report.
Review eBonus + Group Posting Tool reports.Review the ‘Managing Loyalty Performance’ course in the DLP
Access the ‘Managing Loyalty Performance Reference Guide’
Reports Reference List on MGS
guestVoice resources on MGS
LOYALTY REPORTS Post-stay reporting helps your hotel track Marriott Bonvoy performance. Use this checklist along with the Managing Loyalty Performance course and reference guide to drive value through Loyalty.