Have you been asked for Corporate Identification? - FlyerTalk Forums (2024)

Trinob

Original Poster

Join Date: Mar 2014

Posts: 279

I was looking at my Fiance's corporate (fortune 100 company) discount at marriott/ritz. It is a significant discount.

If I were to use her corporate discount code when I am traveling for my work, is there a high likelyhood of them asking me for a corporate identification? If so what would they expect? Would a business card be sufficient?

Often1

Suspended

Join Date: Aug 2010

Location: DCA

Programs: UA US CO AA DL FL

Posts: 50,261

CJKatl

Join Date: Jun 2008

Location: BDU

Programs: DL:MM, Marriott:LTT

Posts: 8,777

I've been asked a few time, and have posted this answer before. Every time I've been asked for corporate ID, the desk clerk is holding my corporate credit card in his/her hand already. Anyone can get a business card printed with anything on it, but it's much harder to get an "Insert Your Employer Here" Corporate Account Amex with my name on it. Usually, the desk clerk laughs about this, but once, a desk clerk claimed they were required to look at a business card, which I furnished without any additional conversation.

FWIW, a couple of times, when I've been meeting with a customer that has a very significant discount at a popular hotel, I'm told at the time of reservation that the customer needs to provide advance notification to the hotel that I qualify for the rate. The customers have also let me know in those circumstances (they've also told me to ask for the rate) and have a standard email a specific person at the company sends to the hotel. One of those hotels is in downtown Brooklyn, one is in Manhattan and the third is in Houston.

SkiAdcock

A FlyerTalk Posting Legend

Join Date: Aug 2002

Programs: UALifetimePremierGold, Marriott LifetimeTitanium

Posts: 71,359

Most of the time they don't ask for corp ID, but if they do & you don't have it you could get bumped up to rack rate.

Usually a company biz card is what they want to see. Back when I traveled for F50-F500 co's that's all I had with me, as my corp id card to enter corp office was back home (some of the corp co's had us use our own cc's; others a corp Amex, so that varied). I don't recall getting asked for corp id when I used to work for the F50-F500s, but I had it if I needed to show it.

The more important question is - have you asked your fiancee her thoughts about using her corporate account & what, if any, ramifications it could have on her if you were 'busted'?

Cheers.

CJKatl

Join Date: Jun 2008

Location: BDU

Programs: DL:MM, Marriott:LTT

Posts: 8,777

I can say, with absolute certainty, I've never been asked for a Corporate ID: only a business card. Despite working for a company towards the top of the F50 list, I am a remote employee. Remote employees are not given IDs in our company. When I do have to go to the office, I need to get a guest ID.

SkiAdcock

A FlyerTalk Posting Legend

Join Date: Aug 2002

Programs: UALifetimePremierGold, Marriott LifetimeTitanium

Posts: 71,359

I think the generic 'show corp id' designation means show the company business card. I think a lot of us don't have them or, if we do & we're not going to an office that we'd need to show them, leave them at home. I worked for some F500s that didn't require corp ids with shiny smiling faces on them & others that did; same with company credit cards. All, however, provided biz cards when working for them.

If the OP doesn't work for the company he's not going to have a corp biz card, which means he has to take a chance he's not asked for one or he has to go & get one printed which obviously pushes the boundaries.

Cheers.

fliesdelta

Join Date: Jul 2012

Location: RDU

Programs: DL(PM), UA(Silver), AA(EXP) Marriott(Ti), HH(Gold), Hertz(PC)

Posts: 2,737

In the US, I've never been asked to show corporate ID.

In Asia and Europe, I've been asked for corporate ID every single time. I always show my badge, and that always works.

phlwookie

Join Date: Dec 2003

Location: PHL

Programs: AA EXP, Marriott Lifetime Plat, SPG Plat, AMEX Plat, Hertz PC, Travels too Much Platinum

Posts: 3,290

This is in line with my experience, especially in Germany and Japan. Since we don't put our company name or logo on our badges for security reasons, I always try the business card route first and this usually works. If they want the badge I show them, then relent when they see how unspecific it is.

Trinob

Original Poster

Join Date: Mar 2014

Posts: 279

Thanks for everyone's input.

@sharon I would not be using her name or booking through any type of corporate site. It just a code you use on the hotel website. Anyone could figure out a corporate code and use it I assume.

FinnishFlash

Join Date: Feb 2012

Location: Helsinki (Finland)

Programs: IHG Plat, Marriott Plat

Posts: 468

I have been asked to show some proof couple of times. I normally show my corp id but credit card with employers name on it has worked, too. As would probably just showing my laptop with employer e-mail account or whatever. My impression has been they are happy with just about anything that proves I'm working for the company whose rate I use and why wouldn't they.

Only in Germany have I been asked to show both corp id and credit card but I wouldn't mind showing them every time I check in.

I actually wonder why they don't ask for proof more often than they do = almost never.

LondonElite

Suspended

Join Date: Mar 2002

Location: Canada, USA, Europe

Programs: UA 1K

Posts: 31,444

RogerD408

FlyerTalk Evangelist

Join Date: Nov 2003

Location: South Florida

Programs: AA LTG (EXP), Hilton Silver (Dia), Marriott LTP (PP), SPG LTG (P) > MPG LTPP

Posts: 11,329

Marriott doesn't really hide their codes very well. Many can be found in your local paper! However, use of them is another subject. Some contracts call for a usage report back to corporate (with names), if you are not one of their people rates/rules can change. Some have limited number of rooms during the contract term causing higher rates for others. If you are caught, the property can raise your rate to the current rack rate. You are defrauding the property and could face other issues as well.

CJKatl

Join Date: Jun 2008

Location: BDU

Programs: DL:MM, Marriott:LTT

Posts: 8,777

I've posted this story before, but it's pertinent here...

A coworker used a customer's rate at a very nice hotel at which the customer has an incredible rate. Unbeknownst to the coworker, the hotel provided a list every day or week to the customer letting them know who would be staying in the hotel. The coworker's contact was told the coworker was staying at the hotel, and the contact thought perhaps there was a forgotten appointment with my coworker set for that week. My coworker was mortified when the contact reached out. It didn't take a rocket scientist for the contact to figure out the coworker was in that city to meet with a competitor. We were all warned never to use a customer's rate unless the customer was expecting us.

GoPhils

Join Date: Jun 2012

Location: CLT

Programs: Marriott Plat, AA Gold

Posts: 1,077

I work for a company that is partially owned by a Fortune 100 company and we have their corporate rate code linked to our travel website, (although it is one of the ones that is very easy to figure out). In 4+ years I've never been asked for any ID, although a few times a year I get the question of "what company are you with?"

A coworker of mine claims he was asked once and given a hard time because we don't really have ID's and our business cards don't say anything about the company whose code it is. Supposedly he had to pull up a news article that said our companies were affiliated.

Edit: To the OP, basically the consensus seems to be they don't ask much. But if they do, I'm not sure a business card of someone who isn't you would be valid...

CJKatl

Join Date: Jun 2008

Location: BDU

Programs: DL:MM, Marriott:LTT

Posts: 8,777

This is exactly my situation. The very large company still handles our travel and credit cards, though, so the credit card is in the large company's name. Even though we are a separate company now with stock owned by the parent company, our company name includes the parent company's name in an obvious way. Plus, even though technically we are now "Parent's Child, Inc." everyone still refers to us as "Parent" anyway.