Anyone else have a "silent" Guide?

[tweck]

After our initial purchase 2 years ago we have NEVER had so much as a call from our Guide we purchased through. I know he still works for DVC. I was wondering if this is typical or do most of you hear from your Guides when something new is brewing with DVC (BCV sales, point price changes...etc). I am glad our Guide does not hawk us to add on, but wonder if the silence is typical. :cool: :cool: :cool:

[ohioMickey]

We have been members for one year and our guide is silent too. To be honest, i like it that way. She is always most helpful and pleasant when we contact her.

Anyway, I find out stuff brewing at DVC through this board long before she would likely get a chance to call about it.

[nugrape]

Ok, so why not name names? Why should anyone else who may be considering buying into DVC, be subject to the possibility of getting someone who is only out for a buck, and not concerned about customer service. I say name names so we can build a list of who to stay away from.

[TeresaNJ]

Our guide is Kim Moore, and he calls occasionally to give us updates, such as when VWL was almost sold out, and when the incentives were out for BCV. He is never pushy though, and very considerate.

[DebbieB]

I bought over the phone in 1999 from a guide a friend recommended (Bruce Ladd). I never heard from him after that phone call. I did meet him 3 months later when I took the BWV tour (I did things backwards). I heard he left DVC. My friend got a call from a new guide but I never have.

[CarolAnnC]

DVC Guides are sales consultants. Often times folks do not realize this and expect more from them than their position requires.

It is nice to hear that some are contacting their former clients to see if they are interested in additional purchases. Some people do not want to be hearing from their sales consultants after the initial purchase, however.

Most would probably welcome a phone call though if anyone did want to consider doing an add on or an additional purchase. I prefer to be the one contacting them and have done so when I needed questions answered in the past. Works for me!! :)

[DVCDAVE]

I agree 10,000% with OHIOMICKEY. I like it that way. Guides are pre-sale information, and sales reps, not customer service. MS is for customer service. I get enough information from these boards, DVC board, and the Vacation Magic to keep me up to date with sales, add ons and incentives. This is only my opinion.

I like our guide, Jim McCoy, he is pleasent and nice, but I am glad he doesn't call, unless I call first.

[WDWLVR]

I agree that silent isn't bad. Our guide is Julie Hughes and when I needed information from her I got it. When I first called and asked for info it was sent and I only heard from her a few months later stating that she had given us some time and did we have any questions. At that time we were still thinking about it it. She said no problem call back any time. When we were ready i called and asked if she could have the paperwork ready when we went down in January of 2000 saying we were 95% sure we would sign but wanted to take the tour. She was great. Gave us the tour, we signed the paperwork, she took care of getting everthing mailed to us.

My DH (MarkRG on the boards) recommend DVC to a friend he works with and gave them Julie's name. She sent us a very nice thank you letter for the recommendation.

I know she is there for us if needed, but she doesn't call with other offers. I do think if I called and asked to she would, but this way works out best for us.

[CarolA]

I agree that silent is just fine. My guide called me back when I called him about my DVC addon. That has actually been our ONLY contact in 5 years (I bought resale!) and I am very happy. He processed the add on quickly and I was on my way!! I don't equate silence with bad customer service at all in this case. (I would probably be unhappy if he did call trying to sell me more stuff!)

[Peter Johnson]

We've had 3 guides in the last 10 years. None of them has ever called unless we called first. We agree, silent is good, since we hate all forms of solicitation. Don't call us, we'll call you :)

We used to enjoy the members only gatherings each Tuesday (IIRC) on Turtle Krawl in the early years, because many of the guides would attend. They were fun to chat with to find out what was going on. The gatherings offered free munchies and punch, one of the few times we've ever gotten Disney freebies :)

[PamOKW]

not concerned about customer service.

That's not their job. You can substitute the words "real estate agent" or "salesperson" for guide. You don't call the realtor when your furnace breaks down. After the house has closed you probably will never deal with the realtor again unless you want to buy or sell....same with a guide.

Some people establish almost a personal relationship with their guides. In these cases, they sometimes call upon the guide to get info or help with a problem. Some people call a guide for years before they actually purchase and this helps establish a relation. Many of the guides have come and gone since the original purchasers. The only function they really serve is to sell. They can sell you more points and that's a reason for them to keep in touch and keep you informed. Anything else they do is a personal function (possibly with the hope that it will lead you to additional purchases.)

My only complaint is with a guide who does not respond when contacted. I've got that problem now and I am considering whether it's worth getting a new guide now or waiting a bit. I was on the fence about a purchase and some information might have pushed me over that fence. Now, I'm not sure what I want to to do.

[baileybrad]

Same experience as CarolA from Tennessee. We bought a resale. We had been staying at DVC since '93 with my brother's family who were early purchasers. When we did our add-on we called member services and received the information as to who our guide was. She handled the resale fast and professionally. Don't expect to hear from her in the future. I don't care to have folks who sold me a car, a house, big screen TV, etc., calling me so why should someone who handled a timeshare purchase call me after the deal has been professionally completed.

[yesdisneyfool]

My guide (Celeste) is there when I need her and not there when I don't.

If I have questions I can pickup the phone and she always, always returns my call by the next day at the latest (unless she's out of town).

I like it this way. I tend to move a little slow in making my decisions but when I'm ready, I'm ready and I know she'll be there.:)

Less than 27 to go.:bounce: :) :bounce:

[Ed T]

I'm glad to see that there are some reasonable people out there that don't expect to be hearing from their sales guides. From what you read people are expecting a little to much. If you have questions call MS. Did you ever think that with 60,000 members and probably 40 or 50 sales guides that would mean each sales guide could have 1200 - 1500 members. Some more some less, some have left some have come but every member has a guide assigned to them. How would one expect each guide to become personal friends with you and call you whenever there was something going on.

Ed

[Jimbo]

I bought a new car last year, and have since probably gotten a half-dozen or more calls from the salesman. He's checking to make sure I'm happy with the car, their service department, etc. It's nice, I suppose, and good customer service, but frankly it's getting a little irritating. I know full well he's interested in selling me another car someday, and when the time comes I'll probably call him. <b>Until</b> the time comes, though, I'd just as soon that we went our separate ways.

I talked to Julie Hughes, our DVC guide, just three times. Once was when we made our first contact with DVC, the next was when we decided to purchase, and the third was when we did our add-on. She was efficient and accurate each time, and really, that's all I wanted.

[DVCDAVE]

I Agree Jimbo !!!

[Luv2Dream]

We bought VWL in November, 2000 and never heard again from our guide, Joan Lane, but I didn't expect that I would. When I recently called her about a VWL add-on she returned the call promptly and gave me my options. I'm perfectly happy with that.

[LindaBabe]

He never returned my phone calls after we came home, never acknowledged when I sent the signed paperwork. Nothing. I'm sorry as heck he got my commission. My daughter said it was the same with her.

No, I don't want him calling me all the time, but a "thank you for your business, do you have any questions" at the time would have been nice.

[wheeler]

I have Julie Hughes too, and she is GREAT!!!!!! She worked on me for 3 YEARS, yet was never "PUSHY". All the times I called her, with a million questions, and she NEVER rushed me or acted "annoyed" that I wasn't commiting to a purchase right away. She is the *BEST*! I also spoke to Jim McCoy once, because it was evening and Julie had left for the day) and although he was extremely friendly and helpful, he kept urging me to call Julie back. All I can figure is it must be "taboo" to "steal" another agent's potential sale.

[DVCDAVE]

Jim McCoy is a true 'gentleman'. I am sure he was just obeying the rules.

[wheeler]

that's what I figured........ I was very close to "buying", and he could probably sense that from my questions!

[tweck]

Please don't take my thread out of context. For some, please reread my original post where I ended by saying "I am glad our Guide does not hawk us to add on, but wonder if the silence is typical."

I never expected to have my Guide call me with every little thing happening, as I am aware there are few Guides for the many DVC members, but there are many threads here that start off with "I just got a call from my guide about.." or "My Guide just called to let me know..".

Believe me, I don't want anyone hounding me to do add ons, however, having made a rather large point purchase on our initial contract, it just kinda surprised me that there was never a followup call or a quick note, or an e-mail to say "Thank you for the purchase, ...I am here if you ever want an add-on,... think of me when you tell your family and friends about DVC and they express interest in purchasing.." That was why I asked if silence is typical. :cool: :cool: :cool:

[DVCDAVE]

TWECK;

I don't think it was your post that accelerated this thread, but rather, NEGRAPE's thread about naming names, (third post after your initial ? i think) that got things rolling. At least I read that post as inferring the guides are somehow doing something wrong.

I would also add, that as far as a 'thank you' goes....I received a nice package with a beach bag, DVC plate for the car, and a few other goodies that had a nice thank you letter from DVC with it. The letter also asked us to spread the magic. I realize we may overlook the letter that accompanied those gifts, but we shouldn't.

Am I wrong ?

[tweck]

DVCDAVE
Sorry, but I got none of the items you mentioned without calling and asking about them first. Yes, there was a nice computer generated form letter with my closed contract from DVC thanking me and asking me to spread the magic. And I have gotten at least 3 mailings from DVC (mass mailings) with "gifts" (2 pens, 2 pins, and a magnet) each with a request to spread the magic. But honestly, I would have rather had a personal thank you from my Guide considering he probably got a commission. Just me I guess.....

[DVCDAVE]

Understandable. We signed our paperwork in person with our guide. Got a personal thank you then. I understand your position.

[POLLY ANN]

We bought in the early years (1995), and bought at Disney. Our guide then was Jackie Lane, but she has since left. She was wonderful, very friendly, cheerful.

When she left we were contacted once or twice by our new guide but have not heard from him since. That is really fine with us. If we need him, we know where to find him! :)

[antnee]

We have not heard from our guide (Mayra) since we signed the contract. It would have been nice to get a call to see how we are enjoying the DVC, etc and add-ons but I am not upset about it. I agree these boards are informative but not guided by DVC

[caverill]

I believe the lack of "on-going" contact is intentional.

I just finished reading Disney Institute's Be Our Guest, which deals with how Disney looks at Customer Service. The last section of the book was about DVC and how they set their standards.

One of the prime standards that they set for the DVC was not to become like other Timeshares in the sales process. Having a Guide calling every other week and saying "Are you ready yet" would be against DVC's customer service goals and standards.

We toured DVC, but didn't want to rush the decision. We ended up purchasing over the phone. I can't remember who my Guide was and I sure don't miss the calls. Our Guide did do a great job with the initial paperwork and arranging for our first stay.

If I need something, I know to call. That works for me.