Do you still call Member Services?

[DVC Mike]

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On January 19, 2012, DVC introduced the ability to book a reservation on-line.

Previously, DVC members had to use this quaint thing called a “telephone” to speak to an actual person in Member Services to book a reservation. In today’s world, that now seems a bit antiquated, doesn’t it?

People often wonder what DVC Member Services looks like on the other end of the phone. Well, here's a behind-the-scenes look at the Member Services folks as they are busy helping Members with their needs.

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Member Services in action - taken March 10, 2015
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Perhaps to encourage use of online booking, DVC allowed members to start booking reservations online an hour earlier than calling Member Services on the phone. So in my time zone, I could book online at 8:00 AM ET instead of waiting for 9:00 AM ET.

Most DVC members appreciated this new capability and were generally pleased with its availability, as many members had been asking for this capability for quite some time.

However, there are always things that still require a phone call to Member Services. Some members feel that the introduction of online booking resulted in longer wait times on the telephone.

In fact, as wait times grow longer and longer, the average DVC Member Experience over the telephone starts to look like this:

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DVC Member trying to correct a problem with their points
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Seriously though (all kidding aside):

• Have you experienced longer wait times for MS, fewer, or about the same?

• What are the most common reasons why you've had to call Member Services?

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Purchasing DVC

• What was your purchase philosophy when choosing your home resort(s)?
• Headed up or down with your points?
• How much of the DVC legal documents have you actually read?

DVC Resorts

• Favorite thing you love, and what you most dislike, about your home resort?
• Which DVC resorts have your favorite cocktail lounge/bar?
• How much time do you spend at the resort versus the parks?
• Which DVC Resort is your favorite for watching the MK fireworks?
• Are the Polynesian Villas really that noisy?
• What does the future hold for DVC?

Renting Points

• Do you rent out your points yourself or use a “points broker”?

Using Your DVC Membership

• Do you still call Member Services?
• Out of points, but you still want to go to Disney?
• Which room sizes do you book the most?
• Do you still experience obsessive Disney planning?
• How much of your vacation time do you spend at Disney?
• How has DVC changed your vacation pattern?
• What meals or snacks do you prepare in your room?

Just for Fun

• How did you pick your DISboards User Name?
• Are you a "lurker" on DISboards? If not, what caused you to de-lurk?
• How long have you been a DVC member?
• How old were you when you first became a DVC member?
• What is your family status?
• Do you unpack or live out of your suitcase?

http://i235.************************************************************* DVC Mike - *******.com

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[pangyal]

Love the photos!

I was just thinking today how much happier I would be if I could change names on the reservation and add addresses online instead of having to call in. Otherwise, I genuinely don't have any reason to call these days and that is just fine by me- I have gotten so spoiled doing all of my work, banking, and entertainment in my PJs and at whatever time I please that I get annoyed when I have to use the phone nowadays! And yes, I know how that sounds.

 

[disneynutz]

Love the photos!

I was just thinking today how much happier I would be if I could change names on the reservation and add addresses online instead of having to call in. Otherwise, I genuinely don't have any reason to call these days and that is just fine by me- I have gotten so spoiled doing all of my work, banking, and entertainment in my PJs and at whatever time I please that I get annoyed when I have to use the phone nowadays! And yes, I know how that sounds.

You don't have to call in, just send them an email via the member website for non urgent requests or questions.

Bill

 

[pangyal]

You don't have to call in, just send them an email via the member website for non urgent requests or questions.

Bill

That's a really good point, but I often rent out points and need to be able to change details on the fly. I think I will email them more go forward for our own trips, though.

Also, I tried Chat, and the CM told me they did not have the same access as MS, so I'm not entirely sure what their purpose is. I was able to add room requests through chat, but not to link reservations.

 

[disneynutz]

That's a really good point, but I often rent out points and need to be able to change details on the fly. I think I will email them more go forward for our own trips, though.

Also, I tried Chat, and the CM told me they did not have the same access as MS, so I'm not entirely sure what their purpose is. I was able to add room requests through chat, but not to link reservations.

I don't understand your on the fly comment. You can make the reservation in your name online and send an email changing the names and adding room requests.

I have tried chat twice and both times it was a waste of my time and a waste of money.

Bill

 

[pangyal]

I don't understand your on the fly comment. You can make the reservation in your name online and send an email changing the names and adding room requests.

I have tried chat twice and both times it was a waste of my time and a waste of money.

Bill

That's what I've always done (making the reservation in my own name and changing it afterwards), but my renters have been impatient and it takes MS a good 2-3 days to get back to me, which some people don't seem to want to wait for, so I end up calling to sort it sooner.

 

[apple9117]

I usually book online. The only time (so far) I've called member services is to use one-time use points that I purchased. Currently you can't use one-time points for online bookings.

 

[howardlee2]

need to call when the website isn't working!!!

 

[bwvBound]

I use the website as often as possible ... but have given up on using the Online Chat. I'll phone before using chat even through phone wait times seem, to me, longer than in years past.

 

[automaticsoap]

I mostly book online and communicate with MS by email. I rarely use online chat, unless I have a quick question. I only call MS if there's something I need that can't be done online or by email (e.g. buying one-time use points).

 

[mikelan6]

I would really like to be able to make modifications online. I like the fact that you can make the original reservation online, but any changes to resorts, dates, people must be called in, which takes time.

 

[gdrj]

You don't have to call in, just send them an email via the member website for non urgent requests or questions.

Bill

Whenever I emailed, I have always had a timely response, from general questions, to room requests. Last trip did Poly room request by email and was lucky enough to get what I wanted.

I always call with questions on banking and other points questions.

 

[DebbieB]

Rarely. The last time I called I had to remove a night from a reservation. I preferred to do it by phone rather than email, I wanted to be sure it was done correctly (BWV, early December, no room for errors). I was surprised it was answered on the first ring, although I called later in the day.

I think if you have something that is not time sensitive, you should call later in the day if you can. For example, someone posted that they had a long wait at 9:00am when they called to add DME to their reservation. Maybe it was the only time they could call but I would not call at that time if it wasn't something like changing a reservation at 7 months.

 

[DougEMG]

I book everything online to start with, but then for changes like adding more days I call. Never tried the chat or making an email change.

 

[drusba]

Before reservations were online, it would take me an excruciatingly long seven minutes to call MS, make a room reservation, buy tickets, add room requests, and later add a week of restaurant reservations. Now I can do all that online in record speed that seldom exceeds four hours and, when doing so, get the benefit of twidling my thumbs while waiting forever for a page to come up because Disney has never devoted enough bandwidth to its sites to handle the traffic (apparently based on the theory that no one actually does anything online), and also have the additional privilege of being able to read, and verify that I have read, for each and every restaurant reservation and room reservation, a two page long legal disclaimer that I was inexcusably deprived of when previously using the phone. Because it is so much easier and quicker to do most things online (and because DVD apparently fired everyone who could actually answer a phone), I do most everything online now. I still have to call for some things such as to do discounted Hoop Dee Doo reservations, to modify a room reservation at 7 months out, and to make reservations when the site is, as it often is, not working correctly or at all (e.g., does anyone ever get online the 180 days "plus ten," or shorter length of trip, for restaurant reservations with a DVC room reservation?).

 

[disneynutz]

According to MS, about 50% of DVC reservations are made online. The reasons are either the member doesn't use computers, have access to a computer, they don't understand their membership and/or they like the human interaction.

Bill

 

[SusieBea]

I will make reservations online, but when I need to link them or want to make specific requests, I call. I can manage the online system, but I find for some things, I get better results when I call.

 

[disneynutz]

I will make reservations online, but when I need to link them or want to make specific requests, I call. I can manage the online system, but I find for some things, I get better results when I call.

So far I get better results and have had zero mistakes by emailing. That wasn't always true when I used to call. Often for things that couldn't be verified online, I would call back to verify and correct their mistakes.

Bill

 

[Snurk71]

I had to call to make a reservation for someone in the UK - the online site didn't have all the fields available for the international address.

I've had to call a couple other times, but only after I tried taking care of the topic via chat. I don't remember what the subjects were though.

 

[Mazz519]

Pretty much do everything online now, unless I run into problems during the online reservation