Can I Request a Guide Change?

[ssteinheiser]

We finally decided to become members and take advantage of the current promotion. I excitedly called and left a message for my guide Tuesday telling him we wanted to move forward and asking for a call back, etc. Still have not heard back.

Now that we have decided, we want this to happen like NOW!!! The guide I spoke to before was perfectly fine but whatever his circumstances are now, I just want someone who can help me move forward.

Wondering whether DVC will assign me to another guide if I make the request and whether anyone else has made such a request.

Thanks!

Sylvia

 

[magicmommy]

Sylvia. Did his voicemail indicate he was out of the office? Usually a voicemail is enough to lock you in? I think you can change guides but are you sure you want to? Sometimes the devil you know is better than the devil you don't!

 

[MILLZ]

One thing to keep in mind is these folks need days off i understand you are excited but im in sales and you said you liked this guy. he did every thing to make you happy you should stick with him and wait it takes a couple weeks anyway

ty
millz

 

[ssteinheiser]

I know I'm being inpatient! His message did not say he was out of the office. I didn't like or dislike him particularly - he was fine, but I spoke to him for like 15 minutes 3 years ago. It's not like he worked hard to make the sale...

 

[Scotch]

Yes, you can request a change. I did last year when the guide who gave us a tour didn't return my phone calls -- I called twice over a two week period. I can't remember the number you call -- some central DVC number (maybe someone can post here). I explained why I wanted a switch and got a new guide assigned that same day.

 

[Pocahantas]

Since it has been a couple of days, I would call him back now. Perhaps he did not get your message or somehow overlooked it. If you can't reach him, try call the main Disney Vacation Club number 1-800-500-3990 and explain your situation and that you want to buy in now.

 

[abbydancer]

I'm sort of wondering the same thing about our guide. We called 3 days after our tour, and he was out until Friday I believe. I called the 800 number and the 3 day promotion (91.00) was locked in, although it didn't matter since we ended up getting in on the Friends and Family promotion. I left a message indicating that if he couldn't get back to me on Friday that he could wait until the following Wednesday morning because we were heading out of town for a long weekend. When we came back there was a message from him on the home machine (I'd asked him to call work) from Monday. He also indicated that he was out until Thursday of that week. OK, no problem. He did call me back on Thursday and I purchased. We had an issue with use year, so I called him back on the next Sunday and reached him.

The paperwork arrived the following week, but the contract had the wrong use year. I called the number on the paperwork (Quality department I think). They said that my guide was out of town (again) but put me in touch with another guide who got it all worked out.

So fast forward to last week. I called my guide again on Thursday about a payment question. His voice mail said out until Monday. I left my cell number. At 5pm eastern on Monday I called again and reached him. He answered my question about payment. Said I'd be calling to make the payments (we want to spread it across a couple of cards and billing cycles). So I left a message yesterday morning, and still no reply. (In addtion to this, I was at the World of Disney in NY and they wouldn't let me buy a DVC pin without my membership card which I hadn't brought with me - the cast member there said I could call my guide to verify. He was out, but MS was able to do the verification).

I'm not at all dissatisified with my interactions with him (and the purchase was very low key), it's that I think he's a very senior person so has both a lot of vacation time and does a lot of the cruises. I'd like to have a guide that I can actually reach in a timely manner and who will return phone calls.

Am I being unreasonable? Should I be more patient?

Thanks,
Abby

 

[ssteinheiser]

Funny - I just got a voicemail from my guide. He was in his car driving to the cruise ship and will now not be in until Monday. He left his cell phone but didn't answer when I called right back.

He promised to call Monday if we didn't connect before that and was very nice in his message, so I guess I'll chill until then. If we still haven't connected by the end of the day Mon, I'll request someone else.

 

[MILLZ]

Just my perspective but these people are very busy and do work with a lot of people.. They cant always be at your beck and call...The other side to that is there probably are some that are not very good at there job and may need to be replaced but everything is relative...Give them opportunities to make it right if they can great but dont penalize them b/c they are senior and have alot of clients... Sales is very hard work

 

[tmt martins]

I think some guides are on the cruises to sell DVC so are they on every so offened does it get rotated (like a perk). If they don't call me back and are not availible then whats the point get it changed to someone your comfortable with. No reason unless they state they are out of town it should take them 3 days to call you back.

 

[abbydancer]

Just my perspective but these people are very busy and do work with a lot of people.. They cant always be at your beck and call...The other side to that is there probably are some that are not very good at there job and may need to be replaced but everything is relative...Give them opportunities to make it right if they can great but dont penalize them b/c they are senior and have alot of clients... Sales is very hard work

I do understand that and don't expect them to be at my beck and call. On the other hand, what I'm trying to do is time sensitive, and I don't think it's unreasonable to get a call back within 24 hours. I'm in tech support, and we try to respond to everything within a hour.

If my guide is that busy, then maybe he has too many clients. And, one or two cases of being out of town or too busy is understandable, but 4 or 5 in a month? If I don't hear from him by 2pm tomorrow (easily 50+ hours) I am going to call MS and at least get somebody to take my money.

When I had questions about use year, the back up guide called me back that day and then the next day with follow up answers.

Thanks,
Abby

 

[skibum]

Our guide, Ron Brumbaugh at (800) 827-7160, returns calls very promptly. But they do seem to get a lot of time off. When Ron is not in the office, his message says so.
I would cut your guide some slack, but after two days, I would call the main DVC number and see what they suggest.
Good luck, and Welcome Home!!

 

[Rpsemont]

To answer your original question, yes, you can request a guide change. we did that because I too, was unhappy with the callback times of my original guide.

 

[3DisneyKids]

I guess I will be the voice of dissent here...it's ok...I am already on the Naughty List on several other threads!

If you are not satisfied with the turn-around time (and no "away" message on the voice mail), then I would ask for a switch in guides. While I understand that these folks are ULTRA busy and I further understand that sales is, indeed, a demanding job, the number one thing for a salesperson is to close the deal. This guide has a buyer with cash in hand is not returning calls.

There are so so so many wonderful DVC guides that you should find someone who you work well with. Some may like a more relaxed appraoch that your current guide has, while others need someone a bit more "hands on."

This is a HUGE purchase and decision and you should be very happy and comfortable with the person with whom you are going through the process.

PM me if you would like the name of my FAB guide.

 

[YoMickey]

Just leave a message that if you do not hear from him by Monday morning at 9am EST that you are going resale through TTS. He'll call.

Who needs a guide? Most of your questions will be answered by member services or this board. ..and quit calling them guides...they're real estate agents working on commission. They work hard, do a great job, and they make alot of money................... if they return calls..

 

[Halle]

When we bought in (1993) we toured in Feb. and then one happy day in Aug. DH said let's do it. Called our guide (now retired) late Saturday afternoon and received a call back within 10 minutes!! Guide was Kim Moore, he was in some of the promo photos in the late 90's. Wonderful guy! Good luck and I hope I can welcome you home very soon.

 

[Pluto 2]

your guide might be on vacation. he could be a guide on a disney cruise. the cruise i was on they had 2 guides there, they said they were only there for that cruise and the next week there will be different guides.

 

[mikron]

I feel any sales person should reply within 2 hrs.. If they felt they could not, they should have back up in place. I have been selling to the public since I was 12 years old. I have a pager, cell phone and people to back me up. I was in real estate for 6 years and that is a 24 hr. job.. Gib at disney my contact and my familys calls back with 2 hrs. or has a message on his voice mail letting you know what his in and out of office time is.

 

[Glorydaz]

I love my guide, he's a really great guy but extremely busy. I called on Tuesday and left a message and he returned my call on Wednesday. I indicated we will be coming down in a couple of weeks and we've made arrangements to meet. However, he is out of town sometimes 2 weeks a month selling on the cruises.....

I agree with prompt callbacks but also take into consideration his schedule. I wouldn't change if the interactions you have had prior with him are positive.

 

[MILLZ]

FUNNY THING JUST HAPPENED

So ive taken about a week to make my decision and i made it with conviction i call my guide to tell him i want to buy and i havent heard from him yet
LOL I was the one defending them earlier and now its happening to me now im not going to fire him it just struck me as funny