Do DVC employees read these posts

[Chris and Pooh]

Reading all the comments about DVC especially views about SSR and the current pool temperature controversy, do any DVC employees read these posts or does anyone know if they are, hopefully to gauge views of members or at least members who subscribe to these forums?

 

[sajetto]

I believe that indeed they do. My guide let me know that he is very aware of the DIS boards as well as my wedding planner through Disney weddings. I know for a fact that the weddings department does read and a couple have posted before, however I can't be sure that the DVC folks have ever made a post

 

[boatboatboat]

yes

it would be foolish not to.

any company that has a public message board where people discuss that company, has people who lurk and read.

 

[bicker]

They'd be equally foolish to consider anything they read here as representative of what the membership actually believes. Non-normalized feedback in general, and Internet forums specifically, are notoriously poor indicators of what a total population believes.

 

[boatboatboat]

Internet forums specifically, are notoriously poor indicators of what a total population believes.

__________________


show me a link of a study that shows this.

 

[MyGoofy26]

I thought for sure that once I finished that Stats class I'd never use it again, LMAO. . .

But one could consider the opinions on a public forum to be rather comparable to a self-selected study (those studies that a company asks for volunteers) which are notoriously less "accurate" than a random sample or an observational study where the subject isn't aware they're being studied. In self-selection, you get the people that are die-hard one way or another. You get the extremes - not the overall consensus of what the majority actually feels or believes.

 

[boatboatboat]

But one could consider the opinions on a public forum to be rather comparable to a self-selected study


EGG-ZACT-LEE

 

[bicker]

Self-selected studies do have their place, of course, but one thing they're not good for is indicating what the broader population believes!

BTW: Here's one citation for you:

Journal of Travel Research, Vol. 42, No. 3, 297-304 (2004)
"...Internet-based sampling procedures create a substantial potential for bias."

Rather, normalized surveys report what customers actually believe, what actually satisfies and doesn't satify them. So while companies should respectfully receive and acknowledge unsolicited feedback, they shouldn't make business decisions based on such feedback.

 

[rparmfamily]

Our guide made it clear they do read Disboards.

 

[MyGoofy26]

But one could consider the opinions on a public forum to be rather comparable to a self-selected study


EGG-ZACT-LEE

Yeah.

And self-selected studies are a poor indicator. That's the point.

Edited to add a link.

Did a quick google search and came up with this:
http://edf5481-01.fa01.fsu.edu/Sampling.html

You'll notice that self-selected studies are considered NON-PROBABILITY. . . which means

ONLY PROBABILITY SAMPLES [with good response rates] ALLOW YOU TO CONSTRUCT CONFIDENCE INTERVALS, MAKE STATEMENTS ABOUT SAMPLING ERROR, OR LEGITIMATELY USE "STATISTICAL SIGNIFICANCE".

Which means, any information gathered on these boards has zero statistical significance unless the question is "How many DISboards DVC members who enjoy participating in polls believe that <enter argument of the moment here>"

Doesn't mean that they can't find good tips. . . but it DOES mean that when compared to the thousands of members they have, the people here on the DIS represent a very small minority, and do not necessarily represent the opinions with any degree of certainty.

 

[dvc-NE]

Not sure why, but this thread is giving me a headache.
FWIW, they read these boards now and again.

 

[bicker]

Doesn't mean that they can't find good tips. . . but it DOES mean that when compared to the thousands of members they have, the people here on the DIS represent a very small minority, and do not necessarily represent the opinions with any degree of certainty.

Very well-said. (Good thing dvc-NE replied, because you added this statement after I read your message originally.) Tips... that's the best any company can hope to get from non-normalized feedback: Good, NEW ideas. Even then, though, they still have to test those ideas with normalized surveys, to determine whether customers, in general, would value the idea.

 

[eva]

I do agree that we are probably not a good sample. But it woudln't hurt DVC to remember that it is probably the diehard members (like us) that refer people like crazy. I have referred 8 families that have all purchased. It wouldn't surprise me to find out that diehards are the ones that purchase the most add-ons too.

Just a thought.

 

[bicker]

I haven't seen any data indicate that, eva. As far as we know, regular folks could refer more new DVCers than all the die-hards combined.

 

[Sammie]

of course they do, everyone needs a good laugh sometimes, even them.

The thing is they are not going to take anything read here seriously as there is no way for them to know for sure any of us are actual members. We could be just a bunch of weirdos who are unemployed with too much time on our hands.

Which brings me to my comments on the pool temperature discussion. Complain while you are there, you make a better case or at least soon after you get home.

 

[DrTomorrow]

ITA with Sammie. In fact, I think that they should make all new MS CMs read the DIS DVC boards for a week, with the instructions: "These are going to be the most complicated customers you will deal with - some will be nice but some will be overbearing, demanding know-it-alls (and some will claim to know the pool temperatures despite the fact that they haven't been here in months) - so get used to it".

And a tip of the DrTomorrow topper to bicker and MyGoofy26 for stating clearly - and with references - a fact that I've tried for years to communicate to DISers, DVC and otherwise.

 

[eva]

The statement that I made about referrals and add-ons was not stated as a fact. I just said that it was likely. I think that it would be absurd to think that DVC does not read this board. To me it would be somewhat* like a company ignoring a story about them on the evening news, just because the newscasters don't represent a good sample of their customer. A lot of people read these boards. So I believe that DVC would be very interested to see what is being said about them here.

*Note - somewhat, not exactly.

 

[Pluto4Pres]

I'm sure they checked the board often to see how much we were enjoying the brilliant marketing scheme of putting up a billboard to advertise a new billboard.

 

[drakethib]

I think they check on here every now and then.

Now what information they gather from here who knows.

I could see where they could get some ideas what is going on with their "guest".

While everything thing on here may not be exactly what is on everyones minds, if you see a thread that has 200 plus posts maybe something might be worthwhile there.