DVC Guides - what am I missing?

[Swimmergirl]

We just bought BLT this summer, and will be making our first trip home in June. I've seen several threads here and on other websites about DVC Guides. People compared their guides, talked about being assigned new guides when their original one left the company, etc. What is the big deal with your guide once you buy in? We were fairly satisfied with the guy we were assigned, but once the paperwork was signed we never had further contact with him. Do other people keep in touch with their guides? What for? Why would someone care if their guide left Disney? If your guide leaves does someone new contact you? I don't get it!

 

[frank808]

They are sales people. They want to get you to buy more points. Some have guides that are very friendly and have been with DVC a long time so are very knowledgable. It is good to build some kind of report with a guide. If they are on it and know that you will buy, they will give you a call from time to time to fill you in on the deals being offered. To me the best guides keep in touch with me on new offers, gives me a welcome home call when I go on vacation at DVC and makes me feel welcome by answering any questions I have.
I feel that these guides will be able to get sales from me and all my refferrals. That is probably why some people think of their guides as friends. I just think of mine as a smart salesperson.

 

[TisBit]

It is like any other person in your life that you might come into contact with while you are making a large purchase, such as a house or a car. Depending on how much contact or if your personalities match, you may connect and feel that you made a friend. Some people feel very connected with their guides and as such when their guides leave, they feel a loss. Some people have the opposite feeling and feel strongly against their against their guide as just trying to "sell" them something at any costs and never want to deal with them again.

Our realtor from 6 years ago, we have kept contact with over the years, we have referred people to him and would call him again at any time. We are about the same with our guide, but don't keep as close of contact with our guide, he was very helpful, honest and upfront. I trust him and would call him with any questions or just for his opinion, but that is our situation.

 

[bicker]

Disney Vacation Development has a vested interest in fostering that feeling of connection between their salespeople and the unit purchasers. It is the best analog DVD has to "window dressing", i.e., making the sales display as pretty and seemingly as wonderful as possible.

 

[DebbieB]

I've been a member 11 years and have not added on. My original guide left and I was assigned a new one. I only talked to her once when she called me to tell me more points were available at BWV when they closed the sales center. My bet is they rank you based on the likelihood that you will add-on or give referrals. If they think you are likely to add-on, they will contact you more. I've never expressed an interest in adding on, so they don't call me.

 

[jakespop]

We purchased a resale and did not deal with a guide. The ones we've met subsequently tend to "push" for add on points.

we are happy with what we have and currently do not have a need for a guide

 

[Lynne M]

You're not missing anything, I haven't had any contact with my guide since I bought into DVC 9 years ago. I haven't needed to add any points, so there's been no reason for me to speak with her.

 

[JWG]

Yea, I don't see the guide value either. My parents originally purchased in 1999. Their original guide retired (not sure exactly when) and they were assigned our current guide.

My parents added on once direct. This year (2010) they added my wife and I to the deeds for estate planning purposes and we in turn added on BLT points.

So, in 11 years we've purchased and added on twice. We never hear from our guide. Ever. We even left him a message letting him know when our upcoming stay was (two weeks ago) and that we'd be at AKV and should try for an inperson introduction. Nothing.

We do plan to add on again in 2-3 years. We have enough points for 1 week in a 2BR at many resorts (BWV pts) in the lower seasons and enough points for 1 week in a studio at BLT (BLT pts) every other year through banking in all but Premiere season. We'd like to get to a 1BR every other year in BLT or possibly a 2BR in the lower seasons when our DD(4) gets older.

By then BLT will be sold out, so who knows what the landscape will look like.

 

[Ms.Mouse]

I met my guide in the late 80's in one of the parks and didn't buy until 2005 and we were directed to the same guide who we made our first contact with.

I like him and trust him (which is most important) because he led me to buy on the more conservative side rather than push all kinds of points on us, telling me that if I found these weren't enough, I could always add on. Of course, after the second trip, I realized we needed more points and am thinking of adding on again since I'm always borrowing so many and this time had to actually buy points for this trip.
Our guide gives us a "welcome home" call when we are there and if he misses us, will call us at home just to say sorry he missed us.

 

[HookdonWDW]

We really liked our guide, but mostly because he was low-key and patient. His style and ours just really clicked. We took a little over a year to buy our first contract, and not only didn't he complain, he actually talked us out of buying at a location that we didn't really want, because the resort we wanted wasn't for sale yet. Guides are salespeople, but just like in other businesses, some are better than others...

 

[downontheBW]

We never met our guide. Ten years ago, I called DVC and said we wanted to buy BWV and were assigned this person. We had a conversation or two during the buying process but that was it. He did contact us with info on offers once but we didn't have a need to add-on and let him know that so we haven't heard from him since. That is as it should be - a good guide will keep people informed when they want to be. If we choose to add-on in the future, I'd call him back.

 

[pinnocchiosdad]

I have been dealing with my guide for over 12 years now. As time goes by you will develop a relationship, trust me it will happen.

 

[CarolynMink]

We have had the same guide since 1997. We stop in and see him when ever we go down to WDW. He is like part of our extend Disney family. He has been very helpful. He usually arranges for the kids to have ice cream or something.

Yes, we first spoke with him in 1997 and did not purchase until 2005. Sure, wish we would have purchased in 1997. Our guide is very friendly and not high pressure. (He knows I am so informed - I could be selling DVC.)

We have only done one add on since joining.

 

[Jason@dvcstore]

not high pressure. (He knows I am so informed - I could be selling DVC.) .

I bet your guide hopes you don't start becoming one of the at home guides as then you will buy your add on points from yourself and not your guide.

Jason

 

[CarolynMink]

I bet your guide hopes you don't start becoming one of the at home guides as then you will buy your add on points from yourself and not your guide.

Jason

I wonder what kind of discount you get as a DVC guide?

 

[Sammie]

They are sales people, we hear from ours when they want to sell us something.

 

[FindingFigment]

We have had the same guide since 1997. We stop in and see him when ever we go down to WDW.

When you say you "stop in", where do you go? I know each resort has a person set up to answer questions and stuff. Does your guide have a specific resort where he's located? Or is there a DVC office where you go to see him? Just curious. I don't plan to bother them since I'm only interested in purchasing a small resale membership but your comment just made me wonder how that works....for those people who are stopping in to see their guides.

 

[bicker]

I wonder what kind of discount you get as a DVC guide?

For some reason, I remember asking about that, and ours pointed out that because it is real estate, they legally can get no discount on DVC. They probably just get regular CM discounts.

 

[TisBit]

When you say you "stop in", where do you go? I know each resort has a person set up to answer questions and stuff. Does your guide have a specific resort where he's located? Or is there a DVC office where you go to see him? Just curious. I don't plan to bother them since I'm only interested in purchasing a small resale membership but your comment just made me wonder how that works....for those people who are stopping in to see their guides.

Most guides are located at the sales center at SSR. Some people may have purchased at the doorway to dreams locations as well.

You are thinking about the DVC Kiosks, which are not staffed by guide/salesperson, but by staff members that merely refer you to the sale center where you are scheduled with a guide. I am not sure how they are compensated, but I am pretty sure it is hourly with a bonus for each referral. DVC has shuttle vans that will travel to your resort (on or off site) to pick you up and bring you to the sales center, where they have models/mock rooms setup that you can walk through, etc.

 

[CarolynMink]

When you say you "stop in", where do you go? I know each resort has a person set up to answer questions and stuff. Does your guide have a specific resort where he's located? Or is there a DVC office where you go to see him? Just curious. I don't plan to bother them since I'm only interested in purchasing a small resale membership but your comment just made me wonder how that works....for those people who are stopping in to see their guides.

Yes, we do stop by the DVC offices at SSR. Since, SSR is one of our home resorts, it is not inconvenient to just stop in and ask if he is there.