DVC Kiosk Sales Misinformation!!

[KAT4DISNEY]

I'm pretty much with CarolA on this - I think it's a bit like trusting your bus driver if she or he tells you that sure, no problem getting into Cinderella's Royal Table as a walk-up. For all we know, the guy thought he was telling the truth - they don't get significant training on how DVC works. (AFAIK - does anyone have information to the contrary?) He's probably gleaned just enough information to make him "dangerous." I suspect he clammed up and referred the OP to his guide not because he'd been caught lying, but because his ego was bruised when he realized his cobbled-together "knowledge" was being questioned and he was no longer in the position of playing the expert.

LOL - I think the more comparable is if the bus driver didn't know that BWV was by Epcot, or GF only had one bus stop. Is that still acceptable?

I think it's ok to want better, and by not you may pay for it yourself down the line. It's an example of why timeshares are so distrusted - misleading information and sleazy sales tactics. The sales attempt is already starting at the kiosk - it just hasn't been legally formalized.

It's also a perfect reminder to everyone to double and triple check information.

 

[klofan]

The guy at DTD who setup my tour was just rude. I'm 20, so I guess he assumed I was too young to buy. In other words, my low paying job. He's like, "do you even know anything about DVC?" Then, "how can you afford this, your so young?" Really wasn't a good impression on DVC already and I haven't even started the tour yet. And yes, I'm young, but I do pretty decent believe it or not. Then, I'm sure it was a mistake, but we were scheduled to go on the DVC tour at a certain time, then we waited. And waited. Well, he scheduled it like 2 hours earlier than he told me. Oh, well. I ended up buying.

Pete

 

[bookwormde]

The real problem is that the person at the kiosk as an employee of Disney (owner of DVC development co) is not allowed under FL law to state facts that are not in line with the approved sales information.

There are no acceptable excuse or legal justifications for this, just as it was a violation when guides were telling prospective members that points would not change, it has nothing to do with buyer beware or reading the contract, it is just plain and simple a violation of the Florida timeshare regulations.

bookwormde

 

[M-I-C-K-E-Y]

The real problem is that the person at the kiosk as an employee of Disney (owner of DVC development co) is not allowed under FL law to state facts that are not in line with the approved sales information.

There are no acceptable excuse or legal justifications for this, just as it was a violation when guides were telling prospective members that points would not change, it has nothing to do with buyer beware or reading the contract, it is just plain and simple a violation of the Florida timeshare regulations.

bookwormde

 

[granmanh603]

Well this person might have been a drafter but those are the same "fact" that I got from my guide when I bought in 2000. Easy to book any time, 350 points in Magic season would get you a 2 bedroom for lenght of contract would never change just the point distribution between weekday and weekend. Yadda, Yadda, Yadda..... we bought in May went to book a studio in July anywhere, found no availablity and huband went balistic and called guide....they amazinglly found us a room....and we have never waited to book again but we were definately told....no problem and this was way back in 2000 by my guide....while no one can know everything these "facts" are far from the truth...

 

[dianeschlicht]

LOL, they are essentially OPC's (Off Premises Contacts). They are 3-4 notches below a timeshare salesperson in the sales process. Their job, which Disney encourages them to do poorly, is to schedule timeshare tours. They are not trained very much on the product itself, only the basics. Anyone would be a fool to buy based on what they say or even put any credence to it. To put any emphasis on what they say, even if wrong, is hilarious. In NO way does this excuse one's personal assumptions or lack of understanding of the product one bought, even if the guide said it, much less an OPC. One thing I think DVC members in general don't do well is separate out the sales process and usage product, they really are two separate issues.

I agree with your evaluation, but I do think it is wrong of DVC to allow uninformed people at these kiosks. They are the "first impression" given to prospective buyers, and to give them sketchy or incorrect information can do NOTHING but hurt the eventual sales process.

 

[fers31]

I agree, this is very shady on Disney's part. This isn't a person driving a boat explaining monorails....this is this person's JOB. You're in a Disney park, this is a Disney employeee, doing his job. You expect the information to be correct. That's like having a food allergy, asking the cook if a specific meal contains this ingredient, they say it doesn't....and it does!!! I think you guys would be a little more upset with this "uninformed scenario." I understand that this isn't the person giving the tours, but they can't throw out complete lies to get a sale! These aren't used car salesmen....you're on Disney property. These are THEIR CMs that everyone respects. Completely unacceptable. This person is paid to understand how Disney works. You can't just blow it off by saying he's not trained for this. Of course he is. This is a large purchase for most people to think that being blatantly lied to is understandle, is completely insane!!!

 

[kristenrice]

I agree with your evaluation, but I do think it is wrong of DVC to allow uninformed people at these kiosks. They are the "first impression" given to prospective buyers, and to give them sketchy or incorrect information can do NOTHING but hurt the eventual sales process.

ITA!

If a kiosk staffer tells me that I can buy in for "about $10K" and I take the tour and find out that it is really "about $17K", who will I believe? I might think that the guide is trying to pull one over on me since the kiosk person gave me a substantially lower buy in amount. I would certainly be much more hesitant to trust my guide, even though he is the one that supposedly knows more about DVC.

It is one thing for the kiosk staff to be vague, but for them to give out information that is completely false is not acceptable. They say that "DVC sells itself" so why do they need people to lie about it to get folks interested? I would be a lot less interested if I discovered dishonesty to this degree in the sales process.

JMHO....

 

[CarolA]

You all do realize that we are only hearing ONE side of this story of an OVERHEARD converstation.......Lots of "quick to judge"

 

[JimMIA]

Yes,his attitude suggests that he knew he'd been caught lying. And it doesn't look good for any company when their salesmen knowingly lie. And perhaps it's true that the kiosk people aren't expected to be as knowledgeable as the guides,but then they should admit they don't know rather than lie!

Yeah, I'm going with "embarrassed because he got lying through his teeth" as well. It's pretty obvious to me, from Sammie's description, that lack of integrity (not knowledge) was his problem.

Very disappointing but not surprising, and certainly not a positive reflection on either DVC or Disney.

 

[Disneypirate85]

"Drafters" or CM's does not matter, it still misrepresents DVC. When a potential new member hears these types of comments from someone at a Kiosk they believe it to be factual information. Very disturbing

 

[Tara]

I agree, this is very shady on Disney's part. This isn't a person driving a boat explaining monorails....this is this person's JOB. You're in a Disney park, this is a Disney employeee, doing his job.

Is it their job to provide information about usage and other contract stipulations? I don't think so. I think their job is to book people to take tours.

To the OP, did you call the sales center to report the misinformation you overheard and the person giving that misinformation?

 

[marynvince]

You all do realize that we are only hearing ONE side of this story of an OVERHEARD converstation.......Lots of "quick to judge"

I don't think the OP is lieing to us. And yes, folks need to get their facts in line and be responsible for their own information and decisions. But come on....

Prospective cuistomers don't know and shouldn't know that kiosk CMs are 4 steps below guides, that their only job is to set up tours and any amount of misinformation to that end is OK. These CMs are Disney representatives. What they represent as fact will be seen as fact by prospective buyers. They need to be appropriately trained on what they can and can not say.

How anyone can argue this point or defend this CM in this situation is beyond me.

 

[Tara]

That's like having a food allergy, asking the cook if a specific meal contains this ingredient, they say it doesn't....and it does!!! I think you guys would be a little more upset with this "uninformed scenario."

The more apt comparison is between the kiosk staffer and a host/hostess seating you at a restaurant. The cook would be more like the sales person.

If a kiosk staffer tells me that I can buy in for "about $10K" and I take the tour and find out that it is really "about $17K", who will I believe? I might think that the guide is trying to pull one over on me since the kiosk person gave me a substantially lower buy in amount. I would certainly be much more hesitant to trust my guide, even though he is the one that supposedly knows more about DVC.

Why would you trust your guide less than the person booking the tour? What if the guide told you buy-in was LESS than what the booking person told you? Who would you trust less in that case? (I suspect that human nature is to be less trusting of the person who gives the answer that is undesired.)

 

[jbrowna]

What concerns me is op's statement "Welcome to the new DVC....". The implication here is that the kiosk CM was trained to lie -- or at least to mislead. I very much doubt that. In fact, I think that if DVC learned what this CM was doing the guy might just be out of a job. I have no doubt that op heard what he heard, but I don't think he's justified in drawing the conclusion that the CM's behavior is now DVC policy!

 

[drusba]

If the Kiosk CM gave the misleading information that was reported then it was wrong to do so. The concept of caveat emptor (let the buyer beware) died about 80 years ago. The assumption that everyone who walks up to one of those Kiosks is somehow a sophisticated purchaser who knows he shouldn't rely on what that person says is an assumption that courts have been rejecting for just as long. That Kiosk worker is not wearing a sign that says "Don't believe what I say." He is officially "Disney" and people are entitled to believe the person is telling the truth and knows what he is talking about. A timeshare seller is not allowed to make misrepresentations about the product and it matters not whether that misrep comes from the sales person or the guy standing behind the kiosk. Nevertheless, my best guess is that DVD does instruct these people as to what they are allowed to say and not say and what has been reported is beyond what they are allowed to say. In other words, Disney likely controls its program but it cannot control every act an employee might commit.

 

[Duckfan-in-Chicago]

I don't care what the kiosk people are or aren't legally allowed to say. One of the things Disney has been selling with DVC is how much they're not like the other guys and how buying a timeshare is like buying a used car in so many people's minds, but they're different. CMs like in the OP need to be retrained or asked to move on.

 

[WDW LifeLong Fan]

Sammie, thanks for sharing this story.

This sounds like a campaign of misinformation by a carnival hack, "drafter" or not.

 

[Sammie]

You all do realize that we are only hearing ONE side of this story of an OVERHEARD converstation.......Lots of "quick to judge"

Are you saying I am not reporting what I heard. Believe me if I was not absolutely sure of what was being said, between both parties it would not be reported here. I even protected this person by not stating where I was when this happened.

As to being worked up over it, as you put it, I am not worked up over anything. Had I been I would have spoken to the gentleman seeking information and informed him of the correct procedures.

For many this is their first contact with DVC and while I agree with Dean about their knowledge ability; I hate to see them being given wrong information. If they can't give accurate information they simply need to state that to the person and arrange a meeting with a tour guide at the preview center. This man left the kiosk full of wrong information on his first meeting with DVC.

This sales person was a DVC member he knew the facts, he was just skirting around them. I think this is just a sleazy way to get someone interested. The man had very specific questions that this agent could have answered truthfully, but that did not happen.

To everyone else that posted, I appreciate that you know that I would never embelish anything posted here, if anything I would err on the side of caution and also that you too feel that this is not the standard we believe DVC should set.

And yes I let DVC managment know I find this highly unacceptable.

 

[Sammie]

What concerns me is op's statement "Welcome to the new DVC....". The implication here is that the kiosk CM was trained to lie -- or at least to mislead. I very much doubt that. In fact, I think that if DVC learned what this CM was doing the guy might just be out of a job. I have no doubt that op heard what he heard, but I don't think he's justified in drawing the conclusion that the CM's behavior is now DVC policy!

I will agree that you make a good point and I will give DVC the benefit of the doubt. I will hope that you are correct in that DVC will be outraged about his sharing of such blatant misinformation but I afraid that will not be the case.

Disney is hurting financially. I was there during a time when several upper Executives where shown the door for not taking the buyout. DVC sales is being seen as the life saver on a leaking ship. I am afraid at this time that sales is the number one priority and that is a DVC that many of us are not used to.

I can report though that BWV are scheduled for a major rehab and when finished everyone will be pleased with the results.