DVC Sales SARCASM e-mail !!!

[BoardwalkSuzy]

Below is an e-mail that came in from a Disney DVC "Guide" after I informed her I was in contract for BWV for 350 pts pending Disney review.

Maybe reading something into this that isn't there, or maybe it was a mistake on Disney DVC sales part. Think it was not - think intended to be snide and sarcastic stab at a buyer, for buying resale as opposed to retail.

Last week I made calls to the DVC office at Disney asking some questions about specifics on DVC membership - like getting pdf doc of DVC rules & regulations, terms for DVC ownerhsip, point charts, etc. I was sent a FedEX package received this week with a glossy photo book of destinations, but no documents that details anything about the DVC plan specifics.

Anyway, based on on the great reviews of DVC and our need for large family accomodations at Disney, I went ahead and put in a cash offer for resale DVC points, got into contract end of last week, now awaiting Disney review of contract, as well as some kind of disclosures.

Yesterday, I called the DVC office again with a few more questions, mentioned I am in contract with BWV points pending Disney approval. The DVC "guide" got angry that I went resale, not going through her, and that she had BWV points she could have sold me with some free points thrown in. I thought I was calling DVC customer service that was supposed to help with information like this.

But apparently I was calling an aggressive sales department, and only was allowed to talk to the single contact that I had talked with the day before - no one else allowed to talk to me. Got that person on the phone, and she attacked saying I went with wrong use month (Dec) - we travel Dec-March only to WDW, and that we should have gone through her, and that my contract will for sure be bought back by Disney - not even a chance it will go through, that Disney will exercise ROFR. She sounded angry, and implied that I made a mistake to try to buy resale points when she had such great deals to offer - quotes were nearly twice the cost of my contract price. Wow, I wasn't expecting the call to go like that at all, when all I was trying to get was information for a big investment of over 25K.

My contract for resale points is $74/pt BWV, 350pts, Dec use, all '09 and '10 pts, buyer pays closing and '10 maint. The list price was $72/pt, and I bid over the asking.

Here's the e-mail DVC guide shot back to me, saying "you won't be joining this magical community" - even though she knows I'm in contract!

From: "Disney Vacation Club" <WDW.DVC.Sales@DisneyVacationClub.com>
Subject: Thanks for discovering the best kept Disney Secret!

Dear Suzy,

Thank you for taking time to learn more about Disney Vacation Club®. While we're sorry to hear that you won't be joining our magical community at this time, I do hope you'll consider Membership again in the future.

Please feel free to contact me at any time if you have questions.


Sincerely,
<name removed intentionally>
Vacation Club Guide

 

[rogerram]

Seems pretty unprofessional to me, but the email seemed more "you aren't part of DVC yet", but if you pass rofr, you will be anyway. I also think you have a very good chance of passing as there are so many contracts out there now and Disney most likely won't try to buy them all if sales are slow.
I also would be pretty angry and if it got picked up by Disney, I would find another resale that i liked and do it again until you get it. Eventually you will get one as there are so many to choose right now.
As for use years, you can always make these work. Some might be a little easier than other months, but you have banking and borrowing to make things work in the time frame you want to go.
good luck

 

[dmoore22]

Sounds like a generic form letter to me.

 

[Lynne M]

That sounds like a form letter to me. You declined to purchase through DVC, I think that's a standard e-mail they send out when people do that.

Any rudeness on the part of your guide is unprofessional and inexcusable, of course, but I think you misunderstood the way the DVC sales process works. The guides are commissioned salespeople, and the guide really is the single point of contact for the whole process. It's not that you're 'not allowed' to talk to anyone else, but there aren't a bunch of other staff there to answer the questions of sales prospects - no "DVC customer service" - that's what the guides do. When you call, they send the call to your guide.

Again, no excuse for the guide getting angry, but when you called back to ask more questions after you went to contract on the resale.....she's already lost your business, lost the commission and now she's spending time on that lost business, time that could be spent earning a commission from another buyer.

As for the e-mail....I think you're reading something into it that isn't there.

 

[bumbershoot]

I agree with Lynne.

And that's very definitely a "blurb" that she just chose from a list of things to send.

I am sorry she got like that, though! Who knows, she could have been assigned to be your guide, if you pass ROFR, and then could have gotten commission on any future add-ons you do! I'm so glad our guide was always so great about waiting...he waited a year and a half for us to finally buy, and never rushed us or got weird or anything. It's a bummer they aren't ALL like that!

 

[CarolAnnC]

That sounds like a form letter to me. You declined to purchase through DVC, I think that's a standard e-mail they send out when people do that.

Any rudeness on the part of your guide is unprofessional and inexcusable, of course, but I think you misunderstood the way the DVC sales process works. The guides are commissioned salespeople, and the guide really is the single point of contact for the whole process. It's not that you're 'not allowed' to talk to anyone else, but there aren't a bunch of other staff there to answer the questions of sales prospects - no "DVC customer service" - that's what the guides do. When you call, they send the call to your guide.

Again, no excuse for the guide getting angry, but when you called back to ask more questions after you went to contract on the resale.....she's already lost your business, lost the commission and now she's spending time on that lost business, time that could be spent earning a commission from another buyer.

As for the e-mail....I think you're reading something into it that isn't there.

My thoughts exactly. I think any questions you have at this point need to go to the reseller that you are purchasing from, not DVC direct. Good luck with your ROFR.

 

[WDW LifeLong Fan]

....................i think any questions you have at this point need to go to the reseller that you are purchasing from, not dvc direct. Good luck with your rofr.

+1

 

[ercrbc]

The more things like this I read about DVC guides the more reassured I am that resale is the way to go. They will say and do whatever they think will get them the sale, and once they sniff out you are wise to alternate ways to purchase (ie resale) they try to scare you into buying direct through Disney.

I would not contact DVC again until you have your pts and are in the system. Call your broker with questions or post them on this board, I have learned more lurking around here than any guide could have told me (and feel most the info here is more accurate as well)

I think your offer and contract has a likely chance to make it through ROFR, and if it does you got a GREAT discount compared to direct from Disney BWV has a pretty big waiting group right now, hopefully we'll all have our points soon Good luck!!!!

 

[Crystal_27]

My thoughts exactly. I think any questions you have at this point need to go to the reseller that you are purchasing from, not DVC direct.

Yes - you do need to be directing your questions or requests for information to your reseller, not to a DVC Guide. Since you are not going to buy from the Guide, I think it's a *bit unfair* for you to be utilizing her time requesting information that could easily be (and, frankly, should be) provided from other sources. And, for what it's worth, I think that the Guide's email looks like just a routine form email to me. Either way, good luck with your resale contract.

 

[MinnieGirl33]

That sounds like a form letter to me. You declined to purchase through DVC, I think that's a standard e-mail they send out when people do that.

Any rudeness on the part of your guide is unprofessional and inexcusable, of course, but I think you misunderstood the way the DVC sales process works. The guides are commissioned salespeople, and the guide really is the single point of contact for the whole process. It's not that you're 'not allowed' to talk to anyone else, but there aren't a bunch of other staff there to answer the questions of sales prospects - no "DVC customer service" - that's what the guides do. When you call, they send the call to your guide.

Again, no excuse for the guide getting angry, but when you called back to ask more questions after you went to contract on the resale.....she's already lost your business, lost the commission and now she's spending time on that lost business, time that could be spent earning a commission from another buyer.

As for the e-mail....I think you're reading something into it that isn't there.

Lynne hit the nail right on the head.

FWIW, if I were the guide, I'd be annoyed too. It's one thing to choose to take your business somewhere else but calling them back after the fact just adds insult to injury. I also agree that until you are in the system, any questions about your purchase should be directed to your resale sales agent.

 

[Coach81]

Wow.. that is very un-Disney!!!!

 

[magicmommy]

FWIW, if I were the guide, I'd be annoyed too. It's one thing to choose to take your business somewhere else but calling them back after the fact just adds insult to injury. I also agree that until you are in the system, any questions about your purchase should be directed to your resale sales agent.[/QUOTE]

I agree. It certainly is your choice to buy resale but I think it is unfair to use the DVC guide once you are already under contract.

 

[SKWDW]

...I thought I was calling DVC customer service that was supposed to help with information like this...

For those telling OP that it was unfair/rude to call a Guide for help with a resale, it was stated that OP wanted Customer Service, NOT a shark-like "guide"/salesperson. DVC Customer Service should be available to anyone who is looking to join the DVC community.

IMO the e-mail wasn't rude, but the behavior on the phone call was. Good luck with your resale OP!

 

[disneynutz]

Just a note to others that may be reading this thread.

When a prospective buyer contacts DVD, (Disney Vacation Development) the sales division of the DVC, they are assigned a Guide that is their single point of contact from then on. That person is still your Guide, even if you buy resale.

DVC has become a huge profit center for Disney and as a result, the pressure for sales has increased. The Guides reaction to the OP wasn't professional but the Guide thought that she had a hot prospect and she felt used when you went resale. In her eyes you waisted her time and took food off of her table.

These reports are increasing because Disney has hired a batch of new Guides so the competition has really increased.



Bill

 

[DebbieB]

For those telling OP that it was unfair/rude to call a Guide for help with a resale, it was stated that OP wanted Customer Service, NOT a shark-like "guide"/salesperson. DVC Customer Service should be available to anyone who is looking to join the DVC community.

IMO the e-mail wasn't rude, but the behavior on the phone call was. Good luck with your resale OP!

DVC's customer service for potential buyers is the sales guide. They are licensed to give the information on the product. There is no separate "customer service" for those who are not members.

One thing I do have to say it the DVC sales materials are really lacking in explaining how the program works. They depend on the guide to explain the mechanics, which is probably part of their sales strategy.

 

[5forDiz]

DVC Guides are your 'customer service' before you become a member but make no mistake about it, they want to sell; if you were in that position you would be hoping to do the same so there isn't any other place to route your call.

Guess that guide could have been less irritated with you but maybe she was just having a bad day & finding out you'd be purchasing via resale just iced it.

I don't get why she said December was a mistake for UY; it is a good choice if your travel habits are Dec - Mar.

How that guide handled your last call wasn't in what we think of as true Disney fashion but she was probably feeling that you're expecting more assistance from HER but yet purchasing through a resale broker so why aren't you finding out the answers to your questions from that resale agency?

Best wishes on your contract, hope you'll hear real soon

 

[Lynne M]

For those telling OP that it was unfair/rude to call a Guide for help with a resale, it was stated that OP wanted Customer Service, NOT a shark-like "guide"/salesperson. DVC Customer Service should be available to anyone who is looking to join the DVC community.

But there is no such thing as DVC Customer Service staff......there's simply no mechanism for prospects to ask questions, other than through the guide. Which is understandable, because the DVC Sales Center exists to sell DVC, and they want you to buy through them. There's no reason for them to pay people to answer questions from prospects who are not buying through them - that's the job of the reseller who the prospect IS buying from.

Once you're a member, there's MS, but members pay for that - no member would want prospects taking up MS's time.

This might be a slightly flawed analogy, but think of it this way. You're thinking about buying a new Civic, so you go to your local Honda dealer. You spend time with a salesman, take a test drive, ask a bunch of questions. Later that night, a friend offers to sell you their slightly used Civic, and realizing you can save a bundle, you decide to go that route. But you're still unsure about owning a Civic, so you go back to the dealer, mention to the salesman that you're not buying from him, but you want to ask him a bunch more questions about Civics. While you're doing that, 3 sales prospects come in, and he loses them to other salespeople because he's tied up talking to you. He's gonna get a little cranky.

 

[Chuck S]

For those telling OP that it was unfair/rude to call a Guide for help with a resale, it was stated that OP wanted Customer Service, NOT a shark-like "guide"/salesperson. DVC Customer Service should be available to anyone who is looking to join the DVC community.

IMO the e-mail wasn't rude, but the behavior on the phone call was. Good luck with your resale OP!

It would be like calling Sears for Customer Service to ask for help with an identical product that you had already purchased for less $ at Best Buy or Wal-Mart, so I understand the guides reaction...though I also agree it was extremely unprofessional.

If you don't fully understand a product, you should seek help from those where you made your purchase.

If it was an easy question, the guide should have just answered it. If it was a financial question about paying dues or making reservations, the guide should have simply told the caller to call Member Accounting or Member Services AFTER her resale closed and was in the system.

 

[BoardwalkSuzy]

DVC "guide" shouldn't have bothered sending the e-mail at all, or could have at least personalized it nicely, saying if your deal doesn't go through, please come back and buy through us. It was inappropriate, and she knew that.

I was given this DVC phone number (twice) - through another Disney 800# I had called and also by the reseller who couldn't answer all my questions. No one represented to me that it was another sales office - it was just the number to call to get my questions answered. It occurred to me it was a sales office when I found out that only the same person could talk to me a 2nd time - know that means commission system. They should have a better way to represent they are a sales office only.

Also to announce to me, both directly over the phone and indirectly through this e-mail, that Disney was going to definately buy back my contract was rude and inappropriate.

 

[Chuck S]

DVC "guide" shouldn't have bothered sending the e-mail at all, or could have at least personalized it nicely, saying if your deal doesn't go through, please come back and buy through us. It was inappropriate, and she knew that.

I was given this DVC phone number (twice) - through another Disney 800# I had called and also by the reseller who couldn't answer all my questions. No one represented to me that it was another sales office - it was just the number to call to get my questions answered. It occurred to me it was a sales office when I found out that only the same person could talk to me a 2nd time - know that means commission system.

Also to announce to me, both directly over the phone and indirectly through this e-mail, that Disney was going to definately buy back my contract was rude and inappropriate.

I still see absolutely nothing wrong with the email, and agree that is likely a pre-written form letter.