Email vs Phone

[uncforever]

I am a relatively new member and definitely see DVC's strong preference for conducting all business via phone calls. This is not my preferred style of communication and would much prefer to email or do things myself online. Many things seems locked down online, and each time I've called they've seen what I was trying to do and "made notes" in reservations or "checked with others" and been able to handle it. Is this common? Any tips for getting more done independently without a phone call?

 

[byurick]

Have you tried using the chat feature? Some things can be done that way instead of calling.

 

[walt34]

The chat function (when it's active) helps in some cases like adding room requests to reservations.

 

[Dis_Ohana5]

It would helpful if you gave some examples of what you're trying to accomplish online and are having a hard time with. We're also pretty new but haven't had any issues with booking, modifying or banking points. It's not the best UI but it seems to get the job done. We haven't put in a request yet but I have read suggestions from people in older threads that faxing them works well but that seems like it could be a pretty dated method at this point. There is a chat option in the website but sometimes picking up the phone is just required

 

[uncforever]

Have you tried using the chat feature? Some things can be done that way instead of calling.

I tried once on something I thought was a simple website glitch and they told me to call

 

[uncforever]

My main examples are issues adding guests, waitlist, and availability questions. I tried to split up a stay already and that wasn't possible on my own but they did it via the phone. Even my sales rep told me he wasn't allowed to do much over email.

 

[uncforever]

... I have read suggestions from people in older threads that faxing them works well but that seems like it could be a pretty dated method at this point. There is a chat option in the website but sometimes picking up the phone is just required

Yikes, faxing! I know a phone call can work, just not my preferred method for several reasons. I'll try chat more next.

 

[LadybugsMum]

My main examples are issues adding guests, waitlist, and availability questions. I tried to split up a stay already and that wasn't possible on my own but they did it via the phone. Even my sales rep told me he wasn't allowed to do much over email.

The first 3 can easily be done online. For a split stay, it's better to make the reservations that way from the start online; so yes, it would have to be done on the phone if you don't do it from the time you make the original reservation.

 

[muppets3d]

Pretty much everything you'd need to call for, you can use the online chat for. Calling is usually faster though.

 

[VGCgroupie]

My main examples are issues adding guests, waitlist, and availability questions. I tried to split up a stay already and that wasn't possible on my own but they did it via the phone. Even my sales rep told me he wasn't allowed to do much over email.

They split a stay for you? That is not allowed. Did they forewarn you may lose half of your reservation? You can split yourself online the same way they split it. Cancel half and rebook the other half.

You can chat for everything except booking magical extras, and renewing a sorcerers pass

 

[cruisehopeful]

AFAIK, splitting up a stay is a cancel and rebook, which is risky. Everything else should be doable online.

I currently have a weird thing with my reservations where 2 of them aren't showing the "booked" icon and I can't do anything to the reservations (can't add guests, can't modify/change). They were originaly a 2 night stay and a 3 night stay that I dropped down to one night each. It seems like that's when the glitch happened. I haven't called or done online chat for them, yet, but I will hopefully soon. Maybe we both got stuck in glitch land at the same time.

 

[uncforever]

They split a stay for you? That is not allowed. Did they forewarn you may lose half of your reservation? You can split yourself online the same way they split it. Cancel half and rebook the other half.

I am on a WL for an upgrade for two nights of an existing reservation. If it comes through, it will cancel the last two nights of the current reservation and tack on the new reservation. They made notes about all this. I would not expect to do this without extra communication, it was just an example of needing to call.

 

[VGCgroupie]

I am on a WL for an upgrade for two nights of an existing reservation. If it comes through, it will cancel the last two nights of the current reservation and tack on the new reservation. They made notes about all this. I would not expect to do this without extra communication, it was just an example of needing to call.

Okay that is a bit different than just splitting a stay. The system isnt designed to do that, thats why it requires talking to them, although chat usually works for stuff like this. Since this is a very unique request (most would not want to move rooms) its possible that the chat CM didnt know if they could or how to set this request and thats why they said to call.

 

[Brian Noble]

I am on a WL for an upgrade for two nights of an existing reservation. If it comes through, it will cancel the last two nights of the current reservation and tack on the new reservation. They made notes about all this.

If it were me, I would not do this unless I did not have the points to keep the WL plus the original reservation intact. The chances they screw this up and cancel the whole current reservation are non-zero.

Yes, they will try to get the first part of the reservation back, but if someone else books it in the meantime, they are not going to claw it away from them.

Are those last two nights available in open inventory? If so, I would drop the last two nights, rebook them separately, and then put the WL in as a replacement for that reservation specifically.

 

[Sandisw]

I am on a WL for an upgrade for two nights of an existing reservation. If it comes through, it will cancel the last two nights of the current reservation and tack on the new reservation. They made notes about all this. I would not expect to do this without extra communication, it was just an example of needing to call.

That is one situation where you do have to call because waitlists are set up via online to replace all of a reservation and not only part of it.

For splitting a reservation, that is accomplished only by canceling those nights and rebooking.

So, as mentioned, you can do that online because what MS did was the exact same thing. It’s always a risk though as they can’t hold rooms..r are not supposed to.

They do not allow lead guest changes online but all other guests can be changed.

For sales, and guides, they are definitely not supposed to put in writing things like pricing , etc so they have a record on a recorded line.

 

[VGCgroupie]

If it were me, I would not do this unless I did not have the points to keep the WL plus the original reservation intact. The chances they screw this up and cancel the whole current reservation are non-zero.

Yes, they will try to get the first part of the reservation back, but if someone else books it in the meantime, they are not going to claw it away from them.

Are those last two nights available in open inventory? If so, I would drop the last two nights, rebook them separately, and then put the WL in as a replacement for that reservation specifically.

Agree with this.

 

[uncforever]

Agree with this.

Thanks so much to you both. We have some banked points to use up so we are trying to get a 1BR for the last two nights instead of the studio we are in for the whole reservation. They made it sound like it would be easy to modify the current reservation to drop the two nights if the WL came through, without mentioning the risks of the cancel and rebook. What you're saying makes good sense, I'll go take a look again.

 

[Brian Noble]

In principle, yes it is easy. In praactice, the CM handling it has to (a) read the note and (b) actually do what it says.

That might or might not happen.