Frustrating Morning with member services...

[Cinderella1122]

I've had a really frustrating morning with member services and just really need a place to vent. I called right at 9am this morning and got right through. I asked for 3 nights starting on Dec 29th in 2 two bedroom at BVC. (a kind diser let me purchase a transfer of points). The cast member repeated the dates at quoted me at 117pts, gave me a confirmation number and hung up. I thought that was quoted way low, so I called back and a new CM told me I was booked for 3 nights starting on August 29. I told her that wasnt correct. She asked if she could put me on hold while she fixed it. She hung up on me instead. So, I called a third time and got a third CM. I explained the situation and she told me she couldnt rebook me cause BCV wasnt my home resort. I told her they were BCV points and should be able to work. So, she put me on-hold to ask a supervisor. She came back and said I could book at BCV, but didnt have enough points (silly me forgot to add in weekend points). So, I asked if I could book 2 nights on points and 1 on cash. She put me on hold again and came back on to tell me no. She asked me if I wanted to bank my points and try again in the future. I ended up choosing that option. I was going to use the points for my mom's b-day trip in Dec and pay cash for my parents anniversary trip in 2011, so now i'll just swap and pay for the birthday trip. Around 11, I went to log onto the member website and my username and password werent working, so I had them sent to me. They matched what I was typing in. So, I called member services for a 4th time to get my password reset. The CM told me a form was being sent to my email that I needed to fill out. I just got back in from lunch and I have a voice mail from member services saying to call them back because they didnt get all the information they needed for the reset. I think i'm going to wait until tomorrow to call for a 5th time.

Overall, I'm not angry, just a little frustrated. I'm not the type who demands compensation for things that dont go my way, by writing letters to all of Disney management. I just want to vent my frustration to a bunch of ppl who would understand

 

[Simba's Mom]

I wonder why she told you that you couldn't book some nights on points and some nights on Member's cash. I know that Member's cash can be booked at 11 months, because we do this all the time at HHI. We don't own enough points there for the entire week, so we book some nights on points and some on Member's cash. When we didn't own points there, we used to book the entire week there on Member's cash-you don't have to own points at a resort to book MC at 11 months.

 

[DebbieB]

Sorry to hear you had problems.

Were the transferred points BCV?

Member cash rooms are not always available. The 2 bedrooms at BCV w/2 queens are never available on cash. Since you are calling for a holiday period, it's possible the points rooms were gone too.

Always be sure to have the total number of points needed and your points balance after the reservation available before you call. That way you can catch errors quickly.

 

[Chuck S]

I wonder why she told you that you couldn't book some nights on points and some nights on Member's cash. I know that Member's cash can be booked at 11 months, because we do this all the time at HHI. We don't own enough points there for the entire week, so we book some nights on points and some on Member's cash. When we didn't own points there, we used to book the entire week there on Member's cash-you don't have to own points at a resort to book MC at 11 months.

Perhaps the OP could not book on Member Cash because of the season. They may not release nights during Christmas/NYE weeks to cash?

 

[RobDoc]

Member cash reservations are not always available at 11 months - with or without the discount.

Even at HH in the summer, finding a weeknight GV available for cash at 11 months is not a likely occurence for most dates.

 

[cvjw]

I had the same experience with MS - I called one day to move a reservation at the 7 month mark. I thought the amount of points used for the new reservation was too low. I went onto the DVC website and looked at my reservations online and the the CM had made the reservation for the wrong date! He had booked me another room for the same time as an existing reservation. Luckily I called right back and was able to get the room I wanted for the time I wanted. Now, I have the CM read to me the dates of the reservation, just to make sure.

 

[DMKEDM]

First, venting frustration means we should respond w/sympathy...so sympathy, Cinderella 1122...that kind of frustration can really mess w/an otherwise good day! You have a terrific attitude about it, tho, so I will bet you'll be feeling much better by tomorrow...in the meantime, lots of cyber-sympathy headed your way...

And here's a "trick" I learned (by accident) that could solve the booking-in-error issue, if it's something that's logistically possible for you to do...

I always have my dvcmember.com/"my vacation details" page on my computer open when I'm talking to MS ... the reservation shows up almost instantaneously and I found (when I discovered this entirely by accident) that it was very reassuring (and efficient) to be able to check the online reservation information while still on the phone w/MS ... the new reservation shows up (w/out having to refresh) before they're done with the "clean-up" of the reservation process...

So, to the extent it's ever needed due to human error, it allows for an easy quick fix--

Pixie dust to you tomorrow; hope it goes as remarkably smoothly as today went remarkably rocky-ily (I just made up that word...hope you understand what I mean!)...

 

[Sandisw]

First, venting frustration means we should respond w/sympathy...so sympathy, Cinderella 1122...that kind of frustration can really mess w/an otherwise good day! You have a terrific attitude about it, tho, so I will bet you'll be feeling much better by tomorrow...in the meantime, lots of cyber-sympathy headed your way...

And here's a "trick" I learned (by accident) that could solve the booking-in-error issue, if it's something that's logistically possible for you to do...

I always have my dvcmember.com/"my vacation details" page on my computer open when I'm talking to MS ... the reservation shows up almost instantaneously and I found (when I discovered this entirely by accident) that it was very reassuring (and efficient) to be able to check the online reservation information while still on the phone w/MS ... the new reservation shows up (w/out having to refresh) before they're done with the "clean-up" of the reservation process...

So, to the extent it's ever needed due to human error, it allows for an easy quick fix--

Pixie dust to you tomorrow; hope it goes as remarkably smoothly as today went remarkably rocky-ily (I just made up that word...hope you understand what I mean!)...

I do almost the same thing. I tell MS that I just want to check the reservation before I hang up and so far, no CM has ever had a problem while I quickly log in and check it.

To the OP, I am sorry that this happened to you. It is frustrating when we plan things and then find out that it doesn't work the way we have hoped. I am glad though that you will still be able to find a way to go and celebrate.

 

[Deb & Bill]

I would not want to be working at MS this time of year. I imagine they are getting all sorts of calls from members complaining that they cannot book the nights they want for the resort they want at 11 months out. Must be a tough job.

 

[twinklebug]

I'm sorry you had to go through all that. It does sound like a frustrating morning.

One trick I've learned to keep my sanity in check is when calling MS is to have the member website up and logged in. The transactions they make at MS have been showing up on the website for me almost immediately after I get the confirmation number. Only once have I had to wait, and that was because I my MS CM needed to call me back after jumping through a few hoops for me (and I really did appreciate it - she did a fantastic job!)

Seeing the reservation confirms that I did indeed book what I thought I did. I just don't trust myself.

Sorry DMKEDM - didn't mean to step on your toes, I didn't read all the responses before posting. It does work though, doesn't it

 

[disneynutz]

The OP unfortunately experienced some of the same problems that we have. I learned the hard way that if you have a point problem that was caused by MS, ask to speak to a Team Lead.

They are Senior Advisers and they have access to different software that allows them to move and fix points.

Bill

 

[Tiger926]

First, venting frustration means we should respond w/sympathy...so sympathy, Cinderella 1122...that kind of frustration can really mess w/an otherwise good day! You have a terrific attitude about it, tho, so I will bet you'll be feeling much better by tomorrow...in the meantime, lots of cyber-sympathy headed your way...

And here's a "trick" I learned (by accident) that could solve the booking-in-error issue, if it's something that's logistically possible for you to do...

I always have my dvcmember.com/"my vacation details" page on my computer open when I'm talking to MS ... the reservation shows up almost instantaneously and I found (when I discovered this entirely by accident) that it was very reassuring (and efficient) to be able to check the online reservation information while still on the phone w/MS ... the new reservation shows up (w/out having to refresh) before they're done with the "clean-up" of the reservation process...

So, to the extent it's ever needed due to human error, it allows for an easy quick fix--

Pixie dust to you tomorrow; hope it goes as remarkably smoothly as today went remarkably rocky-ily (I just made up that word...hope you understand what I mean!)...

Fabulous post - I agree with all of it, and we do the exact same thing when booking our ressies as you can see exactly what has been done online at the moment of booking.

Good luck to OP, Tiger

 

[CarolMN]

The OP unfortunately experienced some of the same problems that we have. I learned the hard way that if you have a point problem that was caused by MS, ask to speak to a Team Lead.

They are Senior Advisers and they have access to different software that allows them to move and fix points.

Bill

Good to know. Thanks, Bill!

 

[Maleficient]

Cinderella1122 - regarding the website issue - the same thing was happening to me 2 days ago. I tried 5 times and finally I gave up, but I didn't call MS because I didn't really need anything that day and I knew that I was using the right info ( I had logged in earlier that day). The situation was resolved the next day when I tried to log in - don't know if they had a glitch on their end? Hoping things work out for you!

 

[Cinderella1122]

Thank you for all of the resonses and the support

I totally agree, the CM's must have it tough this week with everyone trying to book for christmas. I work in customer service and it's frustrating when customers are very difficult during my busy times of the year. That's why I always try to stay calm and rational. Nothing ever gets solved with anger and yelling.

I love the idea of looking at the website while on the phone with MS. I didn't even know you could do that! I'm definately going to use that trick in the future.

MS fixed my website issues in a jiffy this moring.

As of right now, i'm thinking about saving my cabin ressie and then moving to the all-star family suites for 3 nights. yeah it's not BVC or deluxe, but i've never stayed at either resort and it's still Disney afterall