guide called me the most negative person he's met

[Dean]

Just for information's sake, SSR did sell out a few years ago:

http://dvcnews.com/index.php/resort...oga-springs-qsold-outq-incentives-ending-soon

You can buy SSR through DVC, just like BCV, VWL, BWV, and OKW but I don't think they are actively pushing the points any more:

http://dvcnews.com/index.php/dvc-program/financial/pricing-a-promotions

Also, the addition of the THV extended the SSR sales process, which would have officially shut down a lot sooner.

- Chris

I'm not sure SSR ever sold out. DVD has a history of saying things are selling out and sold out well before they really are. They actually had to officially open VWL back up for sales after they announced it had sold out. They generally anticipate a certain amount of movement from current members and potential members set on a given resort. HH was announced it was sold out maybe 1-2 years before it actually was. Of course SSR brought THV on board as well in the interim.

 

[dmoore22]

Several years ago I attended a training given by the Disney Institute. It was fantastic. I took what I learned back to my job and used it effectively. After reading this discussion there is no doubt in my mind that the Vacation Guides described have not been through the Disney training and are stooping to the lowest level to make a sale. Are am I just being the most negative person?

http://disneyinstitute.com/topics/leadership_excellence.aspx

 

[suebeelin]

We had a similar experience with a very rude guide. My sister owns at BLT, bought direct. My brother's in laws at Beach Club, also direct. A good friend has 1,000 points at various resorts, also direct, and only bought these point 2 years ago.

So we have been interested in DVC for a short time and while at Disney in December decided to check it all out.

While at Disney, we went on a tour for information gathering purposes. Our son was only 12 mo old at the time, so we were in no rush to buy. But buying and becoming members were definitely on the radar, albiet the time frame was more 1-2 years out.

Our guide, who happened to be my sister's and brother's in law's guide was so rude!! Especially once he found out that we would not be buying for 1-2 years. Even my very laid back and easy going DH said he would got give a red cent to this guy and if we bought direct, and would insist on giving someone else the commission. In fact, I called my friend who bought 1,000 points to ask him who his guide was so that we would go that THAT person when the time came.

His rudeness also likely pushed us to be more committed to buying in the resale market. Lo and behold, here we are now and ready to buy. As an account manager at a large international corporation with soft sales as my focus, I've learned that being nice is always important. You never know when someone can either help or hurt you, and if you're nice, people are more likely to be nice back to you.

In any case, thank you rude guide for being rude. You drove us to look at the resale market and save money. Thank you for treating us like we are dirt poor and not worth your time. You made us look at ourselves in the mirror and face reality (sarcasm dripping). After all, if we are, indeed, dirt poor, we cannot afford the direct sale price, no?? Thank you for steering us, the indigent poor people wasting your time, to find a way to save money so we can put bread on the table for our little one.

 

[dianeschlicht]

I'm not sure SSR ever sold out. DVD has a history of saying things are selling out and sold out well before they really are. They actually had to officially open VWL back up for sales after they announced it had sold out. They generally anticipate a certain amount of movement from current members and potential members set on a given resort. HH was announced it was sold out maybe 1-2 years before it actually was. Of course SSR brought THV on board as well in the interim.

Definitely has NOT sold out. When our friends bought last week, they were seriously pushed to buy SSR even though they really wanted OKW. They were first told OKW was not available. Then they were given a friends and family price for SSR that they couldn't refuse.

 

[JWG]

And I don't believe that current SSR sales are even the THV inventory. I think current sales are actually from the main SSR resort, supporting the never sold out view.

Not that "phyiscal location" means anything to the buyer/owner. But it speaks to the original resort still being available. It's been a long time since any THV were declared.

 

[ccgirl]

Ok, well I might have deserved it. Each point for DVC I came back with a counterpoint. A nice friendly debate, right? Aren't they used to that? [And not once did I ever mention resale].

Anyway - after he said that I totally was put off. DH would have bought direct that day, but no way was I going to buy from that guide.

We would have bought BLT with two 110 point contracts.

Instead, we just bought 330 SSR resale for a lower overall price. Maybe I should be glad he insulted me?

You have answered this somewhere else in the thread but where would you rather stay; BLT or SSR? It's very difficult to get into BLT at the 7 month mark. Also, what is the maintenance fee/tax difference between the 220 pts at BLT or 330 pts at SSR? While the initial cost may have been lower, I suspect the carrying costs is probably higher.

 

[bumbershoot]

Personally, I doubt you would have bought either way....

But they did buy, which the OP stated in the first post. If you were her salesperson, you just lost a sale, because you assumed they wouldn't buy.

When a sale guide's entire income is based off commission, they're trying to read a person's level of interest quickly so they know how much effort to put into the tour, and sometimes they read wrong.

I hate that some salespeople do that. Especially with me and DH they are just about ALWAYS wrong. We are very casual people and we are mistaken for browsers when we have cash in our pockets (OK so we financed DVC but apart from our now-paid-off car that's the only thing we've financed since we've been together).

That said, they make the mistake the other way, too...we might go somewhere and flat out state that we are only looking (and mean it), and we will get thought of as liars in that way, too. So annoying.

My jeweler had a GREAT story about how he learned to stop assuming stuff based on appearance. Basically, a new Microsoft millionaire came into his store, and despite how the jeweler treated him (based on the guy's ripped jeans and casual t-shirt) bought quite a bit of amazing custom jewelry, and it helped the jeweler see that he might have made some rather costly mistakes in his past. I think it's important for salespeople to really get that; how much money they might be costing themselves...

After the guide said this, I did back off and stop providing him this internal dialogue going through my head - more smiling and nodding.

I think that many people aren't used to getting the internal dialogue stated out loud. Silly them; it's a great way to really find out the truth of the world, when people REALLY talk. But then, I have almost no filter anymore (grew up with a father with secrets and vagueness and unspoken junk, and I HATE it); to be my friend means to hear just about everything that happens in my head, LOL, and our convo with our guide was very similar...thankfully he liked my honesty and stuck it out with us, and got the benefit of our purchase 1.5 years later.

One thing DVC guides would do well to remember (and should be trained for) is that the people taking these tours are already customers, they are Disney guests. At WDW almost all of the prospective DVC buyers are on their Disney vacations with families. These guests are so under the spell of the Disney magic they are taking hours away from their trip (that has already cost a small fortune) toconsider spending even more money with Disney. With these premium customers you get impatient or rude???????? Even people who decide against a DVC purchas are STILL Disney customers. They may decide to re-think DVC again at a later time or not.

Such an excellent point.

 

[Jay2009]

And I don't believe that current SSR sales are even the THV inventory. I think current sales are actually from the main SSR resort, supporting the never sold out view.

Not that "phyiscal location" means anything to the buyer/owner. But it speaks to the original resort still being available. It's been a long time since any THV were declared.

my physical location is in the THVs