Guides must give advice....

[ILIKEWDW]

Hi, after reading an experience here and having a similar one, I think guides must give advice about how to choose the best amount of points according to each family needs (and if they don´t, we can).

But, instead of that, they only show a point chart maybe hoping someone falls in. And they don´t give advice about that a family can bank and borrow points, and that instead of go yearly, you could do it every other year, so far from buying a huge amount of points you could get pretty good vacation time buying just the half or even a third of the total amount required to be where you want, when you want.

I say this, because even when we love Disney, we are affraid of getting bored in a future, going year after year, after year. Yes, we like to travel, but I don´t want and I don´t expect to go Disney every year. And I know I could rent or share or traspase that points, but that doesn´t work to all of us.

As someone else I was told by my guide that we would need a high amount to get the view, the location, and the season we wanted, but he never told us we can do the same, paying the half, but borrowing or banking points, and giving us an opportunity to travel to another destinations while doing it, and that is pretty good for us.

 

[tjkraz]

I think getting that sort of advice is better suited for websites like this one.

Most times a Guide only has 1-2 hours to make the sales pitch. I wouldn't expect them to be able to do much more than a cursory overview of the program. The banking and borrowing provisions are clearly laid-out in the materials and I'd be shocked if a Guide didn't mention it at all while giving a presentation. People need to assume some responsibility for putting all of the pieces together themselves.

 

[jlewisinsyr]

My guide definately brought up the banking and borrowing and explained how you could have three years of points to use if you banked, borrowed and used current use year.

I think as someone who is investing money in anything though, it is on the purchaser to fully research and ask questions. Would you expect someone selling their house to list defects or a used car dealer to mention that a place down the street had the same car for less? No, it's part of the buyer's responsibility to research the deal and make accurate decisions to what and how much to buy.

The guide should be there to answer questions, give you the basic overview and help with getting the purchase agreement started. In my opinion, the guide is not there to hold your hand.

 

[bama106]

My guide definately brought up the banking and borrowing and explained how you could have three years of points to use if you banked, borrowed and used current use year.

Our guide made it pretty clear about banking and borrowing and explained it very well. We did our research though, well my DW did, and already had a handle on how the system worked. We had lots of questions though and our guide was very patient and answered everything we asked. But I do agree, you need to do some research beforehand.

 

[ILIKEWDW]

I was not talking about giving all the info during the first meeting. But during the following meetings, phone calls, etc., mainly when they see a not too sure posible client.

Instead of just say if you want this size of room, and this kind of view, on that determinated location, in a peak season you will need this huge amount of points and that gives a total of $$$$.

Well, at least my guide did that instead of explain me more, of course I asked, but just before reading it here.

 

[Inkmahm]

My guide definately brought up the banking and borrowing and explained how you could have three years of points to use if you banked, borrowed and used current use year.

I think as someone who is investing money in anything though, it is on the purchaser to fully research and ask questions. Would you expect someone selling their house to list defects or a used car dealer to mention that a place down the street had the same car for less? No, it's part of the buyer's responsibility to research the deal and make accurate decisions to what and how much to buy.

The guide should be there to answer questions, give you the basic overview and help with getting the purchase agreement started. In my opinion, the guide is not there to hold your hand.

I agree. And I like our guide. He is there for me if I have questions and doesn't bother me if we don't. He did give me excellent advice when I was going to do our first add on and get it through resale as I did with our first contract. I was going to add a different use year and he advised me strongly not to to that, to to the same use year as I had to make easier on me to track. He was 100% right and he earned whatever commission he got with just that piece of advice alone.

 

[Brian Noble]

A guide isn't trying to do anything but sell you points. Presumably, the more points the guide sells you, the more the guide gets paid in a commission. Naturally, that might lead some guides to discuss the "value" of better views, seasons, and the importance of annual (or more frequent) trips.

Remember: at the end of the day, a DVC Guide is a timeshare salesman. Disney's sales staff are better than most, but they are still selling.

 

[TisBit]

I was not talking about giving all the info during the first meeting. But during the following meetings, phone calls, etc., mainly when they see a not too sure posible client.

Instead of just say if you want this size of room, and this kind of view, on that determinated location, in a peak season you will need this huge amount of points and that gives a total of $$$$.

Well, at least my guide did that instead of explain me more, of course I asked, but just before reading it here.

I think it really depends on the guide. Everyone has a different "pitch" that they use and even might look at DVC in a different way. Our guide did go through the banking and borrowing and how to best use our points. He didn't press us to get more than minimum, especially when I seemed more interested in that.

But it can also be based on how the prospective buyer is acting and interested in. If someone says they want to vacation every year at AKL in Concierge or a two bedroom, the guide will advise on that......banking and borrowing doesn't work well if you plan on going every year and using the same number of points.

 

[Dean]

I also think this is an area of variability from one to another. Overall the DVC sales staff are very good and honest but some are better than others and some are more forthright than others. Most are good at helping you decide what's best for your situation. The one area they fall down on IMO is the exchange aspect but again, they are sales people and not exchange experts.

 

[disneynutz]

A guide isn't trying to do anything but sell you points. Presumably, the more points the guide sells you, the more the guide gets paid in a commission. Naturally, that might lead some guides to discuss the "value" of better views, seasons, and the importance of annual (or more frequent) trips.

Remember: at the end of the day, a DVC Guide is a timeshare salesman. Disney's sales staff are better than most, but they are still selling.

I agree. It's not a bad thing, it's reality. Guides are trained, and trained, and coached on how to sell the Disney way. They are very effective at selling without the Guest realizing that they are being sold to. In fact they do such a good job, many Guests think of the Guide as a friend and not a sales person.

Bottom line is DVD is in the business of selling new contracts. That's where the money is. Like any other sales experience, it's the buyers responsibility to be an informed consumer.

 

[senecabeach]

DVC guides, as I was told when I asked, are NOT on comission..at least not mine and in 2002..maybe the part-timers are..

My guide...when I was sitting in front of him in 2002...knew I didn't understand the "whole system" and WOULD NOT LET ME BUY on the spot...until I was comfortable with the program.
He refused to let me make a deposit...sent me home to digest DVC...called me in 3 days to answer any questions I might have had...and within 2 weeks..I called him back and made the deal !!!

AND...when I was looking for an add on 2 yrs. later...HE SUGGESTED to be on the TSS LIST as well as Disney's wait list for my BCV.

To this day we communicate every 2-3 months just to see what's new and if I have any questions...
MY guide is "Great" !!!

 

[ILIKEWDW]

Wow! your guide looks like a one of the few posible honest timeshare sellers. I know we can have a good guide or we can have a not so good guide.

The point is that sometimes, when they make it appears as if you need to buy a high amount of points to have a determinated season sure to vacation, clients wich do not are able to buy, prefer not to buy, so they can loose that sale. Or as they offer credit, maybe the interested client accept to buy a high amount of points financed just to later realize that they have more points that they need because they can´t use it yearly, so they decide to sell some of their points, then they will see that they can not broken their total amount of points into parts.

That is why I say, and I mantain it, that guides must advice posible customers (if they are in doubt of course) that this kind of things could happens.

 

[Chuck S]

Our guide covered banking and borrowing, but minimum buy-in at that time was 230 points. There wasn't much, if any, resale availability in 1992

We bought in, and have added on three times. And we are only two adults. When we seem to have a few "extra" points, we invite friends and get a larger unit.

 

[disneynutz]

My post is not an attack on DVD Guides, and I don't mean to make you feel bad if your Guide is your friend.

Guides may send you home to think about your purchase, but they will also tell buyers that "the deal is only good for three days".

Being an informed buyer is learning all of the in and outs of how DVD sells. Which DVD location to buy from to get the best deal. Is buying from DVD or buying from resale the best way to go.

We have had different Guides through the years and in all cases, once I explained that I wasn't looking for a friend, the Guides came off stage and told it like it is. I respect them in their sales roll and they respect me as a buyer.

 

[Chuck S]

My post is not an attack on DVD Guides, and I don't mean to make you feel bad if your Guide is your friend.

Guides may send you home to think about your purchase, but they will also tell buyers that "the deal is only good for three days".

Being an informed buyer is learning all of the in and outs of how DVD sells. Which DVD location to buy from to get the best deal. Is buying from DVD or buying from resale the best way to go.

We have had different Guides through the years and in all cases, once I explained that I wasn't looking for a friend, the Guides came off stage and told it like it is. I respect them in their sales roll and they respect me as a buyer.

I agree, my guide presented the tour and sales pitch in a professional manner. He was friendly and courteous, answered questions, and left the room so we could reach a decision.

If he'd acted like a "best friend" that would've been annoying, and we probably would not have purchased on the spot. But some people seem to like that type of sales approach.

When we purchased, part of the tour was a very "Disney Magic" type presentation, with an animated Tink flying in to start a movie, then we saw the models (which were actual units in bldg 16 at OKW), a 3D property map of the project (only the first phase was open at that time). I enjoyed that part of the tour, with the Disney tugging at your heartstrings But I also really appreciated the professionalism demonstrated by my guide.

 

[ILIKEWDW]

We MUST understand that sell timeshares is their work.

And also understand that WE, as buyers, have the responsability to investigate all about it before sing it.

Yes, I understand all that, but the thing I don´t understand is why, as guide´s work is sell contracts, why they don´t give to customer the option (and also the suggestion) to start with a minimum of points instead of alot.

I think on that after reading a case here where somebody bought a high amount of points and after reading this threads was thinking on cancel the contract to buy less points or buy resale.....

My case is another, I was told by my guide, as we are a family of six we must need a 2BR and for determinated season I will need a big amount. Ok, she told me about banking and borrowing, but she never said I must consider the frequency we go Disney, specially in the future when all kids will be grown up and I must think if going yearly to WDW will be ok for us.

So, maybe if we would not find these threads, where I discovered that I can buy less (a half is ok for me, now) and make a double or even a triple amount to stay even in peak, most expensive seasons, we wouldn´t decide to buy.

Because we were affraid of the future, of maybe get bored of traveling to WDW every year during the next 50 years ( I know it could be someone who never get bored yet, I know) or in middle of this unsure economic situation, who can have warranty to be able to travel the next year. I think these are uncertain times and we must be very carefully now, maybe later when times goes good again, we could think on bigger amounts, add-ons and more vacations.

 

[disneynutz]

We MUST understand that sell timeshares is their work.

Yes, I understand all that, but the thing I don´t understand is why, as guide´s work is sell contracts, why they don´t give to customer the option (and also the suggestion) to start with a minimum of points instead of alot.

Think about your post. Sales people don't try to sell you less, they try to sell you more. A car sales man isn't going to try to sell you a smaller car, they are going to sell you the huge gas hog.

Like all sales people, Guides are given bonuses based upon their sales. The more points they sell, the more money they make.

 

[jlewisinsyr]

My case is another, I was told by my guide, as we are a family of six we must need a 2BR and for determinated season I will need a big amount. Ok, she told me about banking and borrowing, but she never said I must consider the frequency we go Disney, specially in the future when all kids will be grown up and I must think if going yearly to WDW will be ok for us.

You wanted your hand held and the guide to make a personal decision on your families vacation style. They are there to guide you through the process, but not make those decisions or to relate it to your personal lifestyle to the sale.

I think your expectations are unrealistic, maybe if your guide was your neighbor, maybe you'd get this type of service and the guide would be armed with enough information about you as a person, but otherwise, I just don't think it is possible. The guide will only know as much about you as you tell them, so if you don't forecast your vacation style, previous vacations, ages of your children, etc, they're only going to have limited information available to assist you in helping guide you through your purchase.

 

[ILIKEWDW]

Think about your post. Sales people don't try to sell you less, they try to sell you more. A car sales man isn't going to try to sell you a smaller car, they are going to sell you the huge gas hog.

Like all sales people, Guides are given bonuses based upon their sales. The more points they sell, the more money they make.

I said I understand that. So, after that, I don´t understand why a sales people prefer (on this times) to loose a big sale (forcing them to go resale) instead of trying to get several smaller contracts.

I am sure that after being trated like that those customers will add-on with no troble. Well, that is what I think.....

 

[Chuck S]

I said I understand that. So, after that, I don´t understand why a sales people prefer (on this times) to loose a big sale (forcing them to go resale) instead of trying to get several smaller contracts.

I am sure that after being trated like that those customers will add-on with no troble. Well, that is what I think.....

When you make any major purchase, do you really expect the salesman to make the decisions for you? Not me! Surely you had the ability to ask the guide, "If we travel every other year, for a week, wouldn't half the points work?" Just because the purchaser doesn't have the presence of mind to ask the right questions at the moment, that is not a reason for the salesperson to assume things about their travel habits, especially after banking and borrowing was explained by the salesperson. The banking and borrowing topic should pretty much cover it, IMO.