How can I contact the big boss at DVC?

[icydog]

I want to send Jim Lewis an email about one of DVC's practices that I feel is not in keeping with the club's commitment to its members. How do I reach him? I really want it in writing and email would be fastest. Anyone have his email and/or phone number? Thanks a lot. Marylyn

 

[Chuck S]

You can email member services, and they will forward it to the DVC member satisfaction team.

members@disneyvacationclub.com

 

[jlewisinsyr]

And what may this club committment be?

 

[Noreendisfour]

Mr. James M. Lewis
Disney Vacation Club
200 Celebration Place, 2nd Floor, Suite 210
Celebration, FL 34747

 

[dizney4us]

 

[icydog]

Thanks for the mail address. I was hoping someone had his email address. It would be easier to email him but I can always write a note and mail it I guess.

As far as the membership team, or satisfaction team, it is them I am complaining about. I can be assured Jim Lewis will never see it. I have a gripe with the way DVC is handling members who are visiting the resorts. I doubt Jim would ever see it. Their policies (I mean the front desk cast members, specifically at OKW) need to be reexamined and I'll bet he doesn't even know what all is going on.

 

[Kathi OD]

Thanks for the mail address. I was hoping someone had his email address. It would be easier to email him but I can always write a note and mail it I guess.

As far as the membership team, or satisfaction team, it is them I am complaining about. I can be assured Jim Lewis will never see it. I have a gripe with the way DVC is handling members who are visiting the resorts. I doubt Jim would ever see it. Their policies (I mean the front desk cast members, specifically at OKW) need to be reexamined and I'll bet he doesn't even know what all is going on.

I wonder what kind of policies you're talking about. DH and I have stayed at OKW every year for the past 10 and have never had a problem with the front desk CMs. They have always been quite pleasant and have gone out of their way to help us.

 

[WolfpackFan]

So is there some reason you don't want to share the specifics of your complaint with all of us?

 

[JimMIA]

Whatever the issue is, I think a regular snail-mail letter -- appropriately written -- would be given much more credibility than an email. Especially if the email was a rant.

 

[icydog]

I am reluctant because over here most of you are only DVC owners, and I am afraid to be judged by you all, but here goes.

I own over 1400 points with Disney. I am a founding member, since 1992. I have a gigantic maintenance fee to pay as well as the cost of all those points in the first place. I love DVC. I really love OKW and it has always been our home away from home.

Last week, since I own Marriotts as well as DVC, I traded into OKW using Interval International. I paid the $95 resort fee. I did everything right as far as I could tell. When I got to the front desk the cast member was openly hostile to me and my husband. We showed our blue member cards and she glanced at them and said "put them away" We told her we have been members for 16 years. We tried to make conversation. We tried laughter. We tried cajoling. We finally spoke with her supervisor. He was pleasant enough and we got a first floor room as we requested.

Then we looked at the packet she gave us. It didn't have a Perks book in it or any member information. It was as if she stripped the book of all member content--despite the fact that she knew we were members.

We went back to our villa. It was a one bedroom villa on the first floor in bldg 64. We were fine with it all. Then we found out that we didn't get free internet. No internet? Why, we asked? Because you traded in-- and you are like any other exchanger-- no free internet!!. We called the GM. He apologized profusely and gave us free internet and a member package. We can use all the member perks if we show our cards after all, so there was no need for her attitude. What the GM didn't tell us was that we would have to have the internet charges removed daily. When we went up to have them removed we got a supervisor who basically acted like the cast member and she started to deny credit to us. I told her that the GM gave us his blessing and only reluctantely did she give it to us. She too wouldn't grace us with any conversation despite the fact that we have been staying there several times a year on our points. I was disheartened at our treatment since we have only stayed this way, on an exchange, this one time. BUT, I want this policy to be revisited. I may wish to exchange in again, or another member may want to stay on an II trade as well. I have enough points to stay whenever I please---BUT that is not the issue.

I did not take anyone's points. DVC deposited them into II. I did not use the club without paying dues. We have been paying dues for 12 years. I never quit my membership. I only availed myself a way to stay for the weekend without using 140 points to do it. I gave up a valuable platinum week in the Marriott system to stay in DVC.

I am a still a member and I really don't want this type of thing to happen to someone else. That's why I want to send the letter to Mr. Lewis.

Okay, now I guess I will get slam blasted for taking this on over here on the Dis (I post non-DVC issues on TUG). I know that most of you will not get my angst- but look at it this way---I am still a DVC member-- and I hope to be always treated like one-- whether using my points or not.

Marylyn
Member since '92

 

[locodemickey]

No one should have been treated the way you were - member or not - PERIOD! That is not the Disney way...

 

[RobDoc]

If the complaint involves a specific CM (or CMs) at a specific resort, the usual chain-of-command might be to have addressed the issue while at the resort to the manager on duty at the time. They are usually very quick to respond to guest problems.

In the event that you still have no resolution to the issue, the next level would be address the resort general manager (for OKW that is Sonja Deese-Byrnes).

Once those channels have been exhausted, the member satisfaction team would be the next in the chain followed by Jim Lewis. IMO, a well written snail-mail letter to the Celebration address would carry far more weight than an email. That letter would likely be passed on to the Member Satisfaction team and then to the General Manager of the resort and then on to the resort managers to gather information about the issue.

It sounds as though you have not yet talked with Sonja and that might be a better avenue before contacting Jim Lewis. It also sounds as though some of the issue involves expectations for exchangers into DVC when you are a DVC member. The Member Satisfaction team may be the best initial avenue for that discussion too.

Please report back if you are contacted by the satisfaction team or Jim Lewis.

 

[toocherie]

I am reluctant because over here most of you are only DVC owners, and I am afraid to be judged by you all, but here goes.

I own over 1400 points with Disney. I am a founding member, since 1992. I have a gigantic maintenance fee to pay as well as the cost of all those points in the first place. I love DVC. I really love OKW and it has always been our home away from home.

Last week, since I own Marriotts as well as DVC, I traded into OKW using Interval International. I paid the $95 resort fee. I did everything right as far as I could tell. When I got to the front desk the cast member was openly hostile to me and my husband. We showed our blue member cards and she glanced at them and said "put them away" We told her we have been members for 16 years. We tried to make conversation. We tried laughter. We tried cajoling. We finally spoke with her supervisor. He was pleasant enough and we got a first floor room as we requested.

Then we looked at the packet she gave us. It didn't have a Perks book in it or any member information. It was as if she stripped the book of all member content--despite the fact that she knew we were members.

We went back to our villa. It was a one bedroom villa on the first floor in bldg 64. We were fine with it all. Then we found out that we didn't get free internet. No internet? Why, we asked? Because you traded in-- and you are like any other exchanger-- no free internet!!. We called the GM. He apologized profusely and gave us free internet and a member package. We can use all the member perks if we show our cards after all, so there was no need for her attitude. What the GM didn't tell us was that we would have to have the internet charges removed daily. When we went up to have them removed we got a supervisor who basically acted like the cast member and she started to deny credit to us. I told her that the GM gave us his blessing and only reluctantely did she give it to us. She too wouldn't grace us with any conversation despite the fact that we have been staying there several times a year on our points. I was disheartened at our treatment since we have only stayed this way, on an exchange this one time. BUT I want this policy to be revisited.

I did not take anyone's points. DVC deposited them into II. I did not use the club without paying dues. We have been paying dues for 12 years. I never quit my membership. I only availed myself a way to stay for the weekend without using 140 points to do it. I gave up a valuable platinum week in the Marriott system to stay in DVC.

I am a still a member and I really don't want this type of thing to happen to someone else. That's why I want to send the letter to Mr. Lewis.

Okay, now I guess I will get slam blasted for taking this on over here on the Dis (I post non-DVC issues on TUG). I know that most of you will not get my angst- but look at it this way---I am still a DVC member-- and I hope to be always treated like one-- whether using my points or not.

Marylyn
Member since '92

I'm not going to flame you--and while rudeness is never ok and you should not have been treated badly under any circumstances--you were not staying this time on DVC points and I think the free internet is for DVC members WHILE THEY ARE STAYING ON DVC POINTS.

They probably have packets for DVC members staying on points and packets for people staying non-DVC already made up--and she correctly gave you the non-DVC packet. I do not think the CM intentionally took out the perks book or other info because she was peeved. As you yourself said--you were treated like an exchanger--which for this trip you were.

Also, from your post it sounded to me like you might have emphasized your long-term DVC membership one too many times and it might have irritated the CMs. That might have accounted for some of the reaction you got.

Just my observations based on your post. I hope your next trip is more magical.

 

[JimMIA]

 

[castleri]

 

[Lynn5700]

Oh so you didn't stay under DVC points?

 

[bzzelady]

I am going to add my 2 cents in here at the risk of becoming the 1,000th Happy Haunt at the Mansion...

I don't agree with being treated rudely by any CM and I also don't agree with customers who treat CM's rudely with a sense of entitlement. Member or not, when you are on a stay not booked with DVC points, you are not entitled to member perks within the resort...except to use the resort amenities such as that particular resort's pool, transportation, recreation, and the laundry area. For example, I stayed at BCV on a passholder discount in August and I would not have even dreamed of receiving the internet for free as I was a cash customer for that stay. If you read the small print concerning the free internet access, it states that you have to be a DVC member on a points stay. This excludes those staying on cash and trades through II. The fact that the GM on duty gave you that perk was probably to pacify you. Wait until the flood of people approach the desk and reference this thread and demand their free internet access "just because they have their blue card with them."

Now...back to the peanut gallery to pop some popcorn and sit with JimMIA and Castleri and watch this thread unfold

 

[mytwoboys]

I am going to add my 2 cents in here at the risk of becoming the 1,000th Happy Haunt at the Mansion...

I don't agree with being treated rudely by any CM and I also don't agree with customers who treat CM's rudely with a sense of entitlement. Member or not, when you are on a stay not booked with DVC points, you are not entitled to member perks within the resort...except to use the resort amenities such as that particular resort's pool, transportation, recreation, and the laundry area. For example, I stayed at BCV on a passholder discount in August and I would not have even dreamed of receiving the internet for free as I was a cash customer for that stay. If you read the small print concerning the free internet access, it states that you have to be a DVC member on a points stay. This excludes those staying on cash and trades through II. The fact that the GM on duty gave you that perk was probably to pacify you. Wait until the flood of people approach the desk and reference this thread and demand their free internet access "just because they have their blue card with them."

Now...back to the peanut gallery to pop some popcorn and sit with JimMIA and Castleri and watch this thread unfold

That is what I discovered also on TUG which was part of the reason I wanted to buy DVC (and that I could do internal exchanges without extra fees and book as many, or few stays as I like). I understood it that our fees cover the equivalent ammenties that the points allow, so an II exchange wouldn't allow DVC Perks like free internet, but regardless of that -

I CAN NOT BELIEVE that the front desk did not treat you with the respect you deserve as a human, let alone a dues paying DVC member. I also think they should have given you a Perks book, etc. I definitely expect a certain level of customer service and show should everyone! That is what Disney prides itself on! Sorry to hear you had a bad experience, hope it doesn't happen again!

 

[Liljam]

Please post back to let us know what resolution (if any) you receive from this letter or email you end up sending. I hope this was just an isolated situation based on confusion from what was expected and what was given based on how you booked. I hope that the CM is trained to be more friendly too, and to try to problem solve a bit better if he/she can't figure out what to do in the situation. It is my understanding however that free internet is for points stays for members only (even renters staying on points aren't supposed to be entitled ?)! Good luck.

 

[threegoofys]

Now...back to the peanut gallery to pop some popcorn and sit with JimMIA and Castleri and watch this thread unfold

Too funny!!

I agree with what others have said. No one deserves to be treated rudely, dvc or non-dvc. You have every right to express your concerns about how the cm's were behaving. However, you maybe a dvc member but you were not using DVC points therefore the dvc perks would not be part of your stay. You can use your DVC card to get discounts at stores, restaurants, etc, but the free internet is for when you are staying using your dvc points. Which at this time you were not.