Is it possible to purchase an add on from a different guide?

[MagicalPins]

Short version. I'm unhappy with my current guide and I don't want to give them credit for any future add ons. Can I purchase from a different guide and give someone else credit for my future purchases? If so, how?


Long Version. Ok, I'm getting ready to add on at the Grand Californian on Day 1. Selling me on the Grand Californian is the easiest thing to do. When I originally bought my contract, I expressed interest in the rumored addition at the Grand Californian. Then, I had called them within 30 mins of the official announcement, again expressing interest and wanting to be notified as soon as there is more information. My guide has called me a couple times in the past and told me about incentives and pricing and I have always let them know I'm waiting for the Grand. I made 3 documented visits to the models and they said they would let my guide know I dropped by to check them out.

On the 24th last month, when I got the letter announcing the sale date, I was on the phone instantly to my guide for more information as the letter stated to. Got voice mail and left a message. Voice mail said they were in the office but with another guest at the moment. About an hour before the end of the day, I stopped by the sales center in person to inquire about more information. Well, there was no other information but they said they would pass the word along to my guide that I stopped in.

It took 3 for her to call me back to tell me they didn't have any additional info but she would let me know as soon as there is any news. It has now been 3 days since pricing information has started appearing online and people saying they got the pricing from their guides. Not a word yet from mine.

I don't know if my guide is bad at returning calls and passing along information to interested parties or if they know I'm a guaranteed sale at 500 points so they are focusing their time on those that need to be sold on the idea. Either way, I'm not happy with the time it takes to get anything out of them.

My guide has done nothing to to effect my descision to buy and has only annoyed me recently. I do not want to give them credit for the sale when their action have done nothing to get my to buy in. I would rather the credit for the sale go to another cast member.

 

[thesupersmartguy]

Absolutely. We went in to SSR last month to get our member cards, and met a guide that showed us the models, got us our cards and just helped us add on.

 

[disneynutz]

Call the main sales number, ask for a Manager, and tell them that you want a new Guide. No big deal.

 

[perpetualplanner]

We switched guides. I was given the name of a guide from someone here on the DIS that they were happy with and I called them. He put me on the phone with a manager so I could clearly state that I wanted to switch guides. It took 5-10 minutes tops and now we're switched. Our original guide was from the cruise where we attended the DVC info meeting - we never bought at that time and we didn't really like her style.

It really is pretty painless to switch you just have to tell a manager and they'll note it. You don't even have to give a reason as to why you want to switch.

 

[dizzneebabe]

Call the main sales number, ask for a Manager, and tell them that you want a new Guide. No big deal.

This is exactly what we did. We were placed with our first guide b/c of a referral for a friend. He was nice, but I knew more than he did! He gave us wrong info on more than one occasion and when we went to add on for BLT and AKV he again gave us WRONG info (basically on where and when DP's could be used).

After going to the member mixer at Epcot we asked another guide how to switch. DH made a phone call and they immediately switched us to someone at the Doorway to Dreams store who has been unbelievable!!! He has made this purchase so smooth and easy, it's even more exciting!!!

 

[Figment2]

Even if you purchase from another guide, your current guide gets a cut of the commission (at least this is what we were told at Doorway to Dreams in Schaumburg IL).

Friends and I like our current guide and wanted to make sure she shared commissions if we purchased there.

Cyn

 

[kerickson]

It's your perogative to buy from whoever you want, but is your experience really worth getting upset over? The guides are not allowed to give out the points charts yet, so what do you expect them to tell you? You can't add on until the 25th anyway, and then have 2 mo before it could possibly sell out, so what's the rush? Now if you have clearly expressed to your guide that you want to be the first one called over all their other customers each time they get partial info and they agreed they would, then I think you can say they aren't holding up their end of the bargin. Again, it's your perogative to work with whoever you want, but IMHO your expectation seem kind of high... And I don't think any guides have proactively called any members yet to give info, sounds like as people keep calling them they are giving them little tidbits, but definitely not the who package yet...

Are there other bad experiences you had with them that is contributing? We are all frustrated with how Disney is rolling out the VGC points/pricing, but I really don't think it's the guides' fault...

 

[5forDiz]

Isolating one thing you stated " it took her 3 days to call me back...." :

while perhaps there may have been a number of circumstances that caused your guide to delay returning your call for 3 days ( time off, overwhelmed with calls from other members, etc. or even possibility you may have missed her return call ) I do understand how you are not pleased about that.

Imho I think much of the frustration members experience with guides lies with ability to reach them or have their call returned in a timely manner and, again, jmo but I think if perhaps DVC had for example guides organized into teams that would make for better coverage - so if your guide was out another from her team could take your call and/or at the very least return your call to perhaps at least for the time being answer some of your questions until your guide is able to directly speak with you. But of course a team approach scenario may result in guides agreeing to split percentage of commission if sale is made & that may not go over well with them

If you aren't satisfied with your guide and feel you'd prefer another, then do it ...your reasons don't have to be the same as another member's reasons for wanting a different guide. Everyone has to set their own bar regarding what they'd consider a ~reasonable~ level of satisfaction, confidence and comfort when dealing with their guide . There are plenty of them and hopefully the next guide you're assigned to will be a better fit so to speak.

Best wishes

 

[disneynutz]

Even if you purchase from another guide, your current guide gets a cut of the commission (at least this is what we were told at Doorway to Dreams in Schaumburg IL).

Friends and I like our current guide and wanted to make sure she shared commissions if we purchased there.

Cyn

Not if you are assigned a different permanent Guide by a Manager.

If you buy, lets say, while your Guide is on vacation, then yes, the commission is split. This isn't the case here. The OP wants to make a permanent switch.

 

[tjkraz]

It took 3 for her to call me back to tell me they didn't have any additional info but she would let me know as soon as there is any news. It has now been 3 days since pricing information has started appearing online and people saying they got the pricing from their guides. Not a word yet from mine.

Just my $.02 but I don't know how much you can hold the Guides responsible for the above.

DVC management sent out those notification letters before Christmas (the "call your Guide for more info" letters) knowing full well that the Guides did not have details to provide. No sales person wants to call a customer back and say "sorry, I still cannot help you" so that may have played into the apparent non-responsiveness.

As for the information you have read, it's what I would classify as "leaks" at this point. DVC has not actually approved any sales materials for release. And even the info that has leaked has ranged from seemingly accurate to completely incorrect. I have a vested interest in trying to wade through what has been posted and I can tell you that it has been very difficult trying to draw any conclusions. If you look at the 20 page VGC thread on here, you'll find quite a number of posts with incorrect information (developer's points / no developer's points, different incentive prices, different minimums, different maximums, one view / multiple views, etc.)

What I'm saying is that the last few days have been more of an indictment of those who HAVE given out information--because so much of it has been incorrect. THAT is the primary reason why DVC tries to get all of its ducks in a row before they begin selling. Some Guides have jumped the gun by releasing half-correct info and I don't see where that is worthy of applause.

If you had a truly bad experience with your current Guide (multiple calls not returned when the info is "officially" available, lied about the product, bullying or badgering you, etc.), then I think I change is certainly in order. But in this case it sounds like your Guide is simply being more dilligent about following her employer's rules.

More than anything I would suggest you ask yourself this question: has ANOTHER Guide done something for you that would warrant earning your commission?

Good luck.

 

[Tozzie]

Short version. I'm unhappy with my current guide and I don't want to give them credit for any future add ons. Can I purchase from a different guide and give someone else credit for my future purchases? If so, how?


Long Version. Ok, I'm getting ready to add on at the Grand Californian on Day 1. Selling me on the Grand Californian is the easiest thing to do. When I originally bought my contract, I expressed interest in the rumored addition at the Grand Californian. Then, I had called them within 30 mins of the official announcement, again expressing interest and wanting to be notified as soon as there is more information. My guide has called me a couple times in the past and told me about incentives and pricing and I have always let them know I'm waiting for the Grand. I made 3 documented visits to the models and they said they would let my guide know I dropped by to check them out.

On the 24th last month, when I got the letter announcing the sale date, I was on the phone instantly to my guide for more information as the letter stated to. Got voice mail and left a message. Voice mail said they were in the office but with another guest at the moment. About an hour before the end of the day, I stopped by the sales center in person to inquire about more information. Well, there was no other information but they said they would pass the word along to my guide that I stopped in.

It took 3 for her to call me back to tell me they didn't have any additional info but she would let me know as soon as there is any news. It has now been 3 days since pricing information has started appearing online and people saying they got the pricing from their guides. Not a word yet from mine.

I don't know if my guide is bad at returning calls and passing along information to interested parties or if they know I'm a guaranteed sale at 500 points so they are focusing their time on those that need to be sold on the idea. Either way, I'm not happy with the time it takes to get anything out of them.

My guide has done nothing to to effect my descision to buy and has only annoyed me recently. I do not want to give them credit for the sale when their action have done nothing to get my to buy in. I would rather the credit for the sale go to another cast member.

If your purchase were time sensative I would be annoyed if the guide didn't call back but I can actually see why she hasn't called back. The first time when she waited 3 days to call she may have either been off or hoping that official information and she would have information for you, secondly the information on the internet is leaked and not official so why would she call you when she told you she would call you when the information is available. I know some people have posted what their guides have told them but that isn't written in stone yet so still ins't official info. I honestly don't see why you are so upset, I know you are anxious but a new guide isn't going to be able to give you any more info than the current one.

 

[Figment2]

Disneynutz, all I'm stating is my experience and what were told. Magical pins original question was could they buy from a different guide and her regular guide not get any credit. Maybe it's different when you add on through Doorway to Dreams. Friends and I both added on BLT. We specifically asked if our guide (same one for both of us) would get a split and were told she would. In my case, she would get 50% of the commission and Alan (my sales person at Doorway) the other 50%.

I know Jenna is aware of our purchases since we both received cards from her.

Cyn

 

[3guysandagal]

Switched our guide right before buying in at BLT this past Dec.
She NEVER called back after inquiring about certain details.
No effort, no sale.
Just told the person in the Epcot booth where we made our appointment for the tour, she called the main sales office, told them we wanted a new guide before the tour, and Voila!, new guide.
No problem.

 

[MagicalPins]

Hello everyone. I have been working a lot of overtime at my day job and trying to work on my side eBay business. (Gotta pay for the Add on somehow)

The guides are not allowed to give out the points charts yet, so what do you expect them to tell you? You can't add on until the 25th anyway, and then have 2 mo before it could possibly sell out, so what's the rush? Now if you have clearly expressed to your guide that you want to be the first one called over all their other customers each time they get partial info and they agreed they would, then I think you can say they aren't holding up their end of the bargin. Again, it's your perogative to work with whoever you want, but IMHO your expectation seem kind of high... And I don't think any guides have proactively called any members yet to give info, sounds like as people keep calling them they are giving them little tidbits, but definitely not the who package yet...

I was not looking for any information that has not been released to the guides yet. All I am expecting from a guide is new information when its released to them in a reasonable amount of time. I don't need to be the first one called, I just want to be called when new information is out to help me plan.

Just my $.02 but I don't know how much you can hold the Guides responsible for the above.

DVC management sent out those notification letters before Christmas (the "call your Guide for more info" letters) knowing full well that the Guides did not have details to provide. No sales person wants to call a customer back and say "sorry, I still cannot help you" so that may have played into the apparent non-responsiveness.

I can completely understand a call saying they have no information. In fact, that is the call that I received 3 days later. Leaving a message in the morning when they are at the office, after not hearing back from them, stopping by that afternoon to the Sales Center at Disneyland and then not hearing back from 3 days is the part I have a problem with. A simple 30 second phone call just saying "Hey, got your message, they haven't told us anything, I will let you know when I hear anything" would have been really appreciated. In fact, that is the type of message I got from them when they did call back.

As it stands right now, I last heard from my guide in December. I have not yet heard anything from my guide as far as pricing, incentives, mins for purchases, cap on points available to purchase at this time. Nothing. Based on the main post here and how many people have said they hare heard things from their guides, I expect that the guides have been heard something and that all those posts are not fake.

More than anything I would suggest you ask yourself this question: has ANOTHER Guide done something for you that would warrant earning your commission?

At this point, any guide work currently working for Disney Vacation Club has done equal amounts for me to warrant earning my commission. Wonder if I could just ask for the guide that has the fewest sales to help out their numbers.

 

[TIGGERmetoo]

I understand where you're coming from. I'm not totally pleased with my guide either. I think they should at least seem to want to help you and call you back on a timely basis. 3 days isn't so bad but IMHO she should have at least apologized for taking so long to get back to you or gave you a reason i.e. was out of office. It seems like there are quite a few guides that go the extra mile and I would rather give one of them the extra commission. You should be pleased and I would definately recommend you change if you're not happy.