Is my guide o.k.?

[CK1]

Huh... interesting phone call with my guide. Since I haven't rec'd any calls from him re. the BWV points, and I am probably going to do a small add-on, I gave him a call. (I am going to add-on if it kills me... which it might, at the hands of my hubby! But life is fleeting, and at least he and the kids will have a nice DVC to remember me by... I'm a-doin' it, despite the fact we found out yesterday about a major termite problem in our house! LOVELY. But hey, I have my priorities, and I refuse to work extra hours of overtime and only have the Orkin Man to show for it! The Mouse is Mightier than the 'Mite!)

ANYHOOOO -- I called because I wanted to know if it was wise to buy now, since I have a June use year and (a) we can't go to WDW for awhile, and (b) I don't feel like trying to find someone to use them. I'll lose those pts and pay about $10 in fees. On the flip side, if the points for June BWV would be gone by June 1, then I'll just pony up now and make the sacrifice for the net reward of BWV pts.

I EXPECTED my guide to say, "Pony up! Pony Up!" Instead, he had this song and dance about how he had just "gotten off the boat (the cruise ship)" and had a mtg to go to and wasn't wholly sure of all the details. He had no idea how many points were out there for just June, and said he would check on it, and then call me on May 13th! May 13th? Odd! He said he was due to set sail again, and that he had a million phone calls to make and stuff to catch up on, and that if I was desperate to just go ahead and buy, if he was off at sea I could just call the main office and "get someone there to help me". Alternatively, he would give me a call around May 13th to discuss the details. Meanwhile, a mass mailing to all the DVC owners goes out this week, he said.

I realize we are hardly "Concierge level" guide treatment with just a tiny add-on (we have 175, adding probably 30 or so, haven't decided -- but still small potatoes). Definitely no free park passes or even Christmas cards a-goin' on here! But nonetheless, I was just sort of well, surprised, by the casual "Thanks for callin', I'll call you later" attitude. I discussed the pts situation with him, making sure I was getting the right sized contract -- again, no sales pressure (which I wouldn't have wanted, anyway, but still surprising). He then tried to make a joke and said, "I always tell my members that if they have points they can't use in a use year, they have to give them to their Guide! Hahaha." And I said, "ReallY? I always tell my guide that if he goes on 2 cruises within 30 days, he has to give me a free 30 pt contract!! Hahahaha!" (Please do note, we weren't being total SA's here -- it was said in jest.... well, sort of... I WOULD like a free contract, and what the heck would he need with my measley points anyway??? )

Anyway -- if anyone out there with an active, vocal land-lubber guide could get info for me on whether the points were split evenly across the use years or if more were available for the really popular use year (LIKE JUNE), and maybe even how fast June is selling, I'd be EVER so grateful!!!

Thanks!

Cindy
(this is me, stompin' on termites....)

 

[floridafam]

I think I know your guide.

If you want to buy the points, buy them, whether your guide is there or not.

If you want them, why take the chance they might be gone when he gets back from the cruise?

Yes, he does have work to do on the cruise but you obviously want someone to handle your add-on so just have someone else do it. He has someone filling in for him while he is gone, correct?

I don't have any info on how many pt s are out there and you always take a gamble if you ask how fast they are selling. You'll get a lot of different answers.

If you want them, call back and buy them with whomever they transfer you to. If the person says wait until your guide gets back tell them you don't want to.

There are certain guides who spend a LOT of time on the cruises and you may encounter voice mail or slow responses quite often from these guides. Just talk to someone else, I'm sure the guides understand that you will do this.

 

[jekjones1558]

Just curious. What are your guides initials? We just added on at BWV and our guide just returned from a cruise.

 

[zurgswife]

My guide also just returned from a cruise..but I was under the impression it was a working thing...sitting the DVC desk or something like that....

 

[MickeyMagic]

I would request a new guide.

 

[Cruelladeville]

Did you consider changing guides?? It seems to me that he isn't too interested in helping you add-on, and, excuse me for saying this, but isn't his main job to sell points?? If he isn't going to do his job, you need a new guide. I think there was a thread about this last week or so, on how to go about changing guides. I think you should get the same quality of service when you have 170 pts as you do when you have 700, otherwise you would never have 700 pts. Don't settle for a lower level of service--hey, how would you feel if the Orkin man only got some of your termites, because you don't have as many termites as your neighbor has?

 

[floridafam]

It is a working thing but there are some guides that are gone 2 weeks out of a month and you may not always be able to get a hold of them. Plus, who knows how long the BWV pts will last. Just buy them from another guide. I don't know why he didn't get her more info during their conversation.

 

[SlyHubby]

skip the guide, check what's out there for resales and I guarantee you can find one with the use year and number of points you want.

we've always had great treatment from our guide. we were interested in BCV 2 years before they finally started selling. we told our guide at the onset to keep us posted - and he did. he leaves us messages when we're at a resort, he periodically calls us at home, every now and then we get a note in the mail. in the end, we never did buy at BCV (bought the RV instead), but our guide still keeps in touch with us, lets us know his schedule when we're on site, and is more than happy to make time for us.

if your guide can't make time for you, dump him.

 

[Regina]

There are always DVC sales reps on the ships, and they work incredibly long hours while onboard.

Maybe he misinterpreted your uncertaintly regarding whether to purchase now or wait until June. That may have given him the impression that a two week wait wouldn't be unreasonable. This would give him a chance to see what's happening at the BWV and not rush you into something that you weren't sure about doing immediately.

I would do as he suggested and call the office directly if you've decided to make the purchase now.

 

[Carlnne]

I having trouble feeling sorry for the guides who work long hours behind the desk on the cruise (LOL).

If he's too busy to sell small add-ons Id find someone who will. I think the termite example says it all.

 

[CK1]

Just as a side note, I didn't think he was rude -- just, well, harried and uninformed. It would seem to me that if DVC is going to have certain guides workin' the ships repeatedly, they should relieve those guides of their member duties and pass 'em to another guide!

My sister and I somehow ended up with the same guide, and we've never had problems thus far. I'll probably give the dude the May 13 margin. It'll give me time to finance this stinkin' termite mess and confirm exactly how many points we can afford / need. And he said he'd call back sooner if it looked like a rapid sales.

If anyone else on the "call me right in the nick of time" list gets a call, put up a thread of warning, please, for potentially out of the loop folks like me!!

THanks --

Cindy (still stompin' those termites....)

 

[disney4me4ever]

Cindy~

I agree with others that said they would request a new Guide. I would make that decision based on 2 realities: First, Disney is all about customer service. You didn't get good customer service, you got excuses why he couldn't or wouldn't help you. I don't care if you were adding on 1 point or 1000, it shouldn't make a difference. Putting you off for 2 weeks is totally unacceptable.

Secondly, what he does is called sales. Granted no pressure, but he is on commission, and the first sentence in his job description starts with Sales. You are customer; he is salesperson; maybe he needs to relearn that concept.

I switched Guides when we did our BCV add on a few months ago. We now have Linda Streetman, who came highly recommended. As an aside, she told DH and I that she doesn't have to work the ships. Maybe you could call MS and ask specifically for a Guide that doesn't have the ship duty and is available on a consistent basis. I think, from a customer service perspective, there should be a mechanism in place for responding to customer needs while a guide is on the cruise.

Nancy

 

[sitchu2]

I think that if you buy now you will be better off. I have lost $10 on worse things.

(pack lunch for 2 days and there it is)


So what you loose the points for 2002. You will not get them anyway if you buy after June 1.

Alternatively, you can post the points on the rent trade board and if you really feel like paying it forward, give them away!! It will make you feel really good about not loosing them. And youll get a little good carma comming your way!!

The flipside of this have your guide tell you hes sorry but the june use year was sold out.

My guide told me on the first monday of the bwv sales each guide was logging in an unusually high amount of contracts.


Putting my money where my mouth is I did what I am advising, gave away 84 points, will waste 6 points , will loose about $40, but am very happy to have a full
bwv contract of 150 pts (I had 60 berore my 90 pt add on)




PS The offering is up on the website now and indicates the points are very limited and while supplies last.