M.S. Survey: Preferred method of booking reservations

[RuthnPaul]

I was asked to participate in an automated phone survey after I chatted with Member Services late this afternoon. After answering a few general questions about my experience with M.S., I was asked to rank which of the following options I would most use for booking my reservations:

1 - Phone
2 - E-Mail
3 - Fax
4 - On-line

Guess which one I picked!?!?!

 

[chris1gill]

We can only hope and pray they implement some sort of online program... oh that would be SO easy.....

 

[tjkraz]

Originally posted by RuthnPaul
I was asked to participate in an automated phone survey after I chatted with Member Services late this afternoon.

FYI, that EXACT survey has been in a random rotation on the DVC phone lines for at least the entire year I've been a member. At this point I doubt whether they are even monitoring the results. It shouldn't take a year to get a statistically valid sampling of member opinions.

 

[lenshanem]

Online.

 

[OCDisney]

I say no to online. I know that may not be popular but here are my reasons:

1. The overall process of making a reservation can get quite complicated when you throw in all the combinations of things people do. This would make the software very difficult to write in a way that would handle all situations.

2. Because the software would be insufficient for all needs they would STILL have to provide the telephone option and IMO that would lead us to paying for both systems.

3. Considering the quality of the DVC website (and the main Disney one for that matter) do you _really_ think you will feel comfortable letting the machine mess with your points? Or would you need to talk to a live person to feel reassured? If so, go with the live person in the first place.

This is a personal decision for all I know. But I want to add one distinctly me personal note -- I write web applications for a living. I've written many websites and supported/enhanced many that others wrote. I'll just say that I believe that the majority of people working on websites are just so-so programmers. As such I would never trust my DVC points to a website unless I wrote it...

Update: In response to a comment I read below: I've no objection to a very basic reservation online system -- but I would never expect it to be capable of handling anything except the most basic reservations. No waitlists, cash reservations, or multiply linked reservations. I will stick to the phone.

Edit: fixed dreadful spelling mistakes.

 

[Pa@okw95]

They drag out this question now and again. I have been asked it many times. I think they are waiting until it changes from phone to online as favorite so they can say we are only doing what you asked. Right now phone is the number one way of doing it, at least according to surrveys done here before.

 

[kweaver]

Online - with real time and historical account information...so that I can verify my point totals.

OCDisney - I understand your hesitation...but I think it can be done properly by the right people/skills. I am also unimpressed with the DVC Member website right now.

 

[tjkraz]

There is no reason that on-line bookings should not be coming down the pipe. We're living in an age where computer programs rule over everything from the heathcare industry to aerospace to wall street. Tracking DVC points and facilitating realtime bookings is not an insurrmountable task.

I'll give DVC a 'pass' on this one for the time being, simply because it's clear that there was no initiative in place prior to Jim Lewis' arrival about a year ago. This is certainly not a project to be rushed out the door. But there are no excuses for letting the site languish indefinitely.

 

[DVCcollector]

I chose phone when I did the survey.

 

[erikthewise]

I answer online sometimes and phone sometimes. I would like to see an online option but definitely want to keep the phone option as well.

I am completely comfortable doing things online, but that doesn't mean I always choose to. I bank online and do airline/rental car online. I can also order pizza online, but so far I have no interest in doing so. There are some things for which voice is as good or better.

 

[Pig Pen]

I used the limited online form on the DVC website - I think it's really just email - a couple times and it worked fine. I got an email back the next day confirming my ressie.

 

[RuthnPaul]

Originally posted by erikthewise
I answer online sometimes and phone sometimes. I would like to see an online option but definitely want to keep the phone option as well.

I totally agree that I don't think you'll ever be able to totally eliminate being able to book by phone (nor would you want to!) because there are people who either 1) don't have a PC/Mac (shocking, but true) or 2) would not be comfortable with an online reservation system even if they do have a PC/Mac.

 

[laceemouse]

Erik, we order Domino's pizza on-line all the time. It works fine and still tastes great!!!! Lacee

 

[BobH]

While online booking is fine for many reservations I do not want to give up my option to contact a human being. If too many people answer that online is OK I guarantee you that the reservation agents will be let go and you will be left waiting longer for your answers.