Member Services - Not very nice

[Chuck S]

I'm sorry MS was short with you on the phone. It is certainly not normal. I'd tend to cut them a break. Imagine all the calls they're getting right now with folks canceling/calling because of Hurricane Rita, booking dining ressies for December, folks who don't plan ahead trying to get reservations for Christmas/NYE and being upset when told "Sorry, no availability". This can't be a good time to be phone rep.

 

[CharlesTD]

Nope every CM at MS has always been great with both Dw and myself on the phone.

 

[LisaS]

My experience with MS is quite limited compared to most of the others who have replied to your post. But I do have recent experience as a new member who bought a resale contract (I closed on August 10th), and I've had only positive experiences with MS.

I called MS a week after I closed and was told that Admin had my paperwork and I would be in the system the next day. I called Admin the next afternoon and was told I wasn't in the system. There was a computer worm going around at that time and it had slowed their systems down and impacted their work that day. The woman I spoke to in Admin that day told me to call back after 1:00 PM the next day. She gave me her direct number and told me "If you're not in the system by tomorrow afternoon, I'll take care of it personally." I called her the next afternoon and I was all set. She mentioned that it was a two-step process and verified that both steps had been completed.

On all three calls and despite MS' frustration in trying to get on with their work despite computer problems, absolutely everyone I spoke with was pleasant, friendly and helpful. I've called back twice since then to make changes to a reservation and again, both people I spoke with were wonderful and patient, despite my being a newbie and asking questions they must have answered hundreds of times before.

So I would agree -- don't judge MS by this one unfortunate experience.

 

[MiaSRN62]

MaryPA,
First I want to say, sorry you had a negative first experience with MS. I don't believe it's the norm at all, but I'm sure it does happen from time to time. We booked a cruise on points back in '01 and things really got messed up. It ended up being MS's fault (had 3-way calls with DCL, MS and myself on several occasions before things were straightened out). I must have dealt with 3 or 4 different MS CM's and all were very gracious and accomodating. I ended up dealing with this one specific CM---Steven----who was a doll. We actually ended up getting an upgrade (something I was not at all fishing for). The only time I experienced a somewhat not-quite-so-cheerful CM was in '03. We had questioned whether a room we had at BWV was indeed a Preferred View vs a standard. But even then, that CM wasn't that bad.....just not as cheery. I hope all your future communications with MS end up being a bit more "magical". But I think anyone can have an "off" day.
On a side note.....I see you live in Roslyn. I'm in Lansdale and work in Abington, so I pass through your town all the time on my way to work. Just wanted to say "hi" and

HOME !

 

[MaryPA]

Wow! Thank you for all of your replies! I really am glad that what we experienced is not the norm. Although after DH called and they were "short", I thought - Oh no, what did we do? Maybe DVC wasn't the route we should have taken! But thanks to all of your comments I realize it was just a "fluke" and we won't worry about what mood the Member Service person is in - just made us nervous that it happened our first call.

Have a Magical Day!

 

[Disney Doll]

Over all, I have always found the MS folks to be nice. I have had a couple of encounters where they were as interested as they "needed" to be, but not a bit more, if you KWIM. I've had other encounters where they tried to move Heaven and earth to help me.

In general, I find them pleasant, knowledgeable & helpful.

 

[fatherAZ]

We are in a similar situation - closed a week ago after buying resale and were told that we'd be in the Disney's system in 10 days. Do we wait to hear from Disney or from the closing company? or should should I call Disney around day 10?

 

[floridafam]

The only time I encounter rude CM's is when I talk to the accounting dept. of DVC.

They just always seem to be rude.

 

[LisaS]

We are in a similar situation - closed a week ago after buying resale and were told that we'd be in the Disney's system in 10 days. Do we wait to hear from Disney or from the closing company? or should should I call Disney around day 10?

I called them starting a week after closing because I wanted to make some reservations. If you're not in that situation then you can just wait until you receive something from Disney such as your membership packet or your membership cards, and then you should be in the system. At that point, you might want to call just to verify that you have been credited with the correct number of current year and next year points that were in the contract that you purchased.

 

[Blue&Gold]

We bought resale, I called at the 7 day mark after being notified we had closed and were in the system on day 8. Very pleasant CMs overall---which is good because the minute I think I'm getting the cold shoulder or poor service, I'll be on the phone with their supervisor. This isn't the normal "customer" relationship---we own the place!

 

[Doctor P]

I think this thread tells us all we need to know, IMHO. We have had several posts indicating that the person started calling 7 days after they were notified they closed and implied in some cases that they kept calling till they were told they were in the system. I understand the eagerness, but I also suspect that we are seeing but a small part of what MS is probably having to deal with. Not excusing impolite behavior, but I do understand some lack of patience in stressful times. This also overburdens MS for existing members who have other legitimate business with MS, too.

 

[crisi]

I think this thread tells us all we need to know, IMHO. We have had several posts indicating that the person started calling 7 days after they were notified they closed and implied in some cases that they kept calling till they were told they were in the system. I understand the eagerness, but I also suspect that we are seeing but a small part of what MS is probably having to deal with. Not excusing impolite behavior, but I do understand some lack of patience in stressful times. This also overburdens MS for existing members who have other legitimate business with MS, too.

Huh? Lisa S started calling at 7 days, but she had ressies she wanted to make - and that, by the way, is when the resale company told me to start calling - 5 to 7 business days. The OP's DH didn't call until 10 days, apparently. And yes, you call Member Services - you don't even get a phone number for Member Administration from the closing company - just the Member Services number, instructions to call in a few days. And if you wait for your blue card to get your member number - mine took a few months! Most resale buyers do have trips they need to make reservations for.

Besides, I doubt the several hundred CMs all keep track of who is bugging them every day.

There are no doubt procedural improvements DVC could make to the process of transferring ownership. For instance, MA could send an email out to the new owner with the number if an email address gets entered into the system when the member number is created, probably keeping the member from making the call. But that isn't the fault of the new member that DVC can't figure out the simple stuff.

 

[bavaria]

Sometimes unfortunately things do go wrong. I started calling at the 14 day mark, and by the 21 day mark was getting a little anxious as I wanted to make reservations for the very near future.

Long story short, my contract had gone temporarily missing once it reached DVC, but I had my agent at TSS conferenced in on the call, and did get into the system.

Since then, it has been a very pleasant experience with MS. I went through my first reservation and waitlist experience last week and they were very helpful.

Wishing you a quick turnaround!

 

[Cruelladeville]

There are no doubt procedural improvements DVC could make to the process of transferring ownership. For instance, MA could send an email out to the new owner with the number if an email address gets entered into the system when the member number is created, probably keeping the member from making the call. But that isn't the fault of the new member that DVC can't figure out the simple stuff.

Excuse me?! If you bought resale, it is the responsibility of the resale company, not DVC. I have bought 3 resales, and all three times the resale company called me with the info about my member number and the phone number of MS, as well as a review of procedures. Admittedly, since I was already a member, I wasn't calling them every two minutes, but I thought they were very quick. I had a new member card right away, too. Perhaps it was your resale company? I used Jaki Apatz, and she or her assistant called me every couple of days to let me know what was going on. From start to finish was only about 3-4 weeks, including receiving the member cards.

 

[LisaS]

I think this thread tells us all we need to know, IMHO. We have had several posts indicating that the person started calling 7 days after they were notified they closed and implied in some cases that they kept calling till they were told they were in the system. I understand the eagerness, but I also suspect that we are seeing but a small part of what MS is probably having to deal with. Not excusing impolite behavior, but I do understand some lack of patience in stressful times. This also overburdens MS for existing members who have other legitimate business with MS, too.

While I did make my initial call about whether or not I was in the system to MS, my other calls about this were to Member Administration not MS. I'm sorry if this was not clear in my post.

 

[Doctor P]

My point is that Disney has said to wait 10 days to be in the system according to previous posts on this board. Whether you want to make a reservation or not, it is unreasonable to call before that point, and it is unreasonable for persons purchasing resale to not be given the information by their closing agent or purchasing agent. This is not Disney's problem, IMHO. Furthermore, the phone number for Member Administration is the same one as the one for Member Services--just a different prompt. Same with Member Accounting. I think there is a real gap in service on resales, too. DVC as part of the ROFR process should have a fee that is charged for documentation and documentation delivery that ensures that the purchaser receives all pertinent documents AT OR BEFORE CLOSING or that such are provided by the seller. Better communication about being in the system should also be a priority, I will agree. And, by the way, this post certainly was not aimed at the OP who did wait till the 10 day mark.

 

[Daitcher]

DH called Member Services today to see if we are in their system yet. We bought resale and was told 10 days from closing. Today was 10 days and Member Services was not very nice - borderline rude. Unlike Me, DH is very nice to everyone so this surprised me. CRO has always been super nice.

Has anyone else have this same treatment from Member Services?

BTW, the answer was no - not in system yet.

I have always been dissapointed with MS. They haven't been very friendly or helpull with any of my ressies or questions. We stay at Marriott Vacation Club properties on cash from time to time and have always found the reservation people to be very friendly.


DAVE

 

[Dean]

Entering the information into the system at DVC should generally take no more than a couple of working days. Allowing for weekends and mail transfer, that should get you to around a week or so at the most. In past years it wasn't that uncommon for people to be the system within 5 days of closing, now that seems to be unusual.

The closing company's job is to do the closing and notify DVC that it has been done. After that, the ball is in DVC's court. DVC should not be telling the closing company your member number and the like. Given the fact they've taken to canceling any pre-closing ressies, even those in the buyers name, I think they should be prepared for the likelihood of these type of phone calls. I also know of a several people who were told by MS they weren't in the system but truly were, I wonder how often that's happened but the buyer never found out about it. Apparently it can be hard to search for them and any variation in listing can make it hard for them to find.

 

[crisi]

Cruella, I used Jaki as well, and she never gave me my member number...told me to call Member Services in 5-7 days. And while I liked Jaki and thought she provided great service, she and the closing company were far from quick. Nor was the process of getting my member card. The point from where I made an offer to closing and being in the system was over two months - not all Jaki's fault, the previous owner didn't get some papers notarized and they had to go back, but the closing kept getting pushed back as well (I was spectularly unimpressed with the closing company - who took a week to close after they had all the paperwork the second time). However, I wasn't in any rush, and Jaki knew that, so perhaps she'd said "do these first, these people are in a hurry - crisi won't mind if she doesn't close for another week."

Now I bought at a busy time - BCVs were starting to close about the time I closed. It took two weeks for a DVC guide to even get back to me when I inquired - by which time I'd found Jaki and made an offer. I suspect that DVC itself was so busy closing its own deals and getting its new BCV owners in the system, that things like getting us resale buyers our membership cards and getting us in the system took a backseat.

I assumed the member number doesn't transfer with the contract and a new number is assigned by member services. If its the old member number, they should just tell you that at closing. Although even then, if it takes DVC a few days to enter the contract into the system, Jaki can't tell me when that is done. And it wouldn't take that long to email you with a template - "Congrats on your resale, you are in the DVC system. Your member number is XXXXXXX and your guide is Mickey Mouse at XXX-XXX-XXXX."

 

[jarestel]

It's important to remember when reporting anything bad or unpleasant here that "it is always the member's fault". I always start my less than positive posts with a standard mea culpa like "I know this is all my fault and I didn't memorize my contract like I was supposed to, and DVC is great and never does anything but wonderful, magical things..." This lets everyone know I am totally to blame for everything and I'm grateful that DVC even let me into their club in the first place. What's that saying... "I wouldn't want to be a member of any club that would have me for a member".

Repeat after me... DVC - GOOD! Members - BAD! It's all MY fault!