Problem...How Should I Address This (long)

[lts862]

I called Member Services today to make reservation for our trip next November. The CM was very courteous and helpful. I asked for a transfer to Accounting because my Dad did not get his bill for annual dues yet. I was transferred to an accounting person who was very rude.

I am an associate member of my Dad's membership. I indicated that he had not yet received his bill and that we know that it is due for payment in mid January. I explained that we were waiting for the bill so that he could make the payment. This CM said that they were mailed on December 27 and that it is probably still in the mail. Huh?? She further stated that since I was not Mr.______ that she could not discuss this with me. I told her that I understood, but wanted to bring this to their attention, as we were checking in on Jan 23 and did not want there to be any problems. She sighed and said that she would send a duplicate bill...goodbye, and hung up on me.

Now, I understand that being an associate member does not carry the privleges (or dues payment) of the "owner" or "member" but I was just trying to make sure that these dues were paid. She was curt, abrupt and what I thought was rude! She could have simply said, "I am sorry Mrs. ________I would have to discuss accounting issues with Mr. ________, but will send a duplicate to him if this would help. Thank you for calling...have a Disney day", or something along those lines. She just sighed and huffed and said "I'll send him a duplicate bill. Goodbye".

I was friendly and courteous in speaking with her but she really got my goat today. Dad spent a lot to become a member and was waiting to send them their money. To quote Mulan's grandmother, "Who spit in her bean curd?"

I need to address this with someone at DVC but not sure who I should speak with or to whom I should draft a letter. It was just unnecessary the way she handled this and I would hope that other members are not spoken to in the disrespectful manner that I was today.
Thanks for listening.

 

[Chuck S]

I'm sorry you got a sub-standard accounting CM. Everyone I have dealt with on the rare occasions I need to talk to accounting has been very helpful. You may want to simply address a letter to member accounting at the address that comes with your bill, or you can send en email to member services at members@disneyvacationclub.com and put in the subject line to forward it to member accounting or member satisfaction manager

 

[DrTomorrow]

As always, there's no excuse for rudeness. However, I'm quite glad that MS is guarding our privacy and information quite rigorously. Even admitting that Mr. _________ is a DVC owner, much less discussing bills that may be due or other financial issues - I'm glad that MS is tight-lipped. The obvious answer is to have your father call....

 

[dis-happy]

Maybe not the best of experiences, and I can understand why you are a bit miffed, but truthfully, I would try to shrug it off. I've done accounting and small business bookkeeping in the past, and chances are things have probably been very busy for everyone there, and most likely long hours with year-end closing and probably lots of phone calls from people who had questions with the dues just sent out. She probably just had an un-Disney moment, maybe you could send some pixie dust her way instead.

JMHO

 

[Doctor P]

Sorry, but if the bills were mailed December 27, I have to agree that the bill may still be in the mail given at least two postal holidays since then. We are generally told to wait TWO WEEKS after something is mailed before declaring it truly lost or misplaced in the mail. Yes, that may seem unreasonable, but it is factual. The worst case I have had recently was my water bill taking 30 days to get to my house from city hall just a mile away! Now, these sorts of things are unusual, but the way things get processed around holiday time, it can take a really long time for things to make their way through the mail.

 

[Dean]

Have the member call and they can pay the bill by credit card over the phone and it will be settled. While rudeness is never acceptable, neither is discussing a financial account with another without true permission and being an associate does not qualify as permission.

 

[Luckymommyx2]

I'm still waiting for my bill too. I was wondering if I could just call with credit card info and have it taken care of over the phone. Sorry you had a less than stellar experience. I was surprised that I didn't received my "have a magical day" when making my reservation yesterday but no one was rude. I just chalked it up to being the first day back after a break and being innundated with calls.

 

[sjdisneywedding]

thats just garbage. There is no need for that and i dont buy the fact that just because you are an associate you can not call and make your point about there being no bill yet.

no one here was asking for info on the bill or contract just making a point that the bill never arrived

 

[lts862]

Thank you to those who responded. I did not have an issue with not discussing accounting issues because I was an associate member. I understand that and indicated that in my original post. My concern was how rude the CM on the other end of the phone was during this conversation.

I do not speak to people in this manner as a consumer, and just feel that someone who is responsible for addressing concerns or issues that I have as a consumer, could have spoken a little bit nicer, that is all. Despite what some of you have said about her justification of speaking to me this way, I will be contacting DVC to voice my concern. I had asked who to address this to, that is all.

 

[DrTomorrow]

lts862,

I don't think that anyone said that the CM's attitude was acceptable - I know that the first thing in my post was that it wasn't.

I do have a question,though, if you don't mind turning this into a learning experience for some of us. I know that, when I call MS, I am asked about a dozen questions for ID purposes (Membership #, PN, SSN, Blood type, shoe size). When you called as an associate member, what did they ask you?

I'm curious, because MS even admitting that Mr. ______ is a DVC owner might not be something that they should do unless they've verified who they are talking to. I'm not usually a member of The Loyal Order of the Tinfoil Hat, but when it comes to significant financial investments, I don't want MS telling anyone anything unless they are authorized to.

 

[DisneyBill]

Acknowleding that someone is an owner is already a matter of public record because the deeds are recorded with the county.

 

[Terry S]

DrTommorrow... as you probably know I have my own points. But, my parents also have points and I am an associate. The only thing they ask is the membership number and my name when I call about thier points. Then they ask me if I am an associate which is always really strange to me. Why would they ask me? Shouldn't that information be on thier screens? They don't ask for any other personal information after that. I have never had any problems doing any reservations, banking, borrowing, or trasferring with thier membership. I have never really asked about maintenance dues type issues.

 

[DrTomorrow]

Acknowleding that someone is an owner is already a matter of public record because the deeds are recorded with the county.

True, but there are a lot of things that are officially public that I'd rather not have private organizations, particularly ones I'm helping to pay - like MS - making known to just anyone. And, more to my point, I'm talking about DVC ownership details - bills due, payments late, point available/borrowed/banked - that I'd prefer be kept fairly secure.

 

[DrTomorrow]

DrTommorrow... as you probably know I have my own points. But, my parents also have points and I am an associate. The only thing they ask is the membership number and my name when I call about thier points. Then they ask me if I am an associate which is always really strange to me. Why would they ask me? Shouldn't that information be on thier screens? They don't ask for any other personal information after that. I have never had any problems doing any reservations, banking, borrowing, or trasferring with thier membership. I have never really asked about maintenance dues type issues.

Thanks. I confess I'm a bit ignorant on what privileges / access an associate member has. When I called last October to add our friends' names to our December reservation, they asked for name, DVC#, my SSN and my phone number - and I'm an owner .