random Member Services phone survey?

[disneyberry]

did anyone else get "randomly selected to participate" in a phone survey when you called MS this week? (i got "randomly selected" 3 times 'cause i called to book a room, and then called back twice to ask questions)

anyway, they did have an interesting question at the end asking: which method would you most prefer for booking reservations in the future?

Phone,
Fax,
Email,
or Internet.

so i was just curious what the consensus is here on the DISboards.

btw, i think i'll be writing an email to MS to let them know about why i picked "Internet" as my answer. i.e. it'd be great if they had a system set up so you can see your points balance, and check availability and book rooms or sign up for waitlists yourself.
the current web form for booking ressies is pretty good, MS is good at responding quickly. however, one big flaw is how they don't even give you a confirmation page to make sure you submitted the right thing. what happens when you mistype something or clicked on the wrong option?

 

[Maistre Gracey]

I have taken that survey a couple of times. I have been 'randomly selected' a wad of times, but more often than not I forget to hold after the call.

- I think I voted internet....

 

[Pa@okw95]

The problem with internet is not everyone has a home computer especially the older members of the group who may have never made the jump to home computers. I went with phone when asked, we will see some change in the future with all the members we have and some calling day by day. At any rate the phone is for me, I want instant answers to my questions and reservations.

 

[PamOKW]

That survey has been going on for some time now. I also have a problem with the black & white answers. Yes, I would like to be able to book via the Internet but I also would not like to give up the phone option. There are times when speaking to someone is necessary.

 

[Disney1fan2002]

Wouldn't it be nice if the "randomly selected" surveys came with a nice little gift, like a free night when booking a reservation?? LOL.

Seriously, I have been chosen 3 different times, and each time when I hear the" you have been randomly selected" My heart races, because it has the sound and feel like something great just happened!!! I was CHOSEN!!! LOL. No prize though...bummer.

 

[Granny]

I'd prefer internet booking if it is real time...in other words, you get confirmed while on line just like a phone call. This would be great if they could incorporate point tracking in there as well.

Someday, someday....

 

[GAIL HAYDEN]

Well, being one of the OLDER members who made the JUMP to PC's many years ago, I would prefer internet. But, there again, I prefer the internet for just about everything these days.
I was randomly selected and I did vote for internet.

I never send anything via the internet before checking it at least twice. Mistyping dates is not an issue for me.

 

[Cinderelli]

I've forgotten to wait for the survey several times. I did just get picked a couple of weeks ago and I picked internet.

 

[BobH]

I feel the internet is a good tool but I suspect that preferences that you request regarding room reservations would more easily get ignored on an internet only reservation system.

 

[Tinkermom]

Hi,

I was randomly selected a few times also when making my last ressie. I did not select internet because I too would not want to choose that over phone ressies. Just the fact that I called back twice to make requests to attach to my ressie makes me believe that sometimes you need to speak to someone. Don't get me wrong I would like the internet as an option to check points and availability. This particular survey was too black and white.

 

[vernon]

I wouldn't answer this type of question, as it COULd be used to justify doing away with one of the prefered methods to large numbers of members. Phone bookings are time consuming and costly for MS, but as has been explained many people do not own a computer or have access to a fax machine and I guess blind people would find removal of that option inconvenient.
The internet/email is the cheapest method for MS to adopt. Doing away with fax bookings would disadvantage people with hearing difficulties.

All options should be available. JMHO

 

[BobH]

Well said! We pay a good maintenance fee - All options should be available to us!

 

[mb168]

I'd be willing to bet that more members have PC's than fax machines. That route never made sense to me. Phone and internet are the two logical ones.

 

[psharrock]

I agree all options should still be made available to us, however, if an automated internet system was developed and approx 50% of the bookings were done this way then this would reduce the staffing requirements at MS and therefore reduce maintenance costs.

The only issue being is what will be the development costs of such a system and how it will affect the maintenance costs.
But with 40 years left to run for DVC it must be a cost effective solution.


I can't remember what percentage of dues member services takes.

BTW last time I asked my guide about an internet booking system I was told it was being worked on but no timescale.

Paul

 

[KNWVIKING]

I voted "by phone", only because I know right then and there where I stand. If an on-line request could duplicate that,then fine. But I also am not in favor of losing the phone system. A combination of both would be ideal,and allow for some cost cutting and possible reduction of dues, (or at least no increase for a year).

 

[KNWVIKING]

"I'd be willing to bet that more members have PC's than fax machines. That route never made sense to me. Phone and internet are the two logical ones."

Well, if you got a PC,then you got a fax.

 

[OKWKirt]

We have to keep the phone option. Reason: I had a one bedroom at OKW for May 20-27 and have been calling the last several days to change to a two bedroom but May 25 is not available. This morning I called and again was told May 25 was not available and then the CM said to wait a minute and she would try to find that one day I needed to complete the change. She came back and said she found the day and I now have a two bedroom for the entire reservation. Without that personal touch I would still be stuck with a one bedroom.

 

[mb168]

Originally posted by KNWVIKING
"I'd be willing to bet that more members have PC's than fax machines. That route never made sense to me. Phone and internet are the two logical ones."

Well, if you got a PC,then you got a fax.

Not true. Besides, if I were going to fax from a PC, I'd just send an email, a faster way to STILL not have an answer right away but not have busies.

Anyway, the question is which you like best, not which need to be done away with. It doesn't cost them as much to handle an email or fax plus they can do it on their time, not when their phone rings so they could still keep those available.. It would be cool to book online just like the cash ressies, especially if there were point tracking involved. I'm sure it would also relieve some of the call volume, except from those DIS sort of people who call just to hear the on hold music !!!

 

[erikthewise]

In spite of being very comfortable with computers and the internet, I still find phones to be the best for now. Many of my calls seem to require a conversation rather than a one-way information dump.

If you think responding to phone calls is expensive, what about responding to emails? This is even more inefficient, especially if several emails each way are needed to complete a transaction.

An interactive web-based reservation system might be worthwhile IF it were done right, but it wouldn't be, at least at first. Perhaps over time a good system can be established. You would still need to keep the phone lines anyway, though you could eventually reduce staffing.

 

[jjohns]

I responded 'submit over the internet' but really only if the internet was a 'true' booking system - one where I could check availability of different rooms in different resorts on different dates, bank/borrow, etc.

If its just send an email and hope for the best, then Telephone it will have to be!