Resort Availability on DVC.com...when?

[tjkraz]

While difficult it is not impossible.

I suspect that sentiment is reflected throughout this entire thread. I don't recall anyone flat-out stating that on-line bookings would not work. But yes, it is a difficult job.

Difficult = expensive. Expensive means that the ROI isn't necessarily as good as you would think by reading opinions like "it is easy to do" or "it would immediately pay for itself."

 

[Steve@BWV]

Difficult = expensive. Expensive means that the ROI isn't necessarily as good as you would think by reading opinions like "it is easy to do" or "it would immediately pay for itself."

I disagree. A difficult job need not be expensive. It is relative. What does a MS rep cost. Let's assume an MS rep makes $15 an hour. The hourly wage is is approximately 60% of the total cost of an employee. So $15/60%=$25/hr. Over the course of a year that cost is $52K. And this does not include the cost of training an new employee. Lets assume that is months (as stated earlier in this thread). Two months of training would cost $8Kplus the trainer.

An online system would enable MS to reduce head count. Say a simple reduction of 10 (either layoff or no new hire) the first year. That is a savings of $520K. I would estimate this would be that would cover 25% of the initial cost (this assumes that the current system can be leveraged) Granted, as crisi pointed out, there are many variables that I have no idea about but most seem to be simply technical problems that have been solved before. That solution needs to be modified for this case.


And bots can be countered the same way other sites counter them, a human-only readable string.

Technically this is not so difficult as to make it prohibitively expensive. There are other factors at play. Crisi mention regulations. Others do not wish for this. Maybe those of us who do are a minority. Just the fact that we (dis users) here shows we are web users already. This would definitely skew a poll taken here. It could also be to discourage renting commercially. Booking a specific vacation for a renter would be much easier.

 

[Caskbill]

I suggested about 18 months ago that just having a simple 'snapshot' of resort availability would reduce the number of calls to MS. At COB every day a snapshot would be taken and posted on line, in a simple spreadsheet or tabular report. All the information could be given that it is just a snapshot and is subject to change when MS telephones open the next morning.

This would cost a fraction of a full-on line reservation system and would help a lot toward members' planning and reduce a lot of the phone calls currently going to MS.

 

[paulasillars]

I would LOVE online ressies! Nothing against talking to MS, but their hours aren't the most convenient! I work the same hours they do, so I have to do it on my short lunch break. I know they are open later one day a week, but I tend to be a bit impulsive, and when I want a ressie, I want it now!

Calling for me is also totally out of the question, I'm not sure where member services are based but if its East Coast US, thats 16 hour time difference for me. Not to mention a very expensive long distance call with the difficulty of MS dealing with a "foreign accent" on the phone. We have enough trouble spelling our name in the US standing in front of someone let alone on the phone.

We always do our ressies via the email system, luckily we are always booking at our 11 month window. Even if we can't book online, availability info would be nice - even if it just had rough numbers of the various categories of rooms.

 

[bobbiwoz]

I wish someone who is computer savey would address the problem that's mentioned about the problem with buying on line tickets as mentioned in a DVC misc. thread:

Here's a clip from a news article on the Hannah Montana ticket situation:

"Part of the reason for the shortage of tickets is that sophisticated scalpers now use automated computer programs that can quickly snap up tickets online or flood ticket phone lines with numerous calls, blocking out potential fans....The situation was so bad in Missouri that Attorney General Jay Nixon announced on Thursday that he was filing lawsuits against three ticket brokers for scalping tickets above face value, a violation of city ordinances and state consumer-protection laws." Gil Kaufman -- MTV News


I read this and wonder if the commercial renters would be able to get into an "on line" reservation system. I do like the current DVC system better than some of the things that have been mentioned here.

Bobbi

 

[Big J]

To suggest that the programming required to provide an online DVC reservation service is too complex is illogical. Obviously, a system already exists that is utilized by MS, not to mention the myriad of other programs throughout the world that are far more complex. Of course the key is to make the reservation system user friendly.

Regardless of how any individual may feel the world is changing to a self service, automated, online environment, where people are used as back up support. It is not a question of if, but when.

 

[Chuck S]

...Obviously, a system already exists that is utilized by MS,...

But with lots of manual over-rides necessary, thus the current system is NOT user friendly, not completely automated, nor anywhere near the point where an online system would work smoothly for reservations.

As Caskbill has suggested, a once per day snapshot of availability, taken after the close of normal MS hours, would serve the needs of many members without going to a full fledged online system.

 

[Big J]

I agree that a system is probably not in place as of now, and may not be ready for some time, that would be easy to use by the general member population. Of course how long it would take to make such a system is unknown. I suspect that it would take less time and resources then others believe, but I could be wrong.

My main point was that services are moving away from personal support to self service, automated support. You hear complaints all of the time that customers want to speak with people, yet increase in the use of technology continues.

In my opinion, it is defiantly debatable if a fully integrated online reservation system with some back end MS support would be an improvement over the current system for each individual and for the entire DVC member group. I feel it is much less debatable as to IF such a system will be integrated at some point in the relatively near future. It is just the way the world is moving.

 

[Granny]

To suggest that the programming required to provide an online DVC reservation service is too complex is illogical.

Just to be clear, I don't think that anyone has said that the DVC on-line reservation programming cannot be done.

I think that the responses detailing the complexity of the programming are in response to the "hotels do it, why can't Disney get into the 21st century?" comments which try to equate hotel reservations with DVC reservations.

 

[GoofysGal33850]

You don't actually make a ressie online; you only request for someone to make one for you.

Considering we have to have at least 200 hours in training before we are allowed to 'go live' without being attached to a trainer, I can't imagine the average DVC member being able to understand banking, borrowing, transerring, and the 45 (so far) different room categories we deal with. Add the developer points to the mix and it would be a nightmare as most members who get the incentive don't have a clue that the points are not in 'their' membership.

Can it be done? Maybe.

Will it be done? Don't count on it.

Considering the number of times daily that I have to explain things to members, MS isn't going anywhere.

 

[Granny]

....MS isn't going anywhere.

 

[rinkwide]

...MS isn't going anywhere.

At least not until their call center is outsourced to New Delhi.

 

[littlestar]

At least not until their call center is outsourced to New Delhi.

Oh, gosh, I hope not. That's one of the things I like about being a member. When I call DVC, I get someone that can speak English and doesn't sound like Apoo on the Simpsons.

 

[Slakk]

At least not until their call center is outsourced to New Delhi.

Considering WE the members pay the bill they have no incentive to *save* money...never been so happy in my life.

 

[Steve@BWV]

Considering we have to have at least 200 hours in training before we are allowed to 'go live' without being attached to a trainer, I can't imagine the average DVC member being able to understand banking, borrowing, transerring, and the 45 (so far) different room categories we deal with.

If each MS rep needs 200 hours of training to understand points this only highlights the need for a web based system. As DVC continues to grow the number of reps will need to grow linear with it. At 200 hours of training this is expensive.

But I would have to assume the bulk of the training is not understanding booking a DVC room (banking, borrowing, room) but in other aspects. These would be the phone system itself, transferring points, booking outside the DVC resorts from a non-dvc hotel to a Disney adventure, dining options, ticket options, ME, and everything else. Some of this is already available online (banking and tickets for example).

Can it be done? Maybe.

Will it be done? Don't count on it.

Considering the number of times daily that I have to explain things to members, MS isn't going anywhere.

It can be done and I would bet it will be available within 5 years. As more people become comfortable online and would prefer to do these types of things online demand for this will increase. And as technology increases and the cost of implementing and maintaining a simple system (the base rules never change) like this declines this will become.

Will MS go away, no. I do not believe anyone has said it will. Those members who do not wish to or can't use the online system will be able to call MS as they always have. And there will always be cases such as transfers and booking outside DVC that will need to be handled by MS. I don't understand why those who don't want this insist it can't be done or done well. Why can't we have both? Granny, you can call MS and I will book online. I bet we will both have a great vacation.

As for fairness, it would be perfectly acceptable if high demand times are available via MS only to eliminate the the fear of unfair online practices.


And as rinkwide said, as costs for call centers located in the US increase New Delhi will look attractive. If DVC finds a way to keep costs down MS can remain local.

 

[CheapMom]

Here's a clip from a news article on the Hannah Montana ticket situation:..."Part of the reason for the shortage of tickets is that sophisticated scalpers now use automated computer programs that can quickly snap up tickets online..." Gil Kaufman -- MTV News

I read this and wonder if the commercial renters would be able to get into an "on line" reservation system. I do like the current DVC system better than some of the things that have been mentioned here.

This is a great argument against online reservations. A program could certainly be written to have an automated way to get in right at start of business and make high demand ressies. You know the deterent where a site checks if you are a real person- they show some letters and numbers all squiggly in an image (very difficult for artificial intelligence to read these) and then you have to type them to proceed. I thought those worked pretty well-but if they got past that in the Hannah Montanna situation- who knows- I guess it isn't foolproof.

I like the online reservation idea- but I do see pros and cons. I LOVE the snapshot idea. I see no negatives to that idea.

 

[jade1]

I suggested about 18 months ago that just having a simple 'snapshot' of resort availability would reduce the number of calls to MS. At COB every day a snapshot would be taken and posted on line, in a simple spreadsheet or tabular report. All the information could be given that it is just a snapshot and is subject to change when MS telephones open the next morning.

This would cost a fraction of a full-on line reservation system and would help a lot toward members' planning and reduce a lot of the phone calls currently going to MS.

That's exactly how I feel. I just like to know if there is a chance at a certain week, then check airfare.

 

[jarestel]

At some point in time, on-line real-time booking will happen. The problem lies not so much with technology (because it exists today and Disney doesn't have to re-invent the wheel in this regard) but rather that businesses are reluctant to monkey with aging software that, while it may not be optimal, still does the basic job. After all, one tweak to an old software suite could cause many unforeseen problems for a business. Generally speaking, IT managers would much rather deal with limited functionality than risk business down-time for non-critical "enhancements".

Disney has never been on the "cutting-edge" and given the size of their operations, I really wouldn't expect them to be. But they will follow along all in due time. For members, that time can't come soon enough, but it will come.

 

[GoofysGal33850]

That's exactly how I feel. I just like to know if there is a chance at a certain week, then check airfare.

I wish it were so easy.

I have checked inventory and had 30 studios for a certain week and within three minutes, in the same call, had 0 studios.

I had a member tell me the other day that he is very experienced with our system and proceeded to tell me how to do my job. When I questioned him about his experience with the system, it turns out he has never seen it or used it. And he was dead wrong.

 

[littlestar]

And as rinkwide said, as costs for call centers located in the US increase New Delhi will look attractive. If DVC finds a way to keep costs down MS can remain local.

We own with DVC, Marriott, and a VRI managed resort in the North Carolina Mountains. Whenever I call DVC, Marriott or VRI for anything, I've been very pleased with the service (it's not outsourced to some generic foreign call center). DVC Member Services has a lot of things to book for us when we call on a WDW trip (more so than I ever have with a Marriott reservation). DVC Member Services has to book priority seating, magical express, special ticket events, etc. I can't imagine trying to get through all of that with some generic call center where they can barely speak English - ugh.