Strange Conversation with Member Services

[SimbaCub]

I for one have a problem with MS doing this to us. I have called at the 7 month window for friends to see which resorts were open over a variety of dates and then based on the "list" I was given by them I made the reservation. Sometimes there has been no availability so I have had to go back and request additional dates/resorts in order to help make a magical trip happen. By asking what is open at that time I have had an idea of the possibility of another trip. I have done the same for myself where I had frequent flyer miles for a free ticket but had only certain dates when I could use the miles. If this is NOT an official policy change then I feel MS should be notified of this behavior. If it IS a policy change, DVC needs to notify the members in an official manner. . .

SimbaCub
VWL/SSR Nov/Dec 2004

 

[KNWVIKING]

***"The person was very cryptic on the phone, and I asked her several times to clarify what she was telling me, and I am still not sure I got it."***

I may be way off base with my interpretation of "cryptic" but here goes:

I have customers ask me to do things to their vehicles that I am not allowed to do. For instance, a customer wanted me to disable her drivers side air bag - she had some fear that the fumes, if it went off in an accident would ruin her lungs. I told her and her husband that we simply couldn't do that. But then I got "cryptic". I told them " if it were MY truck and I was afraid of the air bag, I'd pull THAT fuse out" while pointing to the fuse. I had to say that three times before they understood what I was trying to tell them.

Is it possible MS was trying to tell you something to the affect of " If you tell me you're are making a ressie, then I have other options I can go thru to find out...... but only IF YOU TELL ME you're making a ressie". Maybe her hands are tied until she hears those magic words, regardless of wether you do in fact reserve them.

 

[Mickmse2002]

Originally posted by Pa@okw95
I can see member services point, why check, if you are not going to make a reservation. They may have you flagged for being a pain also. Most people call Ms to make reservations, not play make believe. Just one more reason people have to wait to make a reservation when they call. What next!!

Perhaps you really didn't mean this the way it reads. I was under the impression that member services was there to service members? I think it is perfectly legitimate and acceptable to call member services and check availability. There are lots of reasons to do this. How would you know people call MS to "play make believe"? I too have had to wait on hold to make reservations. if the wait gets too long I hang up and call back. In the big scheme of things certainly not something to ruin my day or get upset about.

 

[SleepyatDVC]

Originally posted by KNWVIKING
***"The person was very cryptic on the phone, and I asked her several times to clarify what she was telling me, and I am still not sure I got it."***

I may be way off base with my interpretation of "cryptic" but here goes:

I have customers ask me to do things to their vehicles that I am not allowed to do. For instance, a customer wanted me to disable her drivers side air bag - she had some fear that the fumes, if it went off in an accident would ruin her lungs. I told her and her husband that we simply couldn't do that. But then I got "cryptic". I told them " if it were MY truck and I was afraid of the air bag, I'd pull THAT fuse out" while pointing to the fuse. I had to say that three times before they understood what I was trying to tell them.

Is it possible MS was trying to tell you something to the affect of " If you tell me you're are making a ressie, then I have other options I can go thru to find out...... but only IF YOU TELL ME you're making a ressie". Maybe her hands are tied until she hears those magic words, regardless of wether you do in fact reserve them.

Ahhh... now that sounds better. I sure hope that that's what the MS CM was trying to do.

If MS had to really "work it" to get inventory "out of somewhere else," they may not try to do it unless the member was serious about booking because it is not a sure thing, MS might have to "return" it somehow, and it will sufficiently increase the wait time of everyone else trying to call MS on a busy day.

 

[pixiechick]

Originally posted by KNWVIKING
Is it possible MS was trying to tell you something to the affect of " If you tell me you're are making a ressie, then I have other options I can go thru to find out...... but only IF YOU TELL ME you're making a ressie". Maybe her hands are tied until she hears those magic words, regardless of wether you do in fact reserve them. [/B]

I agree with your assessment. I called last week because we were thinking of changing resorts for our next trip( less than a month away) I just wanted to see which, if any other resorts were available before deciding. There was nothing, but the CM kept trying to get me to waitlist. I said no thanks, but she continued to push doing it. I wonder what would have happened if I was definitive about changing my resort. Maybe she knew she could "help" me if I was 100% sure of my chioce.

 

[dpglow]

Ther are a few of good reasons to call to check for availability without wanting to definitely book.

1. Check airfare , as mentioned by another poster.
2. Trying to coordinate a trip with more than one family. Not everyone can take off just any week off work. Get the availibility and call the other groups to check.
3. Check dates against my ability to get off work. I for one can't just take off work any time I please, so I tend to get a few windows and check them against my work situation.
4. DVC owners have paid a good chunk of $$ and should be able to use the DVC services as best suits them, within reason. Any hotel will check availability without a second thought. Of course they need a steady flow of new customers. I wonder if DVC sometimes get's the attitude of "We already have their $$, so we don't have to impress them as much anymore"

 

[CarolMN]

Originally posted by SleepyatDVC
Ahhh... now that sounds better. I sure hope that that's what the MS CM was trying to do.

If MS had to really "work it" to get inventory "out of somewhere else," they may not try to do it unless the member was serious about booking because it is not a sure thing, MS might have to "return" it somehow, and it will sufficiently increase the wait time of everyone else trying to call MS on a busy day.

This is the point I was trying to make earlier. The OP never said, but I'm willing to bet that she was trying to check on availability for something coming up relatively soon.

For those of you who are worried, I can't remember a single report of MS being unwilling to check (or not gracious about checking) DVC inventory for a member.

 

[Bellesmama]

I just called MS yesterday morning to check on availability at Vero Beach for 8/26 and I had no problems/wait at all. The CM was able to extend my stay an additional day with out any hassle at all

 

[wvalx]

DVC needs to get in the 21st century and allow online checking of availability. This make the call volume drop dramatically.

 

[Dean]

Originally posted by CarolMN
FWIW, While I would certainly expect the CM to carefully check the DVC points inventory upon request, I don't think a CM should have to go out of his/her way in this particular manner (see above) for someone "just checking" - especially since it is very unlikely that the room will still be there when the member finally makes up his/her mind. JMHO. YMMV.

Disagree. I don't care if I simply want to get an idea of how full the resort is. If I call and ask if there are rooms, they better tell me if there are rooms. That's what they get paid to do. It's funny that I was flogged pretty good for suggesting that curtailing some of the flexibility might decreases fees and make things better overall for most people but some are making a u turn on this subject. Cutting out single day reservations and allowing a full week to be booked ahead at one time 11 and 7 months out would dramatically decrease the call volume to DVC and actually be better for MOST members, far more than this issue and save members money, likely 20% or more on dues.

 

[CarolMN]

Originally posted by Dean
Disagree. I don't care if I simply want to get an idea of how full the resort is. If I call and ask if there are rooms, they better tell me if there are rooms. That's what they get paid to do.

Well we disagree. I don't think that MS is obligated to go out of their way to transfer a CRO cash room into a points inventory room when the DVC inventory is gone. As far as I'm concerned, if they have to do that, there aren't rooms - DVC inventory is gone.

It's funny that I was flogged pretty good for suggesting that curtailing some of the flexibility might decreases fees and make things better overall for most people but some are making a u turn on this subject. Cutting out single day reservations and allowing a full week to be booked ahead at one time 11 and 7 months out would dramatically decrease the call volume to DVC and actually be better for MOST members, far more than this issue and save members money, likely 20% or more on dues.

Have no idea what you are talking about. Don't remember "flogging" anyone or " making a u turn".

Anyway, as my daughter used to say when she was very small, "I still like you anyway"

Best wishes -

 

[Dean]

Originally posted by CarolMN
Well we disagree. I don't think that MS is obligated to go out of their way to transfer a CRO cash room into a points inventory room when the DVC inventory is gone. As far as I'm concerned, if they have to do that, there aren't rooms - DVC inventory is gone.



Have no idea what you are talking about. Don't remember "flogging" anyone or " making a u turn".

Anyway, as my daughter used to say when she was very small, "I still like you anyway"

Best wishes -

Carol, I think we're talking two different things. My reference was to calling to check on available reservations. Some have wondered if the OP was within the 60 day window but many have expounded to say that calling to see if anything was available was inappropriate unless they were ready to book right then. My reference to flogging wasn't to you, but in general. I just thought it ironic how many were willing to curtail flexibility in this regard and when I suggested some possible changes that might be better for some and cheaper for all, how many were so up in arms that DVC couldn't change anything.

 

[MELSMICE]

A similar thing happened to me last week. I called to check availability at any of the DVC resorts for a studio in Oct. CM told me what was available at all the resorts with the exception of SSR. She then said:

"Right now SSR is not available, however, if you decide you would like to stay there, I can check to see if something could be available for the time you want to stay".

I really didn't understand that one, but I didn't pursue it anyway as I wasn't interested in staying at SSR.

 

[CarolMN]

Dean - Thanks for the additional words. Can't disagree,now, LOL.


MELSMICE - I think SSR is different from the othr resorts, right now. Since SSR is still selling, there is a lot of developer's inventory. Maybe the CMs have a way to check when additional inventory will be declared into the condominium. DVD/DVC has to make sure the points room inventory "keeps pace" with sales. That's why waitlists work so well when a resort is selling well - there seems to be a constant "expansion" of rooms available for points.

Best wishes -

 

[EmptyNester]

I encountered something similar last week. We're going to OKW 10/16-10/23. We originally booked a two-bedroom; last week I called (about 90 days out) to see if a one-bedroom was available instead.

A very nice CM (name escapes me at the moment) took my call and said something along the lines of: "looks at everything but the 21st is available, but let me check the resort inventory". She put me on hold, came back a couple of minutes later and said "It is available, do you want to change your reservation?"

I did (and got my updated confirmation on Saturday.)

- Sharon

 

[dianeschlicht]

I called today to add 10/15 and 10/16 in a studio to combine with our 10/17-10/22 GV ressie. I was told there was availability at everything except VWL. I took a studio at SSR. It looks like some CMs automatically check ALL inventory, and some only check DVC inventory.

 

[jcanary]

This exact thing happened to me. We are DVC members but we had no points so we were renting points from another member. I would call since we were on a waitlist just to check to see if something has become available. A couple of times I was told that there was not the complete 6 nights but they would say hold on. I was put on hold and when they came back they had all nights we needed at BCV IF i booked them right then. I explained the situation and even gave them my friends name but they would not take our waitlist. I put a call into our friends but had to leave a message. They called back a couple of hours later and explained, even giving the MS's name that I spoke to but said - sorry that wait list can not be taken care of yet. We did finally get the waitlist request about 4 weeks before we left in June but I thought it was really strange also that they could put a new reservation together for exactly what we wanted but couldn't satisfy our waitlist.
One explanation I thought of was maybe they were splitting up a 2 bedroom lockoff to a studio and 1 bdrm. We were looking for a studio. That was the only explanation I could come up with, but it is interesting that this has happened to others and it would be curious to know if it was for a 1 bedroom or studio.

 

[ClarabelleCow]

Maybe a better way to resolve all the checking is to allow a complimentary 24 or 48 hour hold. That should give people enough time to secure there plans, that way when you call the first time, get what you want, then go and plan, if all works out, you don't need to call back, but if it doesn't work, you can call and cancel or make changes.