The wrong way to find out...

[ILuvDVC2]

I got my "Member Clubhouse" e-mail today, and you know the part at the top where it lists who your Vacation Guide (i.e. DVC salesperson) is? Well, to my surprise, mine has changed!

We originally bought from Mary McCarthy Mannix, and had a tremendous experience with her... we've stopped in to see her several times since the start of our original contract, and even bought more points from her last May. Now, it seems she's gone and our contracts have been reassigned. Did this happen to anyone else?

I understand that people leave jobs for many reasons, and turnover is a natural part of doing business. However, you'd think that Disney would send us a letter to tell us they've reassigned our contracts to another guide. It's the polite thing to do, don't you think?

I know nothing about Patti Douglas, our new guide, and I hope she's a good as Mary was. If you are one of Patti's members, I'd appreciate hearing any feedback you have about your experience working with her.

 

[buckylarue]

There is a post about this on the DVC community forum also. We bought from Mary also, and our new guide is Kathy Rader, according to our May newsletter. I don't know if Mary left DVC, got reassigned to the new Anaheim office, or if they simply made a mistake on the newsletter, as they did once about a year ago...If Mary is gone, anybody have any opinions on Kathy?

 

[ryanmilla]

Actually, just had this happen to us, but ours was on a more positive note. Our salesperson was Tony Diehle and when I called to ask him some questions I found out he had been promoted to manager. It must have just happened b/c they said they were still in the process of reassigning his customers. We got reassigned right then since I was on the phone and our new sales contact seems just as nice. It is Kathy Radar as well.

But I agree it would have been nice to get some notification.

 

[dianeschlicht]

When ours changed, we got a post card and email from the new guide. He later called too.

 

[Deep-Thots]

Our guide used to be Toni Diehl as well. Now it's Dave Kreutzer. Anyone heard of him?

 

[Pa@okw95]

Unless you are planning on buying some more points there is no point of concerning yourself about your salesperson.

 

[Disney Doll]

I am always surprised when folks say they maintain a relationship with their guide after the transaction. Our guide, Mark Webb, was great. We had no problems at all with our purchase, he was efficient and answred every question. But once we owned the points, we never heard from him again (nor did we expect to) and we never contacted him again. When I have had DVC questions, I always call MS.

I didn't even notice who the newsletter said was my guide.

 

[lllovell]

Our guide used to be Toni Diehl as well. Now it's Dave Kreutzer. Anyone heard of him?

Honestly, Dave is our guide and HE IS NEVER THERE! It is very hard to get a returned phone call from him (even when I specifically ask him to call my cell so I dont have to wait to get home and then call him back the next day since I will no be AT HOME when he calls back - if he even calls back.)

Dealing with Dave for our sale was fine. We talked twice. Once for me to share interest. Once with more questions and to request the paperwork for purchase. After that, I have not ONCE gotten Dave on the phone (called several times to do a walk thru with him - since we bought sight unseen...never happened) and every time I have called with questions about add-ons, he is always "on a cruise". I kinda get the feeling that he must really enjoy selling on the cruise ships (which is fine) but if he is not ever going to be in the office, then he should hand off his clients to someone else and be a cruise only sales specialist.

It got so bad for me with Dave not returning phone calls in a timely manner (days in fact) that I called and raised a ruckus, got a manager, got him to mark out account so that if we get calls, its on my CELL not at home, and was assured that I would have no more problems. I haven't exactly had a problem (and probably got a blessing) when I called recently to go ahead with the add on at SSR and not only was Dave NOT in, but not one guide was free in the office to take my call. I was told they were all out on tours. I say it was lucky, because I talked myself out of it AGAIN after that call and within 2 weeks, hubby was laid off from his job.

I hope my experiences with Dave are unique and maybe you will have better luck, but if I do add on again in the future and I can't get a phone call back (within 2-3 days) I will be asking for a new guide.

Laura

 

[NJmouse]

Patti Douglas is our guide. She is very nice. I believe her husband also is a guide or has something to do with the DVC. I never had any problems with her returning calls.

 

[Cinderella072004]

Our guide is Mary Mannix, she left to raise her kids and have her own reality that is what our new guide told us when he called. I was shocked because we loved Mary-she was great!

 

[ILuvDVC2]

Unless you are planning on buying some more points there is no point of concerning yourself about your salesperson.

I am always surprised when folks say they maintain a relationship with their guide after the transaction.

You know, "person" is part of the word "salesperson"...

We maintained a relationship with Mary because we liked her! We were an easy sale for her (really... we'd made up our minds before we even went on the tour), and she wasn't obligated to invest much time in getting to know us. However, she went out of her way to make us feel welcome. She always reached out to us each time we went "home" to DVC. She would leave us a message saying hello and she'd ask us to stop by and see her, which we always did. We'd catch up on what was going on in our lives, and would stay in touch. We also have some friends who bought their points from her around the same time we did, so all of us have a bond with Mary. I wish her well and hope to cross paths with her again sometime.

 

[Ms. WDW]

After reading this post I checked my current Member Clubhouse addition and my guide has changed also. Now, my original guide was Julie Hughes and now it's Julie Vivas. I wonder if this is the same person with just possibily a new lastname??? I hope so. Julie was wonderful and I always looked forward to speaking to her.

I will find out.....

 

[Nanajo1]

Since we joined in 1998 we've had at least 4 guides. I have never met any of them! We bought sight unseen and only spoke on the phone with our "guide". Every trip we would stop by the sales office but our guide was always off site. We have had some trouble tracking down our guide when we wanted to add on. Do certain guides have extra influence when trying to get a sold out add on? Other than having another friend(no one can have too many friends) is there any advantage to having a certain guide?

 

[poohj80]

We first noticed we had a new guide on last month's Member Clubhouse e-mail as well but then we did receive a postcard in the mail to notify us of the change later. Still have never heard from Bill Fuqua, but we never heard from our previous guide either.

 

[gracelrm]

Our guide was very helpful when we first became members and efficiently handled our two add-ons. I never call her, unless we need to add-on more points and don't expect to hear from her, other than mass mailings that I assume DVC sends out with just her name added to ours. I do think it's wonderful that some people maintain a relationship with their guide; however, just like a when purchasing a home, when the deal is done, I don't expect much from my realtor.

 

[zurgswife]

Dave is my guide now...but I've never really had any connection to him. I was switched too him after I couldn't stand my original guide and I was thinking about buying a add on.

I'm one who falls into the catagory of no strings attached to my guide

 

[ClarabelleCow]

I'm one who falls into the catagory of no strings attached to my guide

Exactly, I am not sure what the problem is? Once you purchase or add-on, what do you use the guide for?