What do these guides earn?

[momtofour]

Anyone have a clue what the compensation is for these guides? What percentage do they get of a sale? With SSR selling like hotcakes, some of them must really be rolling in the dough!!! Although, what do they do in between when there is nothing to sell? (besides add ons!!)

 

[JimC]

I thought they were salaried.

 

[Granny]

Another poster here mentioned a commission for his guide. I always assumed that they were commissioned somewhat. Though I doubt that it's their only compensation, and probably isn't anything like other timeshare commission levels.

 

[meier56013]

That's right Granny. The guide I bought through said the "commission" would be split between himself and the guide that sent me the initial info. I was glad to hear that my original guide got a piece of the action too.

They are very low pressure, so I assume they pull a salary also. I also wonder about the folks at the stands in the parks. Are they guides taking turns? Do they get a bonus for sending folks to the presentations?

 

[magictrickboy71]

Howdy everyone,

On my last trip I was talking to the CM at the DVC desk at POR. I was telling him about how excited I was about my DVC purchase from the day before and we somehow got to talking about how he got paid.

He said he only got paid if a guest showed up for the tour. I guess that's why the person I set up my tour with called my room to remind me of our tour date and time. The CM also have a choice to offer you a free lunch or some kind of VIP fast passes. We were offered the lunch so I don't know anything about the fast passes they offer.

Hope this helps,
Frank

 

[rocketriter]

Last fall we spent some time talking to the CM at the DVC desk in WL. We made it clear from the get-go that we were leaving the next morning and wouldn't be able to take the tour. He gave us all of his time that we needed, answered lots of questions generously, and didn't even give us his card (which would have been a way of angling for part of a commission). Some of these sales people are a lot better than the average timeshare lot!

 

[slimplaw]

We received a fast pass card in March when my sister took the tour. Each card has 2 fast passes on it. The difference in using this fast pass card is that it gains you immediate entry into the ride and the card expires in about 2 days after you first use it.

 

[tjkraz]

Originally posted by rocketriter
...didn't even give us his card (which would have been a way of angling for part of a commission).

Wonder if the salaried vs. commission status is something that has changed since Jim Lewis has come on board. While it's admirable that he didn't leave you feeling pressured, he may have missed out on a commission since you obviously bought from someone. (Unless, of course, it was a resale.)

Or, maybe some of the positions are salaried and other are commission basis.

 

[PamOKW]

I'm not sure whether the people at the kiosks/desks around WDW are actual guides. I'm pretty sure the actual guides are licensed real estate people. There used to be at least some "sharing" of the commissions because I was told it was no problem for another guide to do the paperwork on my add-on since my guide was not working while I was down at WDW.

 

[vernon]

I was under the impression that, certainly in the beginning, DVC sales staff were salaried not commissioned. Maybe that changed over the years, maybe I was wrong originally.

I would assume that they have "targets" to reach and that perhaps when someone was told that both guides would split or share for that person signing up it was sharing "recognition" for a sale as opposed to a commission for a sale. I know it's a fine line in definition, but it's possible to have recognition for sales without being paid directly for them. We assume, in that industry, that commissions are a universal concept but I was told that (originally) the attempt from Disney was to get away from that "pushy salesman driven by commission based salaries".

I've never been of the opinion that DVC needed "sales staff" to physically sell DVC to people that didn't want or need it. I have been of the opinion that DVC needed staff that understood the product, could understand the customers needs, explain to them how DVC fitted their needs and how they as an idividual could best use the product. IMHO understanding and communication skills play a much more important part in "selling" DVC than being able to bully someone with a dubious sales pitch.