What happened to customer service

[Knaughty]

I have to say being a DVC member makes me feel ripped off, I have always given disney A+ in service but not since I have become a member, and I am not really that much of a pain in the ***, I am a DVC BLT owner and I used my points for the first time on my honeymoon in November.

1. My reservation had to be split up between a MK view for 3 days and LV for the last 4, not a big deal we don't really unpack and live out of the suitcase so I didn't mind,Never Again!!!!!!so many complications. We purchased the dining froom for all 7 days of our trip, and we were not feeling well and not eating as we normaly would, and we had several unused meals for the first 3 days that I wanted access to for the second reservation, I spent almost 2 hours at customer service they could not seem to grasp that yes I have two different reservations but it is all for one stay, just changed our view and they argued with me until they realized I didn't want money back and just credit on to the other reservation for meals I had to speak to two different managers until this sunk in.

2. Changing rooms I didn't realize that I could have called and sorted out the second reservation over phone so we packed all our stuff and brought it down to the desk to check in for 2nd reservation. We wanted to go straight to a park and brought our bags to the bellman to be sent up to our 2nd room, but we were told that they don't bring bags up to unoccupied rooms, hello Magical Express does it all the time, they just wanted to make sure they got tipped which we would have done but we ended up having to delay and bring ours up.

3.Tax forms I did not receive one of my tax forms so I contacted member services they sent me an e-mail with some of the tax in fo on it and told me that an official one would be sent out. I called a couple days later and asked what next step would be if there was a glitch, could they e-mail my tax lady or fax over a copy in the meantime. Response No! they can only mail it to me and they will keep mailing it until I get it, I will admit that I lost patience with their lack of solution solving,

4.Today I called to check availability I am bringing a large party down and wanted to see what was available at BLT and I am just one day shy of the 7 Month mark for other resorts, I was not asking to make the reservatiion today just checking out our options and the customer service rep refused to look at any other resort. I am getting real sick and tired of this treatment but I can't even make threats because they have me trapped and they know it!

 

[cseca]

Wow, sorry you had such a bad experience with DVC so far.

I suggest you email member satisfaction with your experiences to let them know.

I've been reading people have issues with DDP when you're segmenting your stay, so it's not a surprise but they (DVC) need to know about it.

As for #4, hang up and call back. Sometimes you just get a CM with a bad day. I've been a member for 10 years and have had a couple bad calls. That's about it. I just hang up and call back. More than not I'll get a much nicer CM who's willing to work with you.

I hope you give DVC another chance, if not you can always try to sell your membership.

 

[cvjw]

As for #4, I have been told that the computer will only show availability from the 11 month window to exactly the 7 month window for resorts where you own points. Since you were not inside the 7 month window yet, the computer will only show availability for BLT for you. If you were to call back the next day, since you are inside the 7 month window, all availability would be shown for you.

 

[bumbershoot]

If they moved your meals from one reservation to the next, you got GREAT customer service. That's completely not in their policy and I've NEVER read of it happening before, and you can see how long I've been here and how often I post (which means I'm reading TONS of threads), and this is the first time I've heard of it happening.

So I'm sayin'...if they did that for you, stop complaining, as you got a seriously huge exception.


ME vs normal Bell Services is talked about a lot. When switching rooms, it's not their policy to drop your bags without you being in the room. Normal. ME is a different situation. Sure it probably does come down to tips, but if you had such a position, I bet you'd be happy for it!

Don't know about the tax stuff.


They won't check for you b/c that availability might be gone 2 seconds after they check it. Then you'll call back tomorrow and hate them for the story changing. But I believe you could have booked a stay starting 7 months from yesterday and extending into those days...that way you could have found out. I think. Maybe. Isn't that the way it works? I just made reservations, why am I blanking out on this?

 

[palhockeymomof2]

As for #4, I have been told that the computer will only show availability from the 11 month window to exactly the 7 month window for resorts where you own points. Since you were not inside the 7 month window yet, the computer will only show availability for BLT for you. If you were to call back the next day, since you are inside the 7 month window, all availability would be shown for you.

agree with this..i own at BWV and VWL.....used my VWL points at the 11 month mark to book there...really wanted BWV or BCV at the 7 month mark...i could only check on availibility at BWV prior to the 7 month mark...


As far as the dining credits...each room type is treated as one reservation...so the dining credits stay with that room.....really glad they were able to move them to your next reservation so you could use them

Luggage....magical express is able to deliver the bags to your room if you're not there.....the valets can't.....we've had split stays as well and call when we are in the room to have our things delivered

tax forms....we received duplicates this year...but if they sent you the numbers you need via email to fill out your taxes you should be ok...since the form does not have to be mailed in with your taxes

so sorry you feel ripped off...we've been members since 2001 and haven't had that experience

 

[vicki_c]

I have to agree with everyone else - with the exception of the tax statement issue, all of the other items are the way it is SUPPOSED to work. You got perfect service (or more than on that dining plan thing) except for the tax form.

DVC or not - they don't deliver bags to rooms unless you came from ME. Segmented reservations only allow you to use your DDP credits for EACH separate segment, you can't carry them over to the next segment. And they don't check availability if you're not in the window in which you can book.

 

[Knaughty]

If they moved your meals from one reservation to the next, you got GREAT customer service. That's completely not in their policy and I've NEVER read of it happening before, and you can see how long I've been here and how often I post (which means I'm reading TONS of threads), and this is the first time I've heard of it happening.

Well it is not great customer service when I had to take two hours out of my honeymoon to acomplish it and it was just a matter of making a note in the computer to return the credits once I started using them on the 2nd reservation, as for the bell hops they wouldn't even hold the bags for us to get back we weren't trying to get out of a tip but it sucks to feel that you spent all this money and your not getting the same service.

I am not a pain I read reviews and take them all with a grain of salt but it is the lack of thinking at all out of the box, that I dislike so much. I am not saying they were rude at the desk but they were just more concerned that I wanted a refund that they could get their heads around that I just wanted access to the credits I payed for if at the end of the week I didn't use them fine by me but I shouldn't lose them because I am changing rooms.

As for with the tax forms they were just being rude.

I did call back and ask for them to check earler dates at the other resorts and that worked but why couldn't lady take some inititive and do it.

 

[dzorn]

I have to say being a DVC member makes me feel ripped off, I have always given disney A+ in service but not since I have become a member, and I am not really that much of a pain in the ***, I am a DVC BLT owner and I used my points for the first time on my honeymoon in November.

1. My reservation had to be split up between a MK view for 3 days and LV for the last 4, not a big deal we don't really unpack and live out of the suitcase so I didn't mind,Never Again!!!!!!so many complications. We purchased the dining froom for all 7 days of our trip, and we were not feeling well and not eating as we normaly would, and we had several unused meals for the first 3 days that I wanted access to for the second reservation, I spent almost 2 hours at customer service they could not seem to grasp that yes I have two different reservations but it is all for one stay, just changed our view and they argued with me until they realized I didn't want money back and just credit on to the other reservation for meals I had to speak to two different managers until this sunk in.

2. Changing rooms I didn't realize that I could have called and sorted out the second reservation over phone so we packed all our stuff and brought it down to the desk to check in for 2nd reservation. We wanted to go straight to a park and brought our bags to the bellman to be sent up to our 2nd room, but we were told that they don't bring bags up to unoccupied rooms, hello Magical Express does it all the time, they just wanted to make sure they got tipped which we would have done but we ended up having to delay and bring ours up.

3.Tax forms I did not receive one of my tax forms so I contacted member services they sent me an e-mail with some of the tax in fo on it and told me that an official one would be sent out. I called a couple days later and asked what next step would be if there was a glitch, could they e-mail my tax lady or fax over a copy in the meantime. Response No! they can only mail it to me and they will keep mailing it until I get it, I will admit that I lost patience with their lack of solution solving,

4.Today I called to check availability I am bringing a large party down and wanted to see what was available at BLT and I am just one day shy of the 7 Month mark for other resorts, I was not asking to make the reservatiion today just checking out our options and the customer service rep refused to look at any other resort. I am getting real sick and tired of this treatment but I can't even make threats because they have me trapped and they know it!

#1 Well I am not sure the issue is customer service issue it is you do not know the rules yet. If you change room yes you have two reservations and dining credits expire the night of check out of the first room. They were correct.

#2 Yep they do not deliver bags to empty rooms. This is not so much about tips but making sure all your bags are delivered. You did need to go and check in at the desk.

#3 No idea. We just look at the tax info in the web site.

#4 They can only see availability for rooms you can book. So if you were not at the 7 month window they would only be able to see your home resort nothing else. Even if they could availability changes minute to minute so it was a waste of time.


Sorry you are so frustrated but you are asking for things that don't follow policy. After you learn the ropes you will find it much less frustrating.

 

[dzorn]

Wow, sorry you had such a bad experience with DVC so far.

I suggest you email member satisfaction with your experiences to let them know.I've been reading people have issues with DDP when you're segmenting your stay, so it's not a surprise but they (DVC) need to know about it.

As for #4, hang up and call back. Sometimes you just get a CM with a bad day. I've been a member for 10 years and have had a couple bad calls. That's about it. I just hang up and call back. More than not I'll get a much nicer CM who's willing to work with you.

I hope you give DVC another chance, if not you can always try to sell your membership.

The issue was not with segmenting the plan they had two different rooms so two different reservations. The were incorrect on how the plan works.

The satisfaction team could explain the rules but they were the ones wrong on 3 of the 4.

Denise in MI

 

[dzorn]

If they moved your meals from one reservation to the next, you got GREAT customer service. That's completely not in their policy and I've NEVER read of it happening before, and you can see how long I've been here and how often I post (which means I'm reading TONS of threads), and this is the first time I've heard of it happening.

Well it is not great customer service when I had to take two hours out of my honeymoon to acomplish it and it was just a matter of making a note in the computer to return the credits once I started using them on the 2nd reservation, as for the bell hops they wouldn't even hold the bags for us to get back we weren't trying to get out of a tip but it sucks to feel that you spent all this money and your not getting the same service.

I am not a pain I read reviews and take them all with a grain of salt but it is the lack of thinking at all out of the box, that I dislike so much. I am not saying they were rude at the desk but they were just more concerned that I wanted a refund that they could get their heads around that I just wanted access to the credits I payed for if at the end of the week I didn't use them fine by me but I shouldn't lose them because I am changing rooms.

As for with the tax forms they were just being rude.

I did call back and ask for them to check earler dates at the other resorts and that worked but why couldn't lady take some inititive and do it.

You let your credits expire. They were very generous to give them to you. Bell services will hold you luggage they do it often because usually with a split stay the second room will not be ready. You can either call them and wait it the room or bring to bell service not the desk. I guess it took you two hours because you did not understand that you let the credits expire and goofed up your plans.

If you think this is poor customer service I suggest you sell now as you recieved excellent service by getting extra meal credits added on after expiration.

Why would they check any other dates than the ones you asked for.
Denise in MI

 

[crisi]

I did call back and ask for them to check earler dates at the other resorts and that worked but why couldn't lady take some inititive and do it.

Welcome to the world of managing cost and service. Once you belong to DVC, you enter the world of small (regulated) margins, timeshare audit, and cost control. Costs for nearly everything are reflected in our dues - pool towels, number of member services representatives, room cleaning charges. Its in Disney's best interests to keep dues low - it makes members happy, it keeps people purchasing. Member services is not staffed to take initiative - that would cost money. Their metrics are likely around "how many calls per hour do you handle." Getting you off the phone efficiently is important to them.

The days of high margins, where Disney could afford to delight you in exchange for making sure you'd take another trip are over. Now, you've bought into the magic, you will take another trip, and their cost control doesn't leave a lot of room to be able to afford exceptions.

 

[sleepydog25]

I have to say being a DVC member makes me feel ripped off, I have always given disney A+ in service but not since I have become a member, and I am not really that much of a pain in the ***, I am a DVC BLT owner and I used my points for the first time on my honeymoon in November.

1. My reservation had to be split up between a MK view for 3 days and LV for the last 4, not a big deal we don't really unpack and live out of the suitcase so I didn't mind,Never Again!!!!!!so many complications. We purchased the dining froom for all 7 days of our trip, and we were not feeling well and not eating as we normaly would, and we had several unused meals for the first 3 days that I wanted access to for the second reservation, I spent almost 2 hours at customer service they could not seem to grasp that yes I have two different reservations but it is all for one stay, just changed our view and they argued with me until they realized I didn't want money back and just credit on to the other reservation for meals I had to speak to two different managers until this sunk in. Agree with what others have posted. Those were two totally different reservations, and while it may not make sense to you why they couldn't just give you credit because you were sick, that's not how the dining plan credits work. The fact they actually did let you carry expired credits forward to the next reservation is good customer service. I understand you feel as if they should have thought more "out of the box," but they were doing their jobs. Imagine how many hundreds of people they deal with on a weekly basis who have issues of some sort, yet they eventually did bend the rules for you. I've no doubt that someone will read this thread, and the next time they can't use up all their credits on the dining plan during a split stay, will say to the manager, "but, I know you can make an exception."

2. Changing rooms I didn't realize that I could have called and sorted out the second reservation over phone so we packed all our stuff and brought it down to the desk to check in for 2nd reservation. We wanted to go straight to a park and brought our bags to the bellman to be sent up to our 2nd room, but we were told that they don't bring bags up to unoccupied rooms, hello Magical Express does it all the time, they just wanted to make sure they got tipped which we would have done but we ended up having to delay and bring ours up. Again, you were asking the baggage handlers to do something they aren't supposed to do. I've had a few split stays, and many early arrivals, and I've never had a problem asking them to hold my bags. Calling ahead and asking what the process was certainly would have been a wiser thing to do, too.

3.Tax forms I did not receive one of my tax forms so I contacted member services they sent me an e-mail with some of the tax in fo on it and told me that an official one would be sent out. I called a couple days later and asked what next step would be if there was a glitch, could they e-mail my tax lady or fax over a copy in the meantime. Response No! they can only mail it to me and they will keep mailing it until I get it, I will admit that I lost patience with their lack of solution solving, Have you given MS time enough to actually process your request and for you to get it in the mail? If it has only been a few days, I wouldn't worry. After a week, I would contact them again. As for losing patience with "their lack of solution solving (technically, it should be "problem solving"), you seem to be mixing hotel desk staff, bellhop services, and MS into one big category. Each has a separate job to do, and in the first two cases, they were actually doing their jobs as they've been trained.

4.Today I called to check availability I am bringing a large party down and wanted to see what was available at BLT and I am just one day shy of the 7 Month mark for other resorts, I was not asking to make the reservatiion today just checking out our options and the customer service rep refused to look at any other resort. I am getting real sick and tired of this treatment but I can't even make threats because they have me trapped and they know it! I'll go ahead and beat a dead horse, but MS won't look at availability until the 7-month point for exactly the reasons others have listed.

Truly, it's too bad you've had such a rough experience of late, but largely your complaints seem to be based upon the CMs not doing their jobs as you wish them to, not so much that they were in the wrong. What is "initiative" to you is improper procedure to them. Perhaps future experiences will go more smoothly for you; however, if they don't, as one pp suggested, you can always sell.

 

[hansel1]

I agree with all the posters here that the OP did not know the rules.

I would bet that reservations should have told them at the time of booking the dining plan on a split reservation that the credits would not carry over.

DVC can be complicated if you don't read up on everything. The OP is wrong for blaming customer service but someone should have told him about how the DDP works on a split stay.

OP, everyone is correct that you are EXTREMELY lucky disney allowed your credits to carry over. That alone should give you pause to criticize DVC customer service.

 

[nunzia]

I'm sorry you are feeling ripped off, but really..it seems like you didn't understand the dining credits were linked to the room not the person. You did not HAVE to waste 2 hours of your honeymoon arguing with them about this..if you had understood what you were getting you would have just realized you wasted the credits by not using them...I think they went above and beyond by giving you back these credits, so really..since it is kind of clear you insisted on this and that they had to change the rules for you, you really shouldn't complain much about getting what you want.
I don't understand why your tax documents aren't coming, but I'm sure there's rules about proper handling of them so I wouldn't be upset about them only sending them to you..plus as someone else said, can't you just write down the numbers?
I've never had ME but know that everytime we arrive and room is not ready, Bell services holds our luggage and we always drag our bags to the room because we are cheap..we do tip them for dragging them out of the Bell Services area and for putting them back there.. Really..I think you were treated well and even got away with them breaking the rules for you..Were your rooms nice as you expected? that's really all your DVC is for..prepaid rooms..we have been treated very well as DVC members at VGC, just as well as we were treated as hotel guests..

 

[cseca]

As for #4, I have been told that the computer will only show availability from the 11 month window to exactly the 7 month window for resorts where you own points. Since you were not inside the 7 month window yet, the computer will only show availability for BLT for you. If you were to call back the next day, since you are inside the 7 month window, all availability would be shown for you.

Wow, this is news to me.
I guess I've never checked availability of any other resorts other than our HRs in a long while.

Good to know.

I wonder if that's how it's going to work with online booking as well.

 

[Knaughty]

For those who misunderstood I did not let the credits expire I went down the night before the first check out to ask about it, and I don't think Disney gave me something so great by giving me access to food that I prepaid for, I had a 7 night stay 7 days of DDP, if given the choice I don't go to the parks all 7 days I do Universal and Seaworld too, they should allow me to buy the ddp for as many days as I want during my stay.

Once again the bellhops wouldn't hold the luggage either, which has never been a problem in the past hell I have had luggage shipped from one resort to another on this particular day it was not being done.

I don't ask for much but I want what I pay for. I know now never to split my reservation again and I still love the DDP it is totally worth it and I recommend it to everyone.

 

[disneynutz]

For those who misunderstood I did not let the credits expire I went down the night before the first check out to ask about it, and I don't think Disney gave me something so great by giving me access to food that I prepaid for, I had a 7 night stay 7 days of DDP, if given the choice I don't go to the parks all 7 days I do Universal and Seaworld too, they should allow me to buy the ddp for as many days as I want during my stay.

Once again the bellhops wouldn't hold the luggage either, which has never been a problem in the past hell I have had luggage shipped from one resort to another on this particular day it was not being done.

I don't ask for much but I want what I pay for. I know now never to split my reservation again and I still love the DDP it is totally worth it and I recommend it to everyone.

Sorry that you are disappointed. Until you learn the rules and policies, things can be frustrating. Just when you think that you know it all, Disney will change things and you get to learn all over again.

Bell Services will hold your luggage for you and yes you are correct, requiring an adult in the room is a tip thing. The policy was a negotiated item between Disney and the unions. DME is a different company, and I have been told that the tip is included in the contracted rate between Mears and Disney.

Bill

 

[dzorn]

For those who misunderstood I did not let the credits expire I went down the night before the first check out to ask about it, and I don't think Disney gave me something so great by giving me access to food that I prepaid for, I had a 7 night stay 7 days of DDP, if given the choice I don't go to the parks all 7 days I do Universal and Seaworld too, they should allow me to buy the ddp for as many days as I want during my stay.

Once again the bellhops wouldn't hold the luggage either, which has never been a problem in the past hell I have had luggage shipped from one resort to another on this particular day it was not being done.

I don't ask for much but I want what I pay for. I know now never to split my reservation again and I still love the DDP it is totally worth it and I recommend it to everyone.

The night before the should have still been on your key. You would have been told they expire the next night at check out. Nothing to spend 2 hours on once you were told the policy. You had two reservations there they expire on midnight. If you want to be able to use them over 7 nights then you cannot do a split stay. You paid for it for two stays when the first stay ends so do your credits. That is the way for everyone, you did not know how the plan works. Or just thought you should have an exception to policy.

I don't think it is just a tip thing for bell services. Whenever we drop bags off they give us a reciept. Without someone in the room how do they verify that everything is delivered or keep somone from saying a bag was not delivered.

Denise in MI

 

[tjkraz]

For those who misunderstood I did not let the credits expire I went down the night before the first check out to ask about it, and I don't think Disney gave me something so great by giving me access to food that I prepaid for, I had a 7 night stay 7 days of DDP, if given the choice I don't go to the parks all 7 days I do Universal and Seaworld too, they should allow me to buy the ddp for as many days as I want during my stay.

I'm sure we all have things we think they "should" do, but the policy is what it is.

You had a split stay. Even though you were only switching views rather than resorts, it was two reservations. And when there are two reservations, the dining credits are specific to each reservation. The three sets of dining credits tied to the MK view room would expire at midnight on the day that you left the MK view room. That has always been the policy--both for cash guests and DVC. By extending the expiration date on those credits, they did go outside of established policies for you.

Bell Services CMs rely on gratuities to make their living. You can't live on the couple dollars per hour in base pay that they are given. So I can't really blame them for earning that pay.

And as the others have said, it is DVC policy to not confirm availability until you are within your booking window. It's probably done to help eliminate unnecessary phone calls. If every member called 1-2 days before they could book to check availability, and then again when they CAN book, call volumes would double. Our dues pay to operate Member Services (staffing, telephone lines, etc.) so it's hard to argue against reasonable measures which eliminate completely unnecessary calls.

 

[mousefan1972]

For those who misunderstood I did not let the credits expire I went down the night before the first check out to ask about it, and I don't think Disney gave me something so great by giving me access to food that I prepaid for, I had a 7 night stay 7 days of DDP, if given the choice I don't go to the parks all 7 days I do Universal and Seaworld too, they should allow me to buy the ddp for as many days as I want during my stay.

But you didn't have a 7 night stay. You had a 3 night stay followed by a 4 night stay. I know it seems like they are the same, but in Disney's reservation system, they are very different. As many PPs have stated, the credits from the first reservation expired at 11:59 pm the day you checked out of the first room. The resort really did make an exception for you to allow you to carry them over to the next stay. It isn't their fault that you didn't understand how the DDP worked with the 2 separate reservations that you had.