Why don't DVC guides use email???

[Nonsuch]

As it is Disney's policy to not have guides send anything but approved emails, like pre-printed brochures, through the system, then expecting them to do otherwise is fruitless.

It's not fruitless. I politely (but firmly) requested my guide communicate via email, and she did.

 

[Chuck S]

It's not fruitless. I politely (but firmly) requested my guide communicate via email, and she did.

If her employer has a policy against it, and she continued to use email, at most companies that would place your job in jeopardy.

 

[dmoore22]

Technology is not infallible. The techies in the school district where my wife works are a neurotic bunch, always messing with the filters on the email server. I can send her an email using my work email ( I'm on the faculty of the university) and it will neither be delivered to her in box nor spam folder. If I send it from my personal account it has a better chance of getting too her but its still not a 100% given. When they aren't delivered to her I have no way of knowing since they do not bounce back as undeliverable. I have configured my mail client to notify me when an email that I have sent has been opened/read. One can only imagine what level of neurosis the Disney techies are at. Email is a convenient way to avoid phone tag but I still find I have to do a phone call as a follow-up.

 

[poohbear luvs grumpy]

Due to a slight hearing impairment on my part my guide will use email when it is necessary out of consideration for me. Out of consideration for her I try to use the phone as much as I can and she puts up with my continuing phrase of "I'm sorry can you say that again." It can make things difficult but I know she has limitations so instead of putting her in a difficult situation we just deal with it.

 

[TisBit]

I prefer email. I would have been fine with a call back. I still think NO response is unacceptable. Not sure why folks are arguing this.

As others have pointed out, maybe it didn't go through. There are lots of spam filters out there that might have prevented your message from being delivered or even a server crash somewhere can cause the email never to make it anywhere.

I have heard and tend to agree that it is better customer service to follow up with a phone call. Maybe it is old fashioned or maybe better customer service. Similar to a handwritten note and a typed note....one communicates completely differently than the other.

(and the fact that I am sure guides don't want an email misinterpreted and used against them later with you said this.....protects the guide and Disney)

 

[huskies90]

As others have pointed out, maybe it didn't go through. There are lots of spam filters out there that might have prevented your message from being delivered or even a server crash somewhere can cause the email never to make it anywhere.

I have heard and tend to agree that it is better customer service to follow up with a phone call. Maybe it is old fashioned or maybe better customer service. Similar to a handwritten note and a typed note....one communicates completely differently than the other.

(and the fact that I am sure guides don't want an email misinterpreted and used against them later with you said this.....protects the guide and Disney)

I have stated already I would be fine with a call back if that was her mode. I sent a second email yesterday and have left two voice mails for her with no response. In my voice mail I said to please respond to my email which was two simple questions. I told her she can respond via email (preferred) or call me back and I stated the questions again over voice mail. I'll let you all know when (if) I get a call back.

And by the way, I am a "new" customer trying to buy in but as the days go by I am less and less excited about becoming a DVC owner. If this is the service a potential new customer gets, I am scared about the level of service the existing customers get.

Again, I am not sure why everyone is defending this level of service. In my old company which was a service company we were rated on how fast we returned messages. Two hours was the max. Even our support groups returning messages to internal customers had the same requirement. Doesn't Disney consider themselves a service oriented company?

 

[JimMIA]

I can't answer any questions about an individual guide's responsiveness, or lack thereof, but there are a couple of obvious factors (some mentioned by previous posters) that could contribute to lack of response.

One is obviously that the guide simply may not be available to receive and/or reply to emails.

The other, more important, reason is that Florida law has strict statutory restrictions on what a timeshare salesman can tell a prospective buyer, and in what format. Certain questions can only be answered by giving the prospective buyer ALL of the information required by law -- the Public Offering Statement. They can't do that by email, so they call you and tell you what they can legally.

If that system is not okay for a prospective buyer -- it's there to protect you...HELLO! -- then the buyer might want to research the resale marketplace. Which has its own set of requirements and restrictions, but will probably save the buyer a bunch of money.

 

[TisBit]

I have stated already I would be fine with a call back if that was her mode. I sent a second email yesterday and have left two voice mails for her with no response. In my voice mail I said to please respond to my email which was two simple questions. I told her she can respond via email (preferred) or call me back and I stated the questions again over voice mail. I'll let you all know when (if) I get a call back.

And by the way, I am a "new" customer trying to buy in but as the days go by I am less and less excited about becoming a DVC owner. If this is the service a potential new customer gets, I am scared about the level of service the existing customers get.

Again, I am not sure why everyone is defending this level of service. In my old company which was a service company we were rated on how fast we returned messages. Two hours was the max. Even our support groups returning messages to internal customers had the same requirement. Doesn't Disney consider themselves a service oriented company?

Umm, I don't understand why some people think that they should only get what THEY want WHEN they want it....and if they don't, its poor customer service.

Plus, as I mentioned and others have mentioned, you sent one email...that may or may not have been received. If you want to talk to someone, call them. Now, if you don't get a call back....maybe there is a problem, but the guides do get vacations and have lots of customers. Unfortunately, there are also bad guides out there, that aren't responsive....in which case if you don't get satisfaction after making the call, then call and request a new guide...others have done this and been given new guides. But, keep in mind, across the board Disney/DVC guides will NOT use email as the primary mode of communication and if that is a deal breaker, maybe you have answered your own questions of buying in.

 

[huskies90]

OK, after playing some phone tag I finally connected with the guide. I sent her TWO emails not one, and she says she never received them. So while I had her on the phone I sent a THIRD email from my iPhone while talking to her and she received it fine...So not sure what happened. She also did not say that she could not receive email nor did she say she could not send me email and she said she gets them and sends them all the time.

So, I'll give her the benefit of the doubt. She answered my questions so I am fine.

As for service, I don't think I was being unreasonable to expect a call back to an inquiry especially as a new customer. You can have your own standards. I have worked for some great service companies and had a bunch of training on this. Actually, Disney was typically a benchmark. Managing customer expectations is the most important aspect. If the customer expects a call back that is what you need to manage to or work to change that expectation.

 

[kjd469]

I am glad you finally got your issue resolved. I don't blame you for being annoyed at not getting a response. I am the same way...when I am ready to do something and have to wait for others to respond, I get a little antsy.

One thing I have found on these boards...there are always going to be people who think you are wrong and have no problem telling you so...always referring to "the contract", etc, etc, and what Disney can and can't do legally, yada, yada, yada, and woe to the person who disagrees. And there are always going to be people who agree with you and try to make you feel good. It's your choice whom you choose to listen to, but personally I prefer the positive posters over the negative

That being said, I don't care what the "experts" say...my guide has always communicated with me via email, in fact, the only time I have ever spoken to him is the first phone call I made to him...after that, every time has been by email, regardless of the content of my inquiry, and he is usually very prompt in his replies. So it is not a firm and fast rule apparently and if you prefer to communicate by email, I would clearly state this to your guide.

Welcome to DVC - I hope you are happy with your decision and enjoy it for many years to come!