Would you change guides because of this?

[Lesley]

Back in August when we bought our original DVC contract at BWV our guide told us she would check to see if she could find availabilty in a studio for us to add a night to our trip. She asked where we were staying and said she'd call us the next day (it was Sunday and she couldn't look into it until Monday). Monday came and went with no message. On Tuesday I decided to give her a call to see what was up....I got her voice mail that indicated she wouldn't be back in the office until Friday, which was the night we wanted to add.

So I looked in my papers, realized that I had a membership number and called MS myself. As it happened the only thing they had available was a 2br at OKW and we didn't want to use that many points...so we booked a cash room elsewhere (got rather attached to the idea of one more night by that point!)

We haven't heard from our guide since. My dh feels we should get another guide for our add-on, as he feels like she dumped us as soon as the papers were signed....she offered to do something for us and didn't follow up. I'm a bit miffed that she didn't get back to us as she promised, but then again...it could have been a mistake, or a bad week or whatever. Of course maybe I'm just feeling bad because she was pregnant at the time and I know how that can be!

We had originally been assigned a different guide, who I spoke with several times on the phone and was incredibly helpful....we only ended up with the other guide because our original guide had something come up and couldn't make our meeting time. My dh thinks we should use the original guide.

I don't expect my guide to be a friend for life, but I do expect follow through when promises are made. At least our first guide called us several days in advance and let us know she would be unable to meet with us and asked if it would be okay with us to meet a member of her team instead.

Any thoughts?


Lesley

<img width=100 src="http://www.disneyclipart.com/images23/Parks/DisneyWorld/Other/vacclub01.gif">
1979 Contemporary
1992 Off-site
1994 Caribbean Beach
1999 Fort Wilderness & Coronado Springs
2000 Polynesian and Old Key West
2002 Boardwalk Villa

[This message was edited by Lesley on 04-20-01 at 10:54 PM.]

 

[JohnG]

Asking for a new guide is your right. You should absolutely work with someone you respect and trust....after all DVC is NOT a small or short term investment. DVC will supply you with a different guide immediately, at least that's what I've seen posted on this board before.

A promise was made and then broken, and that is cause enough to request a new person to work with. It could even be that the main reason to want to switch is that she didn't even take the time to inform you about how MS works and how to contact MS directly!

JohnG
Offsite 73,74,75,76,77,79,80, 82
Poly 82,83,85,86
Carribean Beach 87,88,89,90
Beach Club 91,92,93,95,96
Yacht Club 94
ASM 99
BWDVC 97,98,99,2000 (3 Times)2001 (New Year's for the REAL Millenium!)

DLand 74,78,84,88,92,94,95,96,98

 

[KKlecknerWray]

I'd get a new guide, too. Sorry, but being pregnant is no excuse to not do your job right!!! There is NO excuse for not following through. An apology would definitely be in order, at the very least... but I would still switch to a guide I could rely on.

 

[brittsmamabwv]

I always get envious when reading these posts about how members have heard from their guides. I NEVER heard from mine once we signed papers, it took over a week to get him to return calls. I feel IMHO that if you have any doubts at all about your guide, SWITCH. DVC is an enjoyable "commitment" and I for one would want someone who could keep me up to date. I'm hoping when we go to VWL DH will decide on an add on...and if we do, you can bet the park hopper pass I won't be using my original guide. Good Luck and follow you/DH instinct.

When you wish upon a star...DVC will take you far...anything your heart desires....will come your way

 

[Disnydad]

I also have a guide like this. When do our add-on, I'm going to ask for another guide. He does not answer his voice mails.

Don, DVC/VWL 2000

No frogs were riveted during the construction of this post.

 

[A1A1]

I am sorry to say I am shocked to read these posts! My guide has been out of this world...KIm Moore has called me at least once per year since we signed to inform me of price increases and sell outs. He answers his messages right away, it's like he is sitting on the phone.

I would definitely change guides, because you have a bad feeling about the one you signed with. You can have a super relationship with your guide and trust them completely, as I do mine. He has not treated me any differently since we signed. He is definitely a follow-thru man. He says what he's gonna do. He does it. Then he tells you he did it. While he's doing it, he might even tell you he is in the process.

There are great guides out there that are trustworthy and professional. Switch.

 

[Dean]

While it's your right to ask for a guide change and certainly reasonable to do so under the circumstances, it sounds like I'd give them one more chance. Why don't you call and talk to one of the supervisors and tell them what's going on. If they say "this has been a problem with this guide" change then, otherwise I'd decide based on what else they tell you. There may truly be special circumstances. They also may be able to get you what you want. I think sometimes they give MS extra rooms in the type of sitution you've described. Good luck and let us know what happens.

Dean

 

[walter]

I do not like being negative, but I have posted many times before when the conversation deals with "guides". We are never called (even after add-ons) and referrals have gone unanswered. Maybe they are so busy pleasing the "walk-ins", we are left behind. I know some people have descent guides, but after talking to several DVC people about the referrals, nothing has ever been done to resolve the situation. About three months ago I gave a guide a referral (faxed and called him as a follow-up), and the couple (very interested) never heard a thing.

 

[baileybrad]

about it. Anyone could forget to do something, especially with them being out of the office later in the week. I know that I have promised something to someone at work before and forgot that I would be traveling later in the week or something because I was just really busy. I know sales people are suppose to be there for the customer. But it could be that the person just flat out forgot to check. If you are comfortable with the guide other than this I would just flat out call her up and let her know that she dropped the ball and that you want her to be more responsive in the future...ie not promise to do something and then fail to follow up. Not a shot at you but I kind of look at the guides as just sales folks kind of like the person who sells you an automobile...after I buy the car, I don't expect them to make my service appointments. The thing is, in this case, she did make an offer to do something and did apparently just plain forgot. And that caused you to feel let down.

 

[alexcturner]

YES!

 

[SusanB]

I didn't know to even expect to hear anything once the deal was signed! I haven't heard from my guide since last fall when I purchased and frankly didn't expect to. I did get a letter in the mail today telling about how prices are going to up in June, so if I want to buy an add on at VWL I'd better do it now. But that wasn't from my guide, it was just from DVC in general. I guess the good news for me is, since I wasn't expecting anything anyway, I haven't been disappointed (LOL)!

'75 offsite,76 offsite,
'88 Disneyland
'93 CBR, 94 Poly,95 ASM
'96 GF,'97 PO, '98 DxL
Summer '99 BC & WL
Winter '99 Contempo
Summer '00 BW/Poly
Winter '00 OKW
Summer '01 Disney Cruise & BWV

 

[Disney Doll]

I haven't heard from our guide since we signed the papers either, and I really didn't expect to. My understanding of the process was that the guide helped you through the purchasing part, and then after you were a member, Member Services was there for you. I liked our guide very much...he was very nice, and helpful, and quick to return calls when we had questions while we in the process of purchasing. He called us afterward to say thank you and enjoy the DVC, and that's all I expected.

Disney Doll

 

[Paul in CT]

We have had at least four guides since we joined in '95 because they have moved on each time. I usually find out that I have a new guide when there is about to be a point increase and they want to know if I want to add on.

I did once in 12/99 when additional points at OKW became available. Maria handled that for me flawlessly and soon after I was called by my new guide to tell me that Maria had left.

Frankly, guides are critical only when purchasing more points. If they handle that well then they are doing their job. IMHO, anything else is extra. Otherwise, it's Member Services that you need.

Paul in CT

 

[JohnG]

My reason for wanting a responsive and professional guide (we've had Patti Douglas since '97 and she is GREAT) is because I refer many of my friends to DVC and want them to be treated like I have been. It must work..........I've had four other familes buy so far!

JohnG
Offsite 73,74,75,76,77,79,80, 82
Poly 82,83,85,86
Carribean Beach 87,88,89,90
Beach Club 91,92,93,95,96
Yacht Club 94
ASM 99
BWDVC 97,98,99,2000 (3 Times)2001 (New Year's for the REAL Millenium!)

DLand 74,78,84,88,92,94,95,96,98

 

[Princess Tess]

You should do whatever is going to make YOU most comfortable.

 

[Lesley]

It's not that I mind not getting phone calls out of the blue or anything (that would be a pain...and I can see where the sales people need to walk a fine line between acting interested in your business and not being pushy!) but my biggest issue was that she agreed to do something and didn't. In thinking it over, I feel that she wasn't very helpful with some of our questions (in person) and didn't even offer to find out the answers for us. That said...I think if it were entirely my own decision I would give her another chance. My dh is quite sure that we should ask for another guide, so I'll defer being that I'm not entirely happy with what occured around our original purchase. Thanks for the thoughts....

Lesley

1979 Contemporary
1992 Off-site
1994 Caribbean Beach
1999 Fort Wilderness & Coronado Springs
2000 Polynesian and Old Key West
2002 Boardwalk Villas

 

[Disnydad]

Yup, I'll ask for a change. I've refered two couples, one of whom is interested in VB. Neither of them received a call back from my guide.

As soon as they get cleared for New York, I'll call and ask for someone else. I'll scroll back up through this post and look for someone who gets a lot of thumbs up.

Don, DVC/VWL 2000

No frogs were riveted during the construction of this post.

 

[BobH]

I have nothing but praise for our guide, but we haven't heard from her since we closed last November. Haven't had a need to speak to her. Unless you are in the process of purchasing more points I am not sure what the guides role would be anyway. Can anyone who has maintained ongoing contact with their guide state what benefits they have seen from maintaining contact with the guide?

 

[A1A1]

I have kept in touch with my guide since purchasing in 1998. I asked him to let me know of any promotions, etc, as time went by. He has called me to let me know of price increases, and sell outs. I have called him when I was thinking of adding on for his feedback on benefits of different resorts. He has told me about his family's experiences at different DVC resorts, their preferences, and about his experiences with the concierge collection, what they liked and didn't like. He has shared a lot of information that would be useful to my dvc vacations and others. I didn't really seek out his experiences, but he shared a lot, and was a huge help. I now know where to eat the best meals when I go to HH, what to do at Vero, etc, and it is all based on his experiences, not on published info. I got the inside scoop!

The guy (Kim Moore) is very honest. Even when I was leaning one way, he would help me sort out the pros and cons of the dvc resorts and perhaps using points for regular rooms. We have stayed in touch because I have added on three times. These were small add-ons, but they were not all at the same place.

When I go down, we say a quick hello. This guy is the best, and has done very well for himself with DVC. He treats people right, and is very honest. A professional in every sense.

He's someone I might put on a Christmas card list, if I had to gauge the level of the relationship. I would recommend him to anyone. There were others on previous posts who had the same experience with Kim.

I even got BWV add-on from his suggestion to be on the waiting list. I didn't even know such a list existed, but it was his idea, and it came through.

Though I am certain that he has many, many customers, Kim makes you feel like you are his only concern. He always returns phone calls right away. I've never had to wait for him to call back even for the answer to the silliest question. Call him to see if you like him on the phone. You can get him by calling MS and asking to be connected.

Someone else from these boards called him based on my experience with him, and I think was happy with the change to him.

Let me know how it goes. You and yourr DH will really like Kim Moore.

[This message was edited by A1A1 on 04-22-01 at 10:00 AM.]

 

[RobDoc]

If you are wanting to purchase more points and have any concerns about your current guide's ability to assist you, then by all means request another guide.

If you have no plans to add-on, then the guide issue is probably a moot point, as you really have no need for another guide at this time.

Our guide is Bettie Pleasant and while we do receive notes thanking us for referrals and an occasional voice mail "Welcome Home" while at WDW, we have no expectations from her- until and unless we decide to add on again.

If you NEED another guide, then by all means ask for one, but don't feel the need to change until you NEED more points! Enjoy!

Doc DVC Board Co-Moderator
doc@wdwinfo.com