posted 08-31-2002 06:58            

At the time we affiliated these properties, we did not accept lock off units that didn't meet the square footage requirement or did not offer kitchen facilities. The ability to trade the different sides of a lock off unit are negotiated at the time of the resort's affiliation. The studio side of the lock out did not have this negotiated as part of the affiliation.

Since that time, with lockoffs of this type becoming common, Royal Resorts did negotiate the ability to trade both halves of the units at the Islander & Sands.

quote:

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Originally posted by JEFF H:
Craig,
did you not see my question or just ignoring me

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posted 08-31-2002 07:10            

quote:

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Originally posted by MikeS:
Craig,

Thank you for your response. First, I have been an owner of week 26 at Westgate Villas for some 14 years and I am not new to exchanging both with RCI and II. Second, your VC has confirmed what I knew long time ago, that we have a 24 months trading window. Indeed, I have already used one of my other 2003 weeks to get a confirmed exchange some 16 months in advance.
Third, requested travel dates are not at issue because I cannot use that 26/ 2004 week for ANY travel dates ! Your system simply does not permit me to do so.

Indeed, the problem is not limited to week 26 of 2004, I have other weeks that are subject to the same "restriction". I have focused on week 26 only to simplify the issue.

As you can see, there is something obviously wrong with the input of information into your computer base. If somebody could tell me that the problem will be investigated and resolved, say, in five days or so, I would be happy to wait. But, as it stands now, I can do nothing with my 2004 weeks unless I deposit them first. That's simply wrong !

MikeS

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------------------
Craig Urbine
Vice President
Member Services
Interval International

posted 08-31-2002 07:17            

quote:

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Originally posted by MikeS:
Craig,

Have you had a chance to look at my response posted 08-30-2002 17:28 ?

MikeS

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posted 08-31-2002 07:32            

quote:

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Originally posted by Segiah:
Craig,

RE: Call before confirmation.

How do I know you got me exactly what I want if I specified an area with many possible resorts if I cannot find out more about the resort and unit II wants to confirm me into?

If an independent exchange can call before confirmation so could II. I know you will say the independents do many fewer exchanges but they have many fewer employees proportionally and they do exchanges at a lower cost than II.

I appreciate you answering questions here but I consider your answer as "we do it that way because we do it that way" and not acceptable.

In other words, II could serve their members better but they choose not to.

P E H

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It's not just independent companies. It amazes me with RCI that even though I put a unit on hold electronically (over the internet), at least 1/3 of the time I'll get a call from a live counselor asking me if I wish to confirm it.

A suggestion I've made in the past for II is that for those who have made their ongoing search request online, if a match is found, email is sent to member telling them a match has been found, and they have say 24hrs to confirm the exchange. II already has an internal mechanism to do exchange holds, so the exchange match would just trigger an automatic hold. I can't imagine changes to support this functionality would be extensive.

A later step would be to modify the II website so that existing exchange holds can be viewed and confirmed. Although this will take more extensive coding changes, the benefit is that exchanges could be confirmed without needing to talk to a vacation counselor. I assume that at some point this would result in a cheaper transaction cost, but a just as important benefit is that it allows exchange matches to be confirmed when the II offices are closed.

posted 08-31-2002 07:47            

Yours points are well made and will be taken into consideration.

quote:

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Originally posted by JeffW:
It's not just independent companies. It amazes me with RCI that even though I put a unit on hold electronically (over the internet), at least 1/3 of the time I'll get a call from a live counselor asking me if I wish to confirm it.

A suggestion I've made in the past for II is that for those who have made their ongoing search request online, if a match is found, email is sent to member telling them a match has been found, and they have say 24hrs to confirm the exchange. II already has an internal mechanism to do exchange holds, so the exchange match would just trigger an automatic hold. I can't imagine changes to support this functionality would be extensive.

A later step would be to modify the II website so that existing exchange holds can be viewed and confirmed. Although this will take more extensive coding changes, the benefit is that exchanges could be confirmed without needing to talk to a vacation counselor. I assume that at some point this would result in a cheaper transaction cost, but a just as important benefit is that it allows exchange matches to be confirmed when the II offices are closed.

Jeff

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posted 08-31-2002 09:22            

I have a unit reserved for this coming March(Summitt Watch). I know right now that I need to cancel but if I do then the unit I traded is restored but its expiration gets reset to 12 months from date of cancellation. The original expiration is 9/2004. I may have trouble using the restored unit by 9/2003 so I'll wait until 70 days prior to cancel on Summit Watch.

Is there any discretion available in this policy? It seems like a good balance would be to restore the original expiration date or 12 months from date of cancellation whichever is greater.

I'll play by the rules but I suspect you would rather I'd cancel now instead of 70 days prior.

posted 08-31-2002 09:35            

quote:

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Originally posted by Northern Willy:
Hi Craig,

I have a unit reserved for this coming March(Summitt Watch). I know right now that I need to cancel but if I do then the unit I traded is restored but its expiration gets reset to 12 months from date of cancellation. The original expiration is 9/2004. I may have trouble using the restored unit by 9/2003 so I'll wait until 70 days prior to cancel on Summit Watch.

Is there any discretion available in this policy? It seems like a good balance would be to restore the original expiration date or 12 months from date of cancellation whichever is greater.

I'll play by the rules but I suspect you would rather I'd cancel now instead of 70 days prior.

Thanks for your participation in this board.

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posted 08-31-2002 10:45         

Thanks much for your help.

quote:

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Originally posted by CraigU:
Thank you for providing the opportunity to address this issue. I will forward your comments to the director of Membership Sales. There are several issues to be addressed.

BTW, all employees have extensions to provide. I just won't give you mine.

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posted 08-31-2002 19:48            

RE: Call to member before confirmation.

Your answer to JeffW was much better than you answer to me about calling a member before confirmation and a free cancellation period. Although I didn't specify a cancllation could be made at the time of the call, I meant to imply it.

A call or e-mail notification with a 24 hour cancellation with no penalty would be a great improvement. If RCI and the independents can do it, so can II. I realize some members would abuse the privilege so some kind of restriction could be implemented.

I would be very interested in the decision to implement the call and cancellation policy and the reasons if II decides not to implement it.

One other thing: I am glad that II is not going to a points system. I believe that some RCI resorts and members will transfer to II for this reason. You can put that in the more profit column.

P E H

posted 08-31-2002 20:01            

But I can't specify the unit which may be not be accectable. If the independents and RCI can call before confirmation and give a choice of refusal, so can II.

P E H

I am really happy to hear that you are at least considering a 24 hr cancellation policy. We would still have to check our exchange status daily but if we were willing to do this it would give us the opportunity to check flights etc.

posted 09-01-2002 05:19            

As far as a cancellation period is concerned, when and if we institute a new policy, it will be communicated to our members. I imagine you'll read it here first.

quote:

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Originally posted by Segiah:
Craig,

RE: Call to member before confirmation.

Your answer to JeffW was much better than you answer to me about calling a member before confirmation and a free cancellation period. Although I didn't specify a cancllation could be made at the time of the call, I meant to imply it.

A call or e-mail notification with a 24 hour cancellation with no penalty would be a great improvement. If RCI and the independents can do it, so can II. I realize some members would abuse the privilege so some kind of restriction could be implemented.

I would be very interested in the decision to implement the call and cancellation policy and the reasons if II decides not to implement it.

One other thing: I am glad that II is not going to a points system. I believe that some RCI resorts and members will transfer to II for this reason. You can put that in the more profit column.

P E H

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posted 09-01-2002 05:21            

quote:

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Originally posted by Segiah:
EdB,

But I can't specify the unit which may be not be accectable. If the independents and RCI can call before confirmation and give a choice of refusal, so can II.

P E H

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posted 09-01-2002 06:26         

quote:

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Originally posted by Segiah:
EdB,

But I can't specify the unit which may be not be accectable. If the independents and RCI can call before confirmation and give a choice of refusal, so can II.

P E H

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From my experience exchanging both with RCI and II over some 14 year period you can never be sure which unit you will get. RCI does not guarantee it either. Indeed, some resorts reserve the right to allocate different units even to the owners. Maintenace and refurbishing schedules have to be met. With floating weeks allocated units may change every time you are allocated a week for the next year. It would be unrealistic to expect that each one of us, as exchangers, could decide in advance which unit we have the "right" to require. Requesting a specific unit by calling the resort in advance is an entirely different concept than specifying one to an exchange company as part of our resort selection process. Let's be realistic, - none of the exchange companies, including RCI and independents, will accept an exchange request on the basis that "I will accept only unit ABC in resort XYZ".

MikeS

posted 09-01-2002 07:55            

I should have said type of unit instead of implying exact unit. I was once confirmed into a studio unit for a deposit of a 2 BR. Since I understood that confirmations were irrevocable, I accepted the exchange and was totally dissatisfied.

I should have specified that the option would be a choice of refusal of the resort or a unit type in the resort specified in the confirmation, not a cancellation. The search by II would go on for more accectable accommodations. I agree that if a cancellation was wanted by the member, it should be made before a match is found as it is now.

P E H

posted 09-01-2002 08:01            

quote:

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Originally posted by Segiah:
I should have said type of unit instead of implying exact unit. I was once confirmed into a studio unit for a deposit of a 2 BR. Since I understood that confirmations were irrevocable, I accepted the exchange and was totally dissatisfied.

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That should not have happened. There's a box on the exchange request form that allows you to specify whether you'll accept a unit smaller than the deposited unit. If your deposit was a 2BR, and you made sure that box was not checked, you should have been confirmed only into a 2BR.

You can also guarantee that you'll never get a studio by entering your travel party size as 4 adults.

Ed

posted 09-01-2002 09:33            

quote:

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Originally posted by Segiah:
Craig and EdB,

I should have said type of unit instead of implying exact unit. I was once confirmed into a studio unit for a deposit of a 2 BR. Since I understood that confirmations were irrevocable, I accepted the exchange and was totally dissatisfied.

I should have specified that the option would be a choice of refusal of the resort or a unit type in the resort specified in the confirmation, not a cancellation. The search by II would go on for more accectable accommodations. I agree that if a cancellation was wanted by the member, it should be made before a match is found as it is now.

P E H

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------------------
Craig Urbine
Vice President
Member Services
Interval International

posted 09-01-2002 11:06            

quote:

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Originally posted by Fayeoctober:
Craig, I want to thank you again for answering our questions and showing that Interval does really care about customer service even on a Sunday. I want to recheck my understanding of something. If I banked a platinum Marriott Manor Club week almost two years ago, had a request in for San Francisco for a particular week last summer which I never got, but was able to get Marriott Grande Ocean (actually the check-in would have been today) but ultimately cancelled at Grande Ocean 62 days before the check-in time, and now have until July 2003 to get another exchange, what kind of trading power do I have? Is it based on the original Marriott resort banked well in advance or did I lose out because I only cancelled the second resort 62 days in advance? I am trying to determine the liklihood of an exchange request I have pending (non Marriott) into a heavily requested area (Scotland) or whether I should cancell the non-Marriott request (on the assumption I am not likely to get it) get my credit from Interval and then a day later put in a request for a Marriott in a location I am interested in but not as much as Scotland. I hope this makes sense; I know you don't have the time to answer all individual questions. I am just trying to get a feel for what I should do before I wind up getting nothing. Thanks so much again. Faye

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posted 09-01-2002 11:29         

quote:

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Originally posted by EdB:

.....You can also guarantee that you'll never get a studio by entering your travel party size as 4 adults.

Ed

[This message has been edited by EdB (edited 09-01-2002).]

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Craig,

To my surprise, in online search, whenever I specify a travel party of 2 adults and two children, I am still offered studios in some resorts even though I am searching against a two bdr/sleep 6 unit. I suppose that, in some cases, with very small children, a sleep 4 studio may be acceptable, but with school age children most parents would want reasonable privacy. My questions are: Isn't there a way to indicate on your website that I am searching for a one bdr. or larger unit, but not a sleep 2 or sleep 4 studio ? What would it take to have your computer eliminate all sleep 2 units anyway if I have indicated that I am looking for sleep 4 minimum ?

MikeS

posted 09-01-2002 18:05            

Isn't this still the case?

posted 09-02-2002 05:24            

quote:

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Originally posted by MikeS:
Craig,

To my surprise, in online search, whenever I specify a travel party of 2 adults and two children, I am still offered studios in some resorts even though I am searching against a two bdr/sleep 6 unit. I suppose that, in some cases, with very small children, a sleep 4 studio may be acceptable, but with school age children most parents would want reasonable privacy. My questions are: Isn't there a way to indicate on your website that I am searching for a one bdr. or larger unit, but not a sleep 2 or sleep 4 studio ? What would it take to have your computer eliminate all sleep 2 units anyway if I have indicated that I am looking for sleep 4 minimum ?

MikeS

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posted 09-02-2002 05:27            

I think this is a policy I may revisit.

quote:

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Originally posted by mas:
With all this banter back and forth about calling to confirm. It seems to me that a while back, people [II VCs included] were suggesting that if you want a confirmation callback, you simply specify an area, such as Hawaii-Maui, or Key West instead of a specific resort. Then when/if a unit becomes available you will be called and asked if what has become available is acceptable.

Isn't this still the case?

Mark S.

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posted 09-02-2002 06:49            

For my 2002 Marbella unit, I received the bonus week offer in March for a season that floated in June-Oct. By the time I received this offer, I had already traded my week directly with another TUG member. This offer came way too late in the game. For my 2003, I received the bonus week offer in late Aug. (5 months earlier than the year before.)