Exchangers as Second Class Citizens

[JLB Please excuse me, I'm a Dick. Not a moron just a Dick Find all posts View Profile Close JLB]

I haven't said much about resorts that treat exchangers as second-class citizens, giving them poorer units, poorer service, etc. It really has been OK with me, but from the number of threads it obviously rubs many the wrong way.

This morning I had a thought.

I believe it rubs people the wrong way for the same reason that it rubs people the wrong way when a waitress does that little moan and rolls her eyes when she sees you have an Entertainment coupon. She has prejudged you and assumes you do not tip well either!

I believe it rubs people the wrong way in the same way that I was upset when I walked up to Tropic Sun Towers and two registration employees were out front catching a cigarette. When I pulled out my Exchange Confirmation, one poked the other one and said, "See, I told you. RCI!" and they had a big laugh at my expense.

We had our fill of that holier-than-thou, snooty, hoyty-toyty attitude when we owned at Westgate.

If the purpose of owner perks is to give owners a false sense of superiority while dipping into their pocketbooks, by alienating others, it does or so it seems.

[taffy19 Gold Contributor Find all posts View Profile Close taffy19]

How about adding this information to the "Resorts Database" if exchangers are treated the same in regard to fees and/or privileges. There could also be a box for this in the review section.

It may make a difference for the exchanger if he wants to go to this resort or not.

[Carol C Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Carol C]

RCI also has treated exchangers/owners/members of RCI as second class citizens. They milk the cow and never want to give anything back. Just higher and higher annual dues and exchange fees and guest cert fees...while freebies go to gubmint employees and hired guns, and cheapos go to the public via the rental pools and auctions like SkyAuctions. Yep, we're even more second-class with RCI...of course enough people are walking now, and that's gonna be a good thing once a critical mass is reached.

[tonyg Goomba & Super Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close tonyg]

I like Emmy's idea of including those who treat exchangers differently than owners. The only resorts that come to mind are Westgates, Smuggs, and for unit assignment- Orange Lake and perhaps Marriott and then Disney with it's phony $ 95 fee for exchangers. Any others resorts where discrimination is evident ?
Is the Manahttan club's new fee for everyone ?

[taffy19 Gold Contributor Find all posts View Profile Close taffy19]

Parking fee is an example.

[reddiablosv Member Find all posts View Profile Close reddiablosv]

I haven't said much about resorts that treat exchangers as second-class citizens, giving them poorer units, poorer service, etc. It really has been OK with me, but from the number of threads it obviously rubs many the wrong way.

This morning I had a thought.

I believe it rubs people the wrong way for the same reason that it rubs people the wrong way when a waitress does that little moan and rolls her eyes when she sees you have an Entertainment coupon. She has prejudged you and assumes you do not tip well either!

I believe it rubs people the wrong way in the same way that I was upset when I walked up to Tropic Sun Towers and two registration employees were out front catching a cigarette. When I pulled out my Exchange Confirmation, one poked the other one and said, "See, I told you. RCI!" and they had a big laugh at my expense.

We had our fill of that holier-than-thou, snooty, hoyty-toyty attitude when we owned at Westgate.

If the purpose of owner perks is to give owners a false sense of superiority while dipping into their pocketbooks, by alienating others, it does or so it seems.

I am sorry, and I don't want to offend. But, I take offense because I feel that my exchanger is intitled to the same rights and privileges that I paid for!!!! Anything less is taking away from me, an owner!! Sticking my exchanger or renter in a dumpster view unit diminishes the trade/rental "value" of the unit. That "value" belongs to me! Recently, I gave a friend my unit. An upstairs unit in Maui. When the resort found out, he was not the owner, they switched units and stuck him in the worst unit in the resort. This was despite me having placed my reservation on the first minute of the first day that it was possible to place reservations. I am offended!! Ben

[gophish Super Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close gophish]

I am sorry, and I don't want to offend. But, I take offense because I feel that my exchanger is intitled to the same rights and privileges that I paid for!!!! Anything less is taking away from me, an owner!! Sticking my exchanger or renter in a dumpster view unit diminishes the trade/rental "value" of the unit. That "value" belongs to me! Recently, I gave a friend my unit. An upstairs unit in Maui. When the resort found out, he was not the owner, they switched units and stuck him in the worst unit in the resort. This was despite me having placed my reservation on the first minute of the first day that it was possible to place reservations. I am offended!! Ben

I totally agree. Exchangers should be treated no different than owners or renters or anyone else. We as exchangers are all owners somewhere and when we put our unit in to RCI for exchange the person that gets it should expect a good unit and not to be ripped off or treated badly. RCI should insist that resorts live up to this and not treat exchangers shabbyly.
If I put in for a certain unit and give it to someone else for whatever reason they should be treated well just as I would expect to be/
The only place that they tried giving us a bad unit because we were RCI exchangers was at the Ritz Beach in Brand Bahama Island and they backed off when I complained loudly about it at the front desk. After that we were treated very well. So in general I can't complain but I think this does happen to some folks and it should not.

[Icc5 Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Icc5]

Only had it happen once

I have stayed at aprox. 90 timeshares and of those I would say that about 45 have been exchanges. Only once did I get treated differently and yes, it upset us.
We actually exchanged into a resort that I own at but had exchanged back into. We went with my brother and sister n law that also own there and they were given their unit first as owners and something was even mentioned about them being owners. We had to wait as they said we had exchanged into the resort (which in this case was true).
I guess it all depends on which side your on. As an owner we all like special treatment and as an exchanger we would like that treatment too.
Bart

[BoardGirl Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close BoardGirl]

I also like Emmy's idea - why not be forewarned!?!

Solara Surfside, a Bluegreen property in Miami, has a parking fee for everyone (valet parking is underground, they bring your car to you, they help you with luggage, groceries, open all the doors, EVERYTHING) but it's $3/day for owners and $6/day for guests. I think the in-room safe also has a different fee, ours was $2/day. (don't quote me on these, it's been over a year)

I guess on that, well, we're paying, too! If we weren't paying for it, we'd probably tip even better than we did (these guys were really top-notch in service, so we did tip well, every time). I guess, if Everyone Pays Something, I don't see it as a problem. How would you feel about it?

I think all the Smuggs talk last year convinced me of the same thing: that rec fee is something I would never consider paying, but, at least the owners also had to either ante up or take a pass on it. In that regard, well, it was gonna bite exchangers at some point. I will still lead a full life without ever staying there.

Manhatten - I'm also interested in whether EVERYONE gets hit with this, or just RCI customers?

I'm starting to think that waving an RCI confirmation should be a last resort - tell them your name and hope they get you checked in on that without having to show that "I DON'T OWN HERE" slip of paper. Maybe resorts figure that everyone with that slip RENTED and doesn't own ANYWHERE. They could have had past problems with public renters. just a thought.

Last thing on my mind: has anyone that owns at one of these Double Standard resorts brought it up with their HOA? Maybe it isn't policy but the front desk people?

[JLB Please excuse me, I'm a Dick. Not a moron just a Dick Find all posts View Profile Close JLB]

Sure, It May Offend the Non-Owner . . .

. . . but it is done, and some resorts and owners pretty much brag about it.