Weird call from VRI ????

[shaggy Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close shaggy]

Got a weird phone call from someone tonight from VRI. He said he was glad he had reached me and that there was some new changes that were going on at VRI and he wanted to explain them to me and told me it would take apx 15 mins but I told him I was watching American Idol and to call me at a later date.

Anyone receive a similar call or know what they are talking about?

shaggy

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

This is the usual opening line in timesharing when somebody wants to sell you something. So I expect they want some more of your money for some dubious ''benefit'' or other.

[shaggy Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close shaggy]

That's what I'm thinking also, but am interested in the "changes" . They're not getting any mre of my money.!!! shaggy

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

I got one of those awhile back, probably the same thing - it was an expensive club-type thing, tiered according to benefits, in any case high annual fees. There was some connection with ICE, plus VRI*ety, and I forget what else. They started out by using the theme of unhappiness with RCI... technique very sales-schlock.

It was *very* hard to get them to put a dollar on it quickly, but I said I didn't want to hear about it at all unless they gave me a number, so reluctantly they did. I heard enough to know I wasn't interested, tho I think he said he'd call back, and never did...

edited to add: you probably turn over your ownership of your VRI week to them in the scheme.

By the way, I've been happy with my VRI week, just the way it is.

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

I received a call today from a "rep" from my Coconut Palms Beach II resort telling me about all the exciting new places I can do "internal" trades with. Over 30 in the US alone! WOW - a while 30.

They actually wanted to send a rep to my house to explain and oh yeah....please make sure your husband is there. Can't do anything without him.

Sorry - not interested.

[shaggy Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close shaggy]

What a schlock. I'm not paying another dime. Will let you know if I get a repeat call. shaggy

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

These VRI calls are not actually from VRI at all...

Got a weird phone call from someone tonight from VRI. He said he was glad he had reached me and that there was some new changes that were going on at VRI and he wanted to explain them to me and told me it would take apx 15 mins but I told him I was watching American Idol and to call me at a later date.

Anyone receive a similar call or know what they are talking about?

I received a similar call in the recent past; the call was not actually from VRI itself, but from a third party entity peddling the relatively new "VRI*ety Plus" program on behalf of VRI.

There was considerable discussion of all the specific costs and details of the "VRI*ety Plus" program over on "the other site" in recent months. The bottom line is that it's "not much, for plenty of money".
I listened to the whole rap, and it was abundantly clear to me that VRI*ety Plus was not (and is not) worth any further consideration (...or listening time).

[shaggy Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close shaggy]

In a couple of years I may give away my VRI. then I'll only have wyndham. shaggy

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

VRI should stick to facility management...

In a couple of years I may give away my VRI. then I'll only have wyndham. shaggy

Among my weeks, I own a total of four weeks at three different VRI managed facilities.
Personally, I think VRI is a very competent and highly cost conscious management company; I like and respect VRI as a management company.

That said, the "revenue generator" VRI*ety Plus program being peddled by their third party marketeers is still just an overpriced package of semi-worthless crap.

[shaggy Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close shaggy]

I think all of us will agree with your last statement. shaggy

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

The HOA of one of our VRI managed resorts decided to set performance standards for both VRI as a management company and the on-site manager, who is, I believe, employed directly by the HOA.

I'm not sure what to make of VRI being put on performance standards, having just read it in the Board minutes. VRI has managed the resort forever. There has been no suggestion of a problem with them. However, their other activities, such as VRI*ety and the relationship with INNSeason Resorts, suggest to me that VRI is trending away from a focus on good management and heading toward the murky waters of being everything to everybody, meaning VRI may have lost its focus.

I do know the previous board of this same resort refused to set-up an internal direct exchange program on the resort website so those of us who wanted to swap weeks with other owners could do so without going through VRI or an exchange company and paying the fee. The reason given was the "lost revenue" if there was a direct exchange program. So that board saw owners as "revenue generators" and not owners who might just want to save a buck by using a direct exchange program like so many other resorts have for the benefit of their owners. This decision was made with input from VRI.

So, while VRI has long been a superb management company, there is the possibility it is changing for the worst. I'd be interested in what others have to say. Perhaps there are experiences at other resorts that might help us see a trend?

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

The more I read about timeshare exchanges or anything related to that, the more I hate them.

Give me the timeshare HOAs that will let the owners exchange between each other without a fee and without any problems. We just let them know that we have made a swap and they change the records at the front desk so they know who is checking in. All very simple and the same for selling or renting our timeshare.

Timeshares were created for the benefit of the owners and not for the benefit of everyone else to fleece the owner. JMHO.

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

Some VRI experience input...

....their other activities, such as VRI*ety and the relationship with INNSeason Resorts, suggest to me that VRI is trending away from a focus on good management and heading toward the murky waters of being everything to everybody, meaning VRI may have lost its focus.

So, while VRI has long been a superb management company, there is the possibility it is changing for the worse. I'd be interested in what others have to say. Perhaps there are experiences at other resorts that might help us see a trend?

I have seen no adverse changes at any of the three different VRI managed facilities at which I have owned weeks for a fair number of years now --- but rest assured that I will henceforth be watching very carefully. Isn't the new "relationship" with InnSeason merely another facilty management contract for VRI, with InnSeasons still handling all of its' own sales?

My only "beef" with VRI, and it's not a huge one since I don't exchange and I am not in the market to buy any more weeks, is that (at least in my particular 3 facility instances) there is an "on-site" resale rep who is obstructive to private transactions, in the sense that he / she (one of each) is clearly interested in "helping" exisiting owners only when there is a commission involved.

For example, "for sale by owner" or "additional week(s) sought by a current owner" ads (unlike formerly, I must point out) are now overtly prohibited from the on site bulletin board (i.e., now it's "see agent for all transactions). Also, I learned this year (by serendipitious accident) of two owners who each wanted a week and unit owned by the other, but who didn't know each other (I knew both). The resale agent knew of both interests, but withheld the knowledge, clearly seeking to have each one sell his or her week (through the agent), with the tacit assurance that the agent could "find what they want" (...i.e., two sales commissions). The plot was foiled by "someone" who, knowing both owners, instead put each owner in direct contact with the other. The ownership "swap" was then made at minimal cost to both owners (...but with no realtor commissions paid). Not a major gripe, but a first hand observation nonetheless.

My gut says (...and sincerely hopes) that VRI is not necessarily "changing" (at least in terms of its' facility management capability or quality), but may well instead simply be looking to improve its' bottom line in a flat market by selling revenue generating programs of dubious merit or value. Inventing and implementing VRI*ety Plus, for example, essentially costs VRI nothing, so each and every "sale" of the program to a [STRIKE]sucker[/STRIKE] owner is basically "found money" for VRI (...minus only the marketeer commission).

I hope my theory ultimmately proves to be correct, as the reliability and consistency of VRI management is one of the features I have come to appreciate and rely upon in these particlar four owned weeks....

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

Theo: Thanks for your post. Very interesting (as all your posts are).

InnSeasons handles its own sales but VRI may have gotten in bed with the Devil. It is possible VRI will learn some of the "tricks of the trade" from the InnSeasons gang. It is highly unlikely that the InnSeasons gang will learn about honor and integrity from VRI.

One point of reference I have is Countrywide Home Loans. When we first moved back to the states (1998), Countrywide bought our new mortgage. They were a very decent, respectable company then, much like VRI is now. Our home grew in value so we refinanced and took out HELOCs about three times. The first two times were respectable deals. The third gave us cause for concern. Buying the new house and dealing with them at that time really raised our eyebrows. Some of their suggestions and proposals were unsound and we knew it. So, in short, they went from a decent company to the one that helped spawn the mortgage crisis.

I'm not saying that VRI will go down the Primrose Path, hand-in-hand with InnSeasons Resorts, but......................

I certainly hope that the VRI facilities management capability management remains honest and above-board.

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

The more I read about timeshare exchanges or anything related to that, the more I hate them.

Give me the timeshare HOAs that will let the owners exchange between each other without a fee and without any problems. We just let them know that we have made a swap and they change the records at the front desk so they know who is checking in. All very simple and the same for selling or renting our timeshare.

Timeshares were created for the benefit of the owners and not for the benefit of everyone else to fleece the owner. JMHO.

Indeed, it should be this way, shouldn't it? I hope someone raises the issue of direct exchanges between owners at the resort in question. I'd like to see it happen.