Wyndham "Survey" by the "Non-Sales Person" Let's Play Count the Lies....

[brisut Junior Member Find all posts View Profile Close brisut]

Stayed at Glacier Canyon in Wis Dells last week on and RCI Exchange, I am not a Wyndham owner. I doubt I will ever be after this visit...

I fell for the lie that they do not do "owner updates" any more, but someone would stop by our room for a survey regarding our check-in experience (Lie #1), which also is for their RCI rating (Lie#2)

So I reluctantly agree to 9:30 the next morning..Water parks open at 10:00 so perfect to get the kids there in time

(Side note...they pulled this on us last year at the same place, but didn't try to disguise it so well and offered us a little incentive, it wasn't too horrible, so I agreed again...my mistake)

So they call at 8:20 the next morning and want to move it to 8:30, my wife agrees not knowing what they told me the night before. I myself am still in bed, as this is my vacation....

Our friendly "non-sales person" shows up with a box of Fudge, a coupon book that expires in April, and a worthless "discount card" - 10% off mini- golf, Yay....

He tells us that he is NOT in sales, but customer service, because they don't do "updates anymore" (Lie#3), starts to ask where we own, etc. Asks if we know that Wyndham now OWNS RCI (#4). I played along and said that I did...(this is kind of like saying that Chevrolet owns Buick...)

Then asks if we are aware of all the new benefits available to us through RCI now that Wyndahma has taken over ownership (#5). I tell him I am aware of some changes, but really wasn't sure what he was talking about.

He then asks if we were invited to the recent "RCI Transition Meetings" that were held around the area? In fact they held one at the Wild Rock clubhouse (their golf course)....(#6)

We say no (of course, because there WERE no meetings)..and he actually leans back in his chair, shakes his head and looks pissed..He then says "I can't believe that RCI did not invite you to those meetings, that will change now that WE took over!!! (#7)

He cannot believe that we are not aware of all these benefits that are now available to us. I believe he mentioned how we can get our maintenance fees waived (#8)

I asked him to please tell me the other benefits that we are missing out on. He of course, does not know, (#9) because they will not tell him (#10), as he is not in sales. (#11)

I push and he says he cannot tell us anything else, this is where I decided that I have had enough...

I tell him that I do not want to go to another meeting, and I really doubted most everything that he told me. He throws his hands up and asks why I think there is another meeting that I have to go to? Because HE has not certainly mentioned THAT at all..

I told him mainly because I am not stupid, and I know where this is going. He seemed genuinely hurt that I would suggest this. This served to only make me angrier.

I mentioned how they told me last year they would buy my 3 other timeshares FROM me, and my maintenance fees with my Wyndham ownership would be the same. I doubted it then, and I doubted it now, but, I am sure they would give me "credit" off their $25-$30,000 price.

He asked if I had heard of Timeshare Closing Services, as they would be the one that would buy my weeks from me. (up to #12 now) I told him I was well aware, as they have closed 2 or 3 of the weeks I have bought for a dollar on e-bay, with NO closing costs.

My wife and I both told him that we are sick of being badgered to attend these meetings, and if they want to have updates for owners, call it that, and stop tricking people into these "surveys"

I did get him to admit that he IS in sales, as his job is to SELL us on another meeting. He very reluctantly agreed to this.

Sorry for the long post, but I feel better now. That's 12 lies if you are scoring along at home, and I'm sure I missed a couple....

I got the Wyndham survey e-mailed and I ripped them on this, I am hoping they will contact me, but I doubt that will happen.

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

Sort of same in Nashville

I sort of went thru the same in Nashville. The story there was how mad he was about me paying exchange fees and that should have all been waved because of what we own. Do not and would not own with them.
When I got home I wrote to Wyndham about being lied to and was told somebody from the resort would contact me. A year later and still waiting, yea right. Tell it straight or shut up Wyndham.
Bart

[PortableTech Member Find all posts View Profile Close PortableTech]

I am shocked... I just can not believe that out of them... I mean, only 12 lies? They are really slacking these days.

[rikkis_playpen Diamond Club Contributor Find all posts View Profile Close rikkis_playpen]

Wyndham and a Postcard company in bed together...

Did anyone else notice that if this post is true, it states that Wyndham now has a relationship with a postcard company who will assume ownership of timeshare trade ins?

This type of relationship has happened in the past with developers and a company called Holiday Group that was based out of Seattle. Developers would offer to "buy" timeshares by giving a credit from the purchase price of their own product (yet another reason why developer pricing is so ridiculously high- to allow "discounts" such as this to be used as a closing tool).

They would then pay a fee to Holiday Group to transfer the ownership from the individuals name.

Holiday Group has now closed down, and abandoned THOUSANDS of timeshare weeks. These unpaid maintenance fees go back into resort budgets, and increase the assessments for all the owners who are still paying. The resorts will also have high legal costs to foreclose on these abandoned weeks..

Funny how developers can complain about these "relief" business models when they impact them directly- but find them incredibly useful as a sales tool. Just another example of how developers are slowly tightening the noose around the industry!

[Jya-Ning Silver Contributor Find all posts View Profile Close Jya-Ning]

Did anyone else notice that if this post is true, it states that Wyndham now has a relationship with a postcard company who will assume ownership of timeshare trade ins?

Yes, I also notice it, but don't know if this is a saleperson's own word or is it from region VP or people higher.

They forget to mention that you will need to pay $4,000 to have those post card company "Purchase" from you (most of the time, you are still the owner, they just agree to be your trustee to get rid of the TS for you), so, you are looking at their developer's price plus maybe $5000 (by the time you want to get rid of it).

Jya-Ning

[timeos2 Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close timeos2]

Good try but Wastegate wins

An all-too-typical Wyndham pitch. All the classic half-truths and tall tales they love to spew. Pity those that fall for it as they are the real losers. As for hearing back from them regarding your comments/complaints that will never happen as the only thing they want are sales. Your comments go nowhere but the nearest trash can. If it weren't for Wastegate Wyndham might hold the sleaziest sales award but for now they are a distant second place despite their best efforts.

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

For those who yearn for the Good Ole Days, there are some things that have not changed.

[brisut Junior Member Find all posts View Profile Close brisut]

In terms of the issue of Timershare Closing Services "buying" the weeks, I am now wondering how many of the $1.00 ebay auctions are not really the work of the postcard companies, but from these Wyndham purchases.

If you think about it, it makes sense that they would do this. (Not morally right, but from their reasoning, good business)

When they "buy" my other weeks from me, they probably pull up e-bay completed auctions and show me they have little or no value.

Then they give me $1,000 "credit" for my week, off of their $30,000 price. They make it out that they are doing ME a huge favor by "buying" my $1.00 week for $1,000 and taking those pesky maintnenance fees off my hands.

They pay someone to list the auction for them, and cover the closing costs from TCS, and being they jacked their price up $5,000 to account for this, still come out ahead.

It would be interesting to see how they do this, but I am not going to be the one to go that far in the process.

If anyone has actually been through this, please share.

[Merilyn Member Find all posts View Profile Close Merilyn]

I had the same awful time at Smoky Mountain at Christmas. I was told that I was getting someone from customer service to talk to me about a new option we have. It seems that there is a credit card you can get that earns points toward your fees and you never have to pay again. Well, after many questions, which he said he didn't have time to answer right then, could I come over the next day to his office. I decided not to attend and told him so the next day. Well, he said that my file was open now and I had to come over and sign a paper that I didn't want the credit card or something. If I didn't I wouldn't be able to book again with an open file. When I went to sign this paper, he was very rude and got his boss to talk to me. Again, just another way to get me to add on more points! It was all a lie and I will never go to another meeting again or have anyone visit my room. That was the last time for me!!!! I can't believe how they badger you everytime you visit one of their resorts. Some times I wish I hadn't bought Wynhdam. I own DVC and they have never done this. Is there anyway to make this stop? I am really getting tired of it. We shouldn't have to monitor the phone everytime it rings for fear we will be harrassed again by Wyndham sales people.

[rikkis_playpen Diamond Club Contributor Find all posts View Profile Close rikkis_playpen]

The answer is obvious..

Don't give them the opportunity to lie to you...

If any resort rep requests you to attend anything, politely decline and walk away. If your phone in the villa rings- don't even bother to answer it (let's face it, friends and family would call on a cell phone anyway). If someone knocks on your door and you haven't ordered room service or requested maintenance, don't answer it...

We all blame the resorts, but time and again we set ourselves up to be lied to by handing them these opportunities...

A great trick that I do (especially now with Wyndham) is when I'm approached for a presentation, I ask the resort employee if they would like to have some Wyndham points for $1,000 which includes closing costs. I'm polite, but loud enough that anyone near me can hear. I explain that I know several people who don't use them any longer, and would be thrilled to basically give them away so they don't have to pay maintenance fees any longer for something they don't use!

The normal answer is a quiet no and the rep hurries me on through.. Occassionally, I've gotten a few sales from this tactic.. Twice to resort employees (resale prices are much lower than their employee discount) who I am certain planned on reselling them to unsuspecting resort guests on the side...

[habbesherry Junior Member Find all posts View Profile Close habbesherry]

We own with Wyndham...and are beginning to think it was a big mistake to purchase our points with them. It seems like every time you go to one of their hotels you get harassed from the moment you check in for a "survey" or an update. And each time you talk to someone different and their song and dance is different from the last person that you talked to. I am still currently on vacation at a Wyndham resort, and considering going back to ask them what they will buy my points back from me for. I am tired of their tricks, and tired of all these scam companies calling me almost daily wanting to rent and buy my unused points from me!

[timeos2 Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close timeos2]

We own with Wyndham...and are beginning to think it was a big mistake to purchase our points with them. It seems like every time you go to one of their hotels you get harassed from the moment you check in for a "survey" or an update. And each time you talk to someone different and their song and dance is different from the last person that you talked to. I am still currently on vacation at a Wyndham resort, and considering going back to ask them what they will buy my points back from me for. I am tired of their tricks, and tired of all these scam companies calling me almost daily wanting to rent and buy my unused points from me!

It is sad but Wyndham is nearly as bad as Wastegate at harassing their own owners. We gave up on them last year after over 15 years of ownership. If you bought retail then it was a ripoff. Remeber they devalue their own product so that it drops 95%+ the day your rescind rights ended.

Sad.

[PJJosee Junior Member Find all posts View Profile Close PJJosee]

Wyndham

It always saddens me to see how many unsavoury people are involved in selling timeshare. I say this because I am a real estate agent selling timeshare. And no, I'm not here to sell you anything.
I wanted to clarify the issue of who owns RCI. RCI is indeed owned by Wyndham, but it's not Wyndham Resorts. They are owned by Wyndham Worldwide, who own a range of hotels, avis, orbitz, etc. etc. Originally RCI was owned by Cendant. For some reason Cendant dissolved all their ownerships and Wyndham Worldwide acquired the hotel and timeshare exchange arm, plus some others, which are not significant here. If the agent was truthful he would have told you that Wyndham Resorts and RCI are SISTER companies, and as such they have no pull or power at all with RCI.
In fact, RCI stipulated that Whydham/Worldmark owners would not be able to access all of the points resorts that RCI offers, as that would give the Wyndham owners an unfair advantage over those in RCI. So although you have the points system within Wyndham you can only access a percentage of the points resorts in RCI, the rest of the time you fall back into the old weeks system. I have an ownership with Wyndham too, and I did my homework before I purchased with them. It's like buying a car, do some homework first and you will know what it is you're getting.

Here's a tip for you when you arrive at a resort - there will always be someone there who tries to rope you into a timeshare presentation, however they word it. Just tell them you are a timeshare salesperson. They will leave you alone and not try to contact you again.

I own time with several companies, and if you know what the limitations are, it is a great way to travel.

I hope this helps!

[Jya-Ning Silver Contributor Find all posts View Profile Close Jya-Ning]

Welcome

For some reason Cendant dissolved all their ownerships and Wyndham Worldwide acquired the hotel and timeshare exchange arm, plus some others, which are not significant here.

Cedant become too big and believe split will bring the value to stock price. They purchase the name Wyndham, split itself and give Wyndham to the new Hotel / timeshare/ vacation rental company.

In fact, RCI stipulated that Whydham/Worldmark owners would not be able to access all of the points resorts that RCI offers, as that would give the Wyndham owners an unfair advantage over those in RCI. So although you have the points system within Wyndham you can only access a percentage of the points resorts in RCI, the rest of the time you fall back into the old weeks system.

You can not access the point side of the inventory if it is the same chain. So, if you are Wyndham owner, you can not access any units Wyndham resorts deposit to the point side.

Even with resale purchase, if you are willing to part $2,395, you can have your point access all the rest RCI point inventory. New retail purchaser will have that included.

Jya-Ning

[gandalf252002 Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close gandalf252002]

Glad somebody added something to this thread or I might never have come across it. Some very good information that I can use to my advantage when travelling in the future. Never thought of telling somebody that I sold timeshares in order to get them not to try and sell me one.