Tweet
So I sent this email on the BG website about the new policy:
= = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = Begin email
Your new fee for saving points has not been well thought out. I see it as just a money grab.
If I've used my annual points in the first year and I happen to have 800 points left at the end of the year, I don't believe it's fair for me to have to pay $35 to have them saved. I could agree with it if I had a good amount of points left that I simply didn't use.
I think a more fair solution would be to set a percentage threshold. If I have more than XX% of my points left at the end of the first year, then I would have to call to save the points and pay the fee. Otherwise they would automatically save without a fee. Of course this could be factored into the premium memberships as a benefit in some way.
If someone does not have enough points left for a three night stay somewhere, they have obviously used their points fairly well. Why should they be penalized with another fee to save the points?
You can argue that a one or two night say is possible, but I venture to say that many owners do not live close to any of the BG resorts which makes this impossible for them. Also if jobs are lost or jobs change for members their vacation time might get reduced and they simply cannot go as much any more.
= = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = End email
And BG's response was a typical "form" response:
= = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = Begin response
We are sorry to hear of your frustrations regarding the Saved Points policy. Please be advised that your Points are backed by actual inventory for the first year in which they are earned only. The purpose of this change is to encourage owners to use their Points for their full value during their annual use period and reduce a growing liability incurred by the Club to maintain usage rights for Points that are largely expiring without being used. Bluegreen takes great pride in managing a healthy, fiscally responsible Vacation Club on behalf of its ownership. The ability to use your Points for a second year is a major benefit that many other Points-based Vacation Clubs do not permit.
In addition, we would like you to consider an extreme case where every owner saved their Points this year without knowing that everyone else did. If you think about it, all of the rooms at Bluegreen resorts would not be vacant. However, if all the owners decided to use our Saved Points and Annual Points in the following year half of the owners would get reservations and the other half would not. Please note that owners still have the option to borrow their Points ahead of their scheduled earn date.
Another example would be that if a 9,000 Annual Points owner were saving their Points so they could go to a newer resort that took 18,000 Points in High Red season. The owner who bought 18,000 Points so they could travel in High Red season, now can't because another owner would have it confirmed. A possible result could be a policy change in which saved points can't be used for High Red season. What if such a policy change works for awhile but then doesn't work adequately anymore? Bluegreen has an obligation to change the policy to bring borrowing and saving back into balance.
We appreciate your suggestions and assure you that we desire only what is best for our owners. However, this descision has been finalized by the board and no other changes will be made to the policy at this time.
= = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = End response
I love that last paragraph. I appreciate the fact of even being able to save points in the first place, but basically if I have only 150 or 200 points left I get butt screwed for $35 bucks to save them. It's not a lot of points but they are mine that I wouldn't want to lose - I paid maintenance fees on them. Seems unfair when someone can pay the same $35 fee to save 100,000 points if they wanted to. I see the BG board puts as much thought into the programs as our politicians put into making laws and budget decisions - definitely not "what is best for our owners".
The $35 fee will prevent nothing except when owners have few points left such as maybe 200. It will, in effect, cause owners to let those points expire which won't have any effect overall. Letting those points save wouldn't "take away" units from others. Owners that have lots of points to save will pay the fee - so the same situation will exist. Therefore I still see the fee as a money grab.
= = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = Begin email
Your new fee for saving points has not been well thought out. I see it as just a money grab.
If I've used my annual points in the first year and I happen to have 800 points left at the end of the year, I don't believe it's fair for me to have to pay $35 to have them saved. I could agree with it if I had a good amount of points left that I simply didn't use.
I think a more fair solution would be to set a percentage threshold. If I have more than XX% of my points left at the end of the first year, then I would have to call to save the points and pay the fee. Otherwise they would automatically save without a fee. Of course this could be factored into the premium memberships as a benefit in some way.
If someone does not have enough points left for a three night stay somewhere, they have obviously used their points fairly well. Why should they be penalized with another fee to save the points?
You can argue that a one or two night say is possible, but I venture to say that many owners do not live close to any of the BG resorts which makes this impossible for them. Also if jobs are lost or jobs change for members their vacation time might get reduced and they simply cannot go as much any more.
= = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = End email
And BG's response was a typical "form" response:
= = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = Begin response
We are sorry to hear of your frustrations regarding the Saved Points policy. Please be advised that your Points are backed by actual inventory for the first year in which they are earned only. The purpose of this change is to encourage owners to use their Points for their full value during their annual use period and reduce a growing liability incurred by the Club to maintain usage rights for Points that are largely expiring without being used. Bluegreen takes great pride in managing a healthy, fiscally responsible Vacation Club on behalf of its ownership. The ability to use your Points for a second year is a major benefit that many other Points-based Vacation Clubs do not permit.
In addition, we would like you to consider an extreme case where every owner saved their Points this year without knowing that everyone else did. If you think about it, all of the rooms at Bluegreen resorts would not be vacant. However, if all the owners decided to use our Saved Points and Annual Points in the following year half of the owners would get reservations and the other half would not. Please note that owners still have the option to borrow their Points ahead of their scheduled earn date.
Another example would be that if a 9,000 Annual Points owner were saving their Points so they could go to a newer resort that took 18,000 Points in High Red season. The owner who bought 18,000 Points so they could travel in High Red season, now can't because another owner would have it confirmed. A possible result could be a policy change in which saved points can't be used for High Red season. What if such a policy change works for awhile but then doesn't work adequately anymore? Bluegreen has an obligation to change the policy to bring borrowing and saving back into balance.
We appreciate your suggestions and assure you that we desire only what is best for our owners. However, this descision has been finalized by the board and no other changes will be made to the policy at this time.
= = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = End response
I love that last paragraph. I appreciate the fact of even being able to save points in the first place, but basically if I have only 150 or 200 points left I get butt screwed for $35 bucks to save them. It's not a lot of points but they are mine that I wouldn't want to lose - I paid maintenance fees on them. Seems unfair when someone can pay the same $35 fee to save 100,000 points if they wanted to. I see the BG board puts as much thought into the programs as our politicians put into making laws and budget decisions - definitely not "what is best for our owners".
The $35 fee will prevent nothing except when owners have few points left such as maybe 200. It will, in effect, cause owners to let those points expire which won't have any effect overall. Letting those points save wouldn't "take away" units from others. Owners that have lots of points to save will pay the fee - so the same situation will exist. Therefore I still see the fee as a money grab.
Comment