DRI Trading Power downgraded at II?

[dougp26364 Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close dougp26364]

Funny little thing I discovered about this recently...

I recently started a job working from home and on a forum I frequent, others were discussing their work at home jobs -- for II! Most enjoyed working for them. But then there's this little section of II that services DRI and people said one couldn't pay them enough to answer DRI customers! Apparently they have to offer higher pay just to get people to work this area! They said most calls from DRI customers are irrate about increased MFs, dues, and loosing/saving points. I couldn't help but giggle.

Why would anyone call I.I. to complain about DRI? Does I.I. handle all of DRI's customer service calls?

[julieab Member Find all posts View Profile Close julieab]

Like Spence said, when you call DRI, they are really contracted II reps that also handle DRI. While they have some call centers, it seems they also contract with work at home positions.

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

The DRI / II combinatio should have ended last year but...

Funny little thing I discovered about this recently...

I recently started a job working from home and on a forum I frequent, others were discussing their work at home jobs -- for II! Most enjoyed working for them. But then there's this little section of II that services DRI and people said one couldn't pay them enough to answer DRI customers! Apparently they have to offer higher pay just to get people to work this area! They said most calls from DRI customers are irrate about increased MFs, dues, and loosing/saving points. I couldn't help but giggle.

Remember that good sources say DRI would have returned to RCI last year - as DVC wisely did - as the "services" from II are spotty at best. The whole II system is built on perks to developers that must be extremely hard to administer and lead to all sorts of complaints / problems for the usually semi-English speaking agents. Anyway supposedly the whole DRI operation had recommended the return to RCI as the preferred outside exchange service but the strong recommendation was overruled by SC. Makes sense as II loves to play to the top guns, promise them the world then leave the poor working folk to have to deal with the mess they create. It is also well known most resort managements prefer RCI over II as II simply cannot / does not deliver as promised.

No surprise that II isn't delivering to members or corporate clients as that is SOP for them from everything I've seen / heard.

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

Remember that good sources say DRI would have returned to RCI last year - as DVC wisely did - as the "services" from II are spotty at best. The whole II system is built on perks to developers that must be extremely hard to administer and lead to all sorts of complaints / problems for the usually semi-English speaking agents. Anyway supposedly the whole DRI operation had recommended the return to RCI as the preferred outside exchange service but the strong recommendation was overruled by SC. Makes sense as II loves to play to the top guns, promise them the world then leave the poor working folk to have to deal with the mess they create. It is also well known most resort managements prefer RCI over II as II simply cannot / does not deliver as promised.

No surprise that II isn't delivering to members or corporate clients as that is SOP for them from everything I've seen / heard.

Are you sure? How reliable is your source of information? I had RCI during Sunterra's but the service was terrible, and almost nothing was available unless I booked 18 months in advance. It was a wise decision for Sunterra to switch to II during their bankruptcy. The II system just suits me well and the 59 day window is terrific.

Now, I have two beach TS with RCI. The trade power is excellent that I can always see 170K units available.

It is a bad news to me if DRI switches back to RCI.

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

Owners/ employees be hanged - we're going with II as it is good for our bottom line!

Are you sure? How reliable is your source of information? I had RCI during Sunterra's but the service was terrible, and almost nothing was available unless I booked 18 months in advance. It was a wise decision for Sunterra to switch to II during their bankruptcy. The II system just suits me well and the 59 day window is terrific.

Now, I have two beach TS with RCI. The trade power is excellent that I can always see 170K units available.

It is a bad news to me if DRI switches back to RCI.

The source was impeccable and the change would have happened as the whole organization was understandably fed up with II, but was overruled at the very top at the last moment. And the worthless change to "Gold" or preferred membership, whatever they call t - an excuse to charge DRI members more - was also tacked on. Had they asked no one wanted that extra cost for nothing in added benefits. For how long they signed up for I do not know but I'd assume at least 5 years, so plan on at least 5 more years of suffering with the cluelessness of II. At least as Corporate users DRI members do have the best and least costly access you can get to II. The worst situation is to be a paying member of II as they are the bottom of the barrel for actually getting trades after all the convoluted priorities and various blocks are applied to the favored corporate users.

[julieab Member Find all posts View Profile Close julieab]

For how long they signed up for I do not know but I'd assume at least 5 years, so plan on at least 5 more years of suffering with the cluelessness of II.

Oh thank goodness! I would be ticked if they moved next year. I just relinquished my club membership to trade in RCI, but found the 2010 trading power of my resort too poor to pull DVC (even though the same 2008 & 2009 weeks from the same resort can pull DVC). I wonder if RCI regraded everyone on a sliding scale with the addition of DVC, hence the poor trade power of that 2010 week? Who knows and I give up. So I'm gonna get rid of it. The MFs and club dues increased so much last year that the measily week is no longer worth it to us, in the club or in RCI.

We purchased in the summer of 2002 and I think they had just switched to II...so do you think that was a 6 year term? Probably will go another term of the same perhaps?

[Ryne08 Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Ryne08]

How could II lose a huge corp member like DRI and not suffer in the long run? How many Club members are there in DRI?. How many DRI Club members make exchanges with II during a year? This would mean lost revenue for II in the exchnge business. I would think II would like to kept DRI and its members very happy.

[lawren2 Malibu Beach Barbie & A Super Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close lawren2]

From all I've heard there is no love lost between Diamond and RCI. I expect the II commitment to stay in place for a long time to come.

[dougp26364 Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close dougp26364]

Remember that good sources say DRI would have returned to RCI last year - as DVC wisely did - as the "services" from II are spotty at best. The whole II system is built on perks to developers that must be extremely hard to administer and lead to all sorts of complaints / problems for the usually semi-English speaking agents. Anyway supposedly the whole DRI operation had recommended the return to RCI as the preferred outside exchange service but the strong recommendation was overruled by SC. Makes sense as II loves to play to the top guns, promise them the world then leave the poor working folk to have to deal with the mess they create. It is also well known most resort managements prefer RCI over II as II simply cannot / does not deliver as promised.

No surprise that II isn't delivering to members or corporate clients as that is SOP for them from everything I've seen / heard.

DRI, at least since I've been with them (1998), has never been with RCI. So there was no going back to RCI for DRI as far as I can tell.

In the end, you either prefer RCI or I.I. for whatever personal reasons. Neigther is any better than the other.

[dougp26364 Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close dougp26364]

The source was impeccable and the change would have happened as the whole organization was understandably fed up with II, but was overruled at the very top at the last moment. And the worthless change to "Gold" or preferred membership, whatever they call t - an excuse to charge DRI members more - was also tacked on. Had they asked no one wanted that extra cost for nothing in added benefits. For how long they signed up for I do not know but I'd assume at least 5 years, so plan on at least 5 more years of suffering with the cluelessness of II. At least as Corporate users DRI members do have the best and least costly access you can get to II. The worst situation is to be a paying member of II as they are the bottom of the barrel for actually getting trades after all the convoluted priorities and various blocks are applied to the favored corporate users.

I don't ever look for DRI to change to RCI. Persnoally, if they changed to RCI, I'd have to give serious consideration to selling or even giving away my Polo Towers weeks. Nothing like a company (RCI) that will confirm a resrvation, then cancel last minute claiming the resort is overbooked, then attempt to substitute second rate accomadations in it's place.

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

So...can those Club members who are seeing things I'm not help me run a teat?
What do you see for April 10, 2009 - May 29, 2009. With my Club points, I only see Hanalei Bay Resort - April 11 - 1 bdrm & 2 bdrm. According to Ops/Sightings, there are Marriott's but it may still be within the Marriott only window. Still, I'd like to know if others see something I don't. Thanks!!!

[julieab Member Find all posts View Profile Close julieab]

So...can those Club members who are seeing things I'm not help me run a teat?
What do you see for April 10, 2009 - May 29, 2009. With my Club points, I only see Hanalei Bay Resort - April 11 - 1 bdrm & 2 bdrm. According to Ops/Sightings, there are Marriott's but it may still be within the Marriott only window. Still, I'd like to know if others see something I don't. Thanks!!!

For a specific area, resort, just the ones you mentioned in your original post?

Hawaii:
The Kona Coast Resort Interval Ownership
KOC
Kailua Kona , HI , USA Resort Details & Photos
May 01 2009 - May 08 2009 1 4 4 144 2,000 Vacation Points

Hanalei Bay Resort
HAN
Princeville , HI , USA Resort Details & Photos
Apr 11 2009 - Apr 18 2009 1 4 4 144 2,000 Vacation Points

Apr 11 2009 - Apr 18 2009 2 4 6 246 2,375 Vacation Points


The Cliffs Club
CLF
Princeville , HI , USA Resort Details & Photos
Apr 18 2009 - Apr 25 2009 1 4 4 144 2,250 Vacation Points

MMB
Marbella, Malaga , SPAIN Resort Details & Photos
Apr 19 2009 - Apr 26 2009 2 6 6 266 3,000 Vacation Points

Don't see the others you originally mentioned, if I caught all of them, that is. HTH

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

Thanks Julie...I now see the same ones you do. Feeling a little less paranoid.

[Ryne08 Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Ryne08]

I think someone from DRI is reading this board daily or weekly and that is my opinion only.

This is my observation just from attending several annual owner meetings in the last two months.

[dougp26364 Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close dougp26364]

I think someone from DRI is reading this board daily or weekly and that is my opinion only.

This is my observation just from attending several annual owner meetings in the last two months.

DRI has a program that searches the internet and lets them know when something has been posted using key words like DRI, Diamond Resorts, Sunterra et........

So yes, anything you post here WILL be read by someone at DRI. If they take offense, you might even get a personal E-mail from them letting you know they're watching you.