Dear RCI....

[pkfox Member Find all posts View Profile Close pkfox]

Thank you for the welcome to Timeshare Forums.
I completed the registration years ago but was having problems with my pay pal account so it did not go through. I am glad to finally be a member. Even though I am a new member I am not new to timesharing. We made our first purchase in 2001. We own Three two bedroom weeks in Hawaii, one one bedroom week in Hawaii, two two bedroom lock offs in Mexico with Mayan Palace, two one bedroom weeks in Mexico at Mayan Palace, one two bedroom lock off in Phoenix and have a four week contract with Global Vacation Network.
I have been reading Timeshare Forums and TUG for years. These sites are both very good and educational. I do not understand how people can be so whipped up and angry about a service provider yet keep coming back. Stop giving them your money/ weeks. This is a perfect platform for organizing a strategy for sending a message to RCI, or any other organization that you feel has wronged you. Obviously there are plenty of people on this site with time and incentive to do something. Each individual can rant and rave withhold their money/weeks and RCI will not even notice. But if it is organised they MAY find it in their best interest to listen. As with any battle casualties can be expected. Some weeks may go unused, some people may have to tough it out at their home resort and put off that dream vacation (everyone is complaining about not being able to take anyway) for another year.Find a spokesman take some time to organize. Then hit them hard.
If you do not like how you are being treated fight. But do not expect it to be easy. Take advantage of the current global economic situation. I am sure their is already a downturn in deposits and memberships. People all over are cutting back. I am sure people are going to their home resort that they bought because it was within driving distance. If they are struggling to pay the mortgage they are not paying their maintenance fees, so these units are not eligible for deposit. Stop buying last minute vacations and extra vacations. Stop making deposits, use the unit yourself for a couple of years or rent it or give it to a friend to use for a year.
I personally do not have a problem with RCI. I use which ever product is most likely to meet my needs not what it used to be or how I would like it to be. With that said I will go along if a viable plan is presented. Because I feel that RCI needs us, (not each individual but collectively). This organization deserved to be heard and with a collective voice it can.

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

Thank you for the welcome to Timeshare Forums.
I completed the registration years ago but was having problems with my pay pal account so it did not go through. I am glad to finally be a member. Even though I am a new member I am not new to timesharing. We made our first purchase in 2001. We own Three two bedroom weeks in Hawaii, one one bedroom week in Hawaii, two two bedroom lock offs in Mexico with Mayan Palace, two one bedroom weeks in Mexico at Mayan Palace, one two bedroom lock off in Phoenix and have a four week contract with Global Vacation Network.
I have been reading Timeshare Forums and TUG for years. These sites are both very good and educational. I do not understand how people can be so whipped up and angry about a service provider yet keep coming back. Stop giving them your money/ weeks. This is a perfect platform for organizing a strategy for sending a message to RCI, or any other organization that you feel has wronged you. Obviously there are plenty of people on this site with time and incentive to do something. Each individual can rant and rave withhold their money/weeks and RCI will not even notice. But if it is organised they MAY find it in their best interest to listen. As with any battle casualties can be expected. Some weeks may go unused, some people may have to tough it out at their home resort and put off that dream vacation (everyone is complaining about not being able to take anyway) for another year.Find a spokesman take some time to organize. Then hit them hard.
If you do not like how you are being treated fight. But do not expect it to be easy. Take advantage of the current global economic situation. I am sure their is already a downturn in deposits and memberships. People all over are cutting back. I am sure people are going to their home resort that they bought because it was within driving distance. If they are struggling to pay the mortgage they are not paying their maintenance fees, so these units are not eligible for deposit. Stop buying last minute vacations and extra vacations. Stop making deposits, use the unit yourself for a couple of years or rent it or give it to a friend to use for a year.
I personally do not have a problem with RCI. I use which ever product is most likely to meet my needs not what it used to be or how I would like it to be. With that said I will go along if a viable plan is presented. Because I feel that RCI needs us, (not each individual but collectively). This organization deserved to be heard and with a collective voice it can.

Again, welcome, sorry you had problems at startup.

Thanks for your thoughtful response. You own some great locations....that is an impressive and seemingly powerful portfolio, so you would be happy with your exchanges, as you own in great locations. Some folks also own in great locations, but have seen their ownership value decline either by design or by circumstance, mainly controlled by the exchange companies or by poor HOA management.

Our own portfolio once numbered 6 t.s. ownerships. We divested ourselves of 2 weeks, and are now down to only the 4. We will be divesting ourselves of another one, more than likely in 2 years, as we are seeing rentals are coming into line with Maintenance Fees...so why not just rent rather than own? Thank you RCI for making this a reality (sarcasm intended).

We have owned TS's since 1986. We have seen the rise and fall: the rise in pricing, and the fall of customer relationships.

Actually, this community has seen it all....as I said, collectively there are many years of varied experience with all the giants in TS, from exchange companies to developers. And our community has played major roles in stemming some of the tide, but it seems that that is now less likely to occur in the future.

Your advice is well taken....and in the many years that this community has worked together, we have been catalysts for change. Some of us, (me included) were even invited by RCI to participate in a focus group. Some of us had the privilege of helping test out software as they developed it....many of us gave RCI direct feedback as they tinkered and downgraded exchanging. Many of us continue to send direct feedback (mind you, they don't give a rat's --- about this anymore, especially since they are Wyndhamized).

Your advice to walk is one written here frequently.

This is not just a board where we "complain"...it is a board to help, to inform, to advise, and to motivate. Many newbies are taken by sales pitches, and then live to regret, other newbies want to use their exchanges to advantage.

Any of our posts will demonstrate the varied approach...both in favor and against....some of us have learned beforehand because we read the boards, some of us learned after the fact.

The point of the original post was that if RCI cared at all for the timeshare owner and exchanging, they would end this practice of skimming off top quality units and renting them, they would stop renting out to the general public, and they would bring the idea of customer appreciation and loyalty back into the exchange model....I have said it before, and will continue to harangue them, publicly, just as they continue to ignore us.

You will continue to enjoy your weeks, until RCI comes up with a way to cheat you out of your usage (should you deposit your weeks with them). They will tell you that you didn't deposit early enough, or that the weeks you see in the rental area really are not prime weeks or ones wanted by exchangers, or that these rental weeks were direct from the developer. Often these explanations are proven false or misleading at the least.

The fact of the matter is that when you are an RCI member, you paid $$$$ for that so called privilege.

Go to Wyndham Endless Vacation rentals site, and see that there is no membership fee at all. See how many rentals are there....and then ask the question....what is the source?

Oh, and by the way, the reason for 2 deposits with them, is because we had a corrupt HOA that worked with RCI to tell us that we only could deposit with RCI, even though that is not true....this HOA also was aided and abetted by RCI to try to get owners to convert weeks' ownership to points at a price of over $2500 per week plus .... RCI themselves claimed that they only charge $199, and that the rest was the HOA's choice....this is just another part of the scamming developed over the years, on both sides of the exchange model....RCI uses points to dilute value, to split weeks and to foster deadening relationships with HOA's by creating a new sales model. We divested ourselves of the TS, but we still had the deposits to deal with. Our membership in RCI expires 2010....we will never renew. So we are taking your advice, have had the plan in the works.

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

Again, welcome, sorry you had problems at startup.

Thanks for your thoughtful response. You own some great locations....that is an impressive and seemingly powerful portfolio, so you would be happy with your exchanges, as you own in great locations. Some folks also own in great locations, but have seen their ownership value decline either by design or by circumstance, mainly controlled by the exchange companies or by poor HOA management.

Our own portfolio once numbered 6 t.s. ownerships. We divested ourselves of 2 weeks, and are now down to only the 4. We will be divesting ourselves of another one, more than likely in 2 years, as we are seeing rentals are coming into line with Maintenance Fees...so why not just rent rather than own? Thank you RCI for making this a reality (sarcasm intended).

We have owned TS's since 1986. We have seen the rise and fall: the rise in pricing, and the fall of customer relationships.

Actually, this community has seen it all....as I said, collectively there are many years of varied experience with all the giants in TS, from exchange companies to developers. And our community has played major roles in stemming some of the tide, but it seems that that is now less likely to occur in the future.

Your advice is well taken....and in the many years that this community has worked together, we have been catalysts for change. Some of us, (me included) were even invited by RCI to participate in a focus group. Some of us had the privilege of helping test out software as they developed it....many of us gave RCI direct feedback as they tinkered and downgraded exchanging. Many of us continue to send direct feedback (mind you, they don't give a rat's --- about this anymore, especially since they are Wyndhamized).

Your advice to walk is one written here frequently.

This is not just a board where we "complain"...it is a board to help, to inform, to advise, and to motivate. Many newbies are taken by sales pitches, and then live to regret, other newbies want to use their exchanges to advantage.

Any of our posts will demonstrate the varied approach...both in favor and against....some of us have learned beforehand because we read the boards, some of us learned after the fact.

The point of the original post was that if RCI cared at all for the timeshare owner and exchanging, they would end this practice of skimming off top quality units and renting them, they would stop renting out to the general public, and they would bring the idea of customer appreciation and loyalty back into the exchange model....I have said it before, and will continue to harangue them, publicly, just as they continue to ignore us.

You will continue to enjoy your weeks, until RCI comes up with a way to cheat you out of your usage (should you deposit your weeks with them). They will tell you that you didn't deposit early enough, or that the weeks you see in the rental area really are not prime weeks or ones wanted by exchangers, or that these rental weeks were direct from the developer. Often these explanations are proven false or misleading at the least.

The fact of the matter is that when you are an RCI member, you paid $$$$ for that so called privilege.

Go to Wyndham Endless Vacation rentals site, and see that there is no membership fee at all. See how many rentals are there....and then ask the question....what is the source?

Oh, and by the way, the reason for 2 deposits with them, is because we had a corrupt HOA that worked with RCI to tell us that we only could deposit with RCI, even though that is not true....this HOA also was aided and abetted by RCI to try to get owners to convert weeks' ownership to points at a price of over $2500 per week plus .... RCI themselves claimed that they only charge $199, and that the rest was the HOA's choice....this is just another part of the scamming developed over the years, on both sides of the exchange model....RCI uses points to dilute value, to split weeks and to foster deadening relationships with HOA's by creating a new sales model. We divested ourselves of the TS, but we still had the deposits to deal with. Our membership in RCI expires 2010....we will never renew. So we are taking your advice, have had the plan in the works.

Our membership in RCI will also end in 2010. We feel that we can no longer "work" with the RCI system for many of the same reasons you list!

[pkfox Member Find all posts View Profile Close pkfox]

Yes, I applaud you both for realizing you are not getting your due, and refusing to continue a one sided relationship with a "service supplier". To many people continue on while complaining about service or asking when is some one going to do something.
But would it not be so much more effective if 3,000 or 4,000 or even 8,000people could do it in the same month in 2010? Who else is ready? I am. Even though I rarely deposit my good weeks with RCI because I like to know what my return is going to be. I will also cancel my subscription and forfeit my points for the cause if there is enough following.

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

...month in 2010? Who else is ready? I am. Even though I rarely deposit my good weeks with RCI because I like to know what my return is going to be. I will also cancel my subscription and forfeit my points for the cause if there is enough following.

I would never advocate forfeiting points as some gesture of rebellion....rather, we here would help you use them to the max, and where and when you are satisfied that you don't really need RCI anymore, then give them marching orders.

This is an interesting concept of trying to army-ize the revolt from them, and in some small ways, it has been happening...largely due to the education on this forum....many of the independents are getting more of our business because of the lack of CS at RCI and II....check out the boards around HTSE, Trading Places, and SFX and DAE.....in addition, many of us do one to one private exchanges....this is largely how to defeat the profiteering done by RCI.

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

Thought you would like to know:

I posted this on RCI's feedback page:

Dear RCI:

I used to be a member of RCI; several years ago. Here is a link (ok,
not a true link since you can't do that little bit of HTML magic here) to a
sentiment that pretty much crystalizes why I have not been a member and
probably won't be in the forsee-able future:

http://www.timeshareforums.com/forum...-dear-rci.html [link to this thread]

Mark Svobodny


This is what I got back via email:

Hello,

Thank you for your e-mail, and the heads up. We will take advantage of
reading the information shared with us.

Kind Regards,

(name omitted)
Customer Communications Specialist
RCI North America

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

Thought you would like to know:

I posted this on RCI's feedback page:

Dear RCI:

I used to be a member of RCI; several years ago. Here is a link (ok,
not a true link since you can't do that little bit of HTML magic here) to a
sentiment that pretty much crystalizes why I have not been a member and
probably won't be in the forsee-able future:

http://www.timeshareforums.com/forum...-dear-rci.html [link to this thread]

Mark Svobodny


This is what I got back via email:

Hello,

Thank you for your e-mail, and the heads up. We will take advantage of
reading the information shared with us.

Kind Regards,

(name omitted)
Customer Communications Specialist
RCI North America

Cool move....I have been thinking about PKfox's suggestion that thousands defect from RCI, and it is clear that many have already, so the slow trickle is felt by them, but they stem the tide by renting and keeping their profit.

May be more useful to email the CEO on a specific day, thousands of us could email him and say that we are fed up with paying dues and seeing our units for non-dues members up for rent at other sites....perhaps a mini-war might be a good start....

[pgtime2 Junior Member Find all posts View Profile Close pgtime2]

I believe we'll be ready to defect(?) in late 2010, too. We have sold off all of our weeks over the past couple of years, with the exception of 2 July weeks on HHI. Both can be deposited with SFX (or others). I have already deposited my July 2010 week with RCI, so we're stuck for now.

Paul

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

The idea to "walk" if you don't like what is going on at RCI keeps getting thrown out here by folks who apparently feel they are in a position to do so. Unfortunately it is an over simplified solution to the problem. For many of us quitting RCI is not an option. Wyndham owners for instance that have RCI as their trading company pay for their RCI membership as part of their Wyndham membership and don't really have the option of changing that. Sure we can book a week within Wyndham and deposit with SFX but to come up with something that SFX will accept and be able to get anything with it you have to use 2 to 3 times as many points and pay another exchange fee and still continue to pay for the RCI membership.

[pgtime2 Junior Member Find all posts View Profile Close pgtime2]

The idea to "walk" if you don't like what is going on at RCI keeps getting thrown out here by folks who apparently feel they are in a position to do so. Unfortunately it is an over simplified solution to the problem. For many of us quitting RCI is not an option. Wyndham owners for instance that have RCI as their trading company pay for their RCI membership as part of their Wyndham membership and don't really have the option of changing that. Sure we can book a week within Wyndham and deposit with SFX but to come up with something that SFX will accept and be able to get anything with it you have to use 2 to 3 times as many points and pay another exchange fee and still continue to pay for the RCI membership.

Understood, it just so happens that we've always owned "traditional" fixed weeks at non large chain resorts. The only exception was when Sunterra bought Powhatan Plantation and wanted $$$ to convert to points. In essence, if we didn't convert to points (which we didn't), the week lost trade value. We very quickly sold that week. The timing was perfect, as soon after the resort had a huge SA.

Just out of curiosity, is there any way to get out of the "forced" contract between Wyndham & RCI? Doesn't sound like it, since the RCI membership is "included". It is "included" like a leather interior on a Lexus or a Cadillac; not free, just part of the base price...

Paul

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

Understood, it just so happens that we've always owned "traditional" fixed weeks at non large chain resorts. The only exception was when Sunterra bought Powhatan Plantation and wanted $$$ to convert to points. In essence, if we didn't convert to points (which we didn't), the week lost trade value. We very quickly sold that week. The timing was perfect, as soon after the resort had a huge SA.

Just out of curiosity, is there any way to get out of the "forced" contract between Wyndham & RCI? Doesn't sound like it, since the RCI membership is "included". It is "included" like a leather interior on a Lexus or a Cadillac; not free, just part of the base price...

Paul

Given the connection between RCI and Wyndham, I wonder if some enterprising state AG couldn't, as the Brits say, throw a spanner in the works of this arrangement. Forcing that membership sure looks like an unfair business practice to me, especially with companies that are essentially the same.