DRI Closes Owner Services at the Pointe

[Poobah]

Received an email from DRI today that all of the Owner Services have been centralized. I called Owner Services at the Pointe and was transferred to DRI. I called the main desk and they confirmed that the Owner Services on-site has been shuttered. Only Janna is left, Bruce has been laid off.

I am not too sure what will happen when I make my reservations for 2018. I am trying to remain positive, but with this coupled with the development of Makahu'ena Point gives me little cause for optimism.

The whole reservation system worked as long as the inventories were not messed with, now we have no insight into what is going on nor anyone to work with at the Pointe.

Paul

 

[Fisch]

I got the same email today. Worried about the requests for specific units, etc.

 

[artringwald]

When Owner Services was located in Poipu, they were so good at understanding the inventory and accommodating requests. I too am skeptical that a centralized reservation agent is going to be able to provide the same level of service when they won't have any idea about The Point at Poipu.

 

[wilma]

This is not good news, ugh.

 

[Kauai Kid]

Received an email from DRI today that all of the Owner Services have been centralized. I called Owner Services at the Pointe and was transferred to DRI. I called the main desk and they confirmed that the Owner Services on-site has been shuttered. Only Janna is left, Bruce has been laid off.

I am not too sure what will happen when I make my reservations for 2018. I am trying to remain positive, but with this coupled with the development of Makahu'ena Point gives me little cause for optimism.

The whole reservation system worked as long as the inventories were not messed with, now we have no insight into what is going on nor anyone to work with at the Pointe.

Paul

This customer service from DRI should not surprise anyone with any experience dealing with them.

Sterling

 

[artringwald]

Here's a tip for anyone booking traditional weeks for the Point at Poipu using the centralized system... call them and don't bother with email. I sent an email to book 1 year out and wanted 2 consecutive weeks. After several days they responded that they could only book one of the weeks, because the 2nd week was more than 1 year away. I emailed again, requested the 2 weeks, and said that when we booked through the resort, I could book consecutive weeks as long as the first week was less than 360 days away. After another wait of several days, they responded "We show both reservation has been booked" (their bad grammar, not mine). Checking online, it was not booked. They must have looked at our reservation for next week.

As much as I hate talking to humans, I called this morning. They were able to book both weeks, even though the 2nd week is more than a year out, got oceanfront view, and they accepted the room requests. No problem. The reservation showed up online as soon as she booked it, and I got email confirmations shortly after that.

I suspect that eventually, we'll be able to book traditional weeks online, but in the meantime, book it by phone, not by email.

 

[Poobah]

Art, thanks for that advice. It is a bit of relief that you were actually successful. I will be calling them from Kaua'i while we are there next month to book our four weeks for 2018. I hope that I get someone who will book my four weeks and I don't have to call four times!

 

[T_R_Oglodyte]

Here's a tip for anyone booking traditional weeks for the Point at Poipu using the centralized system... call them and don't bother with email. I sent an email to book 1 year out and wanted 2 consecutive weeks. After several days they responded that they could only book one of the weeks, because the 2nd week was more than 1 year away. I emailed again, requested the 2 weeks, and said that when we booked through the resort, I could book consecutive weeks as long as the first week was less than 360 days away.

First, regarding that booking procedure, the ability to reserve multiple weeks in succession 365 days before the check-in date for the first week is written into the deeded unit timeshare documents. That has long been the approach taken by people staying at the resort over Christmas and New Years. They arrive in mid-December on a multi-week booking.

Re issues with on-line booking and e-mail. It has long been my experience that is our of the ordinary requires a phone call, as well as a push up the line when the first person who answers the phone doesn't know what to do.

Also posting about your situation at the DRI forums is also very helpful. Those items get picked up by customer service reps have a lot of power.

 

[artringwald]

First, regarding that booking procedure, the ability to reserve multiple weeks in succession 365 days before the check-in date for the first week is written into the deeded unit timeshare documents. That has long been the approach taken by people staying at the resort over Christmas and New Years. They arrive in mid-December on a multi-week booking.

Re issues with on-line booking and e-mail. It has long been my experience that is our of the ordinary requires a phone call, as well as a push up the line when the first person who answers the phone doesn't know what to do.

Also posting about your situation at the DRI forums is also very helpful. Those items get picked up by customer service reps have a lot of power.

Have you been reserving specific units at P@P when you book online with Club points? If so, how has that been working out? If closing owner services at P@P prevents me from getting me from getting the units I want, I might consider negotiating with DRI to put my traditional weeks into the Club to get me to Gold status. The one week we own that's in the Club now only got us to Silver status.

 

[artringwald]

Also posting about your situation at the DRI forums is also very helpful. Those items get picked up by customer service reps have a lot of power.

I too have had excellent response from the DRI reps when posting on the DRI moderated forum. Highly recommended when you have problems no one else seems to be solving.

Here's the web sit: https://diamondresortsforums.com

 

[T_R_Oglodyte]

Have you been reserving specific units at P@P when you book online with Club points? If so, how has that been working out? If closing owner services at P@P prevents me from getting me from getting the units I want, I might consider negotiating with DRI to put my traditional weeks into the Club to get me to Gold status. The one week we own that's in the Club now only got us to Silver status.

I've done it once, and we got the room we requested - top floor of building 2. On the right as you face the building from the parking. Those units by the way, are classed as ocean view, not ocean front. Even though they have always had full and uninterrupted ocean view. Of course, when construction begins next door they will truly be ocean view. Perhaps they were classed as OV originally because of the land ownership issue?

One of the things with reserving specific units - that they conveniently don't mention on the sales floor - is that you can't reserve ocean front. The only rooms that are available for selection are GV, POV, andOV. In the presentation they say go to gold, and you get a free upgrade and you can pick your room. Implying, if not saying directly, reserve OV for 11,500 points, use your upgrade to OF, and then use the room selection option to pick your OF room. Nope - doesn't work that way.

When we did room selection, we reserved POV for 10,000, did the upgrade to OV and selected the room. This year we reserved OF with our floating week for 10,000 points, reserved an OV for 11,500, and used our free upgrade to convert the OV to OF. So now we have two OF units for 21,500 points. We also have a request into to reservations desk to keep the two OF units together. And to please not give us a 2-bedroom unit that is next to one of the convex building curves.

 

[artringwald]

One of the things with reserving specific units - that they conveniently don't mention on the sales floor - is that you can't reserve ocean front. The only rooms that are available for selection are GV, POV, andOV. In the presentation they say go to gold, and you get a free upgrade and you can pick your room. Implying, if not saying directly, reserve OV for 11,500 points, use your upgrade to OF, and then use the room selection option to pick your OF room. Nope - doesn't work that way.
.

Wow! That's a showstopper for me.

This year we reserved OF with our floating week for 10,000 points, reserved an OV for 11,500, and used our free upgrade to convert the OV to OF. So now we have two OF units for 21,500 points. We also have a request into to reservations desk to keep the two OF units together. And to please not give us a 2-bedroom unit that is next to one of the convex building curves.

I understand the upgrade from OV to OF, but how did you get OF for 10,000 points? When it's just the 2 of us, the 2 BR in the convex curve isn't bad because the 2nd AC is in the living area. For more than 2, it means the 2nd bedroom doesn't have AC (even though it has a fan), and the bedroom window faces the walkway.

As always, thanks for your insight.

 

[Dollie]

My experience this year. On January 20th at 9:05 am EST, I went on line and booked 3 weeks, ocean view for January 20th to February 10th, 2018 with no problem. This was through our Club points on the Diamond website, we are silver elite. If there had been a problem, I would have called. This is the 2nd time I have been able to do this online. I did not do the $99 upgrade to ocean front as the rules have changed. It used to be that the $99 would upgrade all three weeks, now, it is $99 for each week.

As for suite selection, I have two spreadsheets/tables, one for OV and one for OF, that rank every unit in these views from first choice to 51st (52nd). As soon as I receive my reservation number, I email the appropriate list to the Point. We have always received a suite in the top five on the list. It will be interesting to see how these work this time. Does anyone know if suite assignment is still done at the resort?

 

[artringwald]

My experience this year. On January 20th at 9:05 am EST, I went on line and booked 3 weeks, ocean view for January 20th to February 10th, 2018 with no problem. This was through our Club points on the Diamond website, we are silver elite. If there had been a problem, I would have called. This is the 2nd time I have been able to do this online. I did not do the $99 upgrade to ocean front as the rules have changed. It used to be that the $99 would upgrade all three weeks, now, it is $99 for each week.

As for suite selection, I have two spreadsheets/tables, one for OV and one for OF, that rank every unit in these views from first choice to 51st (52nd). As soon as I receive my reservation number, I email the appropriate list to the Point. We have always received a suite in the top five on the list. It will be interesting to see how these work this time. Does anyone know if suite assignment is still done at the resort?

The suite assignment is still done at the resort, but I don't think the old email address still works.

 

[T_R_Oglodyte]

Wow! That's a showstopper for me.



I understand the upgrade from OV to OF, but how did you get OF for 10,000 points?

I get one OF for 10,000 points because it's a float-float deed. When we added that to the Club we got a "grandfather letter" that allows me to book any available 2-bedroom unit for 10,000. Just as if I still were reserving as a deeded owner. I get one reservation like that per year.

 

[Poobah]

Steve, That's interesting. At the last 90 minute update (read "3 Hour Update") I went to they offered me the grandfather clause since my OF units only gave me enough points for a POV. It was tempting, but I didn't take it because at that point I was so frustrated at the sales tactics that I didn't trust a thing they were saying!

 

[pedro47]

Does DRI upper management and their new CEO understands their sales tactics are turning off owners and new buyers.

 

[T_R_Oglodyte]

Steve, That's interesting. At the last 90 minute update (read "3 Hour Update") I went to they offered me the grandfather clause since my OF units only gave me enough points for a POV. It was tempting, but I didn't take it because at that point I was so frustrated at the sales tactics that I didn't trust a thing they were saying!

The last two owners updates we went to lasted no more than 60 minutes. The one we were at last summer they made almost zero attempt to sell anything. Once we said we weren't interested in adding to our ownership, the rep spent the rest of the time talking about different ways to use points and to maximize benefits.

He said he wasn't paid on commission, so it made no difference to him whether we bought or not. And he acted like that.

****
I've been using our grandfathering letter for about ten years now. In the first few years after we got it, it didn't show in the reservation system. So when I would call the reservations center I would have to ask to be put through to a supervisor, and i would have to fax or e-mail a copy of the letter. But once I got through to the right person there was no problem. Patti Ornellas helped me out a couple of times.

Then they finally got the reservation straightened out so that now when one of the reps accesses my account, they get a pop-up that notifies them of the reservation right. Sometimes, though, the person that I'm dealing with doesn't have the power to book the OF with reduced points. Then they have to go get a supervisor. But it hasn't been an issue.

The grandfather letter isn't integrated into the on-line reservation system. You can only make it work over the phone.

 

[T_R_Oglodyte]

Does DRI upper management and their new CEO understands their sales tactics are turning off owners and new buyers.

Possibly so. From an e-mail received last week:

Dear Valued Members,

At Diamond Resorts, we are always working to provide our members with the best possible vacation experiences. We know if we do our job right - providing you with access to high-quality resorts with top-notch amenities in the most desired destinations - you and your family will be able to create unforgettable memories that will last a lifetime.

This focus on hospitality and creating lasting experiences, has made Diamond Resorts an industry leader. Today, we are strengthening our commitment to you with a new initiative called Diamond Clarity™. Diamond Clarity™ formalizes a series of consumer enhancements that define how we engage with current and future members. It is built on two core principles: transparency and accountability.

To read more about the Diamond Clarity™ PROMISE click here.

As part of this initiative we will strengthen our existing sales policies and procedures and challenge our competitors to adopt similar policies in an effort to raise industry sales standards across the board.

We believe these changes represent best-in-class practices and are consistent with our commitment to creating experiences of a lifetime by putting our current and future members first.

If you have any additional questions about this exciting new initiative, please e-mail ConsumerAdvocacy@DiamondResorts.com

Best regards,

Michael Flaskey,
Chief Operating Office

 

[wilma]

I read Diamond Resorts email as corporate mumbo-jumbo in response to various lawsuits and the scathing NY times article regarding their high pressure and deceptive sales practices. I suspect that nothing will change but they have to pretend like they care.

 

[Fisch]

Here's a tip for anyone booking traditional weeks for the Point at Poipu using the centralized system... call them and don't bother with email. I sent an email to book 1 year out and wanted 2 consecutive weeks. After several days they responded that they could only book one of the weeks, because the 2nd week was more than 1 year away. I emailed again, requested the 2 weeks, and said that when we booked through the resort, I could book consecutive weeks as long as the first week was less than 360 days away. After another wait of several days, they responded "We show both reservation has been booked" (their bad grammar, not mine). Checking online, it was not booked. They must have looked at our reservation for next week.

As much as I hate talking to humans, I called this morning. They were able to book both weeks, even though the 2nd week is more than a year out, got oceanfront view, and they accepted the room requests. No problem. The reservation showed up online as soon as she booked it, and I got email confirmations shortly after that.

I suspect that eventually, we'll be able to book traditional weeks online, but in the meantime, book it by phone, not by email.

What time can we call to get our request in first? I was used to emailing the Point at midnight Hawaii time. Always got one of our first few room requests.

Al

 

[artringwald]

What time can we call to get our request in first? I was used to emailing the Point at midnight Hawaii time. Always got one of our first few room requests.

Al

According to the email they sent me:

Our Owner Services Specialists are available to assist you 7 days a week from 3:00 a.m. to 11:00 p.m. Eastern Standard Time. Our office is closed on major public holidays including Thanksgiving, the day after Thanksgiving, Christmas Day and New Year’s Day.

I believe they'll acccept requests 1 year in advance now instead of 360 days.

 

[rjreichert]

When you mean to call the centralized phone system, is that the DRI number? Or is it a number at The Point? Could I have that phone number please?

I have a deeded week with The Point, not in the CLUB. I also am a Platinum points owner. Can I reserve that deeded week through Platinum services?

Thanks for your help.

 

[artringwald]

When you mean to call the centralized phone system, is that the DRI number? Or is it a number at The Point? Could I have that phone number please?

I have a deeded week with The Point, not in the CLUB. I also am a Platinum points owner. Can I reserve that deeded week through Platinum services?

Thanks for your help.

I should have copied more of the email. This includes the part with contact info:

Our Owner Services Specialists are available to assist you 7 days a week from 3:00 a.m. to 11:00 p.m. Eastern Standard Time. Our office is closed on major public holidays including Thanksgiving, the day after Thanksgiving, Christmas Day and New Year’s Day.

Please note our Owner Services contact information for future reference:

Phone: 1.800.463.7256 (toll free) or 1.407.226.9500 (international)
E-mail: OwnerServices@diamondresorts.com

It's not a number at P@P. They closed the VIP room where they used to handle booking deeded weeks and handling room request for CLUB reservations. The phone number goes to a central location, and it's a different number than the one used to book with points.

 

[Kauai Kid]

Received an email from DRI today that all of the Owner Services have been centralized. I called Owner Services at the Pointe and was transferred to DRI. I called the main desk and they confirmed that the Owner Services on-site has been shuttered. Only Janna is left, Bruce has been laid off.

I am not too sure what will happen when I make my reservations for 2018. I am trying to remain positive, but with this coupled with the development of Makahu'ena Point gives me little cause for optimism.

The whole reservation system worked as long as the inventories were not messed with, now we have no insight into what is going on nor anyone to work with at the Pointe.

Paul

Paul: A similar experience happened at our little resort, Alii Kai II in Princeville. Management decided it would be more cost effective to do it off site and several years of problems and issues resulted. Within the past couple years they took it back on island and while not perfect the local approach makes reservations much smoother.

Sterling