kpeiper
TUG Member
I am so frustrated with both Shell Vacations Club and Interval International. I have been please with both in the past and have found them to work well together. I have feared that Shell Vacations Club will go back to RCI and the service I had today will not make members fight to stay with II.
To start, I had booked a 2 bedroom for 4,500 points. I added E-Plus for $49 which seemed like a nice safety plan. I had read the information on the II website and liked the option.
As it happened plans changed, so I exchanged for a later date to a studio for 2,500 points. Later, I notice that the additional points were not returned. I called SVC/II desk. They explained that points are not returned when downgrading. I lost 2,000 points! I pointed out that the website policy does not have this information. I cited the information on the FAQ's (the only policy that I could locate). She said it was located on the website and after askin "where" a number of times, she placed me on hold to have someone show her. Yes, it was located in the "legal information" fine print link at the bottom of the page. The FAQ's don't even refer to the location of the "full policy details". Finally SVC/II person said they could do nothing as it is a II website and II does not refund the points.
I emailed the TUG/II help email. He called today. Understood my concern that the policy was not very accessible/visible and would "pass that on" but could not do anything as II doesn't handle points. He said he would refer my concern back to SVC as they would need to address points.
SVC called and I spoke with Albert who apparently is the supervisor and has no supervisor. He tried to convince me that I was so lucky to have E-plus because it would have otherwise cost me another trade fee ($99) and loosing 2000 points ($500) was just an inconvenience. He again put blame for the poorly visible policy and misleading FAQ's to II and said that there was nothing he could do. No apology, no offer. He didn't seem to even comprehend why I would be concerned when the E-Plus saved me from paying another exchange fee. I tried to explain that as an informed consumer, there is a problem when SVC customer service reps can't locate the policy. Why should I be expected to find the policy. He also very smugly reminded me that FAQ's are not the whole policy. Yes, I understand... but maybe make the whole policy available.
Why do I get frustrated -- because I sometimes start to believe that SVC is in the customer service business. Shame on me for forgetting that they are a management company focused on revenue and customer management. My logic of poorly communicated policy + customer unhappy = compromise/resolution is clearly wrong. That is a strategy for organizations that need to earn every transaction, not one that has you prepay for a long relationship of hard work to get your value. I told him that I'd report to the BBB on the practices, but doubt they care.
Even worse, I have recommended SVC/II to friends because I have found good value in the past. I won't again. Not when you have to beg for service and get kicked in the face. Let's see how long it takes for them to update the II website to be a bit more transparent with the policy or at lease make the II rules regulations part of the bigger menu option. Putting it in the fine print is just wrong.
I know I have no legal recourse as they have done the bare minimum and there are indeed policies. I wish there was some way to recoup my losses.
To start, I had booked a 2 bedroom for 4,500 points. I added E-Plus for $49 which seemed like a nice safety plan. I had read the information on the II website and liked the option.
As it happened plans changed, so I exchanged for a later date to a studio for 2,500 points. Later, I notice that the additional points were not returned. I called SVC/II desk. They explained that points are not returned when downgrading. I lost 2,000 points! I pointed out that the website policy does not have this information. I cited the information on the FAQ's (the only policy that I could locate). She said it was located on the website and after askin "where" a number of times, she placed me on hold to have someone show her. Yes, it was located in the "legal information" fine print link at the bottom of the page. The FAQ's don't even refer to the location of the "full policy details". Finally SVC/II person said they could do nothing as it is a II website and II does not refund the points.
I emailed the TUG/II help email. He called today. Understood my concern that the policy was not very accessible/visible and would "pass that on" but could not do anything as II doesn't handle points. He said he would refer my concern back to SVC as they would need to address points.
SVC called and I spoke with Albert who apparently is the supervisor and has no supervisor. He tried to convince me that I was so lucky to have E-plus because it would have otherwise cost me another trade fee ($99) and loosing 2000 points ($500) was just an inconvenience. He again put blame for the poorly visible policy and misleading FAQ's to II and said that there was nothing he could do. No apology, no offer. He didn't seem to even comprehend why I would be concerned when the E-Plus saved me from paying another exchange fee. I tried to explain that as an informed consumer, there is a problem when SVC customer service reps can't locate the policy. Why should I be expected to find the policy. He also very smugly reminded me that FAQ's are not the whole policy. Yes, I understand... but maybe make the whole policy available.
Why do I get frustrated -- because I sometimes start to believe that SVC is in the customer service business. Shame on me for forgetting that they are a management company focused on revenue and customer management. My logic of poorly communicated policy + customer unhappy = compromise/resolution is clearly wrong. That is a strategy for organizations that need to earn every transaction, not one that has you prepay for a long relationship of hard work to get your value. I told him that I'd report to the BBB on the practices, but doubt they care.
Even worse, I have recommended SVC/II to friends because I have found good value in the past. I won't again. Not when you have to beg for service and get kicked in the face. Let's see how long it takes for them to update the II website to be a bit more transparent with the policy or at lease make the II rules regulations part of the bigger menu option. Putting it in the fine print is just wrong.
I know I have no legal recourse as they have done the bare minimum and there are indeed policies. I wish there was some way to recoup my losses.
