# Is Madge OK?



## sfwilshire (Jul 16, 2007)

I'm a bit concerned that we haven't seen Madge here in a little while. Usually she lets us know if she'll be away for an extended period. The last time she went missing, I believe she said it was a medical issue when she returned.

If the moderators are in touch, maybe they can let us know that she is well. Hopefully she has just been very busy.

Sheila


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## Ponick (Jul 17, 2007)

*No responses to posts*

Yes, I'm concerned, too. There are a number of unanswered questions, including my own about Seapointer. I noticed that Madge's last post was June 27.

Fran


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## BillR (Jul 17, 2007)

*and I have problems . . . problems . . . and problems​*


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## BillR (Jul 17, 2007)

*Madge is just fine.  One of her friends at RCI Customer Communications office will call me tomorrow - hopefully - to tell us when she will reappear to answer the many pending questions.  

P.S.  The customer communication phone number is 866.547.2708.*


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## sfwilshire (Jul 18, 2007)

BillR said:


> *Madge is just fine.*




That's good news. Thanks for letting us know.  

Sheila


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## Keitht (Jul 18, 2007)

The total lack of activity if Madge is unavailable does, rightly or wrongly, tend to draw into question the level of interest the RCI has in this board.
If they can't be bothered to find somebody to cover in her absence on the biggest timeshare board around what chance does a single individual with problems have??


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## sfwilshire (Jul 18, 2007)

The moderators may want to move this thread since the only question has been ask and answered, but here are my two cents.

RCI is probably like every other company in the US. June (in the south), July, and August (in the north) are prime vacation months. I was gone for three weeks and two coworkers had to cover my essential tasks. When I got back to work, two others were gone and I had to help with their duties. 

If it doesn't keep the doors open and the lights on, it may have to slide during peak vacation time. Add that to the fact that RCI is in a vacation related business and probably busier than normal with people making last minute plans and I don't have a problem seeing them being very busy right now.

While we are an important group here at TUG  , we're only a small subset of RCI's membership. I'm sure we're not being intentionally slighted, we just aren't at the top of the priority list at the moment. Hopefully we'll wiggle our way toward the top soon.  

Sheila


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## Dave M (Jul 18, 2007)

Since there is no question here for Madge, I'm moving it to the Exchanging forum.


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## Keitht (Jul 19, 2007)

Sheila,

All your comments are perfectly valid, but good customer relations could have been served by the simple expedient of a post from Madge or somebody else within RCI explaining precisely what you have.


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## sfwilshire (Jul 19, 2007)

Keitht said:


> Sheila,
> 
> All your comments are perfectly valid, but good customer relations could have been served by the simple expedient of a post from Madge or somebody else within RCI explaining precisely what you have.



Good point.

Sheila


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## BillR (Jul 20, 2007)

*Madge Is Gone!*



BillR said:


> *Madge is just fine.  One of her friends at RCI Customer Communications office will call me tomorrow - hopefully - to tell us when she will reappear to answer the many pending questions.
> 
> P.S.  The customer communication phone number is 866.547.2708.*



*The customer communication person called me back and said that RCI has removed Madge from this obligation and do NOT have plans to reinstitute this program with her or anyone else in the near future.*


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## JLB (Jul 20, 2007)

If it will make anyone feel better, I would be glad to field Madge's questions from now on.


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## Barbeque (Jul 20, 2007)

JLB said:


> If it will make anyone feel better, I would be glad to field Madge's questions from now on.



Then we might hear the truth.


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## Kay H (Jul 20, 2007)

Wasn't that nice of RCI for letting us know!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


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## tonyg (Jul 20, 2007)

Another example of RCI's commitment to it's members.


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## billymach4 (Jul 20, 2007)

*You are too funny!!!*



JLB said:


> If it will make anyone feel better, I would be glad to field Madge's questions from now on.




:hysterical: :hysterical: :hysterical:


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## sfwilshire (Jul 21, 2007)

BillR said:


> *The customer communication person called me back and said that RCI has removed Madge from this obligation and do NOT have plans to reinstitute this program with her or anyone else in the near future.*



I hope if this is true, one of the moderators can confirm it and post this on the Ask RCI board. Kind of stupid for us to keep asking questions if noone is ever going to respond.

I was disappointed when II never replaced CraigU. He was sadly missed. Looks like RCI may be going the same route.

You'd think Madge would have at least said goodbye, but maybe she was not allowed to or she left the company suddenly.

Sheila


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## Sydney (Jul 21, 2007)

BillR said:


> *The customer communication person called me back and said that RCI has removed Madge from this obligation and do NOT have plans to reinstitute this program with her or anyone else in the near future.*


Did the person explain why?


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## taffy19 (Jul 21, 2007)

Join the independent exchange companies because they seem to care about their customers still and will answer your questions.


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## Linda74 (Jul 21, 2007)

I believe that RCI made a huge mistake by silencing Madge.  We are a very vocal group and many are not happy with RCI/Cendant's practices.  I frequently run into people who are not TUG members but timeshare owners and they are well versed in the unscrupulous practices of RCI and looking to other pastures.  They have garnered much information on the web.  At least Madge could give us RCI's reasoning.  Now, I think our disdain will fester and that will only further hurt RCI.  The internet is an immense communication vehicle and RCI has thrown away their chance to put their spin on it....I, for one, am done with RCI...Prices increase and their willingness to serve us declines.  Internal exchanges and independent companies are the way to go....


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## Carolinian (Jul 21, 2007)

I don't mind their silencing Madge, who was a corporate mouthpiece anyway.

What was a real loss to timesharing was when they silenced Bootleg, who would give us the straight scoop rather than corporate-speak.  Bootleg would defend RCI when they had a legitimate reason for what they did and would not cover up when RCI did not.  Bootleg is sorely missed.


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## Kona Lovers (Jul 21, 2007)

Is this perhaps a new policy extended by Wyndham?


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## NTHC (Jul 22, 2007)

I just think RCI realized there was no benefit to them to continue to play in our sand box.  Madge really only gave answers to the simplest of questions and ignored the ones that RCI members truly want answers to.  There is really no point in her constantly trying to defend a defenseless position.

JMHO,
Cindy


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## PerryM (Jul 22, 2007)

*Here I go again...*



Carolinian said:


> I don't mind their silencing *Madge, who was a corporate mouthpiece anyway*.
> 
> What was a real loss to timesharing was when they silenced Bootleg, who would give us the straight scoop rather than corporate-speak.  Bootleg would defend RCI when they had a legitimate reason for what they did and would not cover up when RCI did not.  Bootleg is sorely missed.




I haven’t used RCI Weeks for years but I do use RCI Points (and love it).
Somehow I keep ending up defending RCI and I seem to be doing it again.

RCI graciously allowed a spokesperson to participate in fielding questions here for quite a while.  I don’t think that I ever asked her a question but would take the time to read her replies once in a while; thanks Madge.

I can’t apologize for anyone here but I did appreciate RCI’s efforts and I, for one, don’t consider her a “corporate mouthpiece” – thanks for your input; I, speaking for just myself, appreciated it.

P.S.
That goes for ANY developer or any organization connected with timeshares - if you send a spokesperson here to field questions some of us will appreciate it.


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## BocaBum99 (Jul 23, 2007)

I'm with Perry.  When I first got into timesharing, I posted a few questions on Ask RCI and it helped me.  I appreciated it.  thanks Madge.  I appreciated your contribution to TUG.


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## TUGBrian (Jul 23, 2007)

I have still had no contact with RCI...or Madge directly...in regards to this matter.

One would assume if they were discontinuing what they have done for many years, they would have said something about it at least privately.

This has not been the case.

I have to assume something else is going on, vs thinking they just packed up and left without saying a word.


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## roadsister (Jul 23, 2007)

I viewed Madge's participation on this forum just as anyone elses who posted here....that she could end her posting when she wanted....I am sorry to see her go.....just as I was sorry to see II stop participating....they both brought another aspect to the forum in the form of everyday general knowledge.

Could be RCI is downsizing
Could be they are restructuring jobs and that was eliminated/combined with another.
Could be she retired
Could be she just got tired of it all
Could be she quit

Lots of reasons.

Bye Madge, and thank you


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## Jya-Ning (Jul 23, 2007)

For whatever reason, if Madge does no longer participate in the forum, I would like to thank her for all the answers in those years, and wish her luck.

Jya-Ning


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## pedro47 (Jul 23, 2007)

BocaBum99 said:


> I'm with Perry.  When I first got into timesharing, I posted a few questions on Ask RCI and it helped me.  I appreciated it.  thanks Madge.  I appreciated your contribution to TUG.



Any help from an expert inside a corporation is better then no advice/help at all.

Thanks Madge for your service to this website.


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## Dani (Jul 23, 2007)

PerryM said:


> I haven’t used RCI Weeks for years but I do use RCI Points (and love it).
> Somehow I keep ending up defending RCI and I seem to be doing it again.
> 
> RCI graciously allowed a spokesperson to participate in fielding questions here for quite a while.  I don’t think that I ever asked her a question but would take the time to read her replies once in a while; thanks Madge.
> ...



  I agree with you.  Whatever you think of RCI, at least they chose to participate in this forum on TUG.   Having both RCI and II participate here was a great feather in TUG's cap and one that TUG can be proud of.  It's amazing what an on-line community can achieve.      Both representatives, Madge and Craig were always gracious.  Thanks to both.


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## Sydney (Jul 24, 2007)

If Madge or her department is reading this, I'd also like to extend my thanks for her participation here.

RCI did honestly try to resolve issues I had even though their attempts were not all that successful. It was good to know that some cared about members.


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## Courts (Jul 25, 2007)

I have asked a couple questions of Madge and did appreciate her answers.

I do not think I could have done her job. After all, most of us really wanted to know the "secrets" of how RCI operates. 

Most everybody here benefited from her knowledge, and on occasion there were a few "hot heads" but that is life I guess.

 
.


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## Kona Lovers (Jul 25, 2007)

I, too, received pertinent information from Madge, and it was a prompt response I didn't have to wait long for.  Best to you, Madge.

Marty


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## EJC (Jul 26, 2007)

I very much appreciated Madge's presence on the TUG RCI forum.  She graciously clarified issues ranging from 1-in-4 rules to one-plus-one weeks.  If she didn't KNOW an answer, she'd go the extra mile to find the answer.  Thank you, Madge, for all of your efforts.  Hopefully RCI will see fit in the not too distant future to have either you or someone else represent RCI on TUG.


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## Dottie (Jul 26, 2007)

Just in case Madge or RCI are watching, I would like to state that I very much appreciated Madge's helpfulness and knowledge.  She was a terrific asset to TUG and most of us will sorely miss her but wish her well.

Dottie


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## Keitht (Jul 26, 2007)

TUG Improvements! said:


> I have still had no contact with RCI...or Madge directly...in regards to this matter.
> 
> One would assume if they were discontinuing what they have done for many years, they would have said something about it at least privately.
> 
> ...



But how long can you leave the membership here up in the air about the participation of RCI in 'Ask RCI'?  People continue to post questions in the forum in the hope / expectation of a reply.
Doesn't there come a point where a forum specifically for asking questions of a company, when the company doesn't respond, becomes a liability and embarrassment?


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## PerryM (Jul 26, 2007)

*Hear hear...dis or miss?*



Keitht said:


> But how long can you leave the membership here up in the air about the participation of RCI in 'Ask RCI'?  People continue to post questions in the forum in the hope / expectation of a reply.
> Doesn't there come a point where a forum specifically for asking questions of a company, when the company doesn't respond, becomes a liability and embarrassment?




Although I like the RCI spokesperson concept, how long does it take to realize an insult?

So RCI, is this a dis or a miss?  (I'm going to guess a dis myself; and assume the words "Payback" are rolling around the heads at RCI)

That's perfectly ok with me.


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## Bill4728 (Jul 26, 2007)

Brain ( tug improvements) said he would let us all know by this Friday to give RCI time to explain.


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## roadsister (Jul 26, 2007)

I wish II would have someone participate here again along with RCI....both were great for allowing someone from their companies to do so.....guess it's just a thing of the past.  
I wouldn't consider it a dis or an insult....I didn't when II stopped either....those companies have their own priorities for which they pay people's salaries for job tasks.

We will miss RCI just like we miss II's participation here.  Both provided valuable information to many


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## bnoble (Jul 26, 2007)

If I were RCI, I'd've abandoned TUG too.  3/4 of the ask RCI traffic was nothing more than brow-beating, and despite RCI's participation, you couldn't swing a dead cat around here without hitting someone who would tell you to abandon RCI and go to the independents.

Then again, I learned more about how RCI actually works from that forum than anywhere else.  So, I'm glad they stuck it out as long as they did.


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## JLB (Jul 26, 2007)

That is the risk of participating in Internet forums, for companies or for any of us, that someone will decide to make you their personal punching bag, likely something they would not do in person.

I have encouraged some companies whom I thought folks took cheap shots at to post some factual information on their behalf.  None have yet.  They are smart.  I doubt that any businesses have suffered because they did not post on TUG.

I have found that most times when you try to further explain yourself on the Internet, those who like to take pot shots just make it worse.



bnoble said:


> If I were RCI, I'd've abandoned TUG too.  3/4 of the ask RCI traffic was nothing more than brow-beating, and despite RCI's participation, you couldn't swing a dead cat around here without hitting someone who would tell you to abandon RCI and go to the independents.
> 
> Then again, I learned more about how RCI actually works from that forum than anywhere else.  So, I'm glad they stuck it out as long as they did.


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## JLB (Jul 26, 2007)

I can see both sides of this fence.

What would be nice is forums that explain how the exchange companies *really* work, not how the exchange companies say they work.

Much of the company line, whether it is RCI-speak or II-speak, is a disservice to their customers, especially the newer ones, but I also understand why they cannot be forthright.

After 20 years of timesharing, being actively involved in it almost every day, it is frustrating to have someone who was just hired off an ad and who's knowledge came from a training class pretend to give you advice.  But that's the way it is. 

The ice is getting thin, so I will be edging back toward shore.  

What we may miss, if it is the case, is that having TUG or Madge in the Subject Line expedited inquiries to Feedback@RCI.


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## TUGBrian (Jul 27, 2007)

Well as stated earlier...I was hoping to have some information to give you by the end of the week.

Sadly...I have no new information to give you.

all of my emails privately to Madge and feedback@rci.com have gone unanswered, I sent yet another one this afternoon in a last ditch attempt to at least get some sort of final answer...but nothing.  (even put TUG in the subject line..ha)

We will have to assume that RCI has decided to discontinue their particpation on the TUGBBS "Ask RCI" forum (although madge has logged in quite a few times since her last post...latest time just a few days ago).  We will rename the forum to something appropriate as there is far too much good information in there to remove or attempt to migrate into other forums topic by topic.

Have not yet decided on the name, open to suggestions!

I really would have hoped that someone would have at least sent us an email letting us know that they were ceasing to participate...vs just disappearing for good and leaving it up in the air.

I will post an announcement in the Ask RCI forum as well to inform people posting there that may not read this note.


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## Aldo (Jul 27, 2007)

I understand that RCI is feeling the pressure from the class action lawsuit, and that thousands of emails outlining similar complaints have been received by the attorneys in the case, which has allowed them to overcome the lack of discovery.

Largely, this mass of evidence has been accumulated via the efforts of those on TUG and other timeshare related websites.

So, the ripoff artists at RCI have decided to take their ball and go home.  Good riddance.  Madge was nothing but a mouthpiece and a shrill for the RCI baloney anyway.  Not like she ever gave a straight answer.

I'd like to give her the benefit of the doubt and say that maybe Madge got tired of telling RCI lies to thousands of people every week, and no one wanted to replace her.  But I doubt it; obviously all Madge ever did was repeat the official RCI line of baloney; anyone could do that.

So, boo hoo hoo for RCI.

Stop raiding the Spacebank, and we can all be friends again.:rofl:


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## Aldo (Jul 27, 2007)

bnoble said:


> If I were RCI, I'd've abandoned TUG too.  3/4 of the ask RCI traffic was nothing more than brow-beating, and despite RCI's participation, you couldn't swing a dead cat around here without hitting someone who would tell you to abandon RCI and go to the independents.
> 
> Then again, I learned more about how RCI actually works from that forum than anywhere else.  So, I'm glad they stuck it out as long as they did.




If RCI dealt fair and square with their members in the first place, that never would've gotten that bad.

Check out the DAE board.  Nothing but nice things and constructive comments.  Why?  DAE plays it fair and square with their members, that's why.


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## Lee B (Jul 27, 2007)

TUG Improvements! said:


> Have not yet decided on the name, open to suggestions!



It could be _Ask About RCI_, where TUGgers try to answer the same kinds of questions that Madge would answer.  It may take a moderator who filters out the nasty questions and permits only answers that really attempt to give the company direction, rather than assuming the worst of them.

After RCI sees answers to questions that miss the mark, maybe they will see fit to return an ambassador.


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## Carolinian (Jul 28, 2007)

Lee B said:


> It could be _Ask About RCI_, where TUGgers try to answer the same kinds of questions that Madge would answer.  It may take a moderator who filters out the nasty questions and permits only answers that really attempt to give the company direction, rather than assuming the worst of them.
> 
> After RCI sees answers to questions that miss the mark, maybe they will see fit to return an ambassador.



Ah! ''Timeshare correctness'', something akin to ''political correctness''; something that has nothing at all to do with being factual or not, but only of having what some view as the ''correct'' attitude or opinion.


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## Aldo (Jul 28, 2007)

Lee B said:


> It could be _Ask About RCI_, where TUGgers try to answer the same kinds of questions that Madge would answer.  It may take a moderator who filters out the nasty questions and permits only answers that really attempt to give the company direction, rather than assuming the worst of them.
> 
> After RCI sees answers to questions that miss the mark, maybe they will see fit to return an ambassador.




That wouldn't work.

Saying things like:

"Stop raiding the Spacebank," and "Stop raising your fees 10% a year," and "Stop giving salesperson pitch information that says you can trade for anyplace, anytime," and other such criminal, greedy, or systematically deceptive practices ARE real attempts to give the company direction, and are reflections of REALITY, rather than assumptions of the worst. 

And questions like this get to the heart of the problems people have with RCI...they are criminal, greedy, and deceptive...but they wouldn't be allowed under your nicey-nice scheme.


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## Aldo (Jul 28, 2007)

The face of the matter is that Cendant has always been real sensitive about internet message boards.  

Remember when the YAHOO board got shut down completely for many months?

Consider the LONG long list of class actions Cendant in involved in. Wyndham, Fairfield, Century 21, and of course RCI.  And consider that these internet boards are the main way now that these classes develop and share information.


Consider as well how that messages posted to internet boards can be and have been subpoenaed and entered into evidence.


Now, suppose you were RCI, and engaged in a systematic and continued campaign to deceive timeshare owners with regards to your raiding of the Spacebank.  Would you want to leave evidence of such a systematic deception campaign around on the internet for everyone to see and enter as evidence with regards to your practices?


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## Laurie (Jul 28, 2007)

I'm sorry to see Madge disappear... I'm sure she was a real person who did have a desire to give the best possible customer service at heart, within the confines of what RCI would allow, in terms of information. She knew more about RCI than most guides you'll ever get on the phone, always handled questions professionally, and researched those she didn't know, and came back to respond - again, within the confines of what she was allowed. I did appreciate this, and I did learn some things about RCI from her posts over the years, as did most of us who combed thru the posts. Thank you Madge!

I'm pretty sure, based on my observations of her, that it wouldn't have been her choice to disappear in this fashion, without a word.  

IMO, this underscores my observations of RCI as well - that excellent and consistent customer service is not only not a priority, it's not very high up their list at all, and may not even be on their list - and you just have to wonder why RCI doesn't get it that good customer would help rather than hurt their bottom line.  If they didn't want to keep paying salary to someone to participate on this board, why not at least be courteous to their members and end it professionally??

I'm also betting that RCI's crystal ball predicts that as their company policies become continually less and less defensible, Madge would be having to field more and more hostility here, which RCI management doesn't want to pay for.  Specifically, I'm referring to rentals of prime time exchange deposited inventory into Weeks, since what many here have suspected and complained about is becoming just too apparent for anyone to really fall for their company line. Just go search on Extra Vacations for prime summer dates, anywhere in the world. 

I'm repeating what some others have said, but wanted to thank Madge for doing as much as she could here. Madge, I hope you get promoted into upper management there, where you can have some really major influence on company policy as it relates to customer service! I believe that RCI and shareholders would benefit from that - at the bottom line.


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## e.bram (Jul 28, 2007)

Who knows if there ever was a "Madge". Probably a faceless person in the PR dept. who happens to be assigned to the task. On the Internet you can be anybody you want.


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## Aldo (Jul 28, 2007)

e.bram said:


> Who knows if there ever was a "Madge". Probably a faceless person in the PR dept. who happens to be assigned to the task. On the Internet you can be anybody you want.



She should've kept her job as a shrill for Palmolive dishwashing soap.  Everybody liked her then.


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## JLB (Jul 28, 2007)

Acutally there is/was, Madge being a derivation of her real name.



e.bram said:


> Who knows if there ever was a "Madge". Probably a faceless person in the PR dept. who happens to be assigned to the task. On the Internet you can be anybody you want.


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## Fern Modena (Jul 28, 2007)

Who knows?  I know.  I was part of the original group who set up the "Ask RCI" section of the board, after a discussion with Madge (her nickname, a derivative of her real name) and some honchos at RCI.  She didn't work in the PR department, she worked in customer service.  She did have to have many/most postings approved, since she was representing the company as their presence on the board.

Even though there were restrictions on what she could post, I feel that her presence was very helpful. I appreciate her participation, which many times was under daunting circumstances.

That said, RCI does its image no good by ignoring the fact that they are no longer participating.  Any statement would have been better than silence.

Fern



e.bram said:


> Who knows if there ever was a "Madge". Probably a faceless person in the PR dept. who happens to be assigned to the task. On the Internet you can be anybody you want.


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## Aldo (Jul 28, 2007)

Fern Modena said:


> Who knows?  I know.  I was part of the original group who set up the "Ask RCI" section of the board, after a discussion with Madge (her nickname, a derivative of her real name) and some honchos at RCI.  She didn't work in the PR department, she worked in customer service.  She did have to have many/most postings approved, since she was representing the company as their presence on the board.
> 
> Even though there were restrictions on what she could post, I feel that her presence was very helpful. I appreciate her participation, which many times was under daunting circumstances.
> 
> ...



Fern,

   If you say so, I'll give Madge the benefit of doubt.  I gave her a lot of grief, because although she WAS often quite helpful to people, many of her answers were obviously baloney and she must have known this.

   So, let's suppose she was a genuinely helpful and ethical person caught up in a real bad situation, employed by a completely unethical outfit and needing to toe the line because she needed the job.  Lots of us have been there.

   Now, working in Customer Relations for a company which doesn't give a hoot about it's customers has got to be real thankless task, no?

   I want to guess that Madge finally got good and sick of her scene and got into some sort of major row or dispute with her bosses, and somehow is involved with an unemployment dispute or some other kind of litigation somehow.

  THIS would explain the lack of any commentary whatsoever by either RCI or by Madge personally.

  I can think of no better explanation for the total lack of commentary by them on this.


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## SherryS (Jul 28, 2007)

"That said, RCI does its image no good by ignoring the fact that they are no longer participating. Any statement would have been better than silence."


I totally agree with Fern!


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## brucecz (Jul 28, 2007)

I really think Madge really tryed to be as helpfull as she could given the circumstances she had to operate under.

I would like to personally thank her for the effort she put forth in helping correct some of the mistakes RCI had made with our  RCI Points accounts.

I would like to thank the RCI supervisor Tamasha who yesterday helped give us the full 114,000 RCI Points that were  promised to us when we deposited those weeks into into our third and smallest RCI Points account on July 20, 2007.

It took about about an hour or more to check the facts behind the RCI  letter that we received yesterday  July 27, 2007 stating that some of the deposits were  rejected for a unknow reason on July 20, 2007, the same day they were deposited. 

We first checked with Bluegreen and found out that they were all oked on July 24, 2007 but were not in our account as off July 26, 2007 when I checked that account.

Then when the Points were added to my account they shorted us 27,500 RCI Points that Rob the VC said we were supposed to get on July 20, 2007 when we talked to Rob about those Points per week worth in RCI Points before depositing them .

After a differant namesless VC said yesterday we would not get all of the RCI Points we were promised  and we could not get our weeks back, I asked for a supervisor.

Tamasha was the supervisor that gave us the other RCI Points that we were promised on July 20, 2007. She was firm but as fair as she could under the circumtances.

Some of you may find this very interesting. When I said if they would not give me the full amount of RCI Points promised to me on July 20, 2007 for those 4 white October UDI weeks then, I wanted those 4 weeks back.

 I said I would then rent those 4 weeks of ours that we were shorted on RCI Points by the VC on July 20, 2007.

They said that all of those "Crummy" 4 weeks had been already been exchanged for  in 3 days or even less after they were OKed for deposit by RCI on July 24. So much for our flooding RCI Points with white weeks that have no value

Now 4 weeks for RCI Points at $26 per week comes to $104.  They did not say if they were all used for week exchanges which would earn RCI at least $165 for a domestic weeks exchange or $630 plus the $104 depositing fee for a miminum earnings total of $734.  If the weeks were rented and  if none of the weeks were rented out for more that $165 they would still make $704. 

If they we taken with RCI Points then the total would be lower but then RCI earned other monies from those Points accounts besides the exchange fees.

If they rented out for only $265 per week then RCI would make at least $1,030 off of those "Crummy" white weeks. 

Of course if those were all exchanges then RCI Made monies  off those other accounts in several differant ways.

So the lack of profit on our "Crummy white weeks" as inferred by some a week or ago  is not really the valid reason behind the new rule annonced in 2007 for only 4 weeks for RCI Points from one resort being allowed per year in each RCI Points account.

IMHO it most likely the Points resort deleveolpers that were crying to RCI. But again that is just MHO. But why would RCI turn down a min profit of about $700 and 4 more weeks like that that were taken in less than 3 days?

There are a few resons why I do not volentarly pay the $5 ARDA request.  IMHO it seems that the only time ARDA helps the timesharer is when it first and foremost helps the developer agenda or the delevolper image.

Bruce


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## Keitht (Jul 28, 2007)

brucecz said:


> I really think Madge really tryed to be as helpfull as she could given the circumstances she had to operate under.
> 
> I would like to personally thank her for the effort she put forth in helping correct some of the mistakes RCI had made with .......



I agree, although I never had cause to get assistance from the support people at RCI have some form of access to the system with a little in-house support obviously helped some people at different times.
I asked about a company which claimed to be working for RCI.  Madge initiated the investigation and I received an intial response from RCI saying they were looking into things.  When I heard no more I again raised it with Madge and again I received an e-mail from RCI.  
Although there was inevitably a lot of 'toeing the party line' in Madges responses on the board I still believe Ask RCI was a valuable resource to the board and should have been valuable for RCI as well.  Regrettably, as many here have already said, the way this board has been treated speaks volumes for RCI's attitude towards its membership.


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## Keitht (Jul 28, 2007)

TUG Improvements! said:


> We will rename the forum to something appropriate as there is far too much good information in there to remove or attempt to migrate into other forums topic by topic.



How about "Don't bother Asking RCI anymore.  They've taken their ball and gone home"


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## PerryM (Jul 28, 2007)

*Carrots are good for the eyes and wallet....*

You know maybe we should offer a carrot here instead of a stick.

What if we took up an offering, via PayPal, and just pay some II and RCI employee to answer questions.  Say we pay them $50 for each question answered to our satisfaction.  That could amount to a nice tidy sum over the years.

Is there a web site that allows for dead drops for exchanging information and cash?  Something to think about II and RCI employees.

I’m serious here…I'd pay for some real answers to some of the questions I have - contact me if interested.


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## happymum (Jul 30, 2007)

pedro47 said:


> Any help from an expert inside a corporation is better then no advice/help at all.
> 
> Thanks Madge for your service to this website.



Well put. I feel that Madge did help to clarify RCI's position on various matters. I will miss having a venue to seek answers and clarifications.

I did not always like Madge's answers, or feel that she was able to give frank information, but I trusted her responses far more than the info I will get from a VC.


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## Timesharemogul (Jul 30, 2007)

*It's Deja vu*



BillR said:


> *The customer communication person called me back and said that RCI has removed Madge from this obligation and do NOT have plans to reinstitute this program with her or anyone else in the near future.*



I recall that prior to Madge, there had previously been another RCI rep who fielded "Ask*****?"-style questions...and she ALSO suddenly got relieved of this duty as well....that was so long ago it may have been on the pre-TUG (PRODIGY) timeshare board (where we also were introduced to Craig Urbine formerly of I.I.)
Coincidence?


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## JLB (Sep 29, 2007)

I just stumbled onto this old thead.

As to the question asked, I suspect that _Madge _is much better now!


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## Jimster (Sep 30, 2007)

*Madge*

The two times I asked Madge, I found her answers unresponsive and insulting.  I am sure she probably did help others, but when it came to "hard" questions I found she had to parrot the company line.  Maybe we could have a forum called "Ask RCI (but don't make the questions difficult)"?


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