# sfx concern



## Liz Wolf-Spada (Sep 24, 2005)

On August 19, I got a call from an SFX rep asking me if I wanted a week at Paniolo Greens in the time frame I had requested for 2006. I said yes and put it on my credit card as the bonus week. It is not showing up in my member online account as a booked week and there is still a request showing up for that week. I have not gotten a letter of confirmation. I emailed and finally spoke with the rep who assures me I have the week and she will get me a confirmation, but I am concerned, as I have never had this happen before and want to begin looking for airfare, etc. Has anyone any experience with this and what would you suggest? Thanks,
Liz


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## Liz Wolf-Spada (Sep 24, 2005)

Update. I called the resort and they don't have me listed for that week as an SFX request either. I am getting concerned and think they screwed and are saying they have the week, while trying to get one to replace one they may have double booked or something. My experience with SFX in the past has been good, but this is not coming under the "good" heading.
Liz


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## rsonc (Sep 24, 2005)

Most of the exchange companies wont give the name of the guest until about a week or two before check in. I know RCI does this too, this way if you cancel or use a guest certificate there is less of a chance of confusions or errrors at check-in. Also most tour companies will do the same thing. So I wouldn't worry about the resort not having it right now if you can get something in writting from SFX. I always call the resort a week before I check in to make sure they have everything they need.  

On the week not showing up online--This has happen to me on a bonus week that I was using. For some reason of the bonus weeks wont show up on our side. I had Elaina send me a copy of the confirmation and we didn't have any problem with the Oregon Coast week that my BIL used this summer. I also have a unit at HVGV in Honoulu and it's also not on the website and my request are still in place but I have received a copy of the confirmation.. I think it's just something in their system. They are working on a new online website and hopefully that will  be fixed. 

You can always ask Mark at timeshareforum.com (ask sfx) why we dont see some of our reservations he should be able to answer it. 

Susan


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## Liz Wolf-Spada (Sep 24, 2005)

I can't seem to log in yet to the other site, but did send a private email to Mark as well as emailing my rep at SFX and their main email address. The resort seemed to think they should have a fax for that week in my name, and didn't say anything about it being too early. In the past I have always gotten confirmations quickly, so that set up a big red flag for me. Hopefully, I'm just being a worry wart.
Thanks,
Liz


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## eal (Sep 25, 2005)

*fax*

Hi Liz,
My experience with SFX is that the resort has no idea I am coming on an SFX exchange until mid-week before I arrive.  But they are always expecting us when we get to the registration desk.  

I would suggest that you tell SFX to fax you a copy of your confirmation immediately.  If it exists then they can do that.  If they can't fax it to you THEN I would be suspicious.


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## ronandjoan (Sep 25, 2005)

*Time to confirm deposit?*

How long has it taken people to have SFX confirm  their deposits?  I was pretty excited to get into the system and have deposited 2 weeks, but they have not been confimred yet.  One was deposited 9/8.


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## Liz Wolf-Spada (Sep 25, 2005)

I think I will email again and ask them to fax my confirmation to my work number fax. But, as the rep knew I was concerned, she could have already asked for a fax number and done that.
Liz


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## DeniseM (Sep 25, 2005)

ronandjoan said:
			
		

> How long has it taken people to have SFX confirm  their deposits?  I was pretty excited to get into the system and have deposited 2 weeks, but they have not been confimred yet.  One was deposited 9/8.



You should have immediately received a form via email that you that you have to print, sign, and send back - did you get that?

Then the FAX goes to your home resort and they have to confirm that you own the week you deposited.  I don't think SFX will confirm the depost, until they hear from your home resort - this could be the hang up.

Have you checked your account online?


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## Judy (Sep 25, 2005)

ronandjoan said:
			
		

> How long has it taken people to have SFX confirm  their deposits?  I was pretty excited to get into the system and have deposited 2 weeks, but they have not been confimred yet.  One was deposited 9/8.


An SFX deposit confirmation might get held up because they require that your MF be paid prior to deposit (even if it hasn't been billed yet by the resort).  Sometimes resorts won't release a week to an independent exchange company until you contact them directly.  Your deposit should have been confirmed by now.  You might want to contact SFX to see if there's a problem.


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## BocaBum99 (Sep 25, 2005)

*sometimes, the day before check in*

My last SFX confirmation was NOT in the resorts system until the day before my check in.  I was quite concerned about it, but SFX did a good job at keeping me informed as they worked with the resort to sort things out.

This is one of the issues in working with this particular independent exchange company.  They are really NOT formally working with the resorts.  Instead, they appear to be working via a kind of guest process.

There is definitely additional risk in working with SFX that I didn't consider prior to using it.  I could have, for instance, banked or cancelled the reservation for the week I deposited with SFX.  If I did that, then the person who got the exchange from SFX would have a cancelled confirmation.  I'm sure it doesn't happen that often, but it would be easy to do.

Keep that in mind as you use the independents.


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## DeniseM (Sep 25, 2005)

Judy said:
			
		

> An SFX deposit confirmation might get held up because they require that your MF be paid prior to deposit (even if it hasn't been billed yet by the resort).



I've never heard that before, and we have never paid our MF's in advance when we deposited with SFX.  The last time we deposited a spring week, in July or Aug., and paid the MF in Jan. as usual.  MF's were never mentioned by TUG at all.  I don't think it would be an issue, unless your MF's were past due at the time of deposit.


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## dude-luv (Sep 25, 2005)

*SFX--Deposits and Resort Notification*

I agree with Denise.  I am in the process of depositing a Cliffs Club week for
2006.  I told the resort I planned on depositing the week with SFX and that
I would gladly pay the 2006 maintenance fees.   They told me to 'forgettaboutit' and pay the maintenance fees in January.  I know that SFX has a history with the Cliffs Club.

On another note, a rep from SFX told me recently that they inform the resort of your expected arrival within 72 hours of your expected arrival date.


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## bigfrank (Sep 25, 2005)

You will get ahold of Mark at SFX faster by posting on www.timeshareforums.com


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## ronandjoan (Sep 25, 2005)

*Yes, I have done everything*



			
				DeniseM said:
			
		

> You should have immediately received a form via email that you that you have to print, sign, and send back - did you get that?
> 
> Then the FAX goes to your home resort and they have to confirm that you own the week you deposited.  I don't think SFX will confirm the depost, until they hear from your home resort - this could be the hang up.
> 
> Have you checked your account online?



Yes, yes, and yes
I have also emailed Cory Tuesday the 20th and he said I was fine and he says he is working on it.  It just makes me wonder why my resorts are so slow....

BTW, the 800 FAX # did not seem to work


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## elaine (Sep 26, 2005)

*i know with RCI exchange, resort did not have info until 3 weeks b/f ck-in*

several RCI trades I have done 1-2 yrs out---resort did not have confirm or info until 2-3 weeks ahead of check-in.


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## Judy (Sep 26, 2005)

DeniseM said:
			
		

> I've never heard that before, and we have never paid our MF's in advance when we deposited with SFX.  The last time we deposited a spring week, in July or Aug., and paid the MF in Jan. as usual.  MF's were never mentioned by TUG at all.  I don't think it would be an issue, unless your MF's were past due at the time of deposit.


So I wonder what SFX has against me   I attempted to deposit my 2006 Ridge Tahoe week with them in August of 2005.  MF at the Ridge are usually billed in December and due in January. My 2006 MF had not yet been billed and would not be due for several months.  My MF were NOT past due.  But SFX rejected my deposit because my 2006 MF had not yet been paid.  This was an SFX decision, not a decision by my resort.  I had to contact the resort, pay my 2006 MF early and then redeposit my week with SFX.


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## rsonc (Sep 26, 2005)

Denise, 

I think it depends on your resort, most of the resorts that I own at require you to pay your m/f before you can make a reservation and deposit it with any exchange company. 

Susan


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## Elli (Sep 26, 2005)

When I banked my 2006 week with SFX earlier this year, I had to pay the 2006 maintenance first as well.


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## DeniseM (Sep 26, 2005)

rsonc said:
			
		

> Denise,
> 
> I think it depends on your resort, most of the resorts that I own at require you to pay your m/f before you can make a reservation and deposit it with any exchange company.
> 
> Susan



If that's the case, then it is the TIMESHARE requiring that the MF be paid - not SFX...


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## bigfrank (Sep 26, 2005)

Liz had posted on timeshare forums. Since it was Sunday I also PM Mark so he knew there was a question waiting. He told me he has responded by email.


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## Liz Wolf-Spada (Sep 26, 2005)

Well, I haven't heard from Mark yet, but I did hear from both Cory Phelps and Ramona, the representative. I finally got a confirmation from both of them today and apologies for the delay. So I am relieved, but something odd must have happened to the original transaction. This confirmation shows September 26 as the verification date, while I originally paid for the week on August 19th. Also, it is finally showing up in my SFX account as a booked week, but I booked it as a bonus week and paid the $279 fee for the bonus week. It is showing up as a $99 regular exchange week. So, I have emailed Cory about that and hopefully this will all get straightened out. I must say, my confidence in SFX is a little shaky at this point, but it seems to be moving in the direction of getting worked out. So, whether it is RCI, II or an independent, it seems to be important to pay attention to follow through and check to make sure all is as it is supposed to be.
Liz


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## ronandjoan (Sep 27, 2005)

*When and how do bonus weeks show up*

For you SFX experts, do the bonus weeks show up on the web site on your account just like the deposited weeks at your resort?  I have one resort showing up now, but not the 2 bonus weeks that were supposed to come with it.


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## DeniseM (Sep 27, 2005)

ronandjoan said:
			
		

> For you SFX experts, do the bonus weeks show up on the web site on your account just like the deposited weeks at your resort?  I have one resort showing up now, but not the 2 bonus weeks that were supposed to come with it.



They do for me.


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## Jaybee (Sep 27, 2005)

Hi, Liz...I hope you get your exchange worked out. I've never had problems with SFX.  In fact, we just got back from a beautiful 2 BR Bonus week at Club Intrawest in Palm Desert.
 Before we went to our exchange at the Embassy Tahoe in July, when I called to confirm, I was told they didn't have our names anywhere. After a mild panic attack, I called later, and got someone who looked further. It seems that our names were listed, along with the names of the owners. They must have had a glitch in communication, because we were called by the names of the owners several times during the week.
 About the maintenance fee question, it must depend upon the resort. I usually bank our Villas of Sedona, and this year, I had communication problems, but they were with the people at the Villas.  I paid the fees, but reservations couldn't find the info. After that was settled, they refused to validate the form sent to them by SFX, telling them we hadn't paid the fees.  
  Ramona has always done a great job for me. I wish you well, too.


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