What to expect when II calls about an OGS

[mdurette]

A bit of background: II never had permission to call my cell. They always alerted me to this when I signed onto II, but I never bothered.

But recently a sighting was posted for a place I have an OGS on, it was a Monday start and it didn't match. I believe II is suppose to call first for Monday starts. Then 2 days ago I get a post card in the mail from II telling me they can't contact me and to change my permissions. (first postcard I ever received like this) Ok....I go online, check off the box that they can call my cell because of the Monday start call I may want.

Yesterday they call about my OGS - which is for a variety of resorts in US and Caribbean in March, one of which is Lakeshore Reserve in Orlando.

I'm hopeful when they tell me they have an option - but they offered me what I would consider a junk unit. A studio in an Orlando Westgate! Huh....why would you offer me that? Heck there are 2 BR Orlando Marriott units for that week available (I can see with a manual search), why not offer me one of those?

My question, does II typically call and offer junk units?

 

[Panina]

A bit of background: II never had permission to call my cell. They always alerted me to this when I signed onto II, but I never bothered.

But recently a sighting was posted for a place I have an OGS on, it was a Monday start and it didn't match. I believe II is suppose to call first for Monday starts. Then 2 days ago I get a post card in the mail from II telling me they can't contact me and to change my permissions. (first postcard I ever received like this) Ok....I go online, check off the box that they can call my cell because of the Monday start call I may want.

Yesterday they call about my OGS - which is for a variety of resorts in US and Caribbean in March, one of which is Lakeshore Reserve in Orlando.

I'm hopeful when they tell me they have an option - but they offered me what I would consider a junk unit. A studio in an Orlando Westgate! Huh....why would you offer me that? Heck there are 2 BR Orlando Marriott units for that week available (I can see with a manual search), why not offer me one of those?

My question, does II typically call and offer junk units?

In my experience yes. After the first call for an ogs I ask to be called only if they can offer one of the resorts in my ogs.

 

[dougp26364]

II got so bad I’ve taken ALL my numbers off my profile. Either they match what I want or they don’t, so don’t call me for anything else. Every time they’ve called in the past it’s either been a junk week and there was a reason I didn’t put that on my request or, they’ve wanted me to expand my request to include junk I wouldn’t accept. It’s NEVER been to congratulate me on a great exchange match or to offer me a great week or a great resort I hadn’t listed. It’s always amounted to just another spam type call. Nothing like getting your hopes up just to be spammed by your exchange company. A company you’re paying a membership fee too plus more fees up front for an exchange that’s never guarenteed.

For that matter, I’ve become so disallusioned with II we rarely use them. At one point we were exchanging 2 to 5 times per year. Now...... we stay pretty much within our home resort systems using corporate accounts. Years ago we dropped our RCI personal account, only keeping the corporate account because we can’t opt out. The same will happen with II when our personal account comes up for renewal.

 

[rickandcindy23]

The constant calls are annoying. "We are still working on the search." That is all they have to say? Don't call me at all. "Do you want to expand your search?" Nope. I have very specific searches, lots of them, so don't call and waste my time.

Of course, I am always polite because I don't want them to NOT call, if there is a match that meets my criteria but is an upgrade in size I need to pay for.

 

[mdurette]

Debating if I should just pull the plug on them again with the calls. Yesterday's last call would have been valuable to me if I didn't have other plans.

First day - Westgate studio

Second day - Marriott studio (ok that was better, but I could still "see" bigger units so why offer the studio) I tell them only to call for exact resort matches with different checkin dates like Monday)

Yesterday - Back to the westgate studio. I mention again, only exact resorts please.

Yesterday Again, only 5 minutes later (but from a different phone number) - we have a match for you. Which they did, HarborRidge Maine over July 4th. I rejected - but asked why the call....why didn't it just auto match. He said because it was a 2 BR and your deposit is a 1BR. Ok, but when I set up the search, I checked off that I would pay the upgrade fee. He said yes, but I need your 3 digit code to process payment. Then he said because the resort had no AC and stairs and before they auto search they needed to tell me. Not really sure which one it was.


I may pay attention to the numbers they come to see if I can find a pattern to see if one number is calling with junk and the other actual info on my request resorts.

 

[dioxide45]

Second day - Marriott studio (ok that was better, but I could still "see" bigger units so why offer the studio) I tell them only to call for exact resort matches with different checkin dates like Monday)

It has already been shown that II will provide automatic matches for Thursday and Monday checkins. While they include that veriage when setting up an OGS, but it is meaningless. II is ultimately in the matching business, matches mean income. Their goal is to match you to something they already have vs waiting it out. I agree though, if you don't want the calls remove your number from your account. I really don't mind the calls because it gives me a chance to fish for some other information that may or may not be related to my request.