[2006] SVO Resale: Yes you can requalify/retro [MERGED]

[pointsjunkie]

According to a friend of mine, the reps that you have worked with are no longer with the company and you only have 1 eoy and it IS NOT fixed. You need to be more responsible when posting. Your 5 Star Elite process is also outdated and cost many people lots of money who are now stuck with resale weeks that can't be upgraded.

The company is no longer playing games with people trying to beat the system, and it is because of this site. I hope you are all happy.

can you be specific as to what they are not allowing? we don't want to keep any info that is not relevant. this site is to help people not to cause them to spend extra money or to guide them down the wrong path.

we can only give the info that we have experienced and at the time was helpful to many people. anyone who is going down the path to 5* and has more updated info we would love to hear from you.

once you get to 5* there is no way to find out how Starwood changes the path to get there. a person who reads the requalifying thread should ask a sales person many question to see what is allowed now and what is not before you take the plunge, so just in case, as you stated the info that worked for us is no longer allowed then you would know how to proceed.

 

[DavidnRobin]

appropriate monikor phillyphan.

i too am happy...
{wtf?}


i would certainly make sure i read the entire thread before doing anything - and still the rules may change - so caveat emptor

 

[DeniseM]

According to a friend of mine, the reps that you have worked with are no longer with the company and you only have 1 eoy and it IS NOT fixed. You need to be more responsible when posting. Your 5 Star Elite process is also outdated and cost many people lots of money who are now stuck with resale weeks that can't be upgraded.

The company is no longer playing games with people trying to beat the system, and it is because of this site. I hope you are all happy.

First of all, it sounds like you got your info. from someone at Starwood and it's heavy on the sour grapes side. If I was a TS salesman, I'd be whiney too - resales have to be killing their high commissions!

Secondly, you are telling us that someone at Starwood disclosed confidential owner info. to you and you posted it here - that is appalling!

I really hope Starwood is reading this post.

If you are so unhappy with the info. we provide here, then I suggest that you vote with your feet, or mouse in this case....

***After browsing back through your old posts, I am very suspicious about who you really are and what your connection to Starwood is. For someone who isn't an owner, you have a very strange preoccupation with defending everything Starwood does.

 

[DeniseM]

Guess what! This poster works for Starwood! She (or someone else with Starwood) registered another user name from the same IP address and used her Starwood email address in her registration. :hysterical:

You are SO BUSTED!

 

[pointsjunkie]

Guess what! This poster works for Starwood! She (or someone else with Starwood) registered another user name from the same IP address and used her Starwood email address in her registration. :hysterical:

You are SO BUSTED!

are you kidding me, and i was feeling bad that people bought resales that they could not requalify because the rules had changed.

 

[DeniseM]

The plot thickens:

There are 15 registered users on TUG using that IP address, and half of them listed their SVO email address on their registration. It must be their IP address at work.

However, Philyphan is the only one who has actually posted - the others are just lurkers...

Here is a link to her other posts: [The link didn't work - see below.]

 

[Politico]

Hmm. Denise, the link does not work for me. But, now I take it that Starwood (at least some employees there) has read our posts about the II non-SVN deposit issue (Starwood wants to control the week we deposit), yet has done nothing about it. Sadly, I can only conclude that thier inaction on the issue is purposeful. Shame on you Starwood.

 

[pathways25]

The plot thickens:

There are 15 registered users on TUG using that IP address, and half of them listed their SVO email address on their registration. It must be their IP address at work.

However, Philyphan is the only one who has actually posted - the others are just lurkers...

Here is a link to her other posts: http://www.tugbbs.com/forums/search.php?searchid=2266374

That link doesn't seem to work for me. Do you need to be an admin to use it?

 

[DeniseM]

Hmm. Denise, the link does not work for me.

Ok try this - go here and click "find all posts by Philyphan."

 

[nodge]

The plot thickens:

There are 15 registered users on TUG using that IP address, and half of them listed their SVO email address on their registration. It must be their IP address at work.

However, Philyphan is the only one who has actually posted - the others are just lurkers...

Did any of them pony up the $15 to actually join TUG?

When can we expect the poll asking if TUG should publish their email addresses? I vote "YES!!!!!"

-nodge

 

[DeniseM]

Did any of them pony up the $15 to actually join TUG?

When can we expect the poll asking if TUG should publish their email addresses? I vote "YES!!!!!"

-nodge

Nope - they all registered as guests....

I'll get to that poll right away! :rofl:

 

[SDKath]

According to a friend of mine, the reps that you have worked with are no longer with the company and you only have 1 eoy and it IS NOT fixed. You need to be more responsible when posting. Your 5 Star Elite process is also outdated and cost many people lots of money who are now stuck with resale weeks that can't be upgraded.

The company is no longer playing games with people trying to beat the system, and it is because of this site. I hope you are all happy.

Okaaay, I just reread this guy's post (and I am now wondering if this person actually looked up my account to know that I only have 1 EOY. He/she works for Starwood right? And if that is the case, I am going to do my darnest to report this lurker because it is a breach of privacy to just go looking up people's accounts and then proceeding to post them on a board. How exactly do you know that I only have one EOY and it's not fixed?????????? Pray tell, because nowhere at TUG do I actually post my ownership info to that detail.


Katherine

 

[nodge]

I hope you are all happy.

Johnny?!? Is that you?

-nodge

 

[pathways25]

According to a friend of mine, the reps that you have worked with are no longer with the company and you only have 1 eoy and it IS NOT fixed. You need to be more responsible when posting. Your 5 Star Elite process is also outdated and cost many people lots of money who are now stuck with resale weeks that can't be upgraded.

The company is no longer playing games with people trying to beat the system, and it is because of this site. I hope you are all happy.

Why do you say people are trying to "beat the system"? Starwood makes the rules and we follow them. As buyers, it is our responsibility to obtain the best possible price while conforming to the rules that have been laid out. After all, why would you pay 30K for a car when (without resorting to illegal or unethical behavior) you could pay 20K for it?

Are you saying that SDKath has violated an established rule or acted unethically?

 

[Ken555]

Denise,

Thanks for posting this info. While we knew Starwood employees frequented this forum, it's good to have confirmation.

Their stupidity in registering their accounts with a Starwood email address (and doing so at work) simply illustrates their lack of vision with their inability to provide a thorough product to their customers. Their thoughts are always on the sale, and not on the customer service.

Of course, I'm sure there are more intelligent Starwood employees with accounts on TUG. They're probably just using a gmail, hotmail, or other free email account (and registering at their home).

And with Kath's confidential info published online, it's clear at least one Starwood employee doesn't know the meaning of liability exposure.

All TUG members should be aware that their posts are being read by the timeshare companies themselves. And, at least in this instance with SVO, they are identifying us. Your guess is as good as mine what they then do what that info.

If only SVO put as much effort into implementing an online reservation system...

 

[Politico]

Kath--

I think you should take this issue up to the highest level. This i sa serious breach of privacy. Flagrant abuses like this should not go unaddressed. By the way, is the poster correct that your rep is no longer there? I believe I worked with the same rep. You can PM me on that if you prefer.

 

[tomandrobin]

Kath--

I think you should take this issue up to the highest level. This i sa serious breach of privacy. Flagrant abuses like this should not go unaddressed. By the way, is the poster correct that your rep is no longer there? I believe I worked with the same rep. You can PM me on that if you prefer.

There was an article in the news this morning of another State Department employee pleading guilty of snooping into passports of others, violating their rights.

News Article

WASHINGTON (AP) - A fifth State Department worker has been convicted of snooping into the passport files of famous Americans.

Kevin Young, a 22-year veteran of the State Department from Temple Hills, Md., pleaded guilty Monday to illegally accessing more than 125 confidential passport applications for celebrities, professional athletes and a politician.

An investigation began in March 2008 after officials discovered unauthorized access of the files for then-presidential candidates Barack Obama, John McCain and Hillary Rodham Clinton.
The applications contain a photograph and personal information and are protected under federal privacy laws.

 

[LisaRex]

SDKath, you need to contact Starwood and ask them for their Privacy Policy. Any company that collects data is required to have one. What Philyphan has done almost certainly violates Starwood's Privacy policies because he/she has disclosed confidential information without your permission.

The fact that he/she did it on a public forum makes the violation more egregious.

We are required to take Privacy Training each year at my company and take it very seriously. If one of us went onto a bulletin board and divulged PII (Personally Identifiable Information) about one of the posters without their explicit permission, even if it was to say something positive, the employee would be dismissed.

 

[philyphan]

SDKath, you need to contact Starwood and ask them for their Privacy Policy. Any company that collects data is required to have one. What Philyphan has done almost certainly violates Starwood's Privacy policies because he/she has disclosed confidential information without your permission.

The fact that he/she did it on a public forum makes the violation more egregious.

We are required to take Privacy Training each year at my company and take it very seriously. If one of us went onto a bulletin board and divulged PII (Personally Identifiable Information) about one of the posters without their explicit permission, even if it was to say something positive, the employee would be dismissed.

Everyone is quick to get someone fired and noone has addressed the root of the issue. The information posted to innocent people looking for help is getting lied to by the people on this site, telling people they can buy fixed eoys and spending less than 20 k to retro. When you all know this is untrue. This has cost a lot of people lots of money who are now stuck with weeks they didnt want. Who wants to apologize to those folks?????

 

[Politico]

Everyone is quick to get someone fired and noone has addressed the root of the issue. The information posted to innocent people looking for help is getting lied to by the people on this site, telling people they can buy fixed eoys and spending less than 20 k to retro. When you all know this is untrue. This has cost a lot of people lots of money who are now stuck with weeks they didnt want. Who wants to apologize to those folks?????

Wow. You are only digging the hole deeper buddy. Although I entirely disagree with the premise of your response, let me tell you that if those folks who purpotedly are stuck with weeks they don't want knew that Starwood employees posted customers' personal information on public boards, the privacy breach would be far more concerning. And I suspect that you will learn that soon.....

What you did here is egregious and likely grounds for dismissal. I don't wish that upon you. But, why don't you start with an apology to SDKath first? Then maybe you could work with TUG to make sure that timeshare customers have the most accurate information available.

 

[gravitar]

Everyone is quick to get someone fired and noone has addressed the root of the issue. The information posted to innocent people looking for help is getting lied to by the people on this site, telling people they can buy fixed eoys and spending less than 20 k to retro. When you all know this is untrue. This has cost a lot of people lots of money who are now stuck with weeks they didnt want. Who wants to apologize to those folks?????

Why don't you

Publicly identify those people you know have been "lied to"
Publish a thread that shows at what point these people made decisions on what and how to buy linking that to the timeline of information published here and also to the dates of the SVN rules changes about retro, etc.

As with everything else, anything posted on the internet should be verified. Anyone who did not do their own due diligence has only themselves to blame. There is always the risk in any transaction that the rules may change before it completes.

The biggest risk is that the implied promise of Starwood, SPG, and the SVN being available to us forever is unsustainable. Given the current economic climate, what happens if Starwood sells SVN. It's within their rights. Who will apologize to all those people who bought without understanding this could happen?

Does SVN want to apologize to those who they took money from for the Cabo project who are now out tens of thousands of dollars?

Nobody is perfect. Keep your eyes open and verify everything.

As far as violating privacy laws, you are on your own.

 

[gravitar]

Oh, and I own multiple weeks, they are developer purchases and I am happy with them! :whoopie:

 

[rickandcindy23]

I think Starwood would be interested that an employee is spending time here, rather than WORKING! If it's a salesperson, he/she is just bitter about slow sales right now. I would think Starwood would OPEN UP the possibilities of getting 5 star and not close them down, if they can sell something.

 

[LisaRex]

Everyone is quick to get someone fired and noone has addressed the root of the issue. The information posted to innocent people looking for help is getting lied to by the people on this site, telling people they can buy fixed eoys and spending less than 20 k to retro. When you all know this is untrue. This has cost a lot of people lots of money who are now stuck with weeks they didnt want. Who wants to apologize to those folks?????

First of all, you could have made the point you made without divulging information that you had no business knowing, let alone divulging on a public message board. In my company, that would be a cause for termination. If that is cause for your termination, and that of your friend who assessed a client's personal information and blabbed it to you, then you can only blame yourselves. It's not nice, it's not professional, and it's probably illegal.

Secondly, I certainly don't know whether or not people can buy fixed eoy's and/or at what price, because I have no interest in such matters, so I don't KNOW what is true or untrue. I will say that anyone who plans to sink tens or even hundreds of thousands of dollars into a scheme had darn well better have more to go on than the well-intentioned advice of a message board poster.

I think the two biggest rules for retroing remain the same: 1) Get it in writing; and 2) Know upfront that the rules for achieving status, and the benefits associated with status, can change at any time.

 

[nodge]

Everyone is quick to get someone fired and noone has addressed the root of the issue. The information posted to innocent people looking for help is getting lied to by the people on this site . . . ..

Philyphan,

I think it is fair to say that the information posted on TUG by us regular posters is accurate as of the time of posting, but the accuracy of that information tends to change over time because SVO changes its policies and procedures faster than a speeding bullet, except without that whole superhero thing. Because of this, we TUGGERS routinely advise potential requallers to get their requal deals IN WRITING (See, here, here, and here, for example).

For an SVO employee to blame TUG and its members for failing to keep up with SVO’s random, non-published, nonsense, screw existing owners to make a buck, changes is nothing more than SVO attempting to blame the messenger for its own bad acts.

Thank God you have arrived PhilyPhan to set the record straight on behalf of SVO! In addition to updating the current requal rules, would you please be so kind as to explain SVO’s reasoning behind (and of course letting us know what appropriate notice SVO gave to owners and potential new SVO customers for) these changes to SVO’s system too? My records are missing any information regarding that whole “notice from SVO” thing, except of course for the email from the SVO VP of “Owner Services” killing the elite villa upgrade benefit while the ink was still drying on my elite member enrollment form.

Oh yeah, please add to that list an explanation as to why Starwood corporate is hiding its major hotel business losses by "pull[ing] cash out of the [timeshare] business," and what the long term plan and survivability of SVO, including your precious job, can really be under such circumstances.

We wait with baited breath for SVO’s explanation of these issues, and you PhilyPhan are just the man/woman to finally set the record straight on behalf of your most noble and respected company that, apparently so far as you think, has nothing to hide.

-nodge