Attending presentations? What did they give you and how did you get treated?

[live4life]

At Barony and having a great time! Attended a sales pitch presentation yesterday at Surwatch and received $250 off from any rental of any Marriott TS resort for 1 year. I took that over the 17,500 MRP that was being offered. Curious, what are other presentation gifts are being offered and at what locations?

Note: I have learned to just be up front with the Marriott folks and say, "Look, if you want me to attend the presentation for a sale, and you are offering a gift, I'd be happy to attend." Of course they tell me that that is just fine. I then repeat it to the sales rep when I arrive and they say that it's o.k. I have to say that I enjoyed the 'back and forth" as it was polite. I knew a lot of the numbers I needed to know (thanks Tuggers), and DID NOT BUY ANYTHING. After the sales rep, the next person to see you is the "incentives rep" (the individual who proposes what one would get if you purchase more DP points) - she politely asked me, "Should I do my spiel or are you really not interested in purchasing?" I said the latter and it saved me 5 or 10 minutes of the presentation. However, the next person they send you is the "survey rep." Frankly, he was the coldest person I've ever met in the entire Marriott system. When he came in, he basically did the following: kind-of-threw the pen across the pen across the desk for me to sign my gift... As much as I did not want to do it, I chucked it back in like manner. Unbelieveable! Once, you're not buying, they chuck you out.

As a friend of mine said, he and I will continue to attend these presentations as long I'm up front about not wanting to purchase and the "gift" is worth my time.

 

[Saintsfanfl]

I have always been treated with courtesy. I have never felt like I was being "chucked out". Quite the opposite actually.

 

[iluvfla]

At oceana palms, yesterday, I was offered a job as a marriott sales guy !!!!!! LOL, must be thanks to all of you guys !!!!!! And the gift was $250 credit towards my annual maintenance.

 

[elaine]

Aruba last Jan. 15K points or $150 resort credit. Very nice, no pressure.

 

[hangloose]

We have nearly always taken MRPs for our presentation award. Those ranged from 15k to 35k for the standard 90 min presentation. Only exception was that we took Disney tickets one year in Orlando. Theme park tickets these days are ridiculously pricey for a family.

We have been treated professionally by the Marriott sales reps in all cases but one. When in Maui last time, we were treated very poorly after choosing not to make a purchase. My wife and I were very surprised and very disappointed, given how much we love MOC and may someday purchase there.

On the flip side, we did attend a Hilton Grande Vacation Club timeshare presentation a few years back while staying at the Marriott Waikoloa down the street. First presentation outside Marriott Vacation Club. It was very high pressure and we did not enjoy it at all. We did however like the Hilton Waikoloa property very much. What a place. Much better than the Marriott hotel down the street.

 

[kds4]

We attended a presentation at the MGV Sales Center, while staying at Lakeshore Reserve earlier this month. Booked our sales presentation over the phone before leaving home. Same sales rep we bought our 1,000 points from when we enrolled our eligible external week a couple of years ago. Opted for 20k MRPs from the gift choices offered. Normally 15k MRPs, but there is a bonus of 5k more if you do your presentation on a Monday (must be slow), so we did. Did have to get past a total of 3 people, but not high pressure.

 

[radmoo]

Doing KBC presentation on Thursday but they already gave us $100 resort credit. Other option was 15 k MRP.

 

[mjm1]

We have enjoyed our discussions with the Marriott reps over the years. Some are better than others, but we have always felt they treated us well. We usually take the MRPs ranging from 10k-20k.

 

[NYFLTRAVELER]

Recently went on an Encore Tour in Newport (not an owner) and received $150 gift card.

 

[proman]

Attended the presentation today @ Surfwatch. We are staying here for a week.

Offered 17,500 MRP or $125 resort credit. We took the $125, since we can use that to play golf or dine. Also, the purchase incentive include reduced price, 250,000 MRP, and waiver of enrollment fee ($2395). Also offered 1 week at several HHI resorts (this offer is at the end of the presentation after we decided not to enroll) for free if we come back and decide to enroll and buy the minimum points.

The reps are very professional. My wife pointed some un-reasonable figures they showed us. Ha Ha, made them scratch their heads and took them some time to figure out what's wrong with those numbers. Sorry, wife is an actuary, very very sensitive to numbers. And yes, we are really listening to what you guys say, so please make sure what you said makes sense.

Anyways, still decided not to enroll. Although it sounds very nice, I am not very confident with the program yet. And don't like the fact that we need to put $40k more for something that's not clear to us. To me, my first impression is that with the new point system, you can only trade down, never be able to trade up like what we can with weeks.

 

[Luvtoride]

Hi, we're staying at Grande Ocean this week and had a sales presentation scheduled at Surf Watch which we cancelled. The rep who had arranged for us to attend was very persistent when we cancelled, even resorting to saying to us"they don't like it when we get cancellations...I might get in trouble". We offered to have her boss call us if she did (get in trouble). We were surprised by this approach and it was the only negative thing about our great stay here this week.
Frankly, the offering gifts for sitting thru these presentations don't seem worth it for the time spent. 15k points doesn't even get you a free night at a hotel.

When in Aruba we have negotiated with Divi divi canvassers who try to sign us up and have done pretty well getting as much as $200 in restaurant gift certificates and a buffet meal at the resort and free cab fare.

 

[radmoo]

BAd Tour Experience
So we took the tour tody in exchange for $100 resort credit. We own only one week as well as a Royqls week and have not joined DC. W were pretty use. We're not going to buy and we didn't. But the salesman was PISSED at the end DC
Ven though we were upfront from the get go. Basically he told me next time we visit, not to bother with the tour. Then he huffed off and angrily threw a paper in the trash. The CLOSER was much nicer and I am looking forward to completing my survey.

When we purchased our CV week, we walked out with NO intention of buying but watered thinking about it and talking with other resort owners, we went back to the sales office several times with lists of questions and purchased our week, I know, I know, we paid developer prices. But the point here is, as Julia Roberts put it so eloquently in Pretty Woman, "BIG Mistake." How did they know we wouldn't reconsider at some point?

FINAL offer was 1000 DC points for $11K with DC lenrollment fee waved.

 

[NYFLTRAVELER]

MVCI Sales Presentations : Tricks of the Trade during Presentations

We recently attended a presentation where we were discussing 3500 pts. (which we purchased but have since rescinded).

The salesperson indicated the current price was $11.88 per point however we could get it at a discounted $9.50 per point. After sitting there and discussing it at the time we decided to move ahead. I had said I wanted to speak with a manager as I had a few other questions and the salesperson had another appointment. The manager came over and we were reviewing numbers and he was quoting the 3500 package at $10.10 per point. When I pointed out that the salesperson told us it was $9.50 per point he said that was an error and that the $9.50 per point (20% discount off of the $11.88) was for existing owners only and the new purchaser discount was 15%. I smelled something funny but let it play out as I would only consider something at the $9.50 rate. He excused himself and came back with a chart showing the discount program for new and existing purchasers. But of course he said "I will honor the lower price." A little while later the salesperson came back and said he made a mistake and his manager was angry.

In any event the MVCI website currently promotes the 20% discount for all https://www.marriottvacationclub.com/vacation-specials/period-timeshare-special.shtml

I am glad I did not go through with the transaction - and have been educated on this site as well as to what other options are out there.

What other tricks/games have you seen in your presentations?

 

[WBP]

At Barony and having a great time! Attended a sales pitch presentation yesterday at Surwatch and received $250 off from any rental of any Marriott TS resort for 1 year. I took that over the 17,500 MRP that was being offered. Curious, what are other presentation gifts are being offered and at what locations?

Note: I have learned to just be up front with the Marriott folks and say, "Look, if you want me to attend the presentation for a sale, and you are offering a gift, I'd be happy to attend." Of course they tell me that that is just fine. I then repeat it to the sales rep when I arrive and they say that it's o.k. I have to say that I enjoyed the 'back and forth" as it was polite. I knew a lot of the numbers I needed to know (thanks Tuggers), and DID NOT BUY ANYTHING. After the sales rep, the next person to see you is the "incentives rep" (the individual who proposes what one would get if you purchase more DP points) - she politely asked me, "Should I do my spiel or are you really not interested in purchasing?" I said the latter and it saved me 5 or 10 minutes of the presentation. However, the next person they send you is the "survey rep." Frankly, he was the coldest person I've ever met in the entire Marriott system. When he came in, he basically did the following: kind-of-threw the pen across the pen across the desk for me to sign my gift... As much as I did not want to do it, I chucked it back in like manner. Unbelieveable! Once, you're not buying, they chuck you out.

As a friend of mine said, he and I will continue to attend these presentations as long I'm up front about not wanting to purchase and the "gift" is worth my time.

Sadly, that salesperson could have had a run of non-buyers, and you could have been the client who tipped the scale for them, causing the salesperson to be put on some level of progressive discipline, up to and including termination.

 

[swaits]

Sadly, that salesperson could have had a run of non-buyers, and you could have been the client who tipped the scale for them, causing the salesperson to be put on some level of progressive discipline, up to and including termination.

That's not sad. That's fair.

 

[NYFLTRAVELER]

What sales tactics have you all encountered while at a Marriott resort? Any of the salesman's lines or gimmicks stand out?

 

[NYFLTRAVELER]

What are peoples MVCI sales presentation experiences? Any memorable lines or interesting hard sell sales tactics?

[Moderator Note: NYFLTRAVELER, please review the TUG Posting Rules, specifically #3 related to duplicate posts. I have moved several of your posts from other threads to this one, because the posts are all asking basically the same question. The discussion should remain in this current thread. Thank you. <-- SueDonJ]

 

[radmoo]

Just wanted to share with fellow TUGGERS that I emailed both Steve Weisz and Keith Kocarek regarding our recent and unpleasant Tour experience at Kauai Marriott, 4 hours after sending the email, I received a phone call from the Kauai Sales Director. Apparently both gentleman had forwarded along my message and no one was pleased with what had transpired. As we are Marriott owners and I am also former MVCI employee, I imagine I immediately caught their attention . Hopefully we won't get Hate Mail from the Sales rep .

 

[raybrun]

Ritz Vail- this week- 15k points for 25 minutes!

Nothing like Marriott presentation. He respected our time to the max. Really cared about us. He realized quickly that you guys have taught me well, and that we weren't going to buy , and as a result, let us go very courteously.

 

[mjkkb2]

Oceana Palms

Attended at oceana palms last week. Got $300 in Marriott gift cards. One new thing was possibility to redeem trust points for sporting events, Super Bowl , concerts etc. also similar talk about new locations (NYC, beach houses in Outer Banks NC).

 

[Bucky]

Many years ago while staying at the Aruba Ocean Club we attended a presentation. The caveat was a $125 voucher that was useable at a few restaurants on the island.

We went into this presentation knowing we weren't going to purchase and after 15 minutes told the lady this. She excused herself and went to who I assumed was her manager and then returned.

She thanked us for coming but said in order to receive the voucher we needed to stay for another 75 minutes (90 minute presentation). We told her that was fine but we didnt want to hear anymore about their property. So, we literally just sat there and stared at each other for another 75 minutes.

 

[jont]

Many years ago while staying at the Aruba Ocean Club we attended a presentation. The caveat was a $125 voucher that was useable at a few restaurants on the island.

We went into this presentation knowing we weren't going to purchase and after 15 minutes told the lady this. She excused herself and went to who I assumed was her manager and then returned.

She thanked us for coming but said in order to receive the voucher we needed to stay for another 75 minutes (90 minute presentation). We told her that was fine but we didnt want to hear anymore about their property. So, we literally just sat there and stared at each other for another 75 minutes.

Wow! hope you brought a good book to read. Is the $125 really worth that?

 

[Bucky]

Wow! hope you brought a good book to read. Is the $125 really worth that?

No it wasn't worth it John but I just wasn't going to let them get away that easy. I'd read about how timeshare people in general, not necessarily Marriott salespeople, had treated people and I just figured what's good for the goose is good for the gander.

 

[jont]

No it wasn't worth it John but I just wasn't going to let them get away that easy. I'd read about how timeshare people in general, not necessarily Marriott salespeople, had treated people and I just figured what's good for the goose is good for the gander.

I admire your conviction Bucky but I don't think I would have the patience to pull that off.

 

[dioxide45]

No it wasn't worth it John but I just wasn't going to let them get away that easy. I'd read about how timeshare people in general, not necessarily Marriott salespeople, had treated people and I just figured what's good for the goose is good for the gander.

Sitting around for 75 minutes is worth than 75 minutes of being badgered and pressured to BUY NOW. I would take the 75 minutes of sitting over most other presentations. Pretty painless.