Owners' Update

[Pamona]

New resale members attending a "member update" meeting next week at Parc Solei. Any advice or guidance what we should expect from sales reps? Any pre advice is helpful. Thanks

 

[brp]

Buy nothing. Ask few questions. Get out in 30 minutes with the perks.

Cheers.

 

[GT75]

Any advice or guidance what we should expect from sales reps?

Well, don't expect an "owners update" but do expect a "sales presentation". Expect the salesperson to only try to sell you an upgrade. They will also misrepresent the truth.

 

[BingoBangoBongo]

I’d go in knowing what my resale cost is per point and what the MF$ is per point. I’m waiting for two resale contracts to close and anticipate that they’ll never come close with any offer they could create.

 

[brp]

They will also misrepresent the truth.

Maybe. We just did one of these in New York. Everything the rep said was truthful. Also, listening in on other conversations I heard nothing untruthful. Of course, in new York, discussions about general availability and "buy where you want to stay" are generally pretty valid. In other places there may be more need to stretch

 

[MPrince]

My advice is don't waste your time, the perks aren't really worth it. Whenever I'm asked if I want to attend an "owners update" I just say "No thanks, I'm here to relax and enjoy the warm weather, can't do that in an air-conditioned room."

 

[frank808]

I dont get asked to do updates at all. Must be because my portfolio is all resale weeks and no direct purchase. Would do it for $200 worth of gift cards.

Can't see them getting me to buy anything that is worth elite status.

Sent from my SM-N950U using Tapatalk

 

[brp]

I dont get asked to do updates at all. Must be because my portfolio is all resale weeks and no direct purchase. Would do it for $200 worth of gift cards.

Can't see them getting me to buy anything that is worth elite status.

We're all resale and we get asked in New York. $200 worth of Elevated Rewards dollars is worth the 30 minutes

The only thing they have of interest is a trade to a 7200 Pt. Studio Premier unit at W. 57th. There are very few, so hard to come by. But they just want too
much new cash so we're never interested,.

Cheers.

 

[Talent312]

They're gonna want to trade in your perfectly good TS deal for a really bad one.
They may offer to credit your TS's retail cost, but ask you to spend thousands more.

My vacation time is not for sale. No matter what they put on my night table.
I consider it too valuable to spend whatever time getting my ears boxed.
.

 

[pianodinosaur]

The only reason I can think of to purchase a new timeshare retail would be if you found your paradise on earth, you want to go there every year, and it is in an area and season that would be a very difficult exchange. So, if you are an avid skier, Park City, Utah, during ski season would be a good purchase. Such a unit would rarely be on the resale market.

 

[dayooper]

My vacation time is not for sale. No matter what they put on my night table,
I consider it too valuable to spend however long getting my ears boxed.
.

This. Why waste your vacation time in listening to someone trying to do everything they can to get you to purchase something so overpriced. The trinkets they try to entice you with may buy you a dinner or a free night in a hotel room, but that’s it. No trinket they could offer me would make it worth my while.

I guess I might have a price, but it would have to be as outrageous (or more) as the cost of buying one of their deeds from them.

 

[Snazzylass]

I got asked to do one by my T/S staff. I got the impression she was incentivized. So, I went...after I checked out.

Poor guy was a dude. I was polite and compliant. I am the bomb when it comes to chatting people up. I got him talking about himself and he folded like a tent. He unilaterally decided I wasn't interested. So, he cut it short and ushered me to the gift desk where I collected my cash.

Regarding the presentation, I can't say they lied about anything. The purpose of the presentation is to appeal to people's greed. Aren't nearly all sales emotional? You agree to part with your $$ in order to get something better in return. I know from talking to hundreds of prospects and customers, people hear what they want. Customers start connecting the dots in way which they assume will benefit them without being skeptical enough to think it through.

 

[Talent312]

Salespeep talking about themselves is one of their techniques.
It's designed to make you feel they're just so open and friendly
that you come to like them and don't want to disappoint them.

I'll never forget a saleswoman at a Saturn dealership years ago...
She told me so much about herself that she couldn't believe I'd
leave without buying her crappy car. I could almost hear her say:
"But I'm so friendly, you must want to buy this car."
.

 

[CalGalTraveler]

This is my problem. Even if we don't ask questions we get the spiel about their kids or grandkids complete with photos yada yada. And how they are elites and just love their 24,000 HGV points. I don't care. How do you politely shut this down and get out in 30 minutes?

Similar to @brp I find the NYC reps to be more honest, professional, and forthright. Perhaps its because they work with a more upscale clientele who won't tolerate the used car salesman approach when they are asking for $100k+ for a unit?

 

[brp]

I'll never forget a saleswoman at a Saturn dealership years ago...
She told me so much about herself that she couldn't believe I'd
leave without buying her crappy car. I could almost hear her say:
"But I'm so friendly, you must want to buy this car."
.

Interesting view. I've owned 2 Saturns in my life. Best cars I've had. The sedan I had years ago I sold to a colleage. He was in a major accident that totaled the car. They all just walked away.

Now I have a Saturn Sky convertible. Great car in every way.

What I liked about Saturn (back when they existed) was that they had a no-negotiation policy. This is the price. They knew that they had a quality item at a fair price. Apparently not enough people thought so, though (or the price was too good ), so they are no longer with us.

Cheers.

 

[1Kflyerguy]

Similar to @brp I find the NYC reps to be more honest, professional, and forthright. Perhaps its because they work with a more upscale clientele who won't tolerate the used car salesman approach when they are asking for $100k+ for a unit?

We actually had one of our worst update experiences ever at W57. First they kept us waiting in the waiting area a really long time, which put me in a bad mood. The really awkward part was when i said i was not interested in the package he had presented, the rep actually started to choke back tears.. I never figured out if that was a play to get us to buy or since he was really young, maybe he was new and was getting a long string of rejections...

In any event between that and our next update at Kings Land where the rep started what was essentially negging me, and telling how bad a person i was that i did not care enough for my family to upgrade.. i have taken a break from updates with HGV.

Prior to both of those, most of our HGV updates were uneventful.. We still do occasional updates with MVC, but that depends on the location and the offer.

 

[CanuckTravlr]

We actually had one of our worst update experiences ever at W57. First they kept us waiting in the waiting area a really long time, which put me in a bad mood. The really awkward part was when i said i was not interested in the package he had presented, the rep actually started to choke back tears.. I never figured out if that was a play to get us to buy or since he was really young, maybe he was new and was getting a long string of rejections...

In any event between that and our next update at Kings Land where the rep started what was essentially negging me, and telling how bad a person i was that i did not care enough for my family to upgrade.. i have taken a break from updates with HGV.

Prior to both of those, most of our HGV updates were uneventful.. We still do occasional updates with MVC, but that depends on the location and the offer.

Interesting about your experience at W57. Our one and only experience there was probably both the best and most professional timeshare presentation we have ever heard. And we have had some good ones, but mostly pretty bad. The rep at W57 actually listened to what we were saying and tried to find a way to work with us. She was great and we felt very little actual pressure to buy.

I think it so much depends upon the individual sales rep. I agree with CalGalTraveler that it may be due to the more expensive packages and potentially more informed buyers in NYC. I'm presuming HGVC uses some of their "better" reps there, or maybe just trains or screens them differently?

By the same token, we commiserate with your experience at Kings' Land. We may have had the same guy. He was obnoxious to the point where I finally had to be somewhat rude back, just to shut him down and inform him we were leaving. Both my DW and myself went immediately to the bar next door and had a drink to just settle down! We were thankful it was so close!

 

[brp]

Both my DW and myself went immediately to the bar next door and had a drink to just settle down! We were thankful it was so close!

While we prefer to stay at Bay Club or Kohala Suites, the bar at Kings Land is a superior experience. Even without a preceding negative sales pitch

Cheers.

 

[BingoBangoBongo]

We did a presentation in 2015 in KL and prior to it I went out and played a solo 18 hole round on one of the courses there in about 2:15. Ended up having a guy who was probably in his late 30's from what I remember. His manager came in at some point and chatted for awhile. I think he had some connection to the area we live in on the East Coast and maybe that kept it civil. Was very low pressure overall and we went to the Beach Tree at the Four Seasons for lunch afterward, which was really enjoyable and I'm pretty sure was more expensive than all of our other meals.

 

[JohnPaul]

Our only problem with W 57th St presentations is that despite being a super knowledgeable timeshare owner who actually has a resale W 57th St week one salesman has up sold us twice. Once to The Residences and then back to W 57th St.

Despite paying a lot it’s still our favorite or our many timeshares.

Not surprisingly he’s one of their top salesmen.

 

[CanuckTravlr]

While we prefer to stay at Bay Club or Kohala Suites, the bar at Kings Land is a superior experience. Even without a preceding negative sales pitch

Cheers.

We love Bay Club, too, but have never stayed at Kohala Suites since we normally don't need a 2-bdrm.

Yes, I agree that the outdoor bar at Kings' Land is exceptional. To be honest, I think it was not just one drink (!!) and we decided to stay for lunch, too. We soon were back in "vacation mode"!!

The one good thing about the presentation, is that we got some good perks and also a hefty discount off our Blue Hawaiian helicopter trip, so that certainly helped to compensate.

 

[CalGalTraveler]

@1Kflyerguy How long ago was your W57 presentation? I had a high pressure one about 5 years ago, but since then, they have been more professional.

Funny about Kingsland. Our last presentation was not great. We changed the date of the presentation to fit our snorkeling schedule so they weren't ready for us when we showed up at our new time. They gave us to a junior rep in training who literally read the steps to sell out of a manual. When the manager showed up, he gave us grief as to why were in the sales section for non-owners (um...well this is where you sat us...) and why we would show up for a presentation if we weren't interested (umm...well, contract states we must attend for the gifts ?!?) He escorted us out of there very quickly.

We had a huffy one at HHV too (but also had one of the best on a prior visit so YMMV). He threatened to report us for taking so many VIP packages, "Don't you know you are supposed to only get one?" He was going to "note this in our file." LOL We got several VIP offers since then and we are using one next summer on BI.

 

[Tamaradarann]

@1Kflyerguy How long ago was your W57 presentation? I had a high pressure one about 5 years ago, but since then, they have been more professional.

Funny about Kingsland. Our last presentation was not great. We changed the date of the presentation to fit our snorkeling schedule so they weren't ready for us when we showed up at our new time. They gave us to a junior rep in training who literally read the steps to sell out of a manual. When the manager showed up, he gave us grief as to why were in the sales section for non-owners (um...well this is where you sat us...) and why we would show up for a presentation if we weren't interested (umm...well, contract states we must attend for the gifts ?!?) He escorted us out of there very quickly.

We had a huffy one at HHV too (but also had one of the best on a prior visit so YMMV). He threatened to report us for taking so many VIP packages, "Don't you know you are supposed to only get one?" He was going to "note this in our file." LOL We got several VIP offers since then and we are using one next summer on BI.

We have attended many presentation both HGVC and other companies. The only HGVC that was notable was one at the Hilton Hawaiian Village where we had the same salesman 2 years in a row so he remembered us and knew we weren't going to buy. When he walked into his office with us he just gave us our gift and said he wasn't going to waste his time and was leaving to play golf. The other presentation that was notable was with Westgate in Miami where the salesman begged us to buy he showed us pictures of his wife and kids who depended on him to make a sale so he could support them.

 

[Talent312]

Interesting view. I've owned 2 Saturns in my life. Best cars I've had....

Sorry. It may have been a great car, but for me, it just didn't have the look.
At the time, I was more into "looks." I ended up with a Pontiac Grand Prix.

.

 

[brp]

Sorry. It may have been a great car, but for me, it just didn't have the look.
At the time, I was more into "looks." I ended up with a Pontiac Grand Prix.

Certainly a fair point back in the day. I think the Sky, though, is pretty classy from a looks standpoint (mine is black, but I liked this pic)

Cheers.