Poor [Customer] Phone Service

[loosefeet]

I have tried 5 times to call WorldMark Reservations--and on hold over an hour, then was hung up on. I am trying to change a reservation--I don't want to just cancel b.c can go to a waitlist, so need to talk to an agent.
What is going on?? Anyone have a work around?

 

[Firepath]

That's what I get too. I think everyone wants to travel.

 

[rhonda]

I got right through yesterday ... but was disappointed with the rep. Maybe she was new ... or maybe she was a longtime Wyndham (vs WM) employee. While trying to nail down specific differences in unit types (location/sizes) at Pagosa (a confusing location), she pushed that new website as the final word on unit configurations even though the resort info page is harder to reach and has less information than our existing resort info page. It was exasperating. She and I were very edge of trying to keep the tone civil. She was frustrated with me and I with her rather early into the call.

 

[Passepartout]

That's what I get too. I think everyone wants to travel.

Probably the triple whammy of everybody wants to travel, everybody has a monster stash of points/weeks, and nobody wants to work- especially in a low wage call center.

Jim

 

[sun starved Gayle]

I have had luck calling later in the evening on a week night. They close at 7PM Pacific time.

 

[Tacoma]

The first 3 times I called today I couldn't even get a place in line they said they could not take my call at this time. I am now on hold and hoping it goes through. Three weeks ago I tried my first ever deposit first in II. I deposited 8000 points since some were expiring before I could use them. Unfortunately the week has not showed up in my II account. So far I am not impressed with deposit first at all. If I hadn't had to deal with expiring points I would not have done this. who knows how long it will take to fix.

 

[bogey21]

Some of the problems I have had with many companies is that somtimes I am patched through to a Representative working from home who doesn't have equal access to their system as one who is working at the office....

George

 

[samara64]

The first 3 times I called today I couldn't even get a place in line they said they could not take my call at this time. I am now on hold and hoping it goes through. Three weeks ago I tried my first ever deposit first in II. I deposited 8000 points since some were expiring before I could use them. Unfortunately the week has not showed up in my II account. So far I am not impressed with deposit first at all. If I hadn't had to deal with expiring points I would not have done this. who knows how long it will take to fix.

The II deposit can take a long time.

 

[loosefeet]

Actually, something dramatic has changed. When I finally got through today--9th time trying over a week, and on hold multiple hours--I talked with an agent who had what I call "double speak"-always repeating what I say, says things like let me look at your account, etc--then she hung up on me when I asked her to change a reservation (which would have taken a couple of minutes). I also think I was taking to someone in the Philippines. I usually don't call them, do everything online, so haven't noticed this until now.

 

[VGinmo]

Some of the problems I have had with many companies is that somtimes I am patched through to a Representative working from home who doesn't have equal access to their system as one who is working at the office....

George

Just fyi, agents that work at home have the exact same access to the system as agents who work inn the center. Unfortunately, you don't get an agent that loves their job and is willing to spend time to help properly. Sounds like some agents need a little retaining... Just my opinion

 

[DaveNV]

Sounds like some agents need a little retaining... Just my opinion

That is precisely the problem.

My experience with call center support since Covid started is that reps come in two types: Former on-site employees who know their stuff, and new-hires who were either transferred in from other departments, or were hired and trained off the street. This latter group are those who have no idea what they're really doing, and who provide lousy customer service. Misquoted policies and mistakes happen regularly when someone has just enough training to be dangerous.

It's not just with WorldMark - it's everywhere, including Costco. During the shutdown, Costco.com went to a remote call center situation, where workers were working from home. They could access the system at work, (some of it), but if they had a question or problem, they had to post an Instant Message to their work group, requesting a Supervisor contact them. When that Supervisor was able to get to them (usually after lengthy wait times), then the question may or may not be easy to answer. The Supervisors were the ones carrying the heaviest workload, as they fielded questions from a hundred work-at-home reps who may or may not have a clue to what they were doing.

Dave

 

[easyrider]

My experience with Costco's call center was excellent.

My experience with WM call center was terrible. I'm not sure they gave me the right information so I called the resort. I did get the correct info from the resort which was totally the opposite information I received from the call center. The resort answered on the third ring. The call center had me on hold for 45 minutes and gave bad info. I think my call was outsourced to Bob in a different country or the rep has a foreign accent.

Bill

 

[Eric B]

Just fyi, agents that work at home have the exact same access to the system as agents who work inn the center. Unfortunately, you don't get an agent that loves their job and is willing to spend time to help properly. Sounds like some agents need a little retaining... Just my opinion

That is precisely the problem.

My experience with call center support since Covid started is that reps come in two types: Former on-site employees who know their stuff, and new-hires who were either transferred in from other departments, or were hired and trained off the street. This latter group are those who have no idea what they're really doing, and who provide lousy customer service. Misquoted policies and mistakes happen regularly when someone has just enough training to be dangerous.

It's not just with WorldMark - it's everywhere, including Costco. During the shutdown, Costco.com went to a remote call center situation, where workers were working from home. They could access the system at work, (some of it), but if they had a question or problem, they had to post an Instant Message to their work group, requesting a Supervisor contact them. When that Supervisor was able to get to them (usually after lengthy wait times), then the question may or may not be easy to answer. The Supervisors were the ones carrying the heaviest workload, as they fielded questions from a hundred work-at-home reps who may or may not have a clue to what they were doing.

Dave

Perhaps they are retaining the wrong employees. If they kept the ones that performed better and gave better information/customer service, we'd all be better off.

 

[DaveNV]

My experience with Costco's call center was excellent.

My experience with WM call center was terrible. I'm not sure they gave me the right information so I called the resort. I did get the correct info from the resort which was totally the opposite information I received from the call center. The resort answered on the third ring. The call center had me on hold for 45 minutes and gave bad info. I think my call was outsourced to Bob in a different country or the rep has a foreign accent.

Bill

You must have gotten a Costco employee who knew their stuff. The WM experience, not so much.

I got a solicitation call from Interval last week, trying to get me to upgrade my account. I knew I was in for a good one when the guy with the impossible-to-understand accent called me “Mr. Dave.” I declined the offer.

Dave

 

[dgalati]

Perhaps they are retaining the wrong employees. If they kept the ones that performed better and gave better information/customer service, we'd all be better off.

Successful companies invest countless hours training and monitoring customer calls. Any time I called in there was always the disclaimer about “This call/session may be monitored and recorded for record-keeping, training and quality-assurance purposes.” Not sure if anyone actually listens in or monitors but it sounds like maybe the wrong managers are being retained if customer service reps are giving bad or incorrect information..

 

[bogey21]

I recently got so fed up with ATT, all the hold time and all the incompetent Customer Service Reps that I changed my Cell Phone provider. My new one, Lively (they just changed their name from Great Call). I have found it easy to get through to their Reps wo are domiciled in the US, who speak my kind of English, and who have been able to swiftly address my issues. I always try to vote with my feet and dump companies with non-existent and/or incompetent Customer Service...

George

 

[geist1223]

If you want a good response from the Worldmark Call Center buy sufficient Developer Credits to be Travelshare Platinum. Honest a Sales Person swore this would work.

 

[easyrider]

You must have gotten a Costco employee who knew their stuff. The WM experience, not so much.

I got a solicitation call from Interval last week, trying to get me to upgrade my account. I knew I was in for a good one when the guy with the impossible-to-understand accent called me “Mr. Dave.” I declined the offer.

Dave

But Mr Dave.................

Bill

 

[sun starved Gayle]

I had to call Nordstrom customer service and got a heavily accented agent with a dog barking in the back ground. The times, they are a changin.’

 

[loosefeet]

Sucked it up, and went to an Owner's Update--I was given the Diamond number (which I qualified to use)--answered on 2 rings, able to get through no problem. Now feel sorry for the regular WM owner!

 

[nightnurse613]

I called yesterday, put my speakerphone on and fired up my computer when-after 30 seconds-a rep came on the line! I didn't even have my owner number yet! So, YMMV (P.S. NOT Diamond!!)