RCI closing up next weekend

[gnipgnop]

I received a message yesterday that RCI will be down for 3 days - Oct. 14, 15, 16 to make enhancements to the weeks program. Did anyone else get this message? Any idea of what they are doing?

 

[Skittles1]

I have RCI Points, and received the same message. I have no idea what they are doing.

 

[bogey21]

I need to extend some points prior to October 31st. I'm going to wait until after the shutdown to see if my options change.

George

 

[alexadeparis]

Probably they are on a mission to dilute TPU's again, but they claim it's the usual "enhancements" - which always makes me think of RCI getting a boob job or a face lift!

 

[Kozman]

I doubt it will be for the benefit of it's members.

 

[BevL]

And loved the fact that they got the first email WRONG - saying it was this weekend they were closed, then had to follow up with a correction email.

Doesn't bode well for their efficiency, does it?

 

[skimble]

Given the history of a series of Black Sundays, one has to ask... when was the last time RCI shut down like this and reopened with a good change?
All I can say is, if you have something to deposit or exchange, do it before Friday. I highly doubt your trade value will enhance by Sunday.

 

[MichaelColey]

I've found RCI's ehancements to be mostly good. I love the ability to combine deposits. I like being able to see my trading value, and the trading value for any other resort.

 

[sandkastle4966]

i am just making sure my spreadsheet of reference numbers and trade values is all up to date !

just in case something gets "lost" or changed !

 

[Ron98GT]

RCI Points Upgrade?

The message that I got yesterday stated "Important Information for all RCI Points(R) Subscribing Members". The rest is deleted off my iPhone. But I thought that they stated that changes were going to be made to inhance the points reservations/searching, which does need upgrading?

 

[BevL]

I've found RCI's ehancements to be mostly good. I love the ability to combine deposits. I like being able to see my trading value, and the trading value for any other resort.

i am just making sure my spreadsheet of reference numbers and trade values is all up to date !

just in case something gets "lost" or changed !

Agree with both of these.

 

[pkyorkbeach]

Just found out to register to be an RCI member you MUST do it online...

 

[rickandcindy23]

Given the history of a series of Black Sundays, one has to ask... when was the last time RCI shut down like this and reopened with a good change?
All I can say is, if you have something to deposit or exchange, do it before Friday. I highly doubt your trade value will enhance by Sunday.

Almost every enhancement has greatly improved our weeks' membership.

The only one that didn't was May of 2009 or 2010 (cannot remember now). I was angry for a short while, and everyone here kept telling me how no one wanted to go to Colorado in summer, and that was why my trading power tanked at that time. Really? No one wants to see the Rocky Mountains in summer? Breckenridge/ Frisco in summer is gorgeous, and lots to do.

But then November of 2010, I was absolutely thrilled with the upgrade. My trading power was fixed from the disenhancement before. DVC trading power went up, so my summer weeks no longer pull DVC by themselves, but 1 1/2 of my weeks will do it. At $500 MF's for 25 points, I am pretty happy.

 

[gnipgnop]

Well here's hoping for the Best. I have a week to deposit but I think I'll wait and see.

 

[skimble]

Almost every enhancement has greatly improved our weeks' membership.

The only one that didn't was May of 2009 or 2010 (cannot remember now). I was angry for a short while, and everyone here kept telling me how no one wanted to go to Colorado in summer, and that was why my trading power tanked at that time. Really? No one wants to see the Rocky Mountains in summer? Breckenridge/ Frisco in summer is gorgeous, and lots to do.

But then November of 2010, I was absolutely thrilled with the upgrade. My trading power was fixed from the disenhancement before. DVC trading power went up, so my summer weeks no longer pull DVC by themselves, but 1 1/2 of my weeks will do it. At $500 MF's for 25 points, I am pretty happy.

It's all a matter of perspective... we all seek to get the most value for our timeshare weeks. We've sought to get the most value out of the system-- and sometimes the system had flaws that we were able to benefit from. And when they change, sometimes it benefits us, sometimes not. But changes to the system amount to a double edged sword.
I think it's no coincidence that they're making adjustments at precisely 9 months before summer. The highly coveted rental inventory is about to be released.
Who knows... they may even offer us the ability to make a partial payment using points and subsidize the rest with dollars. (I could see RCI doing this... and I could see some people absolutely loving this.... and others hating it.)

 

[MichaelColey]

Who knows... they may even offer us the ability to make a partial payment using points and subsidize the rest with dollars. (I could see RCI doing this... and I could see some people absolutely loving this.... and others hating it.)

But even in that example of a (probably unlikely) potential "enhancement", it's not something that would be harmful to those of us who wouldn't utilize it. It's just adding more OPTIONS, which I think is good.

The same with the recent transparency, combinations, changes, RCI Platinum program, etc. It's all additional options. For those of us with the flexibility to utilize the new options, these things make RCI even more valuable.

 

[skimble]

But there's a slippery slope with these enhancements. TPU seems great until you look at the areas where RCI thumbs the scale.
And, if they added a dollar amount that you can pay on top of your TPU to get a decent trade, it would be insulting to those who own prime weeks. (And it would deplete the pool of prime weeks.)

 

[rickandcindy23]

You guys are making up stuff. We don't even know what the upgrade will be, and I talked to a guide yesterday who didn't even know.

TPU's + cash is a total guess. It's ludicrous to think you know anything they are planning. They are a company that wants maximum profit, and this new upgrade they did last November gave them more exchange fees. It's been so good for us personally (I mean US, Rick and me, not necessarily everyone on TUG).

 

[bnoble]

They are a company that wants maximum profit

As opposed to all the other companies, who seek only rainbows and puppies.

 

[MichaelColey]

TPU seems great until you look at the areas where RCI thumbs the scale.

I don't mind one bit if they put their thumbs to the scale. When artificial inefficiencies are introduced, WE are the ones who are able to profit from them. If they want to give double the trading power that a unit deserves, we can buy and deposit those units. If they want to charge half the trading power that a unit deserves, we can exchange into those units cheaply. The power is in our hands.

 

[pranas]

I need to extend some points prior to October 31st. I'm going to wait until after the shutdown to see if my options change.

George

I just combined mine because I was nervous about losing them. Someone had posted earlier in another thread about almost losing her weeks because she waited until two weeks before the expiration date to extend them. Combining was much easier and faster.

 

[sandkastle4966]

I think this is an (IT) system upgrade....there are still a lot of glitches out there (I have messages about expiring weeks that have been extended, deposit reminders for weeks that have passed, etc) On-going searches do not set up cleanly or correctly, etc.

I doubt there are "trading program changes" - we would have heard something about those by now. RCI markets those to put a positive spin on whatever they are changing.

My money is on Web updates. ( I am still updating my spreadsheets !)

 

[Ron98GT]

I think this is an (IT) system upgrade....there are still a lot of glitches out there (I have messages about expiring weeks that have been extended, deposit reminders for weeks that have passed, etc) On-going searches do not set up cleanly or correctly, etc.

I doubt there are "trading program changes" - we would have heard something about those by now. RCI markets those to put a positive spin on whatever they are changing.

My money is on Web updates. ( I am still updating my spreadsheets !)

That's they way I read it: a major software upgrade.

 

[gnipgnop]

I agree about the web-site changes. Hopefully they will correct the ongoing search page. I had to call on a couple of my searches because they were not listed correctly when I checked the board, however when I talked to the rep. I was told that the information I originally put into the request was there. She could see it but I couldn't. Imagine that!!!:annoyed:

 

[Ron98GT]

Yeah, my email stated that they will "inhance the points reservations/searching". :deadhorse: Searching under points (Standard Reservations) needs a lot of inhancements.

Fisrt, you can only search within 1 month at a time. I can't search more than one month at a time, Nor can I cross months: ie. Jan 15 to Feb 15.

Second, you can't narrow down searches more: ie. you can select Hawaii, but you can't select Maui or Lahaina.

Three, they need a better save feature.

There are other changes I'd like to see, but these are the three biggest PIA's.