RCI - New Product and Service Enhancements [merged]

[DaveNV]

Why not just join SFX or one of the other independant exchange companies and give them a try?

I didn't say so, Doug, but that's what I'm looking at. RCI is driving me away, and into the hands of their competitors.

And now I read on another TUG thread that RCI is raising rates again? Who do they think they are - the post office??

Dave

 

[Carolinian]

''Enhancement'' has always been one of those Orwellian terms of Corporate-speak that means the opposite of what it would mean in ordinary life, and you find that many places other than the timeshare industry.

I put a week on hold and when I went to confirm it, the normal insurance I get that will give you a credit for your exchange fee AND restore your TPUs was not available, even though it indicates it is available using their help/search feature.

Anyway, I called in and the only insurance you can now get is strictly for trade power. So the first of the enhancements is more like a reverse enhancement, I guess.

 

[glypnirsgirl]

I am only occasionally able to access my account. I continually get a error message telling me to try later.

It is driving me crazy.

On the occasions when I have been able to log in, I find great trades that all appear to be phantoms. Argghh!

 

[DaveNV]

I am only occasionally able to access my account. I continually get a error message telling me to try later.

It is driving me crazy.

On the occasions when I have been able to log in, I find great trades that all appear to be phantoms. Argghh!

Try using a different computer and see if you get a different result. Can't hurt to try, right?

Dave

 

[Happytravels]

All they want are the prime weeks to rent!!

The thing RCI needs to come to grips with, is that they're driving away loyal customers. I was a loyal RCI-only depositor, back before TPU came into play. Now, even with more than 50 TPU on deposit, I don't see anything I want to exchange for. But if I want to rent something, it's everywhere I want to go - for an outrageous fee.

To try to get usage from what I deposited, I'm forced to deal with an Ongoing Search, in hopes of getting the exchange I want. I've paid to combine my deposits, I've paid for an ongoing search, and I paid to join RCI in the first place. Add that to the maintenance fees I've already paid for what I deposited, and that week's vacation is suddenly pretty darned expensive.

That kind of extra effort aggravates a level of frustration I choose not to endure. My membership in RCI expires in a couple of years, and I won't be renewing unless things change dramatically. I'll sell what I own and rent when I want to, rather than continue to feed RCI's self interests. I'm a pretty patient guy, but things are getting to be pretty much out of control.

Dave

The ongoing fees are just killing the market!!!!!!!!!

TOTALLY AGREE..since this all started with RCI (TPU'S) I have only deposited one week and it is still sitting there.expiring May of 2013,.they are asking for another week for same resort prime summer..we own other weeks but they never ask us to deposit those......haven't seen any for exchanges cause they are all in the rental pools..I seen them all over except I can't exchange back in...so I have not deposited ANYTHING...we are renting out our weeks and renting from owners at the resorts we want to go to...what I shame cause when we started TS'ing 12-13 years ago we really liked RCI..now they just leave a sour taste in my mouth!!

 

[stonebroke]

A change I found - Re: 1 in 3/4/5 Rule

Here is a real change I discovered. We recently stayed at the Summit at Massanutten. Yesterday I was looking at what was available in “RCI Points” for last minute (7500 points) exchanges. I looked at the Summit and then I clicked on “Available Units” and then when I clicked on the calendar section to see what dates are available I got the following message:

“The resort you are trying to confirm allows travel only once in 3, 4 or 5 years. Because our records show that you visited this resort during that timeframe, it cannot be confirmed online. If you have any questions or would like help with other choices, please call one of our Vacation Guides at 1-317-805-8000 or 1-800-338-7777”
I think this is a new feature but it doesn’t answer the ongoing question about the 1 in 3/4/5 rule applying to points since this is actually searching in the weeks inventory.

 

[vckempson]

Not new, that was there before. I've seen the same message with regard to Sheriton Desert Oasis weeks that I was trying to book within the past few weeks.

 

[Carolinian]

I ran into a Brit timesharer at lunch today who is on temporary assignment here, and had an interesting discussion about timesharing. For one thing, he was totally unaware of the independent exchange companies and happy to learn about that alternative. But he also mentioned another recent ''enhancement'' at rci.com that I have not seen mentioned here yet.

He said he recently went online at RCI to print off a comfirmation, and discovered you could no longer do that online. He also noticed that the icon to add a guest certificate online was no longer there. He said he called RCI to ask if this was a glitch and was told that it was a permanent change.

That just seems inefficient to use live personnel to handle things that could be done online, but then maybe RCI charges more for that, or they think as long as they have you on the phone they can sell you something else.

I wonder if this ''enhancement'' also reached North American shores?

 

[Hophop4]

I ran into a Brit timesharer at lunch today who is on temporary assignment here, and had an interesting discussion about timesharing. For one thing, he was totally unaware of the independent exchange companies and happy to learn about that alternative. But he also mentioned another recent ''enhancement'' at rci.com that I have not seen mentioned here yet.

He said he recently went online at RCI to print off a comfirmation, and discovered you could no longer do that online. He also noticed that the icon to add a guest certificate online was no longer there. He said he called RCI to ask if this was a glitch and was told that it was a permanent change.

That just seems inefficient to use live personnel to handle things that could be done online, but then maybe RCI charges more for that, or they think as long as they have you on the phone they can sell you something else.

I wonder if this ''enhancement'' also reached North American shores?

I guess not. I just booked two separate weeks two days ago and I can print the confirmation on line and also make guest certificate if needed. It is showing up.

 

[Carolinian]

I guess not. I just booked two separate weeks two days ago and I can print the confirmation on line and also make guest certificate if needed. It is showing up.

I guess North American RCI members dodged the bullet on this particular ''enhancement'' then!