Safeguarding...sales line on protecting you during the cancel and rebook trick

[vacationhopeful]

Ok, I went for the money. $100 Visa card at a resort where I have never been. Took them 25 minutes to find the wrong me.
Guy told me I should buy more points and then I would or could be quaify for the safeguard option on my account. When I call in to do the cancel and rebook, my original unit could only be rebooked by me for the next ten minutes...I would never lose a week again while trying to get my VIP level discount. It was all I could do to not break out laughing. Then the agent at the next table 10 minutes later told his mark the same bs.
I would guess/bet any person who brought would be outside the rescind window by the time they realized they had been had.

Word of warning -- as I lost 2 reservations just this winter -- on the phone line with the agent.

 

[MichaelColey]

I think I would touch my ear, turn to the side, look around "distracted" for a few seconds, then say "The camera didn't get a clear shot of your face. Can you hold your head up straight and say that again?"

Two can play at that game. Might as well make it fun.

 

[am1]

90% of the time he may be right but the other 10% of the time it does not matter as he already has your money.

 

[rrlongwell]

Called Coorporate Sales, they have no idea what this is. They have not heard of that offer. If anyone takes them up on it, make sure it is part of the written agreement that ARP can be used to book a reservation then cancel it in the VIP discount window and the Unit will be held for 10 minutes for the person with the orginal reservation to book it. If this were true, I would think Wyndham would be advertising it heavily as it would be a major incentive to buy another contract.

OK, the challange is on, who goes with the sales rep and who goes against it. Early count appears to be going against the sales rep at 3 not believing it out of 3.

What resort was offering this?

If verified, I would be interested.

UPDATE: Just talked with Owner Care. They are unaware that this is happening and is probably not going to be happening (my summery of the conversation. Oh well, it would have been nice.

 

[learnalot]

Called Coorporate Sales, they have no idea what this is. They have not heard of that offer. If anyone takes them up on it, make sure it is part of the written agreement that ARP can be used to book a reservation then cancel it in the VIP discount window and the Unit will be held for 10 minutes for the person with the orginal reservation to book it. If this were true, I would think Wyndham would be advertising it heavily as it would be a major incentive to buy another contract.

OK, the challange is on, who goes with the sales rep and who goes against it. Early count appears to be going against the sales rep at 3 not believing it out of 3.

What resort was offering this?

If verified, I would be interested.

Longwell,

THIS IS NOT TRUE!!! We have specific reports to the contrary and increasingly so - people losing reservations using cancel/rebook. There is no way they are programming the computers to do this. I virtually guarantee it.

 

[rrlongwell]

Longwell,

THIS IS NOT TRUE!!! We have specific reports to the contrary and increasingly so - people losing reservations using cancel/rebook. There is no way they are programming the computers to do this. I virtually guarantee it.

I would agree. If this were true, this would be a radical change. Make that 5 out of 5 that tend not to believe the sales person.

 

[chapjim]

Ok, I went for the money. $100 Visa card at a resort where I have never been. Took them 25 minutes to find the wrong me.
Guy told me I should buy more points and then I would or could be quaify for safeguard option on my account. When I call in to do the cancel and rebook, my original unit could only be rebooked by me for the next ten minutes...I would never lose a week again while trying to get my VIP level discount. It was all I could do to not break out laughing. Then the agent at the next table 10 minutes later told his mark the same bs.
I would guess/bet any person who brought would be outside the rescind window by the time they realized they had been had.

There's an animal name for that -- HORSESHEEP.

 

[rrlongwell]

There's an animal name for that -- HORSESHEEP.

I think you misspelled it.

 

[vacationhopeful]

I think I would touch my ear, turn to the side, look around "distracted" for a few seconds, then say "The camera didn't get a clear shot of your face. Can you hold your head up straight and say that again?"

Two can play at that game. Might as well make it fun.

I will wear an EARWIG for my next funfilled Sales Presentation at this resort in 2 weeks. Need another $100 VISA card ....

 

[Sandi Bo]

I wonder if we could get 20/20 or Dateline to go undercover for us? :rofl:

I was watching one of those shows the other night and it was about catching clerks stealing winning lottery tickets. An undercover person would go into a convenience store and ask the clerk to check their tickets. They busted a lot of clerks that told the ticket holder they were not winners when they were. Later the clerk (or in one case the clerk's mother) cashes in the winning ticket.

For some reason of thought of this posting, it seemed applicable - catching people in lies and watching them squirm. :ignore:

 

[ronparise]

Im going to be in Las Vegas later this month..Im looking forward to an update, although they wouldnt schedule one a few months ago at Bonnet Creek...I wonder if Ive been banned

In any case Ill let them know I want to be Platinum, if and only if I can get that safe guard program...Whatever cash I can get out of them goes right on the Roulette Table

 

[dr_adventure]

I'm really worried about loosing the cancel rebook option - it really diminishes the value of VIP - that you lost two reservations - really concerns me - especially if you were on the phone with an operator. I love the scam pitch - jeeze!

 

[jjmanthei05]

There is no way they are programming the computers to do this. I virtually guarantee it.

If they could then they would create waiting lists for reservations which would use additional reservation transactions and in turn more money for Wyndham. Now that would actually be a good perk for VIP!

Jason

 

[rrlongwell]

Im going to be in Las Vegas later this month..Im looking forward to an update, although they wouldnt schedule one a few months ago at Bonnet Creek...I wonder if Ive been banned

In any case Ill let them know I want to be Platinum, if and only if I can get that safe guard program...Whatever cash I can get out of them goes right on the Roulette Table

If you win enough to buy into Platium full frieght, quit while you are ahead. Looking forward to the next post that says it worked out.

 

[shaun401]

I wonder if we could get 20/20 or Dateline to go undercover for us?

That would be a good one!

 

[vacationhopeful]

I wonder if we could get 20/20 or Dateline to go undercover for us? :rofl:
....For some reason of thought of this posting, it seemed applicable - catching people in lies and watching them squirm. :ignore:

Lottery ticket scams can be understood by almost everyone. Timeshare scams or semi-truths is based upon the contract language of how a particular system works. I would expect most Wyndham (or other systems's) sales persons are NOT OWNERS, have never read the Wyndham Owner's Directory (okay, they may have looked at the pretty pictures), and are interested in the bottom line of getting you to buy points ANY which way they can. They are high pressured sales persons who have a 35-60 minute window to ply their angle on YOU and get you to given them you money.

They only reason they don't follow YOU out to your car is, YOU MIGHT JUST RUN THEM OVER and that would mess up their hair or dirty their clothes. Also as fully commissioned and independant sales agents, they don't have workman's compensation.

 

[Sandi Bo]

They only reason they don't follow YOU out to your car is, YOU MIGHT JUST RUN THEM OVER and that would mess up their hair or dirty their clothes

Or they've left you at the table and moved on to their next mark.

Good points Linda. I also think there's a lot of owners that haven't read the book.

 

[ronparise]

If they could then they would create waiting lists for reservations which would use additional reservation transactions and in turn more money for Wyndham. Now that would actually be a good perk for VIP!

Jason

A waitlist would kill the VIP owner that rents. Now (when it works) they are able to cancel and rebook at a 50% discount..With a waitlist the cancelled reservation goes to the waiting list.. unavailable to rebook

I spoke to a reservations clerk recently and asked if they had an advantage over me doing a cancel and rebook, ie could they guarantee Id get my reservation back...The answer was no. It takes them the same 10 seconds it takes me to get back to the reservations page...and if someone else is looking at the same time, it will be lost

 

[jjmanthei05]

A waitlist would kill the VIP owner that rents. Now (when it works) they are able to cancel and rebook at a 50% discount..With a waitlist the cancelled reservation goes to the waiting list.. unavailable to rebook

I spoke to a reservations clerk recently and asked if they had an advantage over me doing a cancel and rebook, ie could they guarantee Id get my reservation back...The answer was no. It takes them the same 10 seconds it takes me to get back to the reservations page...and if someone else is looking at the same time, it will be lost

Unless you were able to check the wait list for a particular reservation and if there were no one ahead of you then you would get the guarantee of getting your reservation back.

What would be interesting to find out is if when Wyndham is capturing canceled reservations, if the capture everything or only certain room categories. If they capture everything then if you booked a 1 bedroom along with your actual room for the upgrade, the 1 bedroom could be your buffer to see if you are going to lose the reservation. If the 1 bedroom doesn't come back then don't cancel the other one but if the 1 bedroom comes back then you should be good to go with the cancel and rebook.

I will again preface this with I am a resale owner with no vip benefits. This just seems to make sense on how it should/could work.

Jason

 

[jjmanthei05]

I think I would touch my ear, turn to the side, look around "distracted" for a few seconds, then say "The camera didn't get a clear shot of your face. Can you hold your head up straight and say that again?"

Two can play at that game. Might as well make it fun.

Or even better at some point pull out your cell phone and say "I just want to check to make sure I got that..." hit a few buttons and act like you are listening to your phone...

Or you could actually do it which would be even better.

Jason

 

[vacationhopeful]

Or even better at some point pull out your cell phone and say "I just want to check to make sure I got that..." hit a few buttons and act like you are listening to your phone...

Or you could actually do it which would be even better.

Jason

Need to be careful as you might have to disclose that you are taping a conversation BEFORE you start taping and again, when you start taping.

 

[jjmanthei05]

Need to be careful as you might have to disclose that you are taping a conversation BEFORE you start taping and again, when you start taping.

That's only if you want to use it in a court of law. If you want to freak them out you don't have too....lol

Jason

 

[Ridewithme38]

That's only if you want to use it in a court of law. If you want to freak them out you don't have too....lol

Jason

NY is a single consent state, as long as one person in the conversation consents(Usually the person recording) its all fine....i'm not sure about other states

ETA: Here's a good link that explains other states
http://www.rcfp.org/can-we-tape/state-state-guide

 

[antjmar]

Ok, I went for the money. $100 Visa card at a resort where I have never been. Took them 25 minutes to find the wrong me.
Guy told me I should buy more points and then I would or could be quaify for the safeguard option on my account. When I call in to do the cancel and rebook, my original unit could only be rebooked by me for the next ten minutes...I would never lose a week again while trying to get my VIP level discount. It was all I could do to not break out laughing. Then the agent at the next table 10 minutes later told his mark the same bs.
I would guess/bet any person who brought would be outside the rescind window by the time they realized they had been had.

Word of warning -- as I lost 2 reservations just this winter -- on the phone line with the agent.

I am not A VIP but have tried to cancel and rebook when I have seen a discount and have had mixed results (got 1 lost 1).
I know most VIPS are doing this "trick" but the member directory states that the VIP discounts are for NEW (they use caps) reservations. IMO they could change the software so there would be a delay and you wold lose the room or wouldnt get the discount. I hope for your sake they dont but it sounds like they could...

 

[rrlongwell]

I am not A VIP but have tried to cancel and rebook when I have seen a discount and have had mixed results (got 1 lost 1).
I know most VIPS are doing this "trick" but the member directory states that the VIP discounts are for NEW (they use caps) reservations. IMO they could change the software so there would be a delay and you wold lose the room or wouldnt get the discount. I hope for your sake they dont but it sounds like they could...

The re-book is a new reservation if this system is used. What you may be referring to is the upgrade feature when a reservation is already book. They probably could change that system if they wanted to. I do not think that is going to be real probably because they upgrade the existing reservation without raising the points needed for it. The the old reservation at the lower point level becomes available for a new booking. It is what I assume is a very effective way of getting some use on what would otherwise be empty units.''

Besides, as of this weekend, the book in ARP period cancel and rebook trick is still part of the sales pitches for a new purchase. Just the 10 minute exclusive window part is not part of it at National Harbor, they have not heard of that part.