Survey from MVC

[Superchief]

I just received a survey via Email from MVC. It appears they are considering adding travel booking website as a member benefit. The questions focused on use of Bonvoy points and how I book travel in conjunction with timeshare and other personal travel. Unless they provided significant savings or travel benefits, I responded that I will continue to use my current booking methods. I wish they would focus on fixing problems with their current services.

 

[WBP]

I just received a survey via Email from MVC. It appears they are considering adding travel booking website as a member benefit. The questions focused on use of Bonvoy points and how I book travel in conjunction with timeshare and other personal travel. Unless they provided significant savings or travel benefits, I responded that I will continue to use my current booking methods. I wish they would focus on fixing problems with their current services.

In my opinion, these MVC people are out of their minds. They've been at this timeshare business for 40 years, and on the Owner Services, reservations, web and App technology fronts, they still can't get it right. There is no way in hell, if we had the option of making travel plans through Amreican Express, or directly with Marriottt (Lodging Division (not MVC)), Delta, or American Airlines, that we would, even remotely, consider having painful contact with Marriott Vacation Club. I think these MVC people are full of themselves, and fail to recognize the shortcomings in their very own infrastructure. Fortunately, our experience at MVC resorts is almost universally favorable, with some signs of non-Marriott Lodging amateurs ruling the roost, vs Marriott Lodging professionals. On a recent vacation at Desert Springs Villas, we observed much "operational excellence," on the "Resort Operarions" side, with the exception of the once MVC Marketplace at DSV, that, now, more resembles a Gas Station Convenience Store, or a Bodega, in the ghetto, and the issue of the inmates taking over the asylum, with their alleged Service Dogs.

 

[WBP]

In my opinion, these MVC people are out of their minds. They've been at this timeshare business for 40 years, and on the Owner Services, reservations, web and App technology fronts, they still can't get it right. There is no way in hell, if we had the option of making travel plans through Amreican Express, or directly with Marriottt (Lodging Division (not MVC)), Delta, or American Airlines, that we would, even remotely, consider having painful contact with Marriott Vacation Club. I think these MVC people are full of themselves, and fail to recognize the shortcomings in their very own infrastructure. Fortunately, our experience at MVC resorts is almost universally favorable, with some signs of non-Marriott Lodging amateurs ruling the roost, vs Marriott Lodging professionals. On a recent vacation at Desert Springs Villas, we observed much "operational excellence," on the "Resort Operarions" side, with the exception of the once MVC Marketplace at DSV, that, now, more resembles a Gas Station Convenience Store, or a Bodega, in the ghetto, and the issue of the inmates taking over the asylum, with their alleged Service Dogs.

PS: I find offensive, survey questions about annual income, and net worth. IN MVC's case, that is none of their business, in the context of a survey.

 

[Superchief]

PS: I find offensive, survey questions about annual income, and net worth. IN MVC's case, that is none of their business, in the context of a survey.

I spent my career working in marketing research and these questions are common in most surveys. Reputable companies would never provide individual information for responders, but the information is used to compare groups in order to determine whether there are major differences. If those with higher incomes respond differently than others, MVC may pay more attention to their priorities than those in other income groups since they may be more likely to buy their expensive products. I think MVC is mistaken if they think most owners would use their travel services. Most of us are savvy travelers and have already identified the best resources for booking our travel. Most of us have already experienced problems with their website booking tools.

 

[bazzap]

PS: I find offensive, survey questions about annual income, and net worth. IN MVC's case, that is none of their business, in the context of a survey.

I wouldn’t say that I find these questions in the MVC (and many other companies) surveys offensive, but I certainly agree that this information is none of their business and I will not provide it.
Also ironically, if you read the small print, attendance at Sales Presentations in theory requires you to be within a certain age range and have a minimum income.
Have they ever even mentioned this, let alone checked, when signing you up for one of these - I don’t think so!
I might well fail on both measures

 

[daviator]

I spent my career working in marketing research and these questions are common in most surveys. Reputable companies would never provide individual information for responders, but the information is used to compare groups in order to determine whether there are major differences. If those with higher incomes respond differently than others, MVC may pay more attention to their priorities than those in other income groups since they may be more likely to buy their expensive products. I think MVC is mistaken if they think most owners would use their travel services. Most of us are savvy travelers and have already identified the best resources for booking our travel. Most of us have already experienced problems with their website booking tools.

Maybe the owners who would use their travel services are the same ones who will use their ownership to effectively pay way more than its value to go on an “owner cruise” with an “owner update” around every corner.

i am still trying to figure out why I'd want to go on a cruise with other random MVC owners. Not that ya'll aren’t nice people, I just know I could take the same cruise for half the price with a different group of strangers.

 

[Dean]

I wouldn’t say that I find these questions in the MVC (and many other companies) surveys offensive, but I certainly agree that this information is none of their business and I will not provide it.
Also ironically, if you read the small print, attendance at Sales Presentations in theory requires you to be within a certain age range and have a minimum income.
Have they ever even mentioned this, let alone checked, when signing you up for one of these - I don’t think so!
I might well fail on both measures

I've seen them refuse to do a presentation when the parties were stated to be under the minimum. Another thought is that simply attending a presentation gives them the right to pull a credit check if they so chose. It is my understanding that they often throw out any answers for those that either don't answer the question or decline to provide the info requested.

 

[bazzap]

I've seen them refuse to do a presentation when the parties were stated to be under the minimum. Another thought is that simply attending a presentation gives them the right to pull a credit check if they so chose. It is my understanding that they often throw out any answers for those that either don't answer the question or decline to provide the info requested.

Interesting. This is from the Preview Confirmation of our most recent presentation.
In over 20 years though, I have never been asked about income, age…etc and never been asked to sign anything (apart from a purchase contract after a presentation )

 

[Dean]

Interesting. This is from the Preview Confirmation of our most recent presentation.
In over 20 years though, I have never been asked about income, age…etc and never been asked to sign anything (apart from a purchase contract after a presentation )

View attachment 103542

If you sign in then your normally attesting to the requirements. I wonder if they do soft pulls of credit scores at times.

 

[pedro47]

You do not have to answer any question on this survey.

 

[bazzap]

If you sign in then your normally attesting to the requirements. I wonder if they do soft pulls of credit scores at times.

I don’t recall ever signing in?
I certainly didn’t sign the Preview Confirmation form, only the person seeking to book us in for the presentation signed.
I have also just checked with my Wife and she doesn’t recall either of us ever signing in.

 

[dioxide45]

I've seen them refuse to do a presentation when the parties were stated to be under the minimum. Another thought is that simply attending a presentation gives them the right to pull a credit check if they so chose. It is my understanding that they often throw out any answers for those that either don't answer the question or decline to provide the info requested.

I'm not sure that simply attending a presentation gives them the right to pull credit. You have to explicit give them that right and I have not seen that mentioned in any of the paperwork we have seen when signing up for a presentation.

 

[dioxide45]

I don’t recall ever signing in?
I certainly didn’t sign the Preview Confirmation form, only the person seeking to book us in for the presentation signed.
I have also just checked with my Wife and she doesn’t recall either of us ever signing in.

I've never had to sign anything, but often there are a few bullet points about owning your own home, income and that the spouse must also attend. They sometimes ask me to initial each of these, other times they don't.

 

[dioxide45]

I generally don't fill out surveys for companies. In most cases they are just using the survey to justify some change they were planning anyway. Usually not for the better. They don't pay me for the time, so I won't give them the time. The survey results rarely do anything to actually improve the product or service anyway. Just something for them to point to in order to justify a devaluation. Survey questions and responses can also be skewed to give them the result they were looking for anyway.

It reminds me of feedback about chocolates on your pillow at nightly turndown on a cruise. Royal Caribbean stopped giving them out. They said it was because most were thrown in the garbage. They were thrown in the garbage because they were mostly wax and tasted bad. So instead of improving the chocolates, they just got rid of them. People would not have thrown them away if they tasted good. They justified their cost cutting measure based on incomplete customer feedback.

 

[Superchief]

I've seen them refuse to do a presentation when the parties were stated to be under the minimum. Another thought is that simply attending a presentation gives them the right to pull a credit check if they so chose. It is my understanding that they often throw out any answers for those that either don't answer the question or decline to provide the info requested.

Most companies would not throw out the surveys for those who select 'prefer not to answer' income or other sensitive questions. Their responses to the other questions are still important for the objectives of the surveys. People have become much more sensitive to income and other 'classification' questions so the 'prefer not to answer' option was added.

 

[Superchief]

I generally don't fill out surveys for companies. In most cases they are just using the survey to justify some change they were planning anyway. Usually not for the better. They don't pay me for the time, so I won't give them the time. The survey results rarely do anything to actually improve the product or service anyway. Just something for them to point to in order to justify a devaluation. Survey questions and responses can also be skewed to give them the result they were looking for anyway.

It reminds me of feedback about chocolates on your pillow at nightly turndown on a cruise. Royal Caribbean stopped giving them out. They said it was because most were thrown in the garbage. They were thrown in the garbage because they were mostly wax and tasted bad. So instead of improving the chocolates, they just got rid of them. People would not have thrown them away if they tasted good. They justified their cost cutting measure based on incomplete customer feedback.

Although this is becoming more common, successful companies do still pay attention to the results of surveys. The key is whether Marketing management allows the research department to ask the appropriate questions and objectively analyze the data. In many cases, I've done research that shows Marketing is heading down the wrong path. If they didn't follow the research recommendations, they later regretted it.

Over my career, the companies who effectively utilized marketing research were leaders in their industries. Marriott was always a leader and utilized innovative methods to develop the Courtyard brand. Unfortunately, this changed when the Marriott family were no longer in charge and the research department became order takers from management. I will complete surveys on topics I'm interested in unless the questionnaire is poorly designed and biased.

 

[Dean]

I'm not sure that simply attending a presentation gives them the right to pull credit. You have to explicit give them that right and I have not seen that mentioned in any of the paperwork we have seen when signing up for a presentation.

It does just like walking on to a car lot does. It's essentially interpreted as intent to purchase.

 

[Dean]

Most companies would not throw out the surveys for those who select 'prefer not to answer' income or other sensitive questions. Their responses to the other questions are still important for the objectives of the surveys. People have become much more sensitive to income and other 'classification' questions so the 'prefer not to answer' option was added.

Historically some have, not sure about the %.

 

[dioxide45]

It does just like walking on to a car lot does. It's essentially interpreted as intent to purchase.

Can you cite where in the FCRA it indicates that a car dealer can simply pull credit by walking in the door? Intent to purchase is not enough. One could actually be paying cash.

 

[daviator]

Interesting. This is from the Preview Confirmation of our most recent presentation.
In over 20 years though, I have never been asked about income, age…etc and never been asked to sign anything (apart from a purchase contract after a presentation )

View attachment 103542

Does this mean that when I hit 65, they’ll stop pressuring me to attend owner updates? I can hardly wait!

 

[daviator]

It does just like walking on to a car lot does. It's essentially interpreted as intent to purchase.

Nonsense. Unless you apply for credit, they have no right or ability to pull your credit report.

I've purchased four VOIs from the developer, and never even given them my social security number. If you aren’t applying for credit, they have no need for it and no right to it. Without it, how are they going to pull your credit report?

 

[bazzap]

Does this mean that when I hit 65, they’ll stop pressuring me to attend owner updates? I can hardly wait!

You wish

 

[Dean]

Can you cite where in the FCRA it indicates that a car dealer can simply pull credit by walking in the door? Intent to purchase is not enough. One could actually be paying cash.

When I researched, this was the first thing that came up and is c/w my understanding. For a hard inquiry my understanding is the requirements are more stringent. CC companies sometimes do them to decide who to solicit. Still, not my area of expertise, just passing along what I've seen over the years. It is also my understanding that a credit freeze won't affect soft inquiries but will hard inquiries.

To perform a soft inquiry on a credit report, you typically only need basic personal information like your full name, address, and Social Security number;essentially, the information needed to identify you and access your credit report, but no formal credit application is required as a soft inquiry does not impact your credit score and is used for prequalification or informational purposes like checking your own credit report or when a potential employer or landlord pulls your credit for screening purposes.

 

[daviator]

When I researched, this was the first thing that came up and is c/w my understanding. For a hard inquiry my understanding is the requirements are more stringent. CC companies sometimes do them to decide who to solicit. Still, not my area of expertise, just passing along what I've seen over the years. It is also my understanding that a credit freeze won't affect soft inquiries but will hard inquiries.

They still need your social security number, and they would not have that information on mere prospects.

 

[Dean]

They still need your social security number, and they would not have that information on mere prospects.

One source I looked at said they only need the last 4 of the SSN for a soft pull, another said "You can pull your prospect's entire credit report and FICO score using their name and address only with a soft pull.". There are databases out there where companies can get all types of info from you plus there have been so many data breaches that I doubt anyone in the industrial world is safe even if they are very protective of their info.