What is this whole waitlist thing??

[SDKath]

Hello all,

I am so confused. I am 4* elite (don't get me started on the 5* rant) and supposedly one of my nice benefits of being 4* is that you can waitlist. So I tried to do that today and it didn't work. The rep was very nice but basically said I needed ANOTHER 148,100 SOs available in order to waitlist for week.

I made ressies for a Sunday check in at WKORV next July. I used up the last of my SOs for 2009 doing this. I asked him to then put me on the waitlist for a Saturday check in. He said since I had no SO's left, he could not. But I asked if the Sunday check in would cancel if the Saturday came through and you could just use my SOs from that, and he said no, I needed an additional 148,100 SOs just sitting there to waitlist. Is this really true? If this is the case, this really isn't waitlisting because you tie up more SOs, right? I just don't get it. It seems like this benefit is not really much of a benefit afterall?! Or my rep may not have been correct?

Katherine

 

[DavidnRobin]

Hmmmm.... talk to a supervisor - I agree that it makes no sense since you have to use SOs to make your reservations and (by the stated method) in most cases you would not have SOs left over (what the h*ll does that mean?) in order to waitlist. This would be less problematic if al resorts were one season, but this is not the case.

Make sure you describle the math and logistics involved. They tried this with me for making reservations early in the year and they wanted the MFs paid. I argued that this made no sense since the MFs are not billed for months later.

 

[Transit]

At 4* your supposed to be able to waitlist while holding prior resevations.This is one of the last few decent "perks" of elite. The rest of us need to have enough S/Os to cover any waitlist requests.

 

[DeniseM]

Interesting....in the past, 4 & 5 Star Elites could hold a reservation AND waitlist, too. It sounds like they are treating you like someone who is not 4 Star Elite...

 

[GrayFal]

Hmmmm.... talk to a supervisor - I agree that it makes no sense since you have to use SOs to make your reservations and (by the stated method) in most cases you would not have SOs left over (what the h*ll does that mean?) in order to waitlist. This would be less problematic if al resorts were one season, but this is not the case.

Make sure you describle the math and logistics involved. They tried this with me for making reservations early in the year and they wanted the MFs paid. I argued that this made no sense since the MFs are not billed for months later.

This is the LATEST 'new' rule - and I thought it was only for non SVN owners - I paid because I didn't want to lose my reservation.

 

[tlpnet]

Katherine,

I think you got a bad rep. I did almost exactly what you are doing at WMH with no issues whatsoever. When the Saturday check-in I was waitlisted for came through, they simply replaced the corfirmed Friday check-in reservation I was holding with the Saturday check-in. Are you calling the elite desk? It's frustrating, but just ask for a supervisor if it happens again.

-tim

 

[LisaRex]

Did you call the special elite line? Acc. to MSC, a 4 star member can waitlist while holding prior reservations.

https://www.mystarcentral.com/elite/chart.html

From MSC:

Starwood Vacation Network Elite Wait List While Holding Prior Reservation

You have the privilege of securing a wait list position during your Float Period while still holding a confirmed reservation for another villa, based on availability. Please contact your Elite Specialist toll free at 888.786.3548 or click here to reach a Specialist via email.

 

[SDKath]

Yes I called the elite line but I will try again today. I figure if I call enough times, I will get a different answer each time till I get one I like.

Katherine

 

[oneohana]

Kath,

You must be on their blacklist.

 

[LisaRex]

Yes I called the elite line but I will try again today. I figure if I call enough times, I will get a different answer each time till I get one I like.

It's not the answer you like; it's the answer you are owed. You spent a LOT of money buying Starwood timeshares and you earned what few privileges they voluntarily bestowed upon you, and continue to advertise as benefits. It is absolutely ridiculous the lengths that their "elite" members are forced to go to in order to get what they've been promised, both on the hotel side and the TS side.

I'd call them again. If they again refuse to put you on the waitlist without canceling your existing reservation, I'd ask for their fax number to fax them a copy of the pertinent pages on their own website to show that they are WRONG. If I didn't get their cooperation after that, I'd escalate it.

 

[SDKath]

Kath,

You must be on their blacklist.

That's what I am thinking. Me, nodge and Denise M are in big trouble.

Lisa, all I can say is that when I need someone to fight a battle for me, you are the first one I am calling!!! In case of divorce, call LisaRex.

Katherine

 

[tomandrobin]

You must have gotten an inexperience rep or maybe you are only 3* and don't know it....lol. :hysterical:

 

[Cathyb]

Kath: Are you just now figuring out that Starwood isn't in this for customer satisfaction.

 

[SDKath]

Actually, I have had phenomenal customer service from their phone reps this week. First, I noticed that they forgot to retro my WMH with my last purchase. The lady on the phone promised to take care of it and call me back within 24 hours with the SOs in SVN (so I could book WKORV). I said ok, thinking "no way will they call." Later that day I got a call that all was fine. Then I called about some other issues twice and both times it was too complex to take care of with 1 phone call -- so they said they would call back. Each time, they called back within the day and said all was fine. So only is the question of the waitlist confusing me now.

Otherwise, frankly, I have not gotten BETTER customer service anywhere in the last couple of years.

FYI, my Marriott purchased in March and sent to Marriott in August STILL is not in my name and every time I call, they say they will get back to me and they don't.

Katherine

 

[James1975NY]

Kath: Are you just now figuring out that Starwood isn't in this for customer satisfaction.

I think there is a strong possibility that call volume may have spiked when the OP's call occured and perhaps a non-elite agent took the call.

Although it is dissappointing, I would not get too upset about it. Whether it seems so or not, Starwood is very focused on customer satisfaction. If they were'nt, I am not sure they would have been as succesful as they have with the vacation ownership division.

 

[James1975NY]

Actually, I have had phenomenal customer service from their phone reps this week. First, I noticed that they forgot to retro my WMH with my last purchase. The lady on the phone promised to take care of it and call me back within 24 hours with the SOs in SVN (so I could book WKORV). I said ok, thinking "no way will they call." Later that day I got a call that all was fine. Then I called about some other issues twice and both times it was too complex to take care of with 1 phone call -- so they said they would call back. Each time, they called back within the day and said all was fine. So only is the question of the waitlist confusing me now.

Otherwise, frankly, I have not gotten BETTER customer service anywhere in the last couple of years.

FYI, my Marriott purchased in March and sent to Marriott in August STILL is not in my name and every time I call, they say they will get back to me and they don't.

Katherine

What number are you calling? Are you calling the owner services or are you calling the offices in lakeland, fl where the transfer are handled?

 

[SDKath]

I will look it up on Monday (I have the files at work) and let you know. Maybe you can help me get to them a little faster. Every time I call they say they have 8-12 weeks to record it. So they got the recorded deed in August and in late October they notified my escrow person that they needed driver's license photos. I sent them the very same day via email. I called again in October and they said yes they got it (10 days later even though the email to them was instantaneous) and notified me that they had ANOTHER 8-12 weeks to put the week into my account. I have reservations for March 2009 at Desert Ridge but wanted to deposit them in II to trade. At this point, I will end up under the 90 day window!!! I am soooooo unhappy!

Katherine