The 80s Called-They Want Their Marketing Back

It’s 2019 and timeshare resorts are still using high pressure and antiquated marketing strategies that just don’t work. Here’s a case in point from an owner who checked into her home resort last week.

“I was immediately accosted about an update when I checked in.  I refused.  The concierge ASSURED me there would be no sales talk, and no hard sell, and  "it only takes an hour."

I continued to refuse, and suddenly my $200 gift card became $300, then finally $400.  I still refused.  I said "my time is worth more to me than that, I am on vacation, and you and I both know it NEVER takes just an hour."

The following morning, a different concierge called  our unit. A guest answered, and  said I was not available.I was asked to call back the concierge, which I deliberately did not do.

Finally, on 1/2, another call,  from yet another person working the concierge desk, at which point she went back to the original spiel of "$200 Visa gift card" gift, and that I "really needed to attend, as I had not attended an update in over a year."  My response to her was that the guy on Saturday had promised me $400 , and he had gotten nowhere, dropping the price would not get her better results.   Legal things need to be in writing anyway, I already owned what I wanted, and they had nothing they needed to talk to me in person about.  Period.

I also reminded her of what I had ALSO told the concierge when I checked in:  I had a death in the family recently (my mother), and the LAST thing I wanted to do on my vacation was to sit through any sales type of meeting or presentation. I also said  I was there to decompress and grieve quietly on my own, and that I would appreciate it if they just left me alone to do that.

They obviously never noted that  I had said that on Saturday. Either that,  or they really just do not care at all. (Maybe they think that people in mourning are more vulnerable to their pushing?)  I WILL say that after THAT call, I did not hear from them again, and the rest of the stay WAS quiet and I was not bothered.”

Enough already. It’s time to try something else.