As I’m sure you do, I have quite a bit of time on my hands and I’m looking through social media posts for timeshare related material.
What I find is post after post from consumers, many of them timeshare owners, angry about the way they were treated at timeshare sales presentations. The complaints fall into one of these categories:
- Took longer than the promised 90 minutes
- The salesperson wouldn’t let them leave
- They were kept there without food...many of them claiming that they had a medical issue that required them to eat at a specific time
- They were not allowed to read anything that they were forced to sign
- They were not allowed to think about what they were buying, but forced to make a decision on the spot
Now, I’m not suggesting that people make this stuff up. It happens more often than it should and there’s absolutely no reason why it should be encouraged or even allowed to happen.
Having said that, it occurs to me that in each of these cases the consumer gave up their power and abdicated their responsibility.
These sales pitches are, for the most part, completely and 100% voluntary on the part of the consumer. No one forces you to attend. The resorts offer a bribe in the form of cash, meals, tickets for something, etc. in exchange for you sitting through a sales pitch. Voluntarily. 100%. No one has a gun to your head. No one has slipped some drug into your coffee or cocktail that your drinking when you encounter the OPC on the boardwalk.
And once you’re there, again, you are the only one with any power over the situation. 90 minutes are up? Get up and leave. You’re told you can’t read anything you’re signing. Get up and leave. Have to eat at 2:00 but the salesman tells you no? Get up and leave. What do you think us going to happen? Are they going to call the non-existent timeshare police to bring you back?
What I’m trying to point out is that when this pandemic is over, that perhaps it’s time for consumers to do reset of their behavior which will force timeshare developers to do their own reset. You have the power to change the entire industry paradigm
If this awful viral outbreak had taught us anything, it’s that tomorrow is not promised to anyone. Rather than waste 90 minutes of your precious time in exchange for two dinner show tickets, enjoy your vacation time. It may be the last one you take
2 comments:
I believe it is all about the prospects trying to be polite to the super nice agent that is being so nice to them. The prospects won't assert themselves because they don't want to be rude. They don't realize that this nice agent is not going to stop trying until they really, really assert themselves and they don't want to do that.
It is all part of the psychological manipulation that is happening. By the time they have been with the agent for 90 minutes, they are compromised. The same as if they had been drinking or taking drugs. The agent has at least enough control over them to keep them from leaving and soon, he will have enough control to get them to buy.
Sorry I couldn’t respond to your article on your blog. The “Prove Your Not a Robot” module didn’t work. So here it is.
I agree with the "reset" for the consumer. It's the age-old warning - "Buyer Beware!" No matter the product, the consumer should always buy with caution. However, in Mexico and the Caribbean, a hotel guest is not provided the same consumer protection laws they expect and enjoy in Canada or the United States. They are like "sitting ducks" going back and forth at the shooting gallery of the county fair. For this reason, I place the majority of the blame on the Hotel Developers, not the consumer. Any Developer that turns a blind eye to the use of such sales and marketing tactics described in your article is the scam artist.
Please put yourself in the position of a traveler staying at one of the multi-million dollar resorts in the Caribbean or Mexico. In most cases, they have chosen a recognized world-renown Brand, offering an all-inclusive package that oozes with credibility. They are in total aw as they walk into the majestic lobby where they check in with offerings of unforgettable services. Their promised suite overlooks the Caribbean Sea and even has a lazy river that leads to their favorite swim-up bar. Multiple pools, an assortment of gourmet cuisine restaurants, unlimited alcohol at bars easily accessible by foot or swimming. Don't forget the day and night-time entertainment and of course room service and plenty of areas to snack. Their vacation is even better than they could imagine. Everything is perfect. Everything the Hotel promised. No lies. No cheating. No misrepresentations.
At this point, each Developer has two paths they can take. They can create a Club that matches the very "service-oriented" culture of the Hotel, or they can follow the "Timesharistic" road using antiquated overly aggressive marketing and sales strategies. Unfortunately, the Developers choose the latter because of the quick bottom-line profit promised by a Sales Management Team that knows no other way to make a sale.
You now have a guest of a First Class Resort, who believes anything and everything told by Hotel representatives. So why would the Guest question the invitation of a Club Presentation by an OPC disguised as a Hotel Concierge? Why would the Guest need to read the Club Membership Agreement in detail after listening to all the verbal promises of the Hotel's sales representative? "They wouldn't lie or cheat me!"
What makes matters even worse, the Club is intentionally created as a separate entity because the Developer already knows they need deniability for the Hotel when the member complains or files suit.
Who needs a "reset," the Consumer or the Developer? I say it's the Developer.
Thank you,
Don Eastvold Jr.
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