Lately my email box has been inundated with people crying foul because their sales pitch lasted 4 hours or more.
There’s also someone claiming to be an expert in all things timeshare related who is hawking his ‘services’ including the ‘secrets’ to getting out of a timeshare sales pitch in 90 minutes.
There’s no secret; and there’s absolutely no reason for a 4 hour or longer sales pitch. It’s called reading the paperwork.
This paperwork is nowhere near as long, confusing and convoluted as the paperwork generated when someone decides to purchase. This paperwork is pretty simple. Very simple actually.
Let’s start with the basic premise. Any time you attend a timeshare sales pitch, it’s because you willingly agreed to it. How? Either by accepting the bribe/incentive offered, or as part of a trial/sampler/exit program you purchased.
Whichever is the case, there’s a section or paragraph detailing the sales pitch, even though it’s almost never referred to as a sales pitch or presentation. The industry loves to use terms such as resort overview, resort preview, etc. Don’t get me started on these terms…it’s as silly as developers shying away from using the word timeshare, preferring vacation ownership, etc. I digress.
In this section or paragraph where the sales pitch is described it clearly states the minimum time you’re agreeing to. It’s there. Really. By law it’s there. It’s usually 90 minutes or 120 minutes. Rarely less than 90 minutes and rarely more than 120 minutes.
It doesn’t matter if the salesperson knows this or not. The agreement is between you and the developer. The salesperson is bound by the terms and conditions.
Sounds easy, doesn’t it? It is!
Here’s how to deal with this.
After the salesperson greets you and gets you situated, tell them firmly but politely that you are giving them the exact amount of time that is necessary. Read that again. Firmly but politely. If you can, get them to shake hands on this. Either way, tell them that you’re setting an alarm. Then set the alarm on your watch or phone for 5 minutes less than the agreed length of time. Why 5 minutes less? You want to give them notice that their time is up. We’re aiming for politeness here.
When time is up, time is up. Remind them of their agreement as well as what’s on the paperwork and get up. Get up and ask where you need to go to either collect your bribe or be signed out. There’s no need for you to sign anything. There’s no need for you to complete a survey. There’s no need to stay one minute longer unless you want to.
Oh yes…this is why it’s imperative that you do not give your driver’s license and/or credit card to anyone, especially some peon with a name tag at the check in desk. If someone has these, you’re going to be held hostage.
Does this work? It works if you stick to your guns. Remember that the sales staff has been trained to a) keep you there and b) believe that they have the upper hand. By telling them from the get go that you’re giving them the exact length of time that you agreed to you have the upper hand.
Timeshare knowledge is timeshare power. Use it.
