Trust

 

Today a few words about trust when it comes to timeshare issues. And I’m not talking about legal trusts here. 

I recently saw a social media post that said in part that consumers trust timeshare salespeople because they, the salespeople, establish themselves as the experts. True. That’s one of the signs of a competent salesperson. 

The post went on about other so-called authorities or experts such as doctors or auto mechanics and stated that consumers don’t question them as they’re the experts. 

Whoa. You don’t question doctors or mechanics?  Really?  How about the salesperson at a boutique who tells you that you look positively adorable in that $500 dress?  Do you take them at their word because they’re an expert at fashion?

Way back in the Dark Ages when I was selling timeshare, I was stunned whenever the customer handed over a credit card for a $15,000 or $20,000 timeshare based on what I said during a 3 hour pitch. Granted, this is one of the major reasons behind my leaving that profession. I was trained to show the customer that the timeshare would be less costly than staying in a hotel for 10 years on vacation by using an inflation factor that we simply pulled out of a hat. You’d think that all or at least most people would at the very least, check my math. Very few ever did. Believe me, I’m not an expert at hotel costs or math, yet people didn’t question it. I wasn’t lying, but I certainly wasn’t an expert. 

Maybe it’s me. Maybe I’m leery about all salespeople. Maybe whenever something is going to cost me more than $50 I take a breath and look at all the information I can get my hands on and look for alternatives. 

I feel compelled again to say that I don’t condone lying or hiding of pertinent facts in timeshare sales. That’s not what this is about. However far too many timeshare owners are bantering terms like scam, extortion and coercion while accepting zero responsibility for plopping down $20,000 for a very complex purchase in perpetuity. 

Trust needs to be earned. Some random dude with a name tag that identifies them as a ‘Vacation Counselor’ doesn’t immediately earn my trust. Why would they have yours?