Ignorant SVN/SVO customer service

After more than 10 years I finally succumbed to SVN's "final" offer to join SVN. I logged into MSC today and found the account set up. What surprised me was that my 2012 Staroption was reduced by the amount of SO equivalent to a bedroom.

I called SVN and the woman, named "Kia", was adament that they had to use 2012 SO because I have 2 on-going requests in II and that "locked up" my 2011 week. She could not be convinced that I do not have an ongoing request in II. She did a 3-way call to II and II rep confirmed that I had 2 exchanges against my 2011 weeks and I had no on-going request. She then insisted that there is no way I could be using a 1 BR to book a 2BR unit in II and hence my 2012 week needed to be utilized. The long and short, II told her I was right, and she needed to refund my 2012 week as I have only used my 2011 weeks, deposited separately as 1Bed A and 1Bed B to exchange in II as 2 exchanges - one to Starwood and one to Marriott.

She did go ahead and reset my StarOption number in 2012.

I am scratching my head as to how that could have happened!

sptung, ... If you are not satisfied, call again. Ask to have Starwood's Resolution Services Department audit your SO account. Clearing up complaints like yours about StarOptions is what that department does. The audit is supposed to take 24-72 hours. You should be asked for a phone number where you can be contacted in addition to the one linked to your SVN account.

Also, maybe it's only available for SVN Elites, but every time I call I am asked to take a survey where I rate the service I received. If you are not informed about it, ask to be connected with the survey. At the end, you are given the opportunity to leave voice mail comments on your service. Do it.

Finally, I assume you already know that every phone call to Starwood is recorded. Ask that someone listen to your phone conversation with "Kia." ... eom

Thanks. What would be a good number to call to get to the resolutions dept and also for someone to listen to the recording with "Kia"? Would it be the same SVN number?

sptung, ... Since your problem has been cured, I was posting more to someone who might later have a similar problem and wouldn't know what to do.

The call goes to Owner Services. Then, you ask that Resolution Services audit StarOptions in the account. That request is just like kicking the problem up the chain of command (but it is the right chain of command).

There is no published number for Resolution Services. You cannot call that department direct. However, they will call back with the results of the StarOption audit and discuss it with you.

Since your StarOptions have already been returned to you, they should show in a day or so as available for 2011 on mystarcentral.com under "Your Information," "What I Own," and, when you click on the details of a week, at the bottom of the page there is a link called "Account Balances." When you click on that link, your available account balance for both 2011 and 2012 will show. Try it. (If more than 1 week is in your account, the available balance will be the total StarOptions left for all weeks.) ... eom

Yes, it has been resolved. I am just unhappy with "Kia".

"Yes, it has been resolved. I am just unhappy with "Kia"."

Obviously.

So call the same number again, ask an innocuous question (like, what StarOptions do now you show for me?) and then do the survey and leave a voice message about "Kia" (with time and date, resort involved and number called originally) so that someone can listen to the tape of you two. ... eom

sptung - Communication between Starwood and II is poor, and the new system has many flaws. Because they no longer deposit a specific week, both sides seem to have problems tracking the flow of transactions through the system.

On top of that, many of the Starwood Reps don't have a clue about how II works, or about the new rules implemented in 2009.

It adds insult to injury, when they make a mistake, like they did in your case, and then act like you don't know what you are talking about. That's really poor customer service and you should report the Rep.

I'm curious if they invited you to participate in their telephone survey process after you were done. The rating system is bound to get someone's attention. They ask me every time I call.

So sorry you had problems with Kia. I cannot remember ever talking to a woman named Kia there, and it sounds like a good thing.

I have been very happy with the Starwood guides and have only had considerate and helpful people answer. I find I really like logging into my account and talking to a guide via Livechat, too. It's been so much better than calling. I hope they keep it forever.

Better yet, give us the ability to search inventory ourselves. I would be so happy with that ability.

Cindy - I think for very basic service they are great, but beyond that, many of them are in over their heads. When there is a problem, I think they need to immediately transfer the guest to someone with more experience, rather than arguing with them.

DeniseM, ... All the calls are recorded and, on a spot basis, listened to.

I am sure that agents who get in arguments with polite Starwood customers are fired. "The customer is always right" is my experience with Starwood.

I am also sure that agents who defend themselves against very pushy people who insist they are right and do not listen to what is said to them are given more training in how to deal with such people. If they don't get better at it. They, too, will be gone.

And, you are right. The quality of knowledge varies from agent to agent (and specifically rating the knowledge of the agent is a part of every Starwood survey I have ever taken). At times an agent might not have enough knowledge to give the right answer. Starwood would like to know if that is the case.

In the OP's post, the problem called about was solved. The OP's position was sustained. The OP was correct. But it all didn't happen as quickly or smoothly as the OP wanted it to happen.

That's why I suggested that the OP call again, take the survey and leave a voice mail message asking for someone to listen to the tape. I hope the OP does that. I am virtually certain someone will get back to the OP with an explanation, an apology and, probably, both. ... eom

I did call this morning and spoke to a very nice and knowledgeable customer service rep who was able to help me on a separate request and also answer a question that "Kia" was unable to answer me previously. I told her that I wanted to report a dissatisfactory call that occurred on June 9 and she said she would send an email to the supervisor of "Kia" and the supervisor will review the recording and contact me no later than next Tue. She did put me thru the survey at the end of the call, which "Kia" did not offer. She said there is only 1 "Kia" in SVO and she happens to work on the same team. I will keep the forum posted!

I think it is unfortunate that Reps can choose who does the survey and who doesn't.

"I think it is unfortunate that Reps can choose who does the survey and who doesn't."

I can't see anything posted in this thread that supports that conclusion. Sea Six says he's always asked. Same thing posted by me. I can't see any post that says the invitation was withheld - even for the OP who seems satisfied now - and promises to report back on what happens.

It would show in the spot check of the recordings Starwood makes if someone wasn't doing it. If I wasn't offered a chance to take the survey, I'd ask why at the close of the conversation and, if I didn't get a proper answer, I'd call back and report it. But, I've never needed to.

Have you ever taken the survey? It involves answering 5-6 rating questions (pushing phone button 1-poor to 5-excellent or 1 for yes and 2 for no) and takes all of about 1 minute and, at the end, asks if you want to leave voice comments and a number for a return call.

Starwood wouldn't have all these people taking the surveys if it was unconcerned about improving service. ... eom

sptung said:

... She did put me thru the survey at the end of the call, which "Kia" did not offer...

Click to expand...

That statement seems to support Denise's conclusion.

sptung posted that Kia did not ask him if he wanted to take the survey.

I call Starwood several times a week and I'd estimate that I'm asked to take a survey 80% of the time - but not every time.

The last time I had a major problem with Starwood, due to the Rep's lack of knowledge about the II rules, I was not asked to take a survey either.

My situation was similar to sptungs - Even though II verified that they were wrong, and I was right, Starwood wanted to take 3 days to investigate. I needed the week released for a rental that day, and after I insisted very firmly that 3 days was not acceptable, they did resolve it the same day, but I had to be very persistent. And yes, I was connected with Resolution Services and they told me it would take 72 hours, and that it would be 72 hours before a Mgr. could call me.

I did miss it in his post about being satisfied.

I hope the OP gave the date and time of the occurrence with Kia and left a message about the first encounter when switched to the survey after the 2nd encounter.

I am not here to defend Kia at all. I just don't think the OP's experience, in my experience, is common at all or something Starwood tolerates. ... eom

I am also not asked to take the survey every time. One time, when I had a particularly bad experience, I indicated that I wanted followup. I got a followup phonecall about 4 months later. Since I call Starwood fairly often I could not remember what my issue had been and did not return the message on the followup call.