Email I Received from a Marriott Sales Agent Listing all the Faults of Buying Resale

[saturn28]

Good Morning xxxx,



I just wanted to say thanks for the call yesterday. I noticed in your owner profile that the last few weeks you purchased have been through the external market. You had asked me questions about point values and I wanted to ensure that it was clear that the ability to exchange for points is available only to purchases through the Marriott Vacation Club.



Other considerations when purchasing externally:



* No access to the Vacation Ownership Advisory desk. (Department created in the past couple years to service new owners-“Your personal travel agent”) Would you pay a little more for service?
* No priority for protected inventory with Interval International.
* No priority in room requests at Marriott resorts.
* No ability to utilize the Marriott Resale department in the future.
* No purchase incentive.
* Significantly higher closing costs and a longer closing process.



If you don’t mind missing out on the above mentioned items and are going to save a huge amount of money, then a resale may not be a bad option. However, keep in mind that Marriott does hold the first right of refusal on any resale so if it is a popular piece of inventory, “great bargains” don’t usually make it through the closing process.





If you would like assistance with the purchase of Marriott developer or resale inventory, please feel free to contact me.



Scott XXXXXXXX

Sales Executive

Marriott’s XXXXXX Villas

850-XXX-XXXX

[CaliDave]

I can't believe he put all that in writing. If Marriott has any ethics, they would fire that guy. I know Hilton would, they do not stand for salesman's blatant lies.

[PerryM]

Originally Posted by saturn28

Good Morning xxxx,



I just wanted to say thanks for the call yesterday. I noticed in your owner profile that the last few weeks you purchased have been through the external market. You had asked me questions about point values and I wanted to ensure that it was clear that the ability to exchange for points is available only to purchases through the Marriott Vacation Club.



Other considerations when purchasing externally:



* No access to the Vacation Ownership Advisory desk. (Department created in the past couple years to service new owners-“Your personal travel agent”) Would you pay a little more for service?
* No priority for protected inventory with Interval International.
* No priority in room requests at Marriott resorts.
* No ability to utilize the Marriott Resale department in the future.
* No purchase incentive.
* Significantly higher closing costs and a longer closing process.



If you don’t mind missing out on the above mentioned items and are going to save a huge amount of money, then a resale may not be a bad option. However, keep in mind that Marriott does hold the first right of refusal on any resale so if it is a popular piece of inventory, “great bargains” don’t usually make it through the closing process.





If you would like assistance with the purchase of Marriott developer or resale inventory, please feel free to contact me.



Scott XXXXXXXX

Sales Executive

Marriott’s XXXXXX Villas

850-XXX-XXXX

Now this Marriott salesrep, Scott, needs to be fired.

There are flat out lies:
* No access to the Vacation Ownership Advisory desk. (Department created in the past couple years to service new owners-“Your personal travel agent”) Would you pay a little more for service?
* No priority for protected inventory with Interval International.
* No priority in room requests at Marriott resorts.
* However, keep in mind that Marriott does hold the first right of refusal on any resale so if it is a popular piece of inventory, “great bargains” don’t usually make it through the closing process.

And questionable ones:
* Significantly higher closing costs and a longer closing process.
* No ability to utilize the Marriott Resale department in the future.

And a true one:
* No purchase incentive. (This is Marriott incentives, that 40% resale savings is more than enough to make up for the MRPs. So this could be viewed as a lie too, but I'm a nice guy)

If it were me, I’d send the letter to the CEO of Marriott timeshares and ask for a clarification of each and every point. I'd ask what Marriott's reaction to flat out lies from the sales department.

Scott needs to be fired and hung up as an example - don't put it in writing guys. What was he thinking? Exposing Marriott deceptiveness to newspaper articles, and TUG for what? Once an owner tastes the fruit from the resale tree there is no going back.

[CMF]

A Marriot Sales Manager expressed dismay that I received correspondance from a VOA. Her explanation after I convinced her that I do have an VOA was that I "fell through the cracks.". I sincserely belive that she was not aware that resale buyers are assigned a VOA.

Charles

[hipslo]

Originally Posted by CMF

A Marriot Sales Manager expressed dismay that I received correspondance from a VOA. Her explanation after I convinced her that I do have an VOA was that I "fell through the cracks.". I sincserely belive that she was not aware that resale buyers are assigned a VOA.

Charles

I dont have a VOA (I am a resale buyer). Do I need one? If so how would I get one?

[CMF]

I never had to do this, but my understanding is thar you just call owner services and ask that they assign you a VOA. It is also my understanding that there is not much a VOA can tell you (if anything) that you can't learn on TUG. Some folk do love their VOAs.

Charles

[Cathyb]

I, for one, love my VOA. She is SO knowledge in the Marriott program, made hotel reservations all over Asia for me with recommendations on which hotel rooms to request for best views; ordered my certificates for me, etc.

I didn't originally have one since we bought years ago; however I called Owner Services and got one, he lasted a few months and disappeared as did two others; but now I have had this one two years and love her.

[saturn28]

I just sent a reply to Scott. I have pasted my response to him below.

=====================


Scott

If all you have written down is true. Why would I want to purchase another week from Marriott. The week would be worth a fraction of the cost I just paid for it once I walked out the door. In fact, you have listed so many restrictions on an external resale unit that no one would want it. That would make purchasing a Marriott timeshare worst than buying a new car.

I could pay $15000 or more for a week. Then if something happened the following year that I needed to sell it, I would not get a cent for it. Is that what you want me to buy. You do know that Marriott won't resell any owners week until the resort is sold out.

So this email just shows me that all you are worried about is your sales commissions. Not Marriott owners who have purchased from Marriott in the past. As long as you get your commission, who cares if the buyer can sell their unit in the future.

So instead of providing me information that would make me want to buy more developer weeks from Marriott. You have given me information that makes me not want to risk my money on another developer week. I would rather purchase another external week. At least I wouldn't have to worry about loosing as much money when I went to sell it.


Michael

[jesuis1837]

Cant wait to hear from Scott!

[johnmfaeth]

But why do mental battle with an unarmed person

Seriously, great response, his answer should be priceless...

[glnrcker]

Just use the spell check first! Will seem more professional!

[JBRES1]

* No access to the Vacation Ownership Advisory desk. (Department created in the past couple years to service new owners-“Your personal travel agent”) Would you pay a little more for service?

That is fine with me, I have TUG to help me out



* No priority for protected inventory with Interval International.

LIE, I have gotten some really great trades thru II



* No priority in room requests at Marriott resorts.
LIE, In the past 9 years as a Marriott non corp. purchaser I have yet to get a bad unit.

* No ability to utilize the Marriott Resale department in the future.
BIG LIE, I sold back my resale Monarch to the Marriott.

* No purchase incentive.

Well I save 40 to 50% buying resale, so who needs it

* Significantly higher closing costs and a longer closing process.
LIE again

This sales guy needs to be talked to by the higher up's at Marriott. He shouldn't be telling lies about a product that does just fine in the light of day.

Jim Breslin

[winger]

Originally Posted by JBRES1

*...
This sales guy needs to be talked to by the higher up's at Marriott. He shouldn't be telling lies about a product that does just fine in the light of day.

Jim Breslin

You are way too nice. The hire ups should drag his behind into their limo and shot SO HE WON'T MISPEAK THE MARRIOT WAY AGAIN!!!

[camachinist]

Betcha Scott never had to work to buy his first car.

To plagarize Fred Thompson's character in "The Hunt for Red October", "Marriott doesn't take a dump, son, without a plan."

That's all I'm going to say...

Pat

[kjd]

He got no commission.

[dioxide45]

This salesman may be a top performer. If that is the case, it is unlikely management will reprimand him. They may loose him to another company. It is all about sales, and if he sells I don't think they mind if he tells a few "stories".

[winger]

Originally Posted by dioxide45

This salesman may be a top performer. If that is the case, it is unlikely management will reprimand him. They may loose him to another company. It is all about sales, and if he sells I don't think they mind if he tells a few "stories".

who are you kidding? If there were a top car salesman, say for the local Hyundai dealer and just to make a sale he consistently tells little 'stories' like "this one here, it has has a G-rating of 1.5 when a Porche has a 1.6, so this Hyundai almost can hang corners as good as a car that costs 5 times more" .... or "yeh, if you bought this car from us, you can guarantee we will back your car's performance for much longer than anyone else in the market" . Eventually, the little stories will catch up and he local dealership will have a public black eye for allowing such a joker work for them.

[PerryM]

Sadly, we the timeshare consumers, have no organization that represents us.

If we did, Scott, our Marriott salesrep would be plastered all over its web site with the eMail and Marriott’s reaction would be right under it.

I’m not sure why 4 M timeshare owners don’t have such an organization but we don’t.

ARDA is the mouthpiece of the developers and does a great job representing them to congress and elsewhere. We need our own ARDA.

P.S.
It would be fun to send in that eMail and see what ARDA does - that itself would be news.

[derb]

Your all over reacting....Without guys like Scott, who will we have fun towering over

[rickandcindy23]

Originally Posted by winger

who are you kidding? If there were a top car salesman, say for the local Hyundai dealer and just to make a sale he consistently tells little 'stories' like "this one here, it has has a G-rating of 1.5 when a Porche has a 1.6, so this Hyundai almost can hang corners as good as a car that costs 5 times more" .... or "yeh, if you bought this car from us, you can guarantee we will back your car's performance for much longer than anyone else in the market" . Eventually, the little stories will catch up and he local dealership will have a public black eye for allowing such a joker work for them.

I disagree with you because scummy timeshare salespeople are highly valued by the developers. Rudeness, lies, and deception make that developer more money. We had a salesperson named Todd at Vistana that literally took Rick's hand and said, "Do me a favor, since you don't ever plan to buy another timeshare, don't ever go on a presentation again and waste my time." Rick complained about him. Was he fired? No! The salespeople probably all patted him on the back for his behavior.

Made me want to make a living out of going on timeshare presentations.

[Pit]

Please tell me you're not really surprised by this. We're talking about a TS salesman here.

I am curious to see if and how he responds to saturn28's reply.

[tombo]

If only there were more Scotts out there putting their lies in writing. I wish I could get a transcript of every timeshare presentation I attend because I have had so many lies and half truths told to me that I have forgetten many gems. It would be great to come to TUG and compare verbatim transcripts of sales BS spewed by the greedy resorts. Some lies are so outrageous that they become hilarious.

Rather than scolding Scott for putting his lies in writing he should be applauded. Most sales reps start lying when you aren't buying, but I have never met a timeshare rep willing to put his skewed bullet points in writing (unless it was a developer approved sales piece). Most of the sales reps spew misinformation, Scott just had the cajones to put it in writing. Way to go Scott!

[pwrshift]

Marriott doesn't play games with sales reps who don't follow the rules, regardless of how strange those rules may be.

When Marriott announced a new TS development they encouraged prospects to go there for a 3 night stay and tour, staying at a nearby Marriott, before deciding to buy. He promised those who actually purchased site unseen, that they could still get the free 3 night stay - and felt it was only fair to offer buyers the same deal as prospects.

In spite of the fact he had sold more than half the entire development's sales to that date, he was warned to follow the rules - but didn't - and regardless of his seniority and success he was let go. IMO that was a big loss the Marriott as he had more than 3,000 multiple purchase customers from the other Marriott TS he developed in prior years. He ended up a big success in Real Estate anyways, so there's no soup kitchen line for him.

Scott is way outta line here ... he is not telling the truth, and I'm sure JW wouldn't stand for that if he knew about it. If they let someone go for bending the rules, they will let Scott go for breaking the rules.

Brian

[timeos2]

Originally Posted by pwrshift

Scott is way outta line here ... he is not telling the truth, and I'm sure JW wouldn't stand for that if he knew about it. If they let someone go for bending the rules, they will let Scott go for breaking the rules.

Brian

The OLD Marriott would have sacked this guy. But with the new, more Wastegate like sales operation they now run, Marriott seems to have embraced this type of sleaze just like most other timeshare sales organizations have always done. So I wouldn't be so sure he'll get the boot but he certainly will be told not to put it in print!

[tombo]

As everyone knows, no one but Marriott would really know why the sales rep Pwrshift is talking about left. He might have been fired for lies, lack of sales, theft, anything. Due to lawsuits, defamation of character, privacy laws, etc, all you know is what the fired saleman told you. Marriott would never tell anyone if he was fired or for what reason.

I have complained about more than one rude, pushy salesman as Cindy said ealier and was apologologized to by management, however the salesman remained employed. It is hard to find someone who can succeed selling timeshares and the resorts don't let them go if they are good at their job. Most succesful timeshare salesmen have to put their greed above the good of the customer because any salesman (but a rookie) knows the resale market has the same thing for less than half what he is selling it for.