There are encouraging signs of improvement in the economy despite all the negativity in the media. The timeshare industry is even seeing improvement, as Steve Luba explains.
Topics: Bluegreen Timeshare, Timeshare, Timeshare Podcast, Wyndham Timeshare
Women in the Timeshare Industry association will host networking and educational events at the upcoming ARDA Convention.
With the ARDA (American Resort Development Association) Convention upcoming at the end of this month, WIN (Women in the Industry) is planning a special networking event on Tuesday, March 31, at the Orlando World Center Marriott. WIN is an exciting timeshare industry association we have written about before at The Timeshare Authority. According to Cathy Backus of CSA Travel Protection, WIN truly represents, and is represented by, women in all areas of timeshares and resorts. The non-profit organization works as a collective group to foster leadership and create opportunities in the hospitality and the timeshare industries, particularly for women.
Spirit Incentives is a primary sponsor of the networking event, during which WIN will be unveiling their interactive website and kicking off an organizational membership drive.
As part of the ARDA Convention, WIN will also host the “Breakfast of Champions,” featuring Olympic swimmer Janet Evans and sponsored by Hilton Grand Vacations. Additionally, WIN is hosting a special educational session at the ARDA Convention titled, “Not Just the Boys Club Anymore: Welcome to the Girls Club: How the Face of the Workplace Has Changed.”
Women looking to be a part of WIN can follow this link to learn more about Women In the Industry, and the great things they are doing for the timeshare industry and its future.
Corporate Benefactors for WIN include: Marriott Timeshare, Wyndham Worldwide, ICE, Group RCI, Shell Vacations, Bluegreen Corporation, C.A.R.E. and The Trades.
Past blog posts on The Timeshare Authority, profiling WIN:
Topics: ARDA, Bluegreen Timeshare, Marriott Timeshare, RCI Timeshare, Shell Vacations Club, Timeshare, Wyndham Timeshare
Dennis, MA, like other popular timeshare vacation areas, is looking for ways to balance timeshare sales opportunities with the peace and privacy of those who pay to vacation there.
In the beachside community of Dennis, Massachusetts there have been recent discussions about “timeshare OPC’s”. Dennis is not the first community with concerns about where and how timeshare OPC’s operate.
In the timeshare industry, the person who sets up timeshare sales presentation appointments by connecting with prospective timeshare buyers in public venues is generally known as an OPC. The initials stand for off-premises contact or outside public contact depending upon whom you ask. This person may be an employee of the timeshare company or may be either a temporary or a contract employee of the company. They deal in sales of new timeshare only, not timeshare resales or timeshare rentals.
OPC’s frequently operate from a hotel desk or hotel lobby, or from a kiosk in a high traffic tourist area. An OPC rarely offers mini vacations or reduced rate vacations, but will more likely be recruiting you to attend a sales presentation, either at the timeshare resort or at a nearby location in return for a gift. As a ‘thank you’ for your time, you typically will be offered something of value, such as restaurant passes, tickets to shows or theme parks, or occasionally merchandise like luggage or small electronics. The Timeshare Authority reported recently on a move by Bluegreen timeshares to hand out prepaid credit cards (in conjunction with Maverick Network Solutions), to people attending some Bluegreen timeshare sales presentations.
But Dennis, like many communities, is concerned about where people are approached by the OPC trying to sell Massachusetts timeshare. For example, you cannot approach someone on the beach or while he or she is in a car … such timeshare sales solicitation violates a Dennis town bylaw.
Accorded to Wicked Local Dennis, which reports on news from a number of Massachusetts communities, Dennis Police Capt. Bill Monahan says, “They (OPC’s) drive around the Sea Street Beach and Glendon Road Beach parking lots, approaching or stopping cars and trying to persuade people to go to timeshares …”
Dennis city officials theorize that since the fine is only $50, many of the solicitors don’t mind paying it. If a case goes to court, the fine can be as much as $300. But because the person solicited has to be willing to testify in court, many people don’t wish to take the time off from their jobs to appear in court or, as visitors from out of town, won’t travel back to Dennis for a court date.
Certainly in this job-tight economy, no community wants to prevent a hardworking timeshare sales person from working. Nor do they want the tourists, who feed the revenue base of their communities, feeling annoyed or pressed by enthusiastic timeshare sales representatives.
The popular timeshare vacation destination of Gatlinburg, TN. has tried an interesting solution. They provide visitors with free lapel buttons that say “No thanks” as a way for them to signal OPCs that they do not want to be approached. (see: The Timeshare Authority Thanks, But “No Thanks” to Timeshare OPC’s, March 20, 2007.)
Many happy timeshare buyers made their purchase during a vacation after being approached by a timeshare sales OPC. As a marketing tool, timeshare companies have successfully used this method for many years. Like any other aspects of business, this sales tactic may have to be rethought over time to best serve the needs of prospective timeshare buyers and to better serve the changing needs of timeshare developers. In the end, the goal must always be to achieve a win-win-win for communities, consumers, and timeshare sales people.
Topics: Bluegreen Timeshare, Timeshare Sales, Vacation
After several blog posts about layoffs and changes at Bluegreen timeshare, it is good to be able to share some positive and very interesting news about this popular timeshare company.
While the media has been focusing on what appears to be a downturn at Bluegreen, it seems that the people at Bluegreen timeshare have been going about their business, doing what they do best, which is implementing innovative new ways to serve and to interact with their clients. In keeping with this, they have turned to Maverick Network Solutions, Inc, a company that provides merchant-issued debit cards and prepaid “credit” cards.
These are the types of card that have a prepaid and typically fixed line of credit, and that normally have nothing to do with your personal creditworthiness. Instead, you are most likely to receive such a card as a gift with purchase at a retailer, or as a bonus from a company who wants to reward your loyalty or spending.
The Lowes stores, for example, ran a large promotion in 2008 issuing prepaid credit cards as a way to reimburse delivery costs for consumers purchasing major appliances at their stores. The cards had a value roughly equal to Lowe’s normal delivery charges, and were sent to purchasers after the new washer and dryer or perhaps refrigerator was delivered. Rather than discounting the price of delivery, the company chose to issue these Visa logoed cards that could be used at any retailer. Customers have proven very receptive to this type of ‘perk’ or ‘thank-you’.
Now Bluegreen timeshares is looking to get in on this strategy for building client relationships and rewarding their timeshare buyers and potential buyers. Peter J. Quadagno, the president and chief operating officer for Maverick says that in the upcoming weeks, Bluegreen timeshare will launch a Visa-branded, non-reloadable prepaid card. Bluegreen timeshare plans to use this card as an incentive for potential timeshare buyers to hear presentations.
What stands out about this new approach is that it shows first that Bluegreen, despite current challenges created by the economy, is a forward-thinking company – just what so many timeshare buyers and timeshare renters have known about them all along. But just as importantly, this is evidence that timeshare developers are continuing to redefine the industry, looking for ways to market their product that are more acceptable to the consumer and which will serve the needs and the image of timeshare sales in a beneficial and positive way.
(source: www.digitaltransactions.net)
Topics: Bluegreen Timeshare, Timeshare, Timeshare Sales
After laying off over 2000 employees, Bluegreen timeshare may still be facing more cutbacks in personnel. An article published by the SunSentinel.com, says Bluegreen timeshare’s chief executive, John Maloney, states that the timeshare sales and development company expects to cut its staff by approximately 60 percent this year.
When you look at Bluegreen timeshare’s past performance, (previously posting more than four straight years of timeshare sales growth) you have to say that this problem seems to have come about quickly. And with the momentum of a fast moving, downhill snowball, things have changed dramatically in a very short period of time.
In July 2008, Bluegreen timeshare was doing just fine. Their stock was trading at over $12 per share and the timeshare sales and developer, Diamond Resorts, was looking into acquiring Bluegreen for around $15 a share plus all outstanding debt.
As The Timeshare Authority was then reporting to you, timeshare sales (the sale of new timeshare intervals) were holding, despite the challenges hotels were feeling as the economy tightened. Timeshare sales and development companies were making money, not just from the sale of new timeshares, but from the ‘sale’ of the money consumers needed to buy timeshares. Acting like banks, mortgage companies, or loan sharks, timeshare companies were loaning (or reselling) credit at double-digit interest rates that sometimes exceeded 20 percent.
However, as John Maloney put it, “the music stopped.” With the credit market tight, timeshare companies like Bluegreen and others have been forced to cut back on expansion and growth plans. Bluegreen timeshare was suddenly looking to reduce their growth and acquisition budget by some $150,000 million. With development on hold or drastically cut back, the need for timeshare sales and administration personnel also diminished.
Now Bluegreen timeshare is moving forward, making prudent cutbacks and learning to live in the world of the new credit market. They have long been a strong, solid company and they are clearly making the right moves to continue that way.
Here are links to recent posts about this interesting timeline of events effecting Bluegreen timeshare:
Topics: Bluegreen Timeshare, Florida Timeshare, Timeshare Sales
Following the same path of Wyndham Vacation Ownership timeshare and Westgate Resorts timeshares, Marriott Vacation Club has laid off (or is in the process of letting go) just over 170 workers.
The pink slips started showing up just before Christmas at the Orlando timeshare call center, marking the second recent round of employee layoffs at Marriott timeshare. In November, approximately 80 timeshare employees were let go by the company, which claims it is being hurt by the credit crunch less than other timeshare companies have been. At that time, The Orlando Business Journal reported that Marriott timeshares anticipates rehiring as many as 31 positions during the process of closing one timeshare sales operation (the Horizons project) and expanding at another location.
The Orlando Sentinel reported that Ed Kinney, Marriott’s vice president of corporate affairs, said that because Marriott does much of its own financing, they were not being squeezed as tightly by the tight international credit market and slowed consumer spending as are some timeshare developers.
Kinney says the current round of layoffs should be complete in January. Other timeshare companies cutting back and laying off in Orlando and elsewhere include: Wyndham Vacation Club, Westgate Resorts timeshare, and Bluegreen Resorts.
Topics: Bluegreen Timeshare, Florida Timeshare, Marriott Timeshare, Orlando Timeshare, Westgate Timeshare, Westgate Vacation Villas, Wyndham Timeshare
The financially troubled residential community and vacation resort development company, Bluegreen, continues to announce employee layoffs. Bluegreen timeshares are closing three Wisconsin offices and laying off 110 workers as of January 20, when they will close their marketing facilities in Wisconsin Dells, Baraboo, and Sun Prairie. Breaking this down, the layoffs means 25 jobs lost in Sun Prairie, 16 lost at the Wisconsin Dells Parkway office, and 69 layoffs at the company’s Christmas Mountain Road offices.
Wiscnews.com stated that the Wisconsin Department of Workforce development (DWD) says the company intends the layoffs to be permanent, although Wisconsin Dells Mayor, Eric Helland, said that he believes the jobs will eventually come back.
Early last week Bluegreen timeshare announced that 122 employees will be laid off in Florida, (many at their Boca Raton headquarters). The company then followed that announcement on Friday with the news that an additional 182 workers in Orlando will also be let go.
In Indiana, Bluegreen Timeshare plans to layoff up to 92 employees after the first of the year.
The situation at Bluegreen timeshare is similar to the problem facing other timeshare developers who found themselves overextended at a bad time, as credit got tighter and consumer purchases declined.
Other recent news about Bluegreen Timeshare from The Timeshare Authority:
Topics: Bluegreen Timeshare, Timeshare, Timeshare Sales
Bluegreen timeshares is the blog topic again today here at The Timeshare Authority. Last week, Bluegreen Corporation settled a pending lawsuit with Orlando timeshare magnate, David Siegel, another timeshare industry name who makes our timeshare blog from time to time.
David Siegel founded Central Florida Investments, the parent of the Orlando timeshare company, Westgate Resorts. In recent months, Siegel had acquired 2.3 million shares of Bluegreen timeshare’s common stock. He also had options that would have given him nearly 10 million shares, or about 32 percent of the company’s stock, if he exercised those options.
But this was already in the pipeline when Westgate Resorts timeshares announced budget cutbacks and massive layoffs in response to the credit freeze. A Sept 29, Orlando Sentinel article, said this of Siegel, “He blamed the national financial meltdown and said until the situation in Washington straightens out, Westgate and all other time-share companies likely are in for very hard time.”
Bluegreen’s board had voted and approved bylaws to allow them to dilute the value of Siegel’s holdings, but not the value of other existing shares held primarily by those Bluegreen shares held through the Levitt Corp.
Under the terms of the new settlement, Siegel and his associates must reduce their Bluegreen holdings by at least 5.4 million shares within a year and within two years, have disposed of all of them. Additionally, pending the sale, Siegel’s shares must be voted in accordance with the recommendations of the Board of Directors of Bluegreen. David Siegel has agreed to not pursue any takeover of Bluegreen nor seek to influence Bluegreen’s management.
The Timeshare Authority will continue to keep you abreast of the changes, shake ups, and shake downs in the timeshare industry … interesting times we are living in, to say the least
Other recent posts about Westgate Resorts Timeshares:
Other recent posts about Bluegreen Resorts Timeshares:
Topics: Bluegreen Timeshare, Timeshare Sales, Westgate Timeshare, Westgate Vacation Villas
According to information released Friday in the South Florida Business Journal, and other sources, the planned acquisition of Bluegreen Resorts and timeshares is on hold. For some time, Bluegreen timeshare resorts and Diamond Resorts have been in negotiation over Diamond Resorts’ bid to buy Bluegreen for $500 million.
The credit crunch seems to be gnawing away at this buyout deal, but whether it chews it up or spits it out may not be known for a few weeks. Bluegreen timeshare has given Diamond Resorts until November 15, with exclusive right of negotiation in Bluegreen’s acquisition. After that date, Bluegreen is free to shop other investors for a better price.
There has been a lot going on at Bluegreen timeshares lately with continued news about the buyout as well as company problems with allegedly improper timeshare sales tactics used in Pennsylvania timeshare sales. But none of what is going on takes away from the satisfaction many Bluegreen timeshare owners feel about their vacation ownership properties. Bluegreen has been a respected brand in the timeshare industry for many years, with thousands of timeshare buyers and renters enjoying quality vacations at Bluegreen resorts.
Read more Bluegreen timeshare news from The Timeshare Authority:
Topics: Bluegreen Timeshare, Florida Timeshare, Timeshare Resales
Earlier this week, Pennsylvania Attorney General Tom Corbett filed lawsuits against Bluegreen Resorts, Bluegreen Corporation, Bluegreen Vacations Unlimited Inc. and Great Vacations Destinations Inc., charging the use of marketing practices that are illegal in the state of Pennsylvania. All four companies are Florida timeshare and vacation companies.
The charges specifically accuse Bluegreen timeshare of marketing vacation packages with aggressive and deceptive timeshare sales presentations and offering airline tickets and other prizes, which the AG’s Office describes as “worthless”. The charges include advertising, real estate, and telemarketing violations.
According to the statement to the press released by Corbett’s office, prospective timeshare buyers were identified in malls, by phone, and at festivals and fairs. Bluegreen timeshare also operates full-time sales facilities in Hershey and King of Prussia, Pennsylvania.
“Virtually any consumer with a checkbook and a pulse allegedly qualified as a ‘winner’ in these promotions,” according to the Attorney General. “Unsuspecting consumers who believed they were contest winners were actually drawn into a high pressure bait-and-switch campaign designed to push timeshare vacation packages costing thousands of dollars.”
The routine used was one that is all too familiar. People signed up in a contest to win a prize, such as a car, a vacation, or cash. They were then contacted with the news that they had not won the grand prize but had won a secondary prize, such as free airline tickets. Even people who did not sign up for the contest were sometimes told they were eligible for a prize.
‘Prize winners’ were told they would receive a free meal and free gas when they collected their prize if they attended a 90-minute timeshare sales presentation. Consumers who did attend the timeshare sales presentation found that the 90 minutes often stretched into as much as 5.5 hours. They also found that claiming the prizes they did win was fraught with caveats – receiving the promised airline tickets called for you first to pay for as many as ten nights in a pricey hotel in a limited number of cities. Free gas translated to coupons tied up with many restrictions; and in general, what was touted as free turned out to be ‘free’ but heavily wrapped in red tape.
Other charges involve Bluegreen timeshare’s alleged failure to properly inform consumers of their right to cancel their purchase as well as numerous violations of Pennsylvania’s Do Not Call List. Over 5700 Pennsylvania residents have purchased Bluegreen timeshare at prices that averaged between $20,000 and $40,000. Pennsylvania residents who have had problems with Bluegreen timeshare or any other timeshare company are urged to contact the Attorney General’s Consumer Protection Hotline at 1-800-441-2555 or online at www.attorneygeneral.gov
One last and very important thought about Bluegreen timeshares. These allegations all relate to the actions and practices of timeshare sales. There is not one mention that Bluegreen timeshare is anything less than a great vacation resort, nor do any of the charges relate in any way to problems or dissatisfaction with being an owner of Bluegreen timeshare. You always have an excellent way to bypass the ups and downs of new timeshare sales, by purchasing Bluegreen timeshare on the timeshare resale market where you skip the high pressure sales tactics and deal directly with the current timeshare owner.
Topics: Bluegreen Timeshare, Timeshare Resales, Timeshare Scam
Jason Tremblay's The Timeshare Authority is a wealth of tips and information on timeshares, fractionals, condotels, vacation ownership and travel.
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