Changes in Marriott Timeshare and Timeshare Points Calls for Greater Technology and Expanded Customer Service
Saturday, August 21, 2010
Many of the conversations about Marriott timeshare in recent weeks have focused on the company’s launch of a timeshare points based program called Marriott Vacation Club Destinations. In a recent interview with Perspective Magazine, Marriott timeshare executives offered further insights about the new timeshare points program, its impact on the company and its benefits for timeshare owners.
Marriott Vacation Club timeshare recognizes that current and future Marriott timeshare owners will have many questions about the points program, and with this in mind the company will be increasing staffing in order to properly address the concerns and service needs of its more than 400,000 timeshare owner families.
Ed Kinney, vice president of corporate affairs and brand awareness for Marriott Vacation Club, says the company expects the increased level of questions and inquiries to continue for about a year and a half. He also reminds Marriott timeshare owners that although the timeshare points program will be the only form of timeshare the company plans to cell going forward, it is elective for current owners.
Marriott Timeshare Gears Up for the Change
Marriott timeshare, having delayed some technology updates knowing that the conversion to timeshare points was coming, has now made a significant investment in converting the information technology aspects of its business. As Kinney told Editor Matt McDaniel, at Perspective, “Today’s computer technology is able to be somewhat predictive and understand how to best utilize inventory without having to overbuild to accommodate the variations. That’s been one of the biggest things to overcome…”
And Marriott timeshare reminds its timeshare owners that it is not a newcomer to a timeshare points based program having offered only timeshare points in the Marriott Vacation Club’s Asia Pacific region. Through this experience, the company has learned a great deal about its timeshare owner’s desires and usage patterns.
Marriott timeshare sees the transition as a time of educating its owners, a process the company is very committed to do. Kinney says, “So that’s what our owner-services group is going to be doing over the near term: education, education, education.”
Other recent The Timeshare Authority blog posts on the new Marriott timeshare points plan:
- Why Not All Marriott Timeshare Owners are Happy with the New Timeshare Points Plan
- Questions Persist about the New Marriott Timeshare Points Program
- More Details on New Marriott Vacation Club Destinations Timeshare Points
- Timeshare Points at Marriott Vacation Club are Changing – Timeshare Owners Still Have Questions