SPI Timeshare Software Blog

Managing maturing resorts – ideas from ARDA New England Meeting

2010-08-31T10:08:13Z

By Gordon McClendon

SPI Software recently sent me to attend the ARDA New England meeting held in Providence, RI. This was a terrific day of listening to speakers, learning about new ways to help your resort stay competitive and your owners satisfied. One especially inspiring session sought to pool the minds of more than 130 industry professionals to brainstorm ideas to address issues affecting older resorts. The ARDA staff later collated and organized those ideas, as follows:

Managing unused inventory and developing new revenue streams

•Offering vacation packages at discounted rates through social media to sell out rooms.

•Support and create active rental of unused and defaulted inventory and recognize operating like a hotel; provide inventory to existing owners.

•Work with local hotels; Twitter feed excess inventory; Groupon

Innovative sales and marketing techniques

•Family and Friend give-away programs—upgrade later.

•Sell to club that needs to balance its inventory.

•Get inventory into rental program for in-house sales.

•Sales team on site—small or large. Need consumer financing. Points-based vacation club,

•Second generation owners off-season inventory discounts.

•Aggressive owner contact strategy: reach out to owners proactively—push/invite owners to use off-season which frees up better inventory in price = new revenue.

•Push rentals. If you have large or small resorts sitting on inventory, get that inventory out to third parties to try and get people staying at the resorts. Once there, the resort can pitch their product and up sell (try it before buying).

•Consolidate product where possible. Second generation no cost transfers with upgraded flexibility added. Internet/Facebook.

•Transfer to younger generation with points product layered on (a $4,000 value). Free transfer. Free stay at resort for next generation to promote interest. Relationship marketing—sports venues, theaters, restaurants, etc.

New fund resources for capital improvements

•Focus on little things—communication. Quantity buys. Leasing. Special access. Vendor terms. Pictures on social network.

•Fee for services—Review existing rules and regulations for revenue-generating opportunities from owners, guest and renters.

•Conventional funding. Bank/lender from industry.

•Conduct long-term reserve studies to accurately project future reserve and replacement needs.

•Lease out HOA space to vendors.

•Engage resort members who may contribute skills, services, or materials in return for accommodations, exchange credits, or maintenance fee credits.

•Effectively communicate long-term capital needs and plans to resort membership to ensure maximum understanding, buy-in, and to seek suggestions and contributions.

•Take advantage of resort infrastructure; host community events on-site to produce revenues, community relations, and resort exposure. For example, farmers’ markets, artist and children’s fairs.

•Determine if the association has land, buildings, or other assets which may be de-annexed and sold.

•Lease HOA assets: amenities to individuals or organizations; labor or infrastructure which may be leased to other organizations; other assets that are not utilized 100%.

Delinquency issues

•Payment plan offered after owner becomes delinquent. Must become current in full before next year’s assessment.

•Foreclosure, series of letters, payment arrangements, deed in lieu, more contact, payment plan.

•Develop early strategy for handling. Understand why owners are going delinquent and implementing strategy consistently with combination of penalties like lock-out of use and incentives like waiver of late fees. Develop payment plans.

•No collections on maintenance fees unless finance is paid off. Celebrate pay off of finance and then finance the HOA fee.

· Amnesty Program: geared at longer term delinquent (2-4 years), forgive a portion and fees (or all), may payment arrangements.

•Offer payment plans/coupons on the bills for maintenance fees. Explain where the money is being spent in communications with those bills. In collection letter and calls, be more vacation family friendly to open the doors

•Prepayment plan, re-engage customer.

•Engage the customer on an emotional level—empathize with them (they really are having trouble); help them pay it and still enjoy their week; if all else fails, foreclose

Board member education and communication tools

•Keep board members focused on primary responsibility—fiduciary—by having them keep that in the forefront.

•Keep focused on budget and quality services.

•Social media, email links to educational resources, recruit good candidates for board, monthly packets, financial committee of owners to approve budgets, teleconference.

•One must assure management regularly communicate resort issues to the pleasure of the board or they should be dismissed. Board members can only learn about industry issues through management or participating in industry programs such as ARDA-ROC.

•Use social media (Facebook) to communicate. Website owner portal to communicate. Roberts Rules of Order given to each member and then links to website to better understand. Teleconference meetings.

•ARDA’s six hour webinar on how to be a board member, cliff notes on condo docs, AR reports, healthy reserves, etc.

•Share information—invite to management meet, website (secure), operators report, regional meeting.

Liability concerns

•Lack of availability for resorts to insurance; lack of understanding by carriers; ARDA developing relationships with major carriers.

•Addressing privacy compliance according to PIPEDA.

•Management by walking around; personnel/employment practices; certificates of liability; listening; emergency preparedness.

•Open to comments; reviewing disaster response.

•ADA compliance as the owner base ages.

•Vendor liability insurance; workers compensation.

•Awareness—vigilance; document; digital camera; amenity waivers—signage; swimming pools; insurance audits—review coverage

For more ideas, timeshare software updates and industry news, pelase check back with us here, at SPI Timeshare Software's blog.

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Getting friendly with TripAdvisor

2010-08-04T09:08:34Z

Think back 10 years. Do you remember using the Internet for travel? Most of us got our travel information from a trusted travel agent or tour books. The idea of searching for information on the Internet was somewhat taboo. The pictures seemed generic, if available at all, and who knew what to trust. Not anymore. We have come a long way, baby!

Today, the Internet is packed full of great pictures, detailed information and travel reviews. TripAdvisor is one of the largest sites out there with “over 35 million trusted travel reviews and opinions.” Ten years ago when Steve Kaufer launched TripAdvisor, he wanted to provide insight from the masses rather than from one resource. The wisdom of the crowd provides both negative and positive feedback. This allows the reader to make an educated decision based on unbiased information. Although there may be some not-so-trustworthy reviews out there, the weight of the crowd should be able to drown those out.

The number of opinions from people on TripAdvisor is growing exponentially and has the potential to actually become too large. According to Mr. Kaufer, in five years people will not be prepared to wade through 150 reviews at a time and will, instead, rely on the recommendations of their friends.

When you think of connecting with your friends for their recommendations, where do you go first? Facebook, of course! That is exactly what TripAdvisor thought, too. Partnering with Facebook is a natural progression for TripAdvisor. They have launched their latest feature, “TripAdvisor Trip Friends,” allowing readers to get advice from their most trusted resource, their friends.

How does it work? Log into TripAdvisor using the Facebook Connect feature and then enter a destination. On the side of the screen a box will be available indicating which of your Facebook friends have been to that destination. They can make recommendations if you choose to ask them or you can post a request to your wall. But in order for your friends to indicate they have been to any destination, they need to load this information on their TripAdvisor profile. Simply log in to TripAdvisor using Facebook and follow the instructions.

As a resort, think about the power of Facebook and your client’s ability to influence their friends. Why not ask your owners to recommend you the next time they log in to TripAdvisor Friends? Better yet, use your resort’s owners’ Web page to provide a selection of photographs your owners and guests can download and share for free. Encourage your owners to create a photo album on their own Facebook page dedicated to their timeshare vacation. Give them the ability to share their enjoyment of their vacation ownership with the masses!

For more ideas, timeshare software updates and industry news, please check back with us here, at SPI Timeshare Software’s blog

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Google "travel"

2010-07-29T11:07:56Z

Over the last couple of months Google has hired the creative team behind the online travel guide, Ruba, plus they just acquired ITA Software, Inc., a travel search firm. According to Bloomberg News, PhoCusWright analyst Joe Buhler says Google has some interesting ways to utilize the data they have collected over the years in travel searches. Hmmm? What does it all mean? Read Google "travel" and let us know what you think.

For more ideas, timeshare software updates and industry news please check back with us here, at SPI Timeshare Software’s blog.

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School's out for summer!

2010-07-14T11:07:44Z

School is out, the days of the “staycation” are over and people are traveling! According to a recent study by U.S. Travel, the outlook for domestic travel within the U.S. is looking better than last year. Occupancies are expected to grow while rates decline slightly. After what has been a couple of years of cost-cutting, most families are ready to get away and enjoy themselves. With forward-looking data indicating sustained increases in GDS average daily rate (ADR) and length of stay (LOS), Pegasus Solutions reports show a remarkable +39.6% increase in net revenue on a date-of-booking basis for the GDS channel, according to Mike Kistner, chief executive officer of Pegasus Solutions.

“Leisure travel demand is alive and well. Consumers will be traveling this summer, though they are shortening their stays and expanding searches for the best value,” added Kistner. “With the return of traveler confidence comes the opportunity to increase your revenue. Merchandise the guest experience, offer a guest-focused service model and create demand for your unique product.”

What are resorts and destinations doing to capture the interest of family travel? We have researched a few interesting concepts out there that cater to the guest experience and hope you find them inspiring.

Vail Resorts is offering an Epic Summer promotion this season. “In these challenging times, we’re seeing a return to the basics of a classic family vacation with ‘luxury’ now defined as companies providing a good value and people spending quality time with friends and loved ones. Our ‘Epic Summer’ vacation will have the best that Colorado’s Rocky Mountains have to offer with everything included at one very attractive price,” said Rob Katz, chief executive officer of Vail Resorts. A sample itinerary is the Seven-Day Epic Summer Itinerary. Families will experience the wonder of standing at the top of the Continental Divide in a trip to world-renowned Rocky Mountain National Park; the thrill of whitewater rafting down a scenic Colorado river; the serenity of horseback riding through groves of aspens, pines and fields dotted by wildflowers on Beaver Creek Mountain; the awe of a gondola ride to the summits of Vail and Keystone mountains, followed by family-friendly naturalist hikes and mountaintop picnics and the reward of a Wild West cowboy campfire dinner, complete with wagon rides and storytelling.

In Hawaii, the Four Season’s Hualalai offers teens the Hale Kula, a game and activity centre geared primarily toward teens but which can be enjoyed by the entire family. It has a state-of-the-art entertainment center complete with a 54-inch television with surround sound, six video game stations, and a grassy area for organized outdoor games. Also, they offer a family dinner and a s’mores bonfire on the beach, canoe paddling, and tuck-in-story time, to name a few events.

In Redmond, Oregon the hills are alive with the sound of music! The Booher Family Music Camp provides instruction to vacationers by music experts from around the country, giving budding musicians approximately 27 hours of instruction over a week-long period in the instrument of their choice: fiddle, guitar, piano or bass. The folksy, all-levels camp also entertains, offering hayrides through the nearby elk ranch and evening performances by the teachers. Branson, Missouri comes to mind for such a great musical vacation! Would anyone in Branson like to give this a try?

There are so many unique opportunities for resorts and destinations to set themselves apart from the competition. What can you do to add value and provide a one-of-a-kind vacation experience? We would love to hear your ideas. Please share them here and on our Facebook Fan page

For more ideas, timeshare software updates and industry news please check back with us here, at SPI Timeshare Software’s blog.

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resources

http://www.hotelmarketing.com/index.php/content/article/double-digit_growth_in_booking_volumes_both_for_gds_and_ids/

Vacation for health

2010-07-12T12:07:50Z

Over the last several months SPI Timeshare Software has read a number of articles indicating the health benefits associated with travel and can see how these findings can influence one's decision to purchase timeshare. According to a study done in the Netherlands, vacationing has a profound effect on a person's overall and continuing happiness. For more on this subject please read Vacation for health and find out why planning a vacation is better than an apple a day!

For more ideas, timeshare software updates and industry news pelase check back with us here, at SPI Timeshare Software's blog.

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What's your story?

2010-06-29T11:06:08Z

When your resort was developed, what was the story behind it? I sat in on a presentation at the spring ARDA Convention moderated by Richard Hulbert of The Hulbert Group International. The architectural firm, Hulbert Group, has developed resorts for timeshare, among the many other projects they have designed. What peaked my interest were not just their beautiful design plans and resorts but rather the creative insight they provided to build an entire destination concept. How? They create a story. This story permeates throughout the organization so that everyone knows, shares and lives it. The resort now has a history that peaks the interest of its owners and their friends and family. It is a living, breathing feature to sell.

So, what is your story? What is the history of your property? Was it built on a historic battleground site? Did pirates anchor in the bay? Or perhaps it was the original stable for a royal figure. The story doesn't have to be factual. It can be whatever you desire it to be. Just be sure the story supports your design and location, and, most of all, is interesting.

Whatever the story, is your team sharing it? From the first point of contact to your telemarketer’s call and to the arrival of your new timeshare owner, that story needs to be a focus. How do you ensure your entire team is on board?

The tools you have in place will help direct the conversation. Does your marketing campaign capture your story and spark the interest of your prospect? Do you have a script in your timeshare software to which your telemarketers may reference? Does that software also allow for recordings of the call to improve call quality and conversions? If so, are you monitoring it?

When the tour arrives, are your sales people using the story as their introduction to the property? Are they pointing out certain features of the resort that support the story? If your resort’s history is pirate-related, maybe every Thursday night there is a pirate party for children. They can search for lost treasure on the beach. Is there an element of your story in the sales process?

So, think about it. Do you have a story? Is it being portrayed consistently? Do you have the tools and procedures in place to share it?

Having a story creates a fun atmosphere not only for your owners and tours, but also for your staff. If you have the proper systems in place, your story can be the next great tale to be told.

For more ideas, timeshare software updates and industry news please check back with us here, at SPI Timeshare Software’s blog.

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Reviewing Reviews

2010-06-28T12:06:01Z

In today’s “social world” there are lots of opportunities to monitor what is being said about your company and its products. Love it or hate it, people are talking. In this post, Reviewing Reviews, SPI Timeshare Software shares some ideas to help you monitor the social media "chatter" and engage.

For more ideas, timeshare software updates and industry news please check back with us here, at SPI Timeshare Software’s blog.

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What are ARDA’s Trustee members up to, now?

2010-06-21T11:06:32Z

This year’s Trustee Retreat was held in downtown Chicago in mid-June and was surprisingly well attended by industry leaders. Most of us in the timeshare industry are aware of the American Resort Development Association (ARDA)’s top tier corporate membership level: that of Trustee. I was honored to be ARDA Trustee corporate member SPI Software’s guest at the event and was escorted by Vice President of Client Services Gordon McClendon, who is an ARDA Chairman’s League member.

Companies must qualify to become a Trustee by being able to demonstrate a willingness to abide by the ARDA Code of Ethics and satisfying various other criteria. ARDA President and CEO Howard Nusbaum and his team call on Trustee members frequently for advice and to help represent the industry before influential parties. Plus, they write a big check each year that helps support ARDA’s ongoing activities. In fact, they are such a significant reason for our trade association’s health and ongoing strength, that they are feted by ARDA each summer.

The opening event of the Retreat at the Park Hyatt Chicago was a reception and excellent formal dinner, followed by entertainment by the improvisational group, Second City Comedy Troupe.

The next day, we were privileged to hear Lawrence O'Donnell, political pundit, contributing commentator on MSNBC's "Morning Joe" and former executive producer of NBC's "West Wing." O’Donnell’s eye-opening talk gave listeners a true inside view of the cable television sector of the media and U.S. politics. If you think the two operate on different planets, O’Donnell would definitely convince you that you were right!

The second speaker of the morning was Sree Sreenivasan, a digital media professor and dean of student affairs at the Columbia Journalism School; and contributing editor of DNAinfo.com, who had addressed the Providence, RI, ARDA New England meeting earlier in June.

Sreenivasan called us to remember what the prevalent attitude was toward the use of email in the office in 1996. Throughout his remarks about the current status of social media, Sreenivasan compares our thinking about it today to what we thought of email at that time. I remember one corporate executive at the time who proposed to only let certain people in his office use email at all and they would be obliged to take turns using one centrally located computer. Now how antiquated that way of thinking appears!

So when business owners and marketing professionals ask, “Why do I need social media?” I just smile. Someday soon, we will all laugh at such a question. Networking platforms like Facebook will be the preferred communication devices of the decade, if not the century.

The session was over far too quickly, as the discussion had very obviously generated a lot of interest among the listeners. During an interactive session, Nusbaum and Sreenivasan had attendees work in groups to ponder the question of how our industry can utilize social media to improve the reputation of timeshare and raise awareness among consumers about the benefits of vacation ownership.

Unquestionably, the day’s sessions were a huge success. Attendees departed with a heightened understanding of how decisions are made in the White House and Congress, on the one hand. But of more immediate application, they learned important lessons about the vital role that social media is playing in all of our lives.

For more ideas, timeshare software updates and industry news please check back with us here, at SPI Timeshare Software’s blog.

written for SPI Timeshare Software by:

Sharon Drechsler, RRP

Owner, Drechsler Communications (B2B Timeshare Industry PR Company)

Contributing Editor, Resort Trades

Travel Writer, Examiner.com

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ARDA New England meeting provided fresh ideas

2010-06-15T10:06:51Z

Social Media…ahem…(or, haven’t we heard enough about that, already?)

1912—radio introduced
1950—color television hits the market
1993—email becomes a form of communication
1999—Google makes its entry
2005—Someone comes up with the words “Social Media”

The reason you’re hearing so much about Social Media lately is because it truly is an enormous phenomenon. That’s why the ARDA-New England meeting organizers hired keynote speaker Sree Sreenivasan, digital media professor and Dean of Student Affairs, Columbia Journalism School, and contributing editor of DNAinfo.com as the first speaker to address approximately 120 attendees at the Providence, RI, conference in early June.

Social Media is going to be bigger than the radio, more powerful than television and more common than using email. (I’m not making this up.) Sreenivasan tells us Facebook will be bigger than Google and recommends that all businesses – large or small – jump into the mix. (You can learn to swim as you go. At this early juncture, everyone’s paddling hard to keep up with this rapidly evolving technology.)

You can find internal resources or outsource it, but you are advised to resist the temptation to pile social media duties onto one of your employee’s workload as a mere afterthought. This is getting to be a pretty important function and you’ll want to develop a well-organized strategy to address it.

Resorts working smarter to make ends meet

We could all spend hours commiserating on the sad effects of the U.S.’s recent economic disaster on our homeowner associations. But developers, management companies and suppliers at the Providence meeting revealed there’s plenty of innovative thinking going on.

One manager shared some of the actions her resort operation has undertaken recently to help bolster drooping annual maintenance fee income. One of these was to have Vacation Specialists call owners/members to help them plan vacations. They particularly select customers whose maintenance fees are in arrears and encourage them to come to one of their properties During the call, they never even mention the past-due amount. The first goal is to rekindle their initial motive for buying – to have a great vacation. Once they’re excited about ‘going on vacation,’ the resort can structure a customized payment plan that works.

Without exception, developers mentioned offering shorter term options for purchase, even leases, and looking to provide consumers with greater flexibility, rather than pressing for the typical longer-term real estate interest-based ownership model. True to type, timeshare operators are creative when it comes to new and ever more interesting business models.

ARDA initiatives described

Howard Nusbaum, president and CEO of ARDA, gave his typically insightful synopsis of the association’s activities during the ARDA New England meeting, including information about its assistance in the non-judicial foreclosure issue. ARDA is focused first-and-foremost upon acting as our industry’s liaison with legislators and regulators, of course. But another vital issue for ARDA is to help developers in sales gain access to the capital market. You are encouraged to visit www.ARDA.org to review ARDA’s whitepaper addressed to prospective lenders and investors reviewing the opportunities in the timeshare industry. Others among ARDA’s top five issues are finding an answer to the resale problem, helping build awareness about social media and helping timeshare entities to develop new business models.

By Sharon Drechsler, RRP for SPI Timeshare Software

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Know Thy Neighbor

2010-06-14T09:06:35Z

Many resorts have opportunities to work closely with area attractions, restaurants, venues and other points of interest. Coming together within your neighborhood and harnessing the opportunities to cross promote each other helps you get your message further and for less. SPI Timeshare Software found some ideas for you to consider. Please read Know Thy Neighbor and add your thoughts.

For more ideas, timeshare software updates and industry news please check back with us here, at SPI Timeshare Software’s blog.

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Social media begs for technology

2010-06-09T02:06:30Z

You’ve heard of CRM – Customer Relationship Management. Now, meet SRM – Social Relationship Management. We’re talking about building relationships with your client base that will drive revenue. Certainly, those of us in the resort world and timeshare software industry, such as SPI, are grappling with our organizational and technology systems to add SRM into our marketing mix. In this blog post Social media begs for technology we review the 'defining set of principles' on what SRM should do as recommended by Judy Shapiro, chief brand strategist at CloudLinux who has held senior marketing positions at Paltalk, Comodo, Computer Associates, Lucent Technologies, AT&T and Bell Labs.

written for SPI Timeshare Software by:

Sharon Drechsler

Owner, Drechsler Communications (B2B Timeshare Industry PR Company)

Contributing Editor, Resort Trades

Travel Writer, Examiner.com

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“The Only Oil On The Beach Is Suntan Oil,” says Resort Collection of Panama City Beach

2010-06-03T04:06:43Z

There is no escaping the news surrounding the BP Oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico. The effects of this news have already hit the shores of many Gulf Coast vacation destinations. Tourists that would be flocking to these beautiful beaches are running away. “Reservations in the Florida Panhandle are down about 30 percent -- and in some cases 50 percent -- compared with this time last year”, said Carol Dover, president and CEO of the Florida Restaurant and Lodging Association (FRLA).

Many resorts are receiving cancellations and/or no reservations at all. However, the general public is only hearing the negative. They don’t know that these amazing beaches are just as beautiful and safe right now as they were two months ago. To help get the message out, President Obama chimed in. "Americans can help by continuing to visit the communities and beaches of the Gulf Coast," he said during a news conference held Thursday, May 27, 2010.

Some resorts are avoiding discussing the oil spill for fear of fueling the “pr wave.” However, we all know how quickly news spreads, accurate or not. It makes sense to be pro-active and get in front of the conversation so that the most accurate information is being publicized. For instance, The Resort Collection of Panama City Beach’s Facebook page features an ad with the slogan "The only oil on our beach is suntan oil!"

Spectrum Resorts of Alabama is sponsoring a wonderful t-Shirt campaign. Each guest will receive a t-shirt imprinted with the slogan "Support Alabama's Gulf Coast, Summer 2010." These t-shirts will also be available for purchase. The proceeds will go to support Bon Secour National Wildlife Refuge in Gulf Shores, Ala.

Another thing that many resorts are doing is a "100-percent vacation guarantee" and a "no-deposit-required" policy for guests, to proactively encourage visitors to vacation along the Gulf Coast in spite of the oil spill.

Promote those live beach cams! Most convention and visitor bureaus (CVB’s) and chambers host live streamed video on their web sites. One such chamber is the Walton Area Chamber of Commerce. Follow this link to see live beach coverage anytime. Check with your tourism office to see if you can link to their live cams.

Constantly update your web site! You must keep the news out there. In addition to your web site, use Twitter, Facebook and any other social media tool at your disposal.

Speak with your state tourism officials. There may be some funding available to you for lost tourism revenues and clean up efforts. The state of Louisiana has received $40 million from BP. According to State Budget Officer Ray Stockstill “$25 million from BP has gone into the Oil Spill Contingency Fund and $15 million was allocated by BP for tourism promotion.”

Florida Restaurant and Lodging Association (FRLA) has received $25 million. This grant will be directed toward the state’s official marketing office, VISIT FLORIDA, to implement a multi-media campaign aimed primarily to encourage tourists to book and re-book their hotel and vacation plans in Northwest Florida now through the Labor Day holiday season.

If the worst-case scenario should arise and your beaches and wildlife are in jeopardy, host volunteers in your resort and volunteer yourself. This unfortunate event is not our doing, but we need to “un-do it” as best we can. If your resort is interested in either of these ideas, you can visit the Deepwater Horizon response web site for information.

For more ideas, timeshare software updates and industry news please check back with us here, at SPI Timeshare Software’s blog. While you’re at it, join our Fan page on Facebook. And let us know what you think! Share your comments.

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Better customer relations produces better service

2010-06-02T09:06:56Z

In two previous posts from our customer service blog series I shared some ideas for resorts to consider when managing a resort’s day-to-day contacts with customers. Whether you’re involved in timeshare software as I am at SPI Timeshare Software, or in resort operations, the underlying fundamental requirement for achieving success is maintaining good customer relations. Follow this link to read more about Better customer relations produces better service.

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SPI Software Vice President McClendon Joins Top ARDA Committee

2010-05-28T11:05:30Z

SPI Timeshare Software is proud to announce the Appointment of Gordon McClendon, SPI Software Vice President of Client Services to serve on the Federal Issues Committee of the American Resort Development Association (ARDA).

“SPI has been providing timeshare resorts with software for more than 25 years,” says McClendon. “We have been strong supporters of ARDA throughout our history and feel part of our responsibility in giving back to the timeshare community is serving on ARDA committees.”

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Timeshare Owners Want More!

2010-05-26T11:05:29Z

We often hear negative comments about the timeshare industry in the news. Those ‘in the know‘ understand that the majority of timeshare owners are happy, satisfied owners. However, the positive news doesn’t always make the headlines. So, SPI Timeshare Software is delighted to share some good news we came across, lately.

Inside the Gate reported on March 1 5^th the exchange company, Interval International, announced US resident vacation owners are very pleased with their timeshare purchase. The satisfaction statistics indicate 88 percent of owners are satisfied and of those, 33 percent wish to purchase more vacation time! These are very impressive numbers.

Obviously, the concept of timeshare ownership is still strong. Why not? After all, one doesn ’t have to save throughout the year for a great get-away. It is already paid for. The owner also doesn’t have to undertake copious planning, searching the Internet for availability, contacting a travel agent, make reservations or send a deposit. They already know where they are going and have confidence that they will have an enjoyable, uplifting experience. And if they want to mix it up a little, they can request an exchange. It is easy and well worth the investment.

The question now is: how do resort operators recognize who these owners are that want to buy more? Then, do they have friends?

Recognizing who these owners are may not be so difficult. Resorts can use their timeshare software to help them communicate with and collect information from owners at various touch points, including early marketing contact, at the sales table, during the check-in process, throughout their stay and in the welcome call. If you are utilizing an owner Website you can post surveys to owners or you may have a Facebook page where discussions can be posted. Your software can help you massage the data you receive from all these sources and provide you with reporting to help guide your marketing efforts.

Be sure to get the most out of your timeshare software’s marketing function in your referral-marketing program. Make sure you capture pertinent data and can obtain reliable and useful reports when you do a “tell a friend” promotion. And, naturally, make sure your system is able to properly follow through with rewards for owners who earn discounts on maintenance fees or other special offers. Again, if you are utilizing social media, create fun referral promotions there.

Those of use involved in the timeshare resort industry know and understand its value. Our owners/members understand it, too. Now, it’s up to us to use the tools at hand to help spread the good news: Timeshare owners want more!

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