Tips for the frustrated Coastal Reps

I agree we can all share our experiences, but those of us who need the money now and are marketing the PRODUCT, need to know which vacations are working properly and which ones are NOT. I want to stand behind the package right here and now.

I'd like to know how other Directors who are working the business end of Coastal handle their "disgruntled newbies" who may be finding some problems with their new packages.

I am travelling to Florida next month and have used both my Quest and Access cards to book rooms for half price, so I know they work. Sometimes it's hard to find the right place because the hotel has changed hands and the higher end ones just won't honor them in the summertime.

I also would like to know who's been successful with the rental car card. After comparing some prices, I didn't find any difference. If anyone has any tips, please feel free to share.

Hi Lindy,
I'm in the same boat as you being new at this whole Coastal thing so I also want to know the best vacations in the package. I had mentioned the outdated cassettes and video and Maria said she would mention it to the BOD. Trying to listen to that cassette tape was awful and it did seem like it was at least 10 yrs old. I'm sure with all the successful directors out there they could come up with a much better advertising product.
I really want to be successful at marketing Coastal and I do have a great call centre behind me (WCYS) but I should also know my product for when people are asking.
I joined in at Level 2 and I was wondering if anybody has used the $20 vacations yet? I thought it was weird that you can pick Collingwood, Ontario (app.2 hrs from me) or you can pick Germany (the whole country) I hope when you do get the info they will work with you on getting the city you would like.

So if anybody has used these 6 night vacations I'd love to hear from you and how much in advance you should book them.
Thanks

When it comes to knowing the Coastal Membership it can be a challenge...but it doesn't have to. First, you MUST know what type of traveler you are. I am a last minute traveler and get ALOT of awsome travel deals. If your not an inteletravel member - become one.

As for the technology in the membership, the BOD has decided to keep what's in there and simply add to it. So, you'll find cassette tapes, vhs tapes and dvd. It's hard to think it, but today there are STILL folks who don't have a computer or a dvd player.

The BEST way to keep up with the memberships is to connect to the Official Coastal Vacations training calls done at 9PM EST 4 days a week - WHY? It's kept upto date. You also want to attend the Official Coastal Seminars as it allows you to get all the information from the source. I became jaded with a filtering process I found through a "group" that decided they were no longer going to share info with their members.

You are a Coastal Member and you deserve to know EVERYTHING. I can tell you that there's ALWAYS something changing in travel.

Jay NaPier
Level 3 Director/ Master Trainer
Coastal Vacations

Thanks jnapier.
I did attend the last conference and I do listen to the calls at least 2-3X a week. I don't know anything about inteltravel, if you have a link, please supply one. I am also looking into FTV as a supplement to boost my Coastal business.

I think it's a shame the BOD aren't going to upgrade their package and delete the cassettes and VHS and all the loose materials. Personally I think it looks tacky, especially for the high-end accounts I'm going after. It's hard to know what's worthwhile and what's not.

I am thinking of re-packaging everything for those accounts, by having it shipped directly to me and giving them a nicer looking product they can manage. More leg work, more cost, but better presentation.

I agree!
We are marketing a very high end travel package and as you all know first impressions are everything!
Change the VHS and cassettes to Cd's and DVDs also
leave out the fluff!
The money we save on the condos and cruises alone pay for the package.


Product knowledge is extremely important in any business.
Just to let everyone know
Stephanie has a call every Wed. at 3:00 p.m. explaining the products.

I will make it a point to ask Steph if there is any way to know which vendor honors which cert.

If you can't make it on the calls check into BYOAudio so you can record calls and listen to them later.

I think we should all email the BOD about the (tapes) over and over until they listen!!

Cindy

As I mentioned in another post, I believe that the BOD likes to have 5 vendors for each cert. They rotate through different vendors. You can request an agent if you found one and like working with them and send something back if you are not happy with the vendor they assigned. I believe this was also discussed at the seminar. No one vendor gets to service most of the vacations.

Noreen

I agree with you Cindy although someone already stated here the BOD plans to leave the package the same. I think that will eventually hurt them because others will work with slicker competition. (If any BOD's are reading this, let it be known that we will help incur the cost of an upgrade.) Obviously they must be making most of their profits from new directors, but how do they handle the complaints? I'm sure they get it all the time.

I would think all the BOD's are making six figures, so what's the problem changing the package unless you've already bought a warehouse full of them good until the year 2010?

I have Wednesday 3pm written down for Steph's call.....is it the same coastal phone number we listen to at night? And yes, if you have any way of finding out which certificates are less satisfying, please share.

Thanks Noreen for telling me about returning any certificate I am not happy with. I plan to send my "Personal Vacation" back and see if I can request a "Dream Vacation" instead and go to Myrtle Beach for the weekend like hsimpsonjr. did.

BTW, hsimpsonjr......how was your hotel?
I'd like to know three things:

1)Total cost
2)How long in advance you had to book to get the reservation
3)The name of the hotel or a link to it's website

Thank you in advance.

Yes Lindy,
same number and pin code

Hi Noreen,
Your right they do rotate through different vendors for each cert
I believe what Lindy wants is to know which vendor to request.

So if there are any directors out there that personal knowledge about certain vendors please share!

Thanks, Cindy

Quoting: LindyBTW, hsimpsonjr......how was your hotel?
I'd like to know three things:

1)Total cost
2)How long in advance you had to book to get the reservation
3)The name of the hotel or a link to it's website

Thank you in advance.

I would like to know this as well.

Rhonda

Quoting: wapahmSo if there are any directors out there that personal knowledge about certain vendors please share!

Thanks, Cindy

Yes that is a good idea it would help in presenting and marketing the product and if we get any questions after the sale.

Rhonda

You won't hear from Hsimpson--he went for a week. I'm sure he will tell you all about it when he gets back.

Ive been hearing back and forth about the shipping centers rotating the vendors. Can someone enlighten me. Ive been in coastal 2 years and have never heard this before. If anyone can shed some light on this please do. Im very interested.

Adam

Hi Adam,
The way I understand it is this....
The shipping center has an inventory of available locations from different vendors and to give each vendor the opportunity to fulfill vacation certificates (to make it fair for each to be able to plug their company) they rotate between them

I'm gonna ask Stephanie on the call this week how the vacation certificate work exactly


Join us on the product call with Stephanie,
every Wednesday at 3:00 p.m.
620-294-3000 pin 1103
I glad your looking to improve your product knowledge
Everyone should!

Cindy

Remember ther REAL value in Coastal Vacations Club is not looking at the vacation portfolio and staring at it...

It is tearing it apart and USING it.

I know it bugs people to see the case and how it is presented inside, but ya know? So what? It sits on my shelf until I need to use it and then I use it and put it back.

So remember that, the value is USING, not LOOKING.

Tell your vendors that before you sell one.... then they won't freak out.

Jeff

Hello

Al called back and basically said the same as Jay, that because Coastal ships out to many different countries, not to have the lower functioning VHS and cassette tapes in the package would be detrimental for those who do not own DVD players etc.
He did say they were in the process of upgrading their materials.

Also I heard on today's call, if you still have your intellitravel cards...send them back to the shipping center and they will replace it with the new card.

If you are following all the rules on the back of any cert, there is no way the company can make you attend a time share presentation....mind you, I have had many time share sales people join my coastal team over the yrs, as they usually only make about $500 on their exit (coastal look alike but with less value) packages which they sell for $5,000-$7,000.

hope this helps
maria

Thanks for the updated info Maria. I guess that makes sense about shipping it to different countries and their technology.

I guess all we can do about the timeshares subject is let the shipping centre know if it happens to us or a client -where the vendor says they can only give us certain locations unless we attend a presentation.

What I don't understand is when they say you get your choice of destination from the following list yet when you get the glossy it asks you to list 3 destinations. I can get the fact that you might have to pick a few different dates for the same place but I want to go somewhere within driving distance.

I guess I should just call them and see what they say.

Judy

Hello Judy

is that thru WWT?

giving the 3 choices is not good, altho I have heard that most people end up getting their first choice fullfilled...please reply if I am wrong.

I only ever book my condos online thru the access card

it's easy, I use a CC and never have to go on a presentation (unless I want to)

cheers
maria

Maria,

Just last week I noticed that my condo card was missing from my package. I left several messages with Shipping Center, but no call back Don't know how I missed...There is a separete card for Condo, right??
Can you PM the condo booking engine url if possible?? My Dir traveling somewhere...I would appreciated!
Thanks,

Edit

Hiya

you will need to write to the shipping center and then they will send you a new one.
Do include your ID#

hope this helps
maria

I appreciate the comments, and I understand why the package is not updated for the US; however if they DO upgrade, I hope they take out the those items that cheapen the package (restaurant "coupons", travel "assistance" for stranded motorists and the 200 rolls of free film.) I suppose they could say that most of those other countries still use "film", but I would still like to see the package cleaned up. I'd prefer "less", if it were more valuable....than "more" with less valuable.

As for WWT, I gave my three locations as Charleston, Myrtle Beach and Hilton Head (I live in NC) over the phone, six weeks in advance of my stay. They said Hilton Head was available, so I sent in my $50 check and CC # for damages.

Two weeks later it came back returned saying to try again. So I called again and there were no available NC locations at all on the books, even for months ahead. Even on-line, it asked if I would attend a time share presentation, when I said "no", there was nothing but an blank page. The lady on the phone said only 3 Florida locations were available, and all involved timeshares.

I encouraged my son to go ahead with his reservations to St. Pete I gave him for his birthday, just to check out the hotel/resort, but I am going to send my certificate back to WWT and ask for another vendor.

Please understand that I see these as constuctive criticisms. We newbies need to know what works well and what doesn't