My Blog: December 2007

Sunday, December 30, 2007

ClubMahindra sold me bonus weeks as if these are equal to Red weeks

ClubMahindra sold me bonus weeks as if these are equal to Red weeks just at the cost of standard exchange fee and these are freely available

See portion marked in red box. Even I negotiated with them to increase the weeks from 5 to 8 and the period from 5 year to 25 years. :) :)

See RCI definition of Bonus Holidays

Also see "F" box from image in another post

Explaining ClubMahindra Membership to a customer

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Thursday, December 27, 2007

Club Mahindra leased Resorts Information

From Mahindra Holidays' draft propestus to SEBI

www.sebi.gov.in/dp/mahindradrp.pdf

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OutlookMoney Slams ClubMahindra before its' IPO

Before Mahindra Holidays' IPO, OutlookMoney publishes this article which put ClubMahindra in negative light.

This article could have been much better if author must have given little more time before writing this article as many facts presented in this article are not correct.

http://www.outlookmoney.com/scripts/IIH021C1.asp?articleid=7020&sectionid=10&categoryid=57&NoCache=12%2F22%2F2007+12%3A38%3A24+PM

Other Article on Timeshare Concept on OutlookMoney:

http://www.outlookmoney.com/scripts/IIH021C1.asp?sectionid=8&categoryid=34&articleid=5030

http://www.outlookmoney.com/scripts/IIH021C1.asp?sectionid=10&categoryid=57&articleid=423&totart=2&seqno=2&page=1

Question to ask before committing your money

A timeshare is not a hotel'

Will Timeshares work for you

Are the free gifts marketers offer really 'free'?

Did you know...

Broken nest egg

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Wednesday, December 26, 2007

General public tariff plan of different resorts leased by ClubMahindra

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There are 51 consumer suits against Club Mahindra

In a country where people does not want to got to court or even consumer court, Club Mahindra have 51 consumer suits against it.

It is surely indication of consumer' plight, after spending Lakhs of rupee on the membership.

From Mahindra Holiday' Draft IPO prospectus. (Dated December 14, 2007)

www.sebi.gov.in/dp/mahindradrp.pdf

_________________
New IPO prospectus (Dated June 12, 2009) is available at BSE site @
http://bseindia.com/downloads/IPO/2009619131241RHP_MHRIL.zip
According to it they have 105 consumer cases.
_________________

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Dileep Sonthalia v. Anand Mahindra and others

From

http://www.telegraphindia.com/1050617/asp/jharkhand/story_4871064.asp

Local businessman Dileep Sonthalia has filed a complaint case against officials of Club Mahindra and Resort India for not honouring their commitment. Sonthalia had become a member of the club after paying a hefty amount and was assured accommodation at resorts all over the country. But despite booking rooms in advance at the Binsar and Corbett Resorts, he was denied accommodation there and was forced to vacate his room in Binsar within two days, though he had booked the rooms for three days. He had got in touch with officials of Club Mahindra in both Calcutta and Chennai, but none of the offices showed any interest in his plight. Responding to the complaint, the court of chief judicial magistrate, Vijay Shankar, ordered summons to be issued against the top brass of the company, including the MD, Anand Mahindra.

From Mahindra Holidays' draft propestus to SEBI

www.sebi.gov.in/dp/mahindradrp.pdf

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Tuesday, December 25, 2007

Explaining ClubMahindra Membership to a customer

Here I am uploading copy of worksheet written by the ClubMahindra staff to explain me the membership (Septermer 2004) .

A - Explaining price, EMI options and down payment discount. B - Explaining ClubMahindra referral bonus scheme.
[4000/- for first referral, 8000/- for second referral, total 12000/- for two referral]

C - Explaining yearly holiday entitlement.

D - Explaining promotional offer.
(Samsung Camcorder for Red membership and vouchers for White membership)

E - RCI enrollment fee for 5 years included in the membership fee.
(Currently only 3 year RCI membership)

F - Explaining another promotional offer, One Welcome week through RCI + 5 Bonus week for Red membership and 2 bonus week for White membership valid fro 25 years. He gave me two impression about these bonus holidays..
0- This is promotional offer
0- I will get these bonus weeks in my season. (Red) so equivalent to regular vacation holidays ..

This was CM marketing staff ' surprise. As latter I came to know any RCI member can avail unlimited number for bonus week. And bonus weeks are only available in low season.

RCI Bonus week truth..
Not all RCI resorts are of same quality.
Resorts charge Utility fee for bonus holidays. Resorts decide this fee.
Bonus weeks are only available in low season. (Like July/August in Goa)
Bonus weeks can not be split. (Though in India RCI some time provide partial weeks)

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Holiday Conversion Chart for ClubMahindra

This conversion chart is useful while you are availing holiday in a season other then the your own season.

For example if you are a Red-Studio member and want to avail holiday in white season you can avail either 7 days in One Bed accommodation or 10 days in Studio accommodation. (Rounded to nearest days, though you will not loose or gain in this rounding)

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Tuesday, December 11, 2007

Club Mahindra sales staff promises Moon to customer

.
.
.
.
Click this link to listen ClubMahindra Rep (Ashish, Jaynagar Branch, Bangalore) promising moon to a customer.

Another instance :-

Latter to ClubMahindra MD Ramesh Ramanathan
______________________________________________

from Bhupesh Gupta <.....@gmail.com>
to Ramesh<.....@clubmahindra.com>,
date Oct 16, 2007 4:00 PM
subject CM Bangalore branch promise to give holiday booking in 15-20 days in advance ...
mailed-by gmail.com

I am an existing Club Mahindra Member. I got a marketing call from Infantry Road (Bangalore Branch) for Club Mahindra membership (Riyaz, Pavan Kumar - Phone No.- 093435xxxxx/93435xxxxx/). Just for curiosity I continued talking as if I am interested in enrolling 25 year membership.

They are willing to promise me on companies behalf on the company letterhead that I will get accommodation in my desired resort if I request it 15- 20 days in advance. Like If I enroll and book holiday around 20th Nov I will have no problem getting booking in Munnar or Goa for 15,16 and 17 Dec.

How is it possible? just few days back I called for booking in those days . .. I was told that resorts are full. Second why such false promise .. is there any control over marketing executives?

I am sure if I do squeeze little more they will not hesitate making more false promises.

---------------------------------
Bhupesh Gupta

----------------
Ramesh <.....@clubmahindra.com>
to Bhupesh Gupta ,
cc "Ajay.Nambiar" <.....@clubmahindra.com>,
Gayathri Umashankar <.....@clubmahindra.com>,
"RadhaKrishna.R" <.....@clubmahindra.com>,
"Pavan.Reddy" <.....@clubmahindra.com>,
date Oct 16, 2007 4:20 PM
subject RE: CM Bangalore branch promise to give holiday booking in 15-20 days in advance ...

Dear Mr.Gupta

I am in receipt of your mail. Thank you.

Firstly, all our reservations are subject to availability and hence no
one in the company can and should promise guaranteed room availability.
Many thanks for brining this to my notice. By a copy of this mail, I am
requesting my colleague and Head of the Bangalore region, Mr.Pavan Reddy
to investigate this matter and revert to you.I shall also make sure
that the sales people concerned do not make any false claims.

While the rooms are subject to availability, I am happy to inform you
that our resorts accommodate requests of most members and run on high
occupancy levels.

Thank you for taking the time and trouble to write in.

Best regards

Ramesh Ramanathan

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Wednesday, December 5, 2007

My communication with AIRDA

You may want to know about AIRDA first : My Article -

AIRDA- All India Resort Development Association

After learning about this association, I thought of using this opportunity to raise my concerns

_________________________________________________________

from Bhupesh Gupta
to airda@vsnl.net,
date Nov 28, 2007 4:46 PM
subject Timeshare enquiry

Hi,

I am a timeshare member with Club Mahindra. My inquiry is general in
nature not linked to one particular TImeshare company.

1) As a member how do I can track and ensure if company has enough
room capacity matching their increasing member base? Is there any
quarterly disclosure these company publish to you or to DOT or
through some other medium.

2) As a member how do I know they are following fair practices in
making reservation for customer. Do they go though any audit from any
external consulting firm or from any other agencies?

3) Indian timeshare companies accommodate members for minimum 2 nights
(compared to 3-4 days or full week in other countries), this must
create inefficient utilization of resort. Does Indian timeshare
company keep room capacity according to weeks of vacation sold or do
factor in such efficiencies. Is there any recommended factor value
from AIRDA.

Thanks
Bhupesh Gupta

_________________________________________________________

From AIRDA
To Bhupesh Gupta
Date Jan 7, 2008 1:19 PM
Subject RE: TImeshare enquiry
mailed-by vsnl.net

Dear Mr. Gupta,

Warm Greetings and Happy New Year to you too!

Following are the responses to your queries:

--------------------------------------------------------
AIRDA does not want this communication to be published at web pages.
--------------------------------------------------------

Best Regards,

Ravi Kumar

----------------------

____________________________________________________

Disclaimer: This is my interpretation of their communication. I may not be successful in truly summarizing them :

They seems to suggest following in this communication

1) They will discuss and formulate a process through which they will know each company's status on inventory availability.

2) There members are committed to association' Code of Ethics. Their member follow best process and practices . Their higher management is sensible to customer satisfaction and do stringent internal audits.

_____________________________________________
Commentary :

On the first point we have to see, if, how soon timeshare member will come to know inventory status. If these number are available to Timeshare members nothing batter then this.

On second point, this is on individual to access how much trust they have in their timeshare company' management to believe these process and practices are fair and followed.

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AIRDA- All India Resort Development Association

As it states on airda.org

... to ensure organized growth of the Vacation Ownership
(Timeshare) industry, a group of leading resort developers along
with RCI got together in 1998 and set up AIRDA - All India
Resort Development Association, a national body that would
work keeping in mind the long-term interests of the consumer
and the Vacation Ownership (Timeshare) industry. This
association has systematized and implemented a code of ethics
that are all-pervading and govern the Vacation Ownership
(Timeshare) industry in the country.

_________________________________________________
AIRDA's Mission

AIRDA's mission is to represent the Vacation Ownership (Timeshare) Industry in India and to further its growth in partnership with its member-developers, consumers and all other stakeholders.

Objectives

* To ensure that all activities of the vacation ownership (timeshare) industry are honest, fair and conducted with total transparency.

* To safeguard the interests of all vacation ownership (timeshare) consumers, existing and prospective, against all misleading vacation ownership (timeshare) selling practices.

* To ensure highest ethical standards in all those engaged in vacation ownership (timeshare) industry and Holiday ownership in India.

* To check the activities of unscrupulous developers/marketers of vacation ownership (timeshare) holidays, to the extent of making legal punitive action against them.

* Redressal of complaints against defaulting vacation ownership (timeshare) sellers/marketers.

Office Address :

Contact Us

864, 1st Floor, 3rd Cross
7th Main, HAL 2nd Stage
Indira Nagar
Bangalore 560008
Fax : 080-41261781
Email: airda@vsnl.net

Helpline Numbers : 080-41255007 / 41255008

Member Resorts

» Clifftop Club Resort
» Hotel Green Castle
» Mahindra Holidays & Resorts
» RCI
» Orange County Resorts & Hotels Ltd.
» Treasure Island Resorts
» Vista Do Rio Holidays
» Golden Stables
» Concept Hospitality Limited
» Orphic Resorts Ltd.
» Resort Country Club
» The Ffort Holiday Klub
» Vedic Village
» Avalon Resorts
» The Luxury Club
» Averina Beach
» Himalayan Vistas
» Sheridan Resorts Development

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