I have this morning stumbled across the most peculiar article published by RCI Ventures (full report below).
They have interviewed Alexey Subbotin (The CEO of Alliance Family Club which is part of All Seasons Explorer Group) about how they “look after” their Russian and CIS Consumers.
Now it isn’t the title that I find peculiar, it’s the Q&A.
The answers provided by Subbotin are what you would expect to hear from any timeshare share company. They shouldn’t be rare or unexpected. He explains that the relationship you form with the customer is crucial, surely this is a given?
RCI are trying to show that getting it right and being honest is crucial when dealing with Russian/CIS customers, shouldn’t that be the case for any Consumer?
What is good to see is that Alliance Family Club seems to be providing a fantastic service to their ex-USSR clients.
“RCI Ventures talks to ALEXEY SUBBOTIN, CEO of Alliance Family Club, part of All Seasons Explorer Group. The company is a leading marketer of club-style timeshare products to buyers in Russia and the CIS countries. Q: How do you market and sell to the Russian/CIS customer?
A: Trust is always a big issue when selling to Russians. That is almost an obligation for all folks living in former USSR countries – before going into business you need to get to know each other and to establish a level of trust. This brings fairness and a level of acceptance that is crucial when you reach the stage of discussing prices and conditions. You can have the best brochure, best video, greatest pitch and best-tailored contract but this means nothing if your customer has established no common ground with you.
Q: Are there any other key elements to the sales pitch? A: Another important issue is being true to your word – you must always mean what you say. Your customers expect to be getting exactly what you and they agreed. Be honest and they will be your best customers – always happy to be upgraded to a better product you have got for them.
Q: What styles of marketing do and don’t work? A: Marketing techniques are changing constantly, and what worked even a year ago is not exciting newcomers now. We are continuously working to bring more services and more flexible products to our existing customers and prospective buyers. We plan and implement at least one major feature per year and we get great appreciation from our owners who know that their ownership will add in richness and value every year at no cost to them. This process involves constant rebuilding within our club structure and endless search for what else can be done for people who trusted us with their holidays. We take all customer feedback very seriously and look to find quick solutions to any problems that might arise.
Q: Do you have any future plans for your products and sales offerings? A: That’s a difficult question as we are living in such tough times right now and with constant changes. It’s important to stay on the ball in order to catch on to what will be the next big thing!
You can read more about the hotel and timeshare market in Russia and the CIS countries in the latest (Q3/Q4 2015) edition of RCI Ventures magazine”.
For more information regarding this article or assistance in any other timeshare related issues please contact the TCA on 01908 881058 or email: info@TimeshareConsumerAssociation.org.uk