If you have ever been to Las Vegas, then you know that they permeate the Las Vegas resort corridor. No matter if you’re inside a casino, or walking the street, soon-or-later you’re going to be approached by a time-share “Greeter”.
These are the folks whose whole purpose in life is to persuade you to take a “tour” of their “newest Las Vegas luxury resort”.
They usually start with “Would you like to see a free show?” or “Let us buy your dinner at the buffet…”. Or, even “We can get you $ (place dollar amount here) in free slot play!
And, they can, too. Nevada law forbids them from promising a gift that they cannot provide. However, you must remember that these guys are fishing, and you, my friend, are the giant carp that is chasing their bait.
But, my purpose here is not to bash time-share companies. As it happens, I work for one of the world’s largest, and I know for a fact that most, if not all, timeshare owners are very happy with their properties. Nor, am I suggesting that you stay away from these presentations at all costs. You can actually spend a nice afternoon taking the “tour” (read: sales presentation) and receive some nice gifts in exchange.
What I am saying is, if you want take the tour anyway, get the most for your time by following these tips:
- Never take the 1st offer. The Greeters have a plethora of gifts to offer you, but are trained to offer only as much as it takes to get you to take the tour. Showing reluctant interest will get them to offer more & more, until they reach the bottom of their sack. Use the “the folks down the street offered a lot more than you” ruse. With all the timeshare companies that are doing business in Las Vegas, that one’s easy for them to believe.
- Arrange a tour time that is most convenient for you, and never let them put you on a tour bus that is about to leave! Haste causes confusion, and you must keep your wits about you.
- Understand that the time required is always more than the Greeters claim. If they say the tour is 2 hours, that’s the actual time that you will spend in the presentation and does not include the time required for travel, rest room or cigarette breaks, or any other time that is spent on anything but the presentation. Plan accordingly…
- Do not discuss your gifts with others on the bus, or at the tour, until you are on your way back to your hotel. Then, you can brag all you want, but these guys take a dim view of people that let other prospects know that they were hooked “on the cheap”.
- And, don’t worry if they ask for a cash deposit. This is just a means to help insure that you will show up at the appointed time. There is considerable expense involved in getting people to take these tours, not to mention the fact that the OPC’s (field reps) are paid by the number of tours they book, so, they want to be assured that you will show up. Any cash deposit you leave will be returned, normally when you first arrive at the resort for your tour.
Las Vegas timeshare tours can be fun, and profitable, but remember, like most things in Sin City: Don’t believe anything you hear and only about half of what you see…
