Words.  Words are just words.
 
But words really only work if everyone agrees on what they mean.
 
For example:  If you want to buy a red car, but a dealership delivers you a blue one, you might scratch your head.
 
If the dealership then claims, “That’s what we call red,” well…it’s a bit of a problem for the customer.
 
Another example: Hilton Grand Vacations. It’s clear that Hilton speaks a language all its own if you take a look at the complaints that have been filed against it with the Better Business Bureau.  
 
Words like “exit,” “booking,” and “mortgage” all seem to mean something different at Hilton than they do for the rest of us.
 
That difference between “Hilton-speak” and, say, plain old English, caused big problems for one Hilton timeshare customer.
 
“Our experience with Hilton Grand Vacations was profoundly disappointing. We were enticed with a promise of a one-hour presentation in exchange for a complimentary 3-night stay, with no hidden conditions.”
 
“However, the reality was far from the promise.”
 
For example, in Hilton-speak, numbers aren’t quite what they seem.
 
“The presentation, filled with flashy visuals and customer testimonials, culminated in an excruciatingly long meeting with an aggressive salesperson.” 
 
“The entire process dragged on for more than three hours.” 
 
It’s not just numbers that Hilton-speak treats differently. 
 
For the rest of us, words like “mortgage” and “deed” mean a real piece of property is involved. 
 
Not at Hilton.
 
“We were particularly troubled by the deceptive use of terms like ‘mortgage’ and ‘deed,’ which misled us into believing we were making a solid investment with potential equity.”
 
And that’s not all.
 
For the rest of us, “booking” means being able to reserve a unit for a specific date.
 
At Hilton…not so much.
 
“The booking process has been fraught with issues, including blackout dates that have rendered the promised perks almost useless.” 
 
Or take the idea of exiting. In the real world, that means being able to leave.
 
But at Hilton…
 
“Promises of an exit strategy and flexible RCI benefits turned out to be untrue.” 
 
It’s actually pretty easy to understand what this Hilton owner wants – and why.
 
“Given the misrepresentation and lack of support we formally request the termination of our contract and the cessation of our affiliation with Hilton.”
 
But those seem to be words that are oddly difficult for Hilton to comprehend.
 
Maybe we need to spell some things out for Mark Wang, the CEO of Hilton Grand Vacations. Let’s email him at mark.wang@hgv.com and ask him to start speaking his customer’s language instead of Hilton’s.
 
Chris Nassetta, President and CEO of Hilton Worldwide, should be concerned that so much is getting lost in translation between Hilton and the rest of us. Let’s email him at christopher.nassetta@hilton.com and see what, if anything, he’s doing to change that. 
 
Perhaps federal legislation will spell it out even more clearly. Timeshare Transparency Act (S.3502), for example, sets out clear, commonsense requirements for timeshare companies, so consumers understand exactly what they are purchasing:  

• Total Cost Disclosure: Requires a single document itemizing all acquisition and maintenance costs (including fee increases).
• 14-Day Cancellation Period: Grants buyers in all states a 14-day, penalty-free period to cancel contracts.
• Exit Options: Requires clear, documented procedures for exiting ownership.
• Review Period: Allows buyers to review documents privately without high-pressure sales staff present.
• FTC Enforcement: Empowers the Federal Trade Commission to enforce these regulations. 

However, to be considered further by the U.S. Congress, the Timeshare Transparency Act needs more support. If you agree, contact your U.S. Senators and U.S. House Representative.  Tell them you support the Timeshare Transparency Act (S.3502).  Share your own timeshare horror story. Tell your representatives you’re tired of seeing families “misled and flat-out lied to” by an industry that seems to value profits over fairness and transparency.

• Find your Senator: senate.gov
• Find your Representative: house.gov

Jason Gamel, the President and CEO of the American Resort Development Association (ARDA), the trade association that represents the timeshare industry in Washington, DC, should also be concerned about this kind of breakdown in communication by timeshare companies. Let’s email him at jgamel@arda.org to see if he’ll ask Hilton to stop speaking a language of its own.
 
Have a difference of interpretation with your timeshare company?  Use this list of ARDA VIPs to contact your company’s leaders and see if they will speak your language for a change.
  
Does it seem like your timeshare company doesn’t understand plain English? Tell us why at info@timesharefacts.com 
  
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