Welcome to this week’s Friday’s Letter from America, Irene this week looks at Black Friday, with a few books she recommends. Irene was wondering if we in Europe also have Black Friday, the answer is yes we do, it looks like the retail trade has followed in the footsteps of America. In the UK traditionally Boxing Day was the start of the winter sales, but as pre Christmas shopping was starting to decline as people waited for the sales rather than spend before Christmas, retailers began following the US trend.
Now for a quick roundup of the week in Europe, we begin with the news which came in late last Friday 17 November. The Supreme Court ruled against Silverpoint in tenerife once again.
The UK client will receive back over £67,000 plus legal fees and legal interest. The contract was also declared null & void. Then on Monday 20 November they issued another sentence against the same company. In this case the client was awarded over £25,000 plus legal fees and interest. The contract was over 50 years in duration and was declared null and void.
Then on Tuesday 21 November another Supreme Court ruling, again involving Silverpoint, with yet another Uk client awarded over £78,000 plus £3,000 double the deposit paid with legal fees and interest.
On Wednesday 22 November, the High Court in Las palmas Gran Canaria declared an Anfi contract null and void with the return of over 18,000€ plus legal interest.
Also on the same day in Tenerife, Eze Group was ordered to repay over £52,000 plus legal fees and interest. We also published the news that Dominic O’Reilly and his daughter Stephanie O’Reilly had pleaded guilty at Birmingham Magistrates court to “aggressive” sales practices and “coercion”. The have been referred to the Crown Court for sentencing in the new year, these are criminal proceedings which the magistrates are limited in sentencing power.
Thursday 23 November in Tenerife, the High Court Number 3, declared yet another Silverpoint contract null and void, with the UK client awarded over £38,000 plus legal interest.
This morning the news came in of yet another High Court ruling from Tenerife, Yes you guessed it, Silverpoint again. The clients in this case will now receive over £40,000 plus legal fees and interest.
So a rather expensive week for Silverpoint and some good news for clients of Eze Group. So now on with our Friday letter from Irene Parker.
A Cyber Monday Shopping Suggestion to Avoid Black Friday
For Timeshare Members and Advocates
By Irene Parker
November 24, 2017 Black Friday in America
The Friday immediately following our American Thanksgiving holiday is called Black Friday. People really do sleep outside shopping malls ready to cash in on deals designed to launch the holiday shopping season. Consider instead shopping at home on Cyber Monday with this holiday suggestion perfect for your favorite politician or timeshare advocate. This will allow you to avoid the rush and possibly prevent broken bones and trampled toes.
The trilogy of books I suggest are helpful for family and friends who work in or are involved in politics, timeshare, customer service, advocacy or law enforcement. We have a high turnover of timeshare advocates due to non-disclosure clauses, but those who have signed such agreements can still steer timeshare members in trouble to Inside Timeshare or to a self-help timeshare group.
Here are three advocate orientated book selections
#1 Hug Your Haters by Jay Baer
Author Jay Baer was the keynote speaker at this year’s Interval International’s Shared Ownership Conference attended by developers and private equity firms. Mr. Baer’s principle theme is: Haters are not your problem…..Ignoring them is.
http://insidetimeshare.com/customer-service-message/
His message is meant for customer service providers, but anyone can benefit from learning about how Social Media is changing the face of customer service. Take timeshare. Non-disclosure agreements, obstacles placed in the way of members designed to keep them from contacting other members, private arbitration rulings – all keep timeshare members silenced and isolated. That’s changing in the face of Social Media. A non-disclosure agreement doesn’t mean the signer can’t suggest someone read Inside Timeshare. There are thousands of timeshare members now comparing notes and Inside Timeshare has helped to tabulate and analyze patterns of concerns emerging from member submitted complaints.
http://www.jaybaer.com/hug-your-haters/
#2 More Davids than Goliaths
A Political Education
Former Congressman Harold Ford, Jr.
Mr. Ford’s book is inspirational for politicians or advocates. When Mr. Ford’s father, Harold Ford, Sr., endured a ten year political scandal and lawsuit over alleged Mud Island Bridge misappropriations in Memphis, young Harold Ford, Jr. describes the success he achieved through grassroots efforts. By reaching out to the media, he learned how to educate and shape the public’s perception of his father. He reached out to broadcast and print media to expose improper jury selection. Mr. Ford, Sr. served 11 congressional terms. He was found not guilty.
In his own campaign, unknown and broke, unable to find speaking engagements, Mr. Ford, Jr., at age 25, was initially pleased to learn his co-campaign chair had arranged for him to speak at 32 graduation ceremonies, only to find out they were kindergarten graduation ceremonies! Still, he dug in with gusto and continued to build momentum throughout his campaign. Mr. Ford’s critics dubbed him “The Kindergarten Candidate”, which Mr. Ford turned into his moniker, and was propelled into congressional office by the votes of grandmas, grandpas, moms and dads who listened to him at kindergarten graduations. According to Mr. Ford, “The campaign was turning because of efforts that I never thought would yield this kind of momentum. The kindergarten speeches were catalysts….Often, the moment it seems least likely that something positive will emerge – it does.”
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/7339799-more-davids-than-goliaths
#3 The Burglary
Betty Medsger
Any advocate or activist will appreciate the not-so-civil disobedience eight anti-war protestors undertook to break into the Media, Pennsylvania FBI office in 1971. Two were professors, led by Haverford College physics professor Bill Davidon. Without their extraordinary effort and courage, Herbert Hoover’s dirty tricks and illegal surveillance may have never been discovered. Catching them plagued Hoover for the rest of his life. More remarkable, they were never caught.
https://www.nytimes.com/2014/02/02/books/review/the-burglary-by-betty-medsger.html
Thanksgiving in America is also a time for giving thanks and showing gratitude, so Charles Thomas and I both wish to thank our readers for reading and responding to our efforts to improve an industry desperately in need of repair. We especially appreciate our growing list of contributors, attorneys supporting our efforts we have chosen to support through their honesty integrity and experience. We would be remiss not to thank sales agents and developers trying to do the right thing by repairing broken customer relationships so that members can use and enjoy what they can afford. Charles, our advocates, contributors and I do this work and volunteerism so we can save vacations, not destroy them by tearing apart the industry. Let’s hope 2018 will be the year of working together. We can hope.
So that is it, another week over, some very happy ex-timeshare owners and two directors facing possible jail terms in the new year. Somehow I don’t think they are going to have a very Happy Christmas.
Don’t forget, before you deal with any company do your due diligence and check them out first, if you need any help in this, please do contact Inside Timeshare and we will point you in the right direction.
Have a good weekend.
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