At Travel + Leisure Co., customer care and education are not just functions – they are the heart of the owner experience. Within the International region, which supports more than 100,000 owners and members across Club Wyndham South Pacific, Accor Vacation Club, Club Wyndham Asia, and Accor Vacation Club Asia Pacific, the team overseeing customer care and club education redefines what “customer-first” really means.
This team manages the organisation’s most critical complaints, which are often complex and sensitive. The team minimises the number of complaints received through proactive communication and education, and resolves those that do arise with compassion, speed, and transparency.
Complaints have reduced after the introduction of a standardised internal dispute resolution framework across the business, ensuring consistency in every region and every club brand. Through a tiered escalation system, frontline staff, team leaders, and Customer Care specialists clearly understand their authority levels, supported by an “escalation matrix” and resolution toolkit.
Recognising that effective communication often prevents escalation altogether, the team introduced frequent case reviews, templated responses, authority-limit guidelines, and regular cross departmental training sessions. Meetings held every two days ensure real-time visibility on in-progress cases, allowing emerging issues to be addressed before they intensify.
Despite the high-stakes nature of their work, the Customer Care Team has achieved an impressive 80% resolution rate for critical complaints and maintained the same percentage in retention among owners or members whose issues might otherwise have led to discontinuation. The team’s deep empathy and professionalism regularly turn frustrated members into advocates who remain – and even upgrade – their ownership.
A significant highlight of 2025 was the team’s role in launching and managing the Limited-Edition Program – a compassionate exit pathway created for long-term owners facing age, health, or financial hardships. The initiative offered qualifying members the ability to return their ownership to the Club while receiving Limited-Edition Holiday Certificates valid for two years, with no ongoing fees or levies.
This program provides a graceful and dignified solution for owners no longer able to travel, while preserving goodwill and safeguarding brand reputation. Complaints relating to financial difficulty and disengagement dropped noticeably, while heartfelt appreciation was expressed by owners and members grateful for the understanding and flexibility extended to them.
The team’s dedication to fairness and transparency is further validated through the Australian Financial Complaints Authority (AFCA), where six owner cases escalated to full Determination in 2025 were unanimously ruled in the company’s favour. These rulings represent the highest possible level of independent review in the sector, reflecting the team’s compliant, ethical, and well documented complaint management.
While one arm of the team addresses customer care challenges, the other prevents them through club education, by empowering owners to make the most of their vacation ownership.
Through a blend of formats – welcome calls, one on one virtual or phone sessions, and group webinars – the team ensures every owner has access to support that fits their lifestyle and learning preference. Their approach is refreshingly service oriented: no sales tactics, just expert guidance on how to maximise vacation value, manage annual credits wisely, and explore exchange partnerships such as RCI and Lifestyle (an offers and benefits program by Travel + Leisure Co.).
Inclusivity is at the forefront of the team’s delivery. In Asia, live English and Thai webinars ensure all owners can participate, complemented by multilingual emails and landing pages. Since January 2025, participants can also access recorded Zoom sessions and pre recorded modules through the club’s website, allowing continuous learning across time zones and schedules. Over 16,900 owners and members across the three vacation clubs have participated in the educational activities.
Owners consistently express strong satisfaction: post session surveys show 81% feel more knowledgeable, while presenter readiness and pacing score 4.64/5 and 4.43/5 respectively. The CEC’s Net Promoter Score is exceptional with +54, showing deep trust and appreciation among attendees. The team also received a Quality Assurance Score of 92.29% and OSAT/MSAT score of 9 out of 10.
Within 60 days of participating in education events, owners undertook over 1,000 upgrades worth US$23 million, with webinars alone driving more than US$15 million in enhancements.
The team created a cohesive, digital-first platform integrated into official club websites, enabling members to self serve and book sessions directly. This shift reduced friction, boosted participation, and contributed to a 21.7% drop in attrition within the Club Servicing department.
This team forms a complete service ecosystem – one preventing issues through knowledge, the other resolving them through care and integrity. Both show Travel + Leisure Co.’s belief that genuine service means listening, teaching, and empowering owners at every stage of their journey.
