 Poster: A snowHead
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Wayne, from a rep's point of view. It depends how you sell it.. Sell it well and you will get easily more than 50% who want to do it. Sell it poorly.. and you will get significantly less. It also depends on the time of year - as the type of guests differ.
You don't really need a fully qualified ski instructor to ski people down a run. It's really overkill in my opinion. If it makes insurance cheaper.. why not. But, why not get your current reps to do it and save having to pay instructors? The TO I'm with, and I imagine all other TOs, have a training session on ski hosting before the season starts. They tell us the do's and don'ts, how to split groups up, and the don'ts again... It's not rocket science. It is also incredibly good for boosting your approval rate amongst guests.
If your company has shown the guests a great day out then they won't really care if your hosts don't serve dinner perfectly. It's also a good way to appease guests if you or your staff have done something wrong.. "Sorry about messing y up but how about I show you around the resort to make it up to you?".
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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jzBun, monterosa can be a little "confusing"? Where were you getting your guests?
Wayne, I'm curious as to why you think they're needed? I'm very aligned with your leaving people alone idea. From your posts here, if I was ever looking to book a packaged holiday to your neck of the woods you'd be the first place I'd look. And knowing where you are, I wouldn't say that you'd need guides.
Having said that, and having rep'ed/guide'ed in the PDS I wonder whether people just want to be told where to ski? Given that they've all left their brains at Gatwick (or LTN, etc.) the idea of having "retired" instructors who can point out appropriate snow and great lunches is rather appealing. And if they can through a few helpful hints into the mix I think that'd be very well received.
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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under a new name, I think it's easy for highly competent skiers, who ski a lot, to underestimate just how intimidating it can be for early intermediates to be faced with a new area, especially if visibility is poor. Even in a familiar area, some people simply will not ski on their own at all, even somewhere pretty straightforward, and we have quite a few SH posts about people rather frustrated at having to shepherd slow/nervous family members about (or conversely, worrying about "holding up" more competent family and friends). A "fast piste" day can also be good for teenagers wanting to be a bit more daring than mum and dad, but who can't be left to just racket around on their own.
A flexible, low key, service which is not thrust down people's throats would not be too Butlins like, and for mixed groups who can join different hosting routes, could make for a more enjoyable holiday. I agree it doesn't need instructors, just competent skiers with good social skills.
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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pam w, good points.
Maybe I expressed it badly but I was tending in support of Wayne's idea, particularly if using "retired" maestros. (can ski instructors retire? I thought they just hung up their seasonal underwear and wore the slips-d'inter-saison)
Still doesn't explain how Monterosa can be confusing.
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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can ski instructors retire?
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I saw one yesterday, from some station even more obscure than our own, that I'd never heard of. Standing at the top of the mogully, slushy, slope, with his pupil, he looked like he'd not only retired but probably died and been stuffed several years ago. Then he started to ski.......
Maybe ski "hosts" shouldn't be that good - not intimidatingly professional - just competent chaps and chapesses. It would frustrate me a bit to ski with an obviously top class skier who wasn't actually giving me some tuition. Would seem a wasted opportunity, though I guess you could always try to get close behind them and follow their line.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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| under a new name, jzBun, monterosa can be a little "confusing"? Where were you getting your guests? |
You answer this question yourself...
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| Given that they've all left their brains at Gatwick |
Also the piste map used to be dreadful although they've improved it in the last couple of years.
The great British (and Irish) public can be unbelievable half-wits. The level of stupidity/naivety/air-headedness exhibited by a significant minority is staggering. Many's the time I have dined out on anecdotes from my time as a rep/guide with my audience accusing me of making-up the stories as they couldn't believe people could be so dense. There's obviously material for another thread here.
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There's obviously material for another thread here.
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go on then, sounds a good 'un. 
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Please God I have never met jzBun  .
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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maggi, if there's anybody in the world that doesn't need a ski host it's you, you lucky woman!  Mind you, I guess there's no guarantee that your husband doesn't, from time to time, refer to you as stupid/naive/air-headed, but at least you're not paying for that privilege!
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jzBun,
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The great British (and Irish) public can be unbelievable half-wits. The level of stupidity/naivety/air-headedness exhibited by a significant minority is staggering. Many's the time I have dined out on anecdotes from my time as a rep/guide with my audience accusing me of making-up the stories as they couldn't believe people could be so dense.
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Mind you not all the guides are exactly over endowed with capabilities. Years ago when in Courchevel I was saying that I did not find the guiding a particularly important service as I could read a piste map perfectly adequately. The guide said that it could save you getting stuck in one of the other valleys saving a very expensive taxi ride back.
I countered with the fact that whereas I could imagine getting stuck in Meribel due to queues which is fairly close you would have to be spectaularly dim or have an accident to get stuck in Val Thorens whilst trying to get back to Courchevel.
The guide assured me that this was not the case it was quite possible and it had happened with him to a group he was guiding.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
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Hi
Thanks for all the feedback.
I have decided not to use/employ any guides/hosts/leaders/etc for 2012. Will look at it again for 2013
There are a few reasons (too many to go into here) but a couple would be
Our overriding principle of simply leaving people alone on thier holiday, unless they need us.
The liability problems simply can't be overcome with anything less than Maestro di Sci or full UIAGM
Thanks for the feedback anyway
PS  anyone (who can) is always welcome to join me and my mates (all maestri) for a blast on our day's off
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I've "guided" for the last three years across Paradiski for a Danish company called Trier Skirejser http://www.trierski.dk/forside.lasso
http://www.trierski.dk/guideservice/guideservice.lasso
Guiding is thought of as an integral part of the Danish ski holiday experience and I've never had any problem whilst guiding. I did have an ESF guy try and give me a ribbing me in front of his clients once but that's about it. If asked I describe myself as an accompagnateur. The one downer for a Brit guiding Danes is they don't give tips 
Stay on piste and get to know the locals and in my experience all is well. As others have said guides are worth their weight in gold. We make sure guests get the maximum bang for their buck both on the piste and in the restaurants. Local knowledge counts for an awful lot IMHO.
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You know it makes sense.
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| gravystuffing wrote: |
| I've "guided" for the last three years across Paradiski for a Danish company called Trier Skirejser If asked I describe myself as an accompagnateur. |
You may at some stage be asked for your papers as this is a formal qualification http://www.lesaem.org/
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FAQ
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