Ski Club 2.0 Home
Snow Reports
FAQFAQ

Mail for help.Help!!

Log in to snowHeads to make it MUCH better! Registration's totally free, of course, and makes snowHeads easier to use and to understand, gives better searching, filtering etc. as well as access to 'members only' forums, discounts and deals that U don't even know exist as a 'guest' user. (btw. 50,000+ snowHeads already know all this, making snowHeads the biggest, most active community of snow-heads in the UK, so you'll be in good company)..... When you register, you get our free weekly(-ish) snow report by email. It's rather good and not made up by tourist offices (or people that love the tourist office and want to marry it either)... We don't share your email address with anyone and we never send out any of those cheesy 'message from our partners' emails either. Anyway, snowHeads really is MUCH better when you're logged in - not least because you get to post your own messages complaining about things that annoy you like perhaps this banner which, incidentally, disappears when you log in :-)
Username:-
 Password:
Remember me:
👁 durr, I forgot...
Or: Register
(to be a proper snow-head, all official-like!)

Canadian Websites & e-Commerce - shockingly bad

 Poster: A snowHead
Poster: A snowHead
I've really had it with trying to find out information before I travel... I will attempt to summarise.

Contacted Bactrax about rentals via email, they took 3 weeks to reply and that was to say they didn't know the answer (wasn't tricky!) and would get back to me - which of course they never did.

I have found the board I want (Nitro Black Widow) and I understand you can try before you buy.... so, via the Nitro website I am directed to 3 'dealers' in Banff..... this is where I dispair...

Dealer 1. www.banffpark.tv/innsofbanffskishop.html What can I say, a visual cacophony with zero content, no stock / product list, no email address!!! Shocked absolutely apalling! oh they have 3 pictures, one grainy shot circa 1980 of someone having a boot fitting... a nice collage of logos, and a grainy long distance shot of some appartment block which I guess they are located in.... what can I say?

Dealer 2. http://www.mountainmagic.com/ Mountain Magic... Oh joy they have an email address but have not grasped the concept of responding to it.... 10 days and I'm still waiting.... simple question, do you stock Nitro Black Widow - 147 or 145 and can I try before I buy? - idiots! Hideous website, a completely confusing and dated mess - the snowboard section shows some of their stock - but not Nitro rolling eyes

Dealer 3. http://www.snowtips-bactrax.com/frames/frameset.html Again - emailed the same question as above - nothing.... another tragic website.... designed by a 5year old with some DIY website kit I think.... tiresome amounts of scrolling (again) and still no information about the board I want. They only give info on rentals... not sales.

I'm sure they are lovely people and we're going to have a great time but I'm really suprised at their inability to grasp the basics of communication and business/eCommerce... Wonder if we'll be collected from the Airport in a horse & cart?

rolling eyes rolling eyes rolling eyes
snow report
 Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Honda Kitty wrote:


Dealer 2. http://www.mountainmagic.com/ Mountain Magic...


After clicking on Mountain Magic I didn't try the rest because it opened a 2nd window and wanted to run some dodgy software on my PC. Very naughty MM.
snow conditions
 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?
Inns of banff are a hotel on the outskirts...

Snowtips are actually very good. Really helpful staff.

I found Glacier sports very helpful (very good boot fitter works there) but dont know if they stock your board or not.

Theres also a dedicated boarding shop called "Rude Boys" (a girlie version is called "Rude Girls")

I'd phone a few, probably better to talk to a human.

You'll be glad to know though that transfers from calgary are very good.

Please enjoy yourself one you get there Very Happy Very Happy Very Happy
latest report
 You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
prog99, phoning isn;t a cheap option if you don;t live in canada, and it isn't necessarily conducive timewise either. Email may not be as personal as the phone but used properly it is invaluable


Honda Kitty, I;d suggest feeding this back to the makers of the board you want to try - nothing like telling them "I was going to buy the board but your 'stockists' were so unhelpful I decided to buy another brand" to get them thinking,...
snow report
 Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
prog99, I'm sure they are fab when we get there.... I'm just of the opinion that if you are going to trade on the web you need to do more than put a few cr*p pictures up with a phone number! I have heard that the service industry out there is great and I'm sure I won't be disappointed witht that side of things. I have heard of Rude Boys/Girls before - in fact you may have mentioned them to me... I will check them out - but again I doubt their ability to use/check emails...

nbt, I know what you mean but they haven't done anything bad.... I just can't reach anyone to ask this simple question.... lol

davidof, it's the only one with pop ups....

Anyone spot a gap in the market????
ski holidays
 You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
To be fair the link given for the Inss of Banff shop is just a "business card" within another, rubbish site. The proper IoB site is here: http://www.banffskirentals.com/
snow report
 Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
hyweljenkins, Thank you for that - but the link on Nitro dealer listing was the one I posted - I think I might drop them a line...

Wink
ski holidays
 After all it is free Go on u know u want to!
After all it is free Go on u know u want to!
All, what the Banff websites lack, their staff make up for in enthusiasm.
It might not be cheap to call Canada (assuming you're not using BT - get a non-BT phonecard) - but you'll get a much quicker answer. Banff isn't really a big town, they don't need websites (anyone in Canada who does will just head to Calgary or Vancouver and the big stores there....

If you want to try out a specific board, you will either need to ring, or walk, around - most stores only seem to carry a couple of lines (largely cos there are only really a couple of big equipment companies, so you typically won't get a shop selling, e.g. Burton and K2


oh, and they don't use horses to pull the carts, they have elks....
snow report
 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.
hamilton, Agreed and I have no doubt about their customer facing ability... my frustration is at their complete inability to grasp the basics of eCommerce. It's not exactly a new trading stream!

Having great shops in town does not help when attempting to communicate from the other side of the Atlantic and I am certainly not intending to phone them... a) cost and b) timings c) I should not have to princple!!

I do want to try a specific board and all my emails to these people have been to ascertain if they have one I can try before I buy.... very frustrating.

Anyway - cheers for the comments - I just needed to let off steam! Wink
snow report
 Ski the Net with snowHeads
Ski the Net with snowHeads
Honda Kitty, best bet is to call. They are like many small town shops in the UK - they have a web presence, but not much more. If you're with OneTel, you can call Canada for about 3p a minute.
They won't do much eCommerce because shipping from Banff isn't cheap, and there's plenty of large web stores which will ship - e.g. Cupolos, REI, Backcountry, etc, which would seriously undercut their prices.

Oh, just did a quick search on Google for "inns of banff" ski shop
And the first result was:
http://www.banffskirentals.com/

On there they have:
https://secure2.worldweb.com/sforms/iobski/reservations.html

(sorry, just notice Hwyel posted this earlier)
ski holidays
 snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
Wear The Fox Hat, The whole point is that I am not prepared to call WTF should I????.... if you have a 'web presence' then a functioning email address goes hand in hand with it.... and that was my point... they would improve their web presence if they took their website down!

I don't want to rent a board - I have one.... I want to buy a second board and I want to know if they have one in stock and if they do 'try before you buy' - a question not answered on their rental info page.

I think I'm going to turn my phone on silent and then sit and wonder why I don't hear it ring....

Very Happy
snow report
 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.
Honda Kitty, yes, true. But a ski shop is mainly dealing with real people - face to face, and discussing. You might think the Nitro is the best board, they may have other suggestions for you to try. Now, if they are a busy shop, it is easier to spend 5 minutes on the phone with someone, than sending and receiving a series of emails over a period of days.
Most small shops who do not have a full-time web manager, are like that. Particularly during a busy part of the year.
If you are seriously interested in buying a board then even at BT rip-off rates, it's maybe going to cost you £1 to make the call. (I just got my bill in from OneTel, and last month I spent 1 hour on the phone to the US/Canada, for a total cost of £2)

Try to see it from their point of view - right now where do they make the money? It's from the people coming into their shop. That's where the real money is. Anyone can send out an email to a load of shops asking about stock levels, you can even spam shops in one mass mailing, but to actually take the time to call shows that you really have an interest in making a deal.
snow report
 So if you're just off somewhere snowy come back and post a snow report of your own and we'll all love you very much
So if you're just off somewhere snowy come back and post a snow report of your own and we'll all love you very much
it depends on whether you see things from the point of view of the shop or the customer

Foxy's put forward the shop point of view, and a very good point it is

HK's a customer. Just not a customer of a shop that doesn;t answer replies.

IMHO (as a professional web developer), better to have no site at all than a site that is ignored. Or even stick up a page saying "look, we;re small, we don;t want to put up our prices so we can employ someone to look after the website, just call us". At least then the customer *knows* what is happening. Ignoring enquiries *from whatever medium* is poor customer service and deserves to be recognised as such
snow conditions
 You know it makes sense.
You know it makes sense.
I guess the point is that if you are predominantly a face-to-face retailer - turn off your crappy website as it builds up false expectations.
Or at least have a basic page with contact details and say - we don't have an online presence - please phone us as we are unable to respond promptly to emails.
ski holidays
 Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Wear The Fox Hat, You're completely missing my point - which is one made with my Marketing /Comms/ Sales hat on.

You should not open yourself up for trading on the web unless you are in a positon to manage that function. Doing it badly gives an impression of incompetence. You do not need a full time web manager to answer a simple email with a question about your service.

Why do you think have they advertised their email addresses? I'm at a loss!

I fully appreciate the face to face buying support. I am indeed looking for comments and expert assistance before I make a final purchase. Which is WHY I want to know if they have a 'try before you buy' service so that I CAN get that type of support and advice!.... otherwise I'd just buy direct online!

I do not want to engage in a dialogue by email - a 'yes or no' would suffice.

Hope that's a bit clearer! Wink
latest report
 Poster: A snowHead
Poster: A snowHead
Honda Kitty wrote:
You should not open yourself up for trading on the web unless you are in a positon to manage that function.


Which they have done! The trading they provide online is RENTAL. They don't sell on the web (mainly because for them it would be pointless, as explained above). So, their "trading on the web" is covered by having on-line pricing, and a reservation form.

If you notice at the top of their web pages, they show their phone & fax numbers. If your question just requires a simple yes or no answer, then a phone call is not going to cost you more than a few pence, and you will get a far quicker answer than waiting for an email.

Also, I realise you have your definition of what "web presence" should be, but perhaps the shop has a different definition, and perhaps it fulfills that definition well.
ski holidays
 Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
(BT call costs to Canada: 16p per minute 6am-6pm, 9p per minute weekends and evenings)
snow conditions
 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?
If you think they are managing their trading function effectively then you must have very low expectations.

They promote an email address on their website which they do not repsond to!

The whole concept of email (or web) is that it is 'quick' I do not expect to be "waiting" for emails! I manage hundreds of business arrangements in hours or minutes - I don't think my expectation is unrealistic.

I don't want to 'rent' and therefore "RENTAL" is irrelevant.

I've said twice already that I am not about to call them. I don't have a BT line or care what call charges are.

mountain mad, You are spot on! Very Happy

P.S. Feel free to continue debating amongst yourselves... I'm outta here for 2 weeks - fully expecting to be popping down to the well to pump my own bathwater in Canada but I'm sure they have charming 'well' attendants assist with my bucket. Very Happy
snow report
 You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
Honda Kitty wrote:

I don't want to 'rent' and therefore "RENTAL" is irrelevant.



But how well does their website (notice what it's called: Banff Ski RENTALS) cover trading of rental skis and boards? I'd have to say it covers it very well.
Just because the site doesn't have what you are looking for on it doesn't make it a bad site!

Well, have a great trip!
ski holidays
 Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Oh, I just got an email from Bactrax...

----- Original Message -----
From: WTFH
To: snowtips@telusplanet.net
Sent: Tuesday, February 21, 2006 14.01
Subject: Nitro Snowboards


Hi there,

Do you stock Nitro Black Widow - 147 or 145 and is it possible to demo one before buying?



Thanks,

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Reply:


No we do not we only rent Nitro Naturals, Punishers, & Magnums - we do not sell new boards only rent and sell used later.

SNOWTIPS-BACTRAX

Colleen

==============================

it took them under 2 hours to get back to me, which I consider a reasonable response time! (oh, and perhaps their comment about only renting, not selling, may explain why they only cover rentals on their website)
snow report
 You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
It's not just Canada! I sent 14 e-mails to hotels in Alpe d'huez to ask if they had vacancies for certain dates and received just 2 replies Shocked . How long does it take to type, "Je suis désolé, mais Non."

As well as poor business, it's soooo rude Evil or Very Mad .
snow conditions
 Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Update... just got a reply from Banff Ski Rentals (who were sent the same message at the same time as Bactrax...


HI,

Unfortunately we do not carry the Nitro Black Widow board at all. Try www.mountainmagic.com as I believe they are the only other shop in town that deals with Nitro. Hope this helps!

Andrea



Andrea Challinor

Ski Shop Manager

Inns of Banff Ski Shop

achallinor@bestofbanff.com

_________________________________________________________________

P.O. Box 1070, 600 Banff Avenue, Banff, Alberta, Canada, T1L 1H8 Telephone: 403-762-4581 Fax: (403) 762-2434

Banff Caribou Properties Ltd. - A 100% Locally Owned Company - www.bestofbanff.com


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

So that's about 3.5 hours for the reply. Again, not too shoddy, IMHO.


Last edited by Then you can post your own questions or snow reports... on Tue 21-02-06 22:34; edited 1 time in total
ski holidays
 After all it is free Go on u know u want to!
After all it is free Go on u know u want to!
Well... how fabulous! I'm very pleased you managed to secure a response? hope you didn't cheat and phone to give them a shove!! I had no idea you would go to such lengths on my behalf and I am very grateful for your efforts.... do you go to this effort for everyone or just me? Very Happy

The fact remains that I still have not had a reply.... which "IMHO" is still shoddy service....

And... as per my original post, their website is still ("IMHO") a tragic mess.



On another note... just checked the forecast and the conditions are suberb...... rock on Very Happy only a few hours to go... horrah... do have fun while I'm away won't you!
snow report
 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.
This is one of the more retarded threads on this board. Wear The Fox Hat, you have been very restrained wink
ski holidays
 Ski the Net with snowHeads
Ski the Net with snowHeads
Arno, I do my best.

Honda Kitty, No cheating. Also, I wondered if it had anything to do with your email address... back in the early days of antivirus email software, some US and Canadian ISPs configured their mail servers to reject anything which wasn't from a .com, so if you sent a mail from a .co.uk address, it would get rejected. I haven't seen that happen in years.
But one thing that has been established is that the Nitro website is out of date.
snow report
 snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
Arno, care to explain why? I can see both sides of the argument - I tend favour Honda Kitty, simply because she has nicer eyes than Wear The Fox Hat Wink

Sorry, that should have been becasue she does have a point - she asked a question of a retailer and didn;t get an answer. IMHO, that's poor service. Can you deny that?
snow report
 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.
Wear The Fox Hat, If it's to do with their acceptance of emails from foreign email addresses then they should make an effort to address it. It was actually a .org.uk suffix.

If my business (no matter how small) relied on tourism then I'd be inclined to make sure my communication on the web was really effective. I do have strong opinions on Marketing & Communications because it's my job. No Marketing & Communications or Brand strategy that I have produced has ever had a 'don't bother with how you look on the outside as long as you are nice & friendly' campaign....!
These shops rely on 'passing trade' but from where? UK, Europe, Other? if I was the Manager I'd want people to head straight to my shop when they arrived.... because they already had a good impression....

Arno, what is retarded about debating websites in Ski Resorts we are heading to?
As president of the Snowheads debating society & intelligensia, why don't you get the ball rolling for the next one... post something errrr... intellectual for us to discuss when I return - I'll look forward to it.

nbt, Thank you - I'll send you a postcard! Very Happy
snow conditions
 So if you're just off somewhere snowy come back and post a snow report of your own and we'll all love you very much
So if you're just off somewhere snowy come back and post a snow report of your own and we'll all love you very much
It seems the complaints are:

1. the website of a rental shop not having details of snowboards for sale

2. a failure to reply to one email. Rather than send another email or phone up in case it got lost somewhere in cyberspace, was misdirected accidentally overlooked we have what had become quite a long thread complaining to people who can do very little to help (despite WTFH's worthy efforts)

3. websites of small, probably owner-operated businesses aren't quite a slick as they might be

anyway, since this thread is so retarded, i am going to stop contributing to it now wink
snow conditions
 You know it makes sense.
You know it makes sense.
nbt wrote:
I tend favour Honda Kitty, simply because she has nicer eyes than Wear The Fox Hat Wink


I'm really pleased you said that!
snow report
 Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Honda Kitty, as you see in my post, it's not a problem (blocking foreign addresses) that I've seen in years, nor is it something the website controls, rather it comes from the ISP. I just suggested that as a possibility.
Given that my emails got swift replies, I suspect that either your emails didn't reach them, or their replies haven't reached you. (this is another advantage of telephoning - if you get through to someone, you know you have, and they can reply to you immediately.)
Also, your comment about a business relying on tourism. Most of their clientelle are from the US and Canada (I'd put a guess at 80%+), and for them, telephone is the most effective long-distance tool (unless you employ full time staff to handle emails, which is a very innefficient use of people in a small ski shop)
I'm just saying that maybe you were a bit hasty to jump to your conclusions in the first post, and that perhaps the shops and their websites are not "shockingly bad", but just that the majority of their customers are served well by them.
ski holidays
 Poster: A snowHead
Poster: A snowHead
Arno, Thanks for your contribution.. you seem to have stated the obvious and missed the point at the same time. Please feel to contribute further. I actually have found this thread entertaining and think both Wear The Fox Hat and Honda Kitty have valid points.

I also have issues related to Canadian websites when looking for accommodation in Banff/Whistler... but hey I'm not going to go into that here wink
ski holidays
 Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
...and finally, yesterday at 16.34, roughly 25.5 hours after the mail was sent...


From: Mountain Magic [mailto:info@mountainmagic.com]
Sent: 22 February 2006 16:34
To: WTFH
Subject: Re: Nitro Snowboards

We have the Nitro Nyx in a 146cm and 149cm. The Nyx is a true-twin suitable for park slaying. ya heard?


---------------------------------------------------------------------------

Perhaps they haven't heard, but I'm into bank robberies, not park slayings. Yo. Word. Respect Laughing
snow report
 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?
I know its irresponsible but you could just go for it - and learn to love it
snow report



Terms and conditions  Privacy Policy