 Poster: A snowHead
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I am off to Serre Chevalier this Sunday with Club Med, and I have just noticed that they charge 200 Euros for adult ski hire and 100 Euros for Children’s Ski Hire - taking the P***s!! 
The CM hotel is located in the town La Salle les Aples. But the pictures suggest it is outside the town and quite a walk for alternative ski hire. Has anybody been to the CM hotel or know its location and can recommend an alternative place to hire skis that is easily accessible from the hotel?
Much appreciated
Mark
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Club Med is indeed a bit off the main drag, but there is a good bus service. There are several ski hire shops in the Pra Long shopping centre area, which can't be more than a couple of minutes bus ride away. (There is also a big pick 'n' mix sweetie shop - don't let your children in there!)
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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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Well that's ok according to most on here. They can charge what they like, it's a free world, they can make whatever charge they want as it's their business model and you can't complain. You need to vote with your feet and go elsewhere, no matter how inconvenient it is to you.
Alternatively you can stick two fingers up, as I woul do, tell them to their faces why you won't be hiring from them and, as Lizzard says, take the ski bus to Pre Long (not "Pra"!) or walk it in about 5-7 minutes. www.snowrental.com covers Serre Che 1400, offers 30% or thereabouts discount and advanced skis will set you back around 75 euros I think. Skis & boots a bit more, but nowhere near Club Med levels.
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Thanks Lizzard. There is a SkiSet shop in Pre Long which I get 20% discount as a SCGB member. I can hire the wifes skis and all my daugters kit for far less than the hire of 1 set pf skis through CM - crazy! 
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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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| carled wrote: |
| and you can't complain. |
The Club Med price does seem to be too high - probably able to keep their prices that high because people are prepared to pay for the service. Best way to complain is to take your business elsewhere. You can do it rudely, or you can not get stressed about it and just wander down the street. Seems obvious to me.
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Wise word indeed mark...
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I am not going to be rude to them, but will let them know why I won't be hiring from them. Just annoys me that companies take that attitude, and try to take advantage. Surely if they made their prices competitive then everyone would hire from them for the convenience
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I wish some other people on here could see things the same way...
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carled, haven't you and I given the same advice: take your business elsewhere as ClubMed are too expensive?
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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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Yes Rob, but with a subtle difference. You're advocating turning your back and walking away quietly. They *may* notice that 23 guests aren't ordering from them, or they may not. What Mark is planning on doing and I whole-heartedly agree, is having a quiet word in the manager's ear. "Excuse me, but I just have to tell you that I am not hiring skis from you because your prices are extortionate. I am able to walk or get a quick bus ride into Serre Che 1400 and get the same package for less than half the price. Spread over 23 guests this will save us approx 2,000 euros. Had your prices been more reasonable, you would have got our business."
No rows, no fuss, just the satisfaction of knowing that you have explained your reasoning rather than letting them work it out for themselves, if they ever do...
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carled, what is he, a management consultant? Let Club Med run their business their way (they may make more money than their cheaper competitors for all we know), without interference (or custom) from people who reckon that they're ludicrously expensive. When I'm on hols, I don't want to start chatting to shopkeepers about their shortcomings.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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*sigh*
MarkH - do what feels right for you and have a great time. Save some snow for when I'm out there in a few weeks though!
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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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carled, it's a business for goodness sake. Only money talks. Sure, they'll listen to whatever feedback they get from their customers, but that is nothing compared to the bottom line. If you want to protest by all means say you're unhappy (or rant or sue them, whatever). But if you want to change their business practice take your business elsewhere.
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Hey everybody is different - in a situation like this I like to let people know why I am not giving them my business. You never know it may make it better for other people in future... although unlikely!
Anyway more importantly, it's snowing out there at the moment, and is set to continue until Sunday evening - just perfect for me to go skiing on Monday! Life is good!!!
Cheers guys
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You know it makes sense.
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MarkH, I totally agree. If people just keep quiet, it leaves room for doubt. If you say your piece in an effective way, it might just make a difference - for someone else, if not for you. I think it's called a "conscience".
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Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
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I have to confess, I would definitely be in the 'have a quiet word and go elsewhere' camp ...
I think saying why you are not going to give somebody your business for a particular reason is potentially a 'win-win'. I would hope that as Rob says, 'money talks' and they match the price to not lose 23 customers (their benefit) and save one the effort of getting a bus into the resort (your benefit).
Unfortunately, my experience of 'money talks' is that it only works with bean counters and professional sales persons (not spotty teenage shop assistants) - and not 'operational' staff who probably don't care much about the bottom line ... <sigh> 
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Poster: A snowHead
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Money talks when enough people take their business elsewhere. If it's just a small number of (vociferous?) people who want the product/service but at a lower price then it has no effect.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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| carled wrote: |
| I think it's called a "conscience". |
You're the knight in shining armour coming to save us uncaring folk from the big, bad capitalists?
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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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If you don't inform people of the lost business how do they quantify it? They may just put it down to more people having their own kit. If everybody who decided to vote with their feet let them know, then they would soon get the message, provided of course their was enough lost business.
All IMHO of course.
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MarkH, Club Med will know their occupancy rates, they will know what the past history of rentals are, they will know what response they get when people hire kit, etc, etc. I'm not saying that providing feedback is a bad thing, just that it means very little unless I take my business elsewhere. And even then, if it's only me who taless them they're too expensive and toddles down the road to their competitor that is also irrelevant. Nine times out of ten, people will say that "X" is too expensive. It's only when you look at purchasing decisions that you get a real sense of what they feel.
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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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Ah the old "my vote is only one vote, it won't make a difference" argument then. Therefore it enhances our side of the argument saying that you should make your feelings known as well, right?
Rob, I'm not a knight in shining armour, I just have a hatred for anyone that just accepts things as unchangeable "because it's business", "because that's how things work", "because they're a big multinational company" and so on.
You feel free to do what you want, just don't radicalise me jsut because I want to tell them what I think of them and their policies first BEFORE I go elsewhere (always assuming there is an elsewhere to go to, of course...)
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Rob Agree with everything you say. But I still feel that feedback of this nature is a positive thing, and leaves them with little doubt as to why we made the decision. What they choose to do with that information is up to them.
As I said each to their own.
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carled, no matter who/what you hate, that is the way it is, unless people vote with their wallets. People complaining that it is too expensive, but continuing to buy a product/service make no difference at all to the way a company does business. It's just a fact of life.
Acknowledging that fact of life doesn't mean that I accept things as unchanging. I vote very firmly with my wallet. Last season I took four flights to the Alps with easyjet, but just one with BA. This season I'll have taken five BA flights and just one with easyjet, because this season easyjet seems much poorer value for money than they were last year. For a business model such as easyjet's, which is very demand sensitive, I would argue that my actions are much more likely to affect their business model than someone who stands at their check-in desk and argues that their service is too expensive (then hands over their credit card). But what is much more likely to affect easyjet is if 20% of their passengers took their business elsewhere. Sure, you can drop Stelios a note to say how disappointed you are, but it will be the 20% reduction in bookings whch makes them sit up and take notice.
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| rob@rar.org.uk wrote: |
| Money talks when enough people take their business elsewhere. If it's just a small number of (vociferous?) people who want the product/service but at a lower price then it has no effect. |
... I just wish more people were vociferous and then I wouldn't 'have' to be and could reap the benefits
'Vociferous' is only a Western label given to people who like to get a better deal for themselves - In other cultures it would be considered good business to haggle and NOT being vociferous would land you the label of sucker.
... just seen your subsequent post - definitely agree that being 'vociferous' without following it up with action (i.e. not handing over your cash') is pointless.
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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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FFS of course voting with your wallet will make a difference - that was never in question. But to provide feedback as to why you made or going to make that decision, rather than leaving them guessing, can only be seen as a positive action. If only more people gave constructive feedback!!
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MarkH, Regis Sport is approx 300-400m from Club Med. They should be happy to do a cheaper deal for 15 customers. We always use them when we have people staying. They have a pricing policy based on the standard of ski that is hired. Directions- down the hill to the round-a-bout, turn right, straight along by the river and the shop is the 1st building on the left.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Nice people in Regis Sport - we used them last year and are doing so again this year.
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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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Back on track!!
Thanks guys
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You know it makes sense.
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Serre Chevalier ?? Sorry it's full this weekend !!!! I wish some of the inn-keepers spoke French ??!!!
Disgruntled of Tunbridge ....
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Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
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carled you are a star!
Many thanks.
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Poster: A snowHead
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Carked, it doesn't look like that at the moment! Add some white.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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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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I say, this skiing lark, jolly good fun, what?
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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MarkH, Hi - I have no idea where the Club Med place is in relation to the ski shops here http://www.directskiers.com/Equipment.htm but our supplier offers 30% discount with this link (pre-booked at least a couple of days before arriva) - you're welcome to use it if it helps
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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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Anniepen,
Spooky! You realise we are 3yrs behind on this forum. I only posted to try and get into double figures but its still relevent. I went club med Vallandry last week and paid 340E for 1 set of adult skis and 2 sets of skis and boots for kids. It must be possible to find better especially with discounts (eg SCGB) . Plus you have to queue for hours in club med. A short walk would definitely be preferable.
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dr schuss, high prices AND long queues - sounds grim. Was the rest of the Club Med formula more agreeable?
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FAQ
I'm incredibly helpful though - it's a curse 