 Poster: A snowHead
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Not trying to start the same old same old arguments again, but when I read threads like these
http://snowheads.com/ski-forum/viewtopic.php?t=73822
http://snowheads.com/ski-forum/viewtopic.php?t=73827
It just confirms I'm doing the right thing - bad food (my fault), terrible people in chalet (my family!), not cleaned (my fault again), transport issues (yep me again)
Ok I know there are a million and one valid reasons why it doesn't suit others, but with these type of threads I can't help but feel smug.
Right lock the thread before this gets ugly 
Last edited by Poster: A snowHead on Wed 16-02-11 12:08; edited 1 time in total
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Boris, ah but, to be fair, there are also threads extolling great food, friendly ski guiding, fantastic last minute deals, etc etc! and given the propensity of people to shout their complaints loudly, but not bother too much with plaudits, I think we can safely assume that most people who take package holidays reckon they've had good value for money.
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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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pam w, I know - it's whatever suits - will never doubt that.
Just being smug
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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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Boris, Can I be smug too?.
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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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Basil, feel free
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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I much prefer self catering too . I just don't understand why chalet holidays are so popular particularly with people with children.
1. It is like sharing your house with a load of strangers and their habits.
2. chalet hosts are normally about 18 and less experienced at cleaning and cooking than most of the guests
3. You have to eat at a time that suits the chalet host not yourselves. With young children used to having meals at a regular time this is very inconvenient. My children were also very fussy eaters under 5 so most of the food wouldn't have been eaten anyway
4. You don't get much personal space just a small bedroom and if you are lucky an ensuite (pay more for that if you go with esprit). Walls were paper thin at the last chalet I stayed in (simply ski - no longer operating unsurprisingly).
5. most chalets don't have pools. Most new self catering appts have nice pool spa areas
6. You end up overeating in a chalet and putting on weight as they provide cakes for afternoon tea and 5 course evening meals...ok for one day but not 7
this is all before something goes wrong with the chalet or the host fails to show up for breakfast.
In most cases it is cheaper to self cater and eat out than stay in a chalet.
Chalets may be nice if you can take over the whole chalet with friends and go with a decent company (not the cheapest). Personally if I wanted a catered holiday I would rather choose a hotel and keep some flexibility over meal times and personal space!
Okay I know I'm getting old and set in my ways. Maybe if you are 18 and sleep soundly, have a healthy appetite and are fairly laid back a chalet might be fun!
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Boris, I'm with you all the way although I confess to have taken two Thomson packages in the last year purely on the basis of price - basically they were offering flight and a hotel I like in Austria cheaper than I could book just the hotel direct. Would never risk it going to a chalet though.
Once a large tour operator took me around their massive call centre. We entered a large room with maybe 20-25 people all on the phone and with electronic board on the wall showing the calls waiting. This was the complaints department. Something like 3% of all packages sold ended up as a complaint which made me wonder what the real figure must have been if all the non-complaining types were added in.
At least if you book everything yourself, you only have yourself to blame. I like the idea that you pay your hotel bill on your way out and not a few months before, so you have the ultimate sanction if not happy. Of course, the hotel knows this so they treat you with respect - at least, always been my experience in that little-known part of France called Austria.
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There can be no better ski holiday than a big group of family and friends on a good quality catered chalet holiday. We have been on a dozen such trips and all have been brilliant. SC can be good, but it can never compare 
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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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I've always had good experiences in chalets, all of them last minute jobs which made them cheaper than SC would have been. I've never been with a major tour op though, much rather the smaller or privately owned and run chalets. I find some of the rental prices for SC places have gone up way more than the catered chalets have in the last few years.
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Someone please lock the thread now - the same arguments are beginning to start.
I was just having a smug stupid moment 
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Frosty the Snowman, Quite so. The lack of complaint threads here, relative to the amount of TO holidays, only highlights the fact that the vast majority of chalet holidays pass off without incident.
To expand on the theme, the propensity to complain is much higher when going on a TO organised holiday because it gives you someone to complain to (at the time) and about (afterwards). I've noticed that there are no (or so few I haven't noticed) threads on here along the vein of "Our SC holiday was awful, complete rubbish. I completely screwed up the journey, the apartment I booked was tiny and inadequately equipped, and the people I was with were just dreadful, but then I knew that already because I'm either related to them or, previous to going on holiday with them at least, counted them as friends". I'm guessing the lack of complaints about SC holidays is either because they all go without a hitch (which I don't believe), or because complaining about a holiday you've organised yourself is an admission of failure, and that perhaps not all is as rosy in the SC garden as people would have us believe.
Thoughts?
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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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| Quote: |
There can be no better ski holiday than a big group of family and friends on a good quality catered chalet holiday
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I agree, when it works well it's brilliant - and if you are a big group, self catering is not normally practicable (we had a great holiday in a rented chalet in Les Gets, with 6 en suite bedrooms, but self catering places suitable for bigger groups are difficult to find and you need reliable friends to share the cooking!). We enjoyed all our catered chalet holidays, some cheap, some a bit better quality - we always got value for money, never had any complaints (even when the hot water system broke down, they took us to a neighbouring chalet for showers that evening) and we always enjoyed the company. On one occasion my nephew ended up still going out with one of the other guests 5 years later when they got engaged on a holiday at our apartment on their fourth ski holiday together. They actually broke up after 7 years, didn't get married, but I hardly think one can blame the chalet holiday formula for that!
Certain types of people definitely don't suit chalet holidays - either those who just don't enjoy meeting new people, or are hyper particular about details, or who come in loud and drunk in the early hours. As for things like size of bedrooms, you can can get good or bad sized bedrooms in any kind of accommodation. I can't imagine any chalets have rooms as small (or non existent) as low cost French apartments.
The good thing about a DIY holiday is that you can put together the package that suits you - a chalet (of any quality, cheap or super deluxe), the kind of travel and transfer you like, etc. But then, as Boris notes, if something goes wrong (the transfer taxi doesn't turn up, your flight is diverted to another airport, or arrives after the car hire desk is closed) you're on your own. Which isn't always ideal, either.
I drove back from France yesterday, 709 miles in one hit, drove the whole way myself. No problems at all, despite hitting Dover in rush hour. But other times we've had to do chains in blizzards (nice if you are driving TO the resort, not so clever when you are leaving), hit such heavy fog that the only safe course of action was to get off the motorway at 2pm and find a hotel for the night, hit such heavy snow that the roads in northern France were at a complete standstill, etc etc etc. I am willing to deal with all that, these days, but I wouldn't have been so happy years ago, with small children and no experience of snow chains etc.
If money was no object I would always choose a luxury private chalet - no problem getting one with a pool, if that's what you want, though I'd not contemplate one of those bacteria-laden hot tubs, at any price. then I could choose my meal times, tell the cook what sort of food I like, get picked up at the airport, whistle in a masseuse, etc etc
But money is an object!! Which is why we now have our own apartment and ski for very little money per day!
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One man's meat.... etc.
Personally anything related to accomodation, food, TO numptiness/airline/airport cock ups plays a very distant second fiddle to quality of the ski experience and who I'm with.
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You know it makes sense.
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| snowymum wrote: |
I much prefer self catering too . I just don't understand why chalet holidays are so popular particularly with people with children.
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I am one of those that do prefer chalet hotel holidays with children. I have done both DIY (twice) and been with Ski Esprit once to Courechevel in Crystal 2000
| snowymum wrote: |
1. It is like sharing your house with a load of strangers and their habits.
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Err, I don't get this. We weren't sharing our rooms with any strangers. I would suggest it is like going to a restaurant every night. And the company was great thanks to a couple of fellow snowheads 
| snowymum wrote: |
2. chalet hosts are normally about 18 and less experienced at cleaning and cooking than most of the guests
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Yes some of the staff were young, the cleaning was good, in fact they always set out teddies and kids toys in nice ways. The food was very good. They also all tried really hard, and were always cheerful and friendly with the girls. Even when they were carting up big soups pans full of hot water so we could bath the girls when the hot water failed they were still having a joke with my daughter and took time to watch her doing something she wanted to show them.
| snowymum wrote: |
3. You have to eat at a time that suits the chalet host not yourselves. With young children used to having meals at a regular time this is very inconvenient. My children were also very fussy eaters under 5 so most of the food wouldn't have been eaten anyway
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The childrens meals were time perfectly with when we do them at home somewhere between 5 and 5:30 in the evening, and lunch at 12. They were always happy to bring more or different things in this case (when I asked for me peas for my 1yr old they bought out a big bowl, my youngest sat there eating them like sweets, my eldest had about half of them as she loves peas just as much). Yes our food was a bit later than I would have liked - it is time to be after you put the kids to bed, but they were a bit later than that still, however they were bringing round nibbles and drinks in the bar before hand, and it was there first week in the accommadation so I suspect they were still finding there feet to a certain extent.
| snowymum wrote: |
4. You don't get much personal space just a small bedroom and if you are lucky an ensuite (pay more for that if you go with esprit). Walls were paper thin at the last chalet I stayed in (simply ski - no longer operating unsurprisingly).
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We paid for 2 interconnecting rooms, however if you have a bigger room or a second room, I certainly would expect to pay for it. Just like I would expect to pay more for a 2 bed apartment over a 1 bed apartment.
| snowymum wrote: |
5. most chalets don't have pools. Most new self catering appts have nice pool spa areas
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Ours did and juccussi etc. The 1 of the 2 apartments I have stayed in didn't have one. Apartements with pools always charge more than ones which don't.
| snowymum wrote: |
6. You end up overeating in a chalet and putting on weight as they provide cakes for afternoon tea and 5 course evening meals...ok for one day but not 7
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Actualy despite this, I came back 1lb lighter.
| snowymum wrote: |
this is all before something goes wrong with the chalet or the host fails to show up for breakfast.
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Things did go wrong, how the staff dealt with them was a testamant to going with them IMO. When we were in one apartment the person forgot to arrange for the travel cot and high chair to be there which were said and included and we had said we needed. This meant my 1yr old kept falling out of bed as she wasn't used to a bed but we had nowhere else to put her to sleep. Yes we emailed the owner to complain - after paying for internet connection as the wi-fi that was supposed to be available wasn't working either. He did arrange it to come to us after the third day by which point I was shattered. At least with a Chalet Hotel the staff are all on site to sort out problems.
| snowymum wrote: |
In most cases it is cheaper to self cater and eat out than stay in a chalet.
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This was my biggest problem with self catering I don't believe it was cheaper. You don't have the stop pile of stuff (herbs, spices, salt, pepper etc available) for cooking, shops in resort for food are a lot more expensive, thinks like butter, you won't use a full pack during your holiday but end up having to buy a full one. When we tried to eat out we couldn't find any restaurants in resort that served food early enough so that our daughter could eat before going to bed, and obviously we can't go out and leave her after she has gone to bed. And I am afraid to say if I end up cooking every night then it does spoil the holiday a bit for me. It is really nice to not have to cook for a few days.
| snowymum wrote: |
Chalets may be nice if you can take over the whole chalet with friends and go with a decent company (not the cheapest). Personally if I wanted a catered holiday I would rather choose a hotel and keep some flexibility over meal times and personal space!
Okay I know I'm getting old and set in my ways. Maybe if you are 18 and sleep soundly, have a healthy appetite and are fairly laid back a chalet might be fun! |
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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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Poster: A snowHead
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I don't think I've been on a bad holiday with a TO yet, skiing or summer holiday - I think some people are just too fussy or too unlucky (or are we not fussy enough and very lucky?). I've done DIY summer hols, but not ski holiday, for a family of 3 it just seems to be more expensive for a ski trip when we want to go (Christmas, New Year and Easter school hols) for DIY.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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NickyJ - sounds as though you had a great chalet experience. Ours was very poor. The operator we went with was supposedly child friendly but there were a lot of problems with our holiday. They had ceased to operate by the next season which would suggest there were serious problems with the organisation. Prior to this we did a Neilson chalet holiday in Val Thorens at New Year and the experience was also very bad and poor value for money - this was pre children about 10 yrs ago.
A few years ago we were looking at La rosiere at new year and choosing between Esprit chalets and MGM cimes blanches appartments. The MGM appartments were far more luxurious in this case. The cost of the holiday was also cheaper self catering even allowing for eating out a few times. Esprit also only offered travel via their flights and as the resort was 15 mins drive from bourg st maurice we wanted to travel by direct eurostar. the Esprit childcare/lessons may have been good but the ESF option we used was adequate. In other resorts where chalets are more luxurious the esprit option might be a lot more tempting.
I have really been put off chalets for life by the two experiences I've had. I can see that if you have had a good chalet experience it would be hard for you to know how bad it is when a chalet holiday goes wrong. I will admit I am quite particular over cleanliness and thats one of the reasons why I feel more relaxed self catering in a decent quality appartment.
I am sure there are some very good companies out there offering chalet holidays but I would still rather go to a hotel than risk another disappointing chalet holiday.
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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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Same reasons I'm not keen on chalets. But I've yet to find a hotel in Austria or Italy that I really didn't like. So far the food has been delicious, even for a veggie like me and the rooms, although variant in size, have been clean, warm and comfortable. That's pretty much all I need. Driving and self-catering makes absolutely no sense at all for a solo traveller.
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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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TO comes into its own when it goes wrong. We had driven to a trip at the end of last season, when dozens in our chalet were shafted by a little volcano in Iceland. TOs were bussing people home, arranging alternative flights, getting people home, our chalet was a DIY job so everyone who had booked flights was screwed. We had driven so were ok, others were stuck for several days in Geneva airport with no support, no assistance, no big organisation behind them to argue with an airline.
Currently I am organising a group of 28 people for a big chalet next season. Now, given the options, I can either get them all to pay one company directly and they deal with everything, or I can spend several months organising dozens of flights, transfers, arranging food that everyone will eat including some gluten free, some vegetarian, and other weird dietary requirements. In short, it just wouldn't happen, if I was doing it then I'd be doing it professionally, it would be that much work. And the price we're paying is incredible, I couldn't find a chalet for that amount, yet we are getting flights and transfers all included for the price.
Every chalet we've stayed in has been well set up for kids - the stories of rearranged meals, activities organised, and staff who are visibly good with children reinforces my opinion that if I took kids on a ski trip the first thing I'd look for is a catered chalet through a child friendly TO.
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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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| snowymum wrote: |
NickyJ - sounds as though you had a great chalet experience. Ours was very poor. The operator we went with was supposedly child friendly but there were a lot of problems with our holiday. They had ceased to operate by the next season which would suggest there were serious problems with the organisation. Prior to this we did a Neilson chalet holiday in Val Thorens at New Year and the experience was also very bad and poor value for money - this was pre children about 10 yrs ago.
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It is really hard to forget experiences like that, it is the reason we won't go with Crystal again, that was the only bad experience we had (in their Club hotel). Other chalet holidays (and one hotel) prior children were all with Inghams and we would go with them again when the kids are older. They are great for couples and older children but weren't really geared up for young families based on our experience.
| snowymum wrote: |
A few years ago we were looking at La rosiere at new year and choosing between Esprit chalets and MGM cimes blanches appartments. The MGM appartments were far more luxurious in this case. The cost of the holiday was also cheaper self catering even allowing for eating out a few times. Esprit also only offered travel via their flights and as the resort was 15 mins drive from bourg st maurice we wanted to travel by direct Eurostar. the Esprit childcare/lessons may have been good but the ESF option we used was adequate. In other resorts where chalets are more luxurious the esprit option might be a lot more tempting.
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The lessons were with ESF, but a member of Esprit staff took them there, and stayed with them (there were only 3 children in the class). So TBH quality of lesson is almost certainly identical. Personally we prefer to fly, but I did think it a bit stange they didn't offer other transfer options. I will make a note of that location though. I am not adverse to going DIY and we will do it again, but it will be when the girls are older and happier to eat later in the evening, they are 1 and 4 now. I suppose I just wanting to show they weren't all bad
| snowymum wrote: |
I have really been put off chalets for life by the two experiences I've had. I can see that if you have had a good chalet experience it would be hard for you to know how bad it is when a chalet holiday goes wrong. I will admit I am quite particular over cleanliness and thats one of the reasons why I feel more relaxed self catering in a decent quality appartment.
I am sure there are some very good companies out there offering chalet holidays but I would still rather go to a hotel than risk another disappointing chalet holiday. |
I can agree with that, the food was very poor on our trip with Crystal, and I can see by your experience it could have been a lot worse. At least in our case it was a cheap last minute and we got some good skiing in which is a high priority. Certainly your comment about staff not turning up for breakfast, is awful and I can fully sympathise.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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Just done a DIY trip with only my wife staying
3 nights in Stubai (Neustift) with a pension (B&B)
5 nights in Solden - self catering in a 650 sq.ft flat.
5 nights in Braincon - B&B with a hotel
3 nights in Les Deux Alps - half board in a hotel.
Regardless the pros and cons of DIY that is the only way I could ski Stubai, Solden, Obergurgl, Risoul/Vars, Serre Chevalier, Cesana/Sauze D'Olux, Montgenvre, Les Deux Alps and L'Alps D'Huez in three countries within the same trip.
Resorts visited but did not ski , Oetz, Clariere, Puy St Vincent and La Grave.
There are many ways to ski and the DIY is one possibility that may suit someone.
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| Quote: |
This was my biggest problem with self catering I don't believe it was cheaper. You don't have the stop pile of stuff (herbs, spices, salt, pepper etc available)
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You would have done if you'd stayed in my apartment, and there are also restaurants open in the village all day which will serve dinner early enough for your little one.
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| snowymum wrote: |
the host fails to show up for breakfast.
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Did this actually happen, or is it one of many "possibles"? I ask because, these days at least, I'm fairly sure that would result in an immediate sacking, or final warning at the very least. Chalet staff have smartened up their act in recent years, and most certainly in the current climate of declining customer numbers. I posted a few days ago about a Mark Warner chalet chap being sacked on the spot for being over the limit on a morning breathalyzer test. He wasn't late for anything and there had been no complaints, but he was summarily dismissed. I know of other TO's that have the same policy. It's an extremely competitive world out there, and in a post-tripadvisor landscape any transgressions are jumped on immediately. poo-poo happens, of course, but the days of horse-faced gap yah idiots free-loading a winter on the slopes in return for little or no actual work are, in the main, long behind us.
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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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| Hells Bells wrote: |
| Quote: |
This was my biggest problem with self catering I don't believe it was cheaper. You don't have the stop pile of stuff (herbs, spices, salt, pepper etc available)
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You would have done if you'd stayed in my apartment, and there are also restaurants open in the village all day which will serve dinner early enough for your little one. |
Thats good to know, I will certainly look into that in the future.... Unfortunately that isn't universal (and not just limited to ski apartments I am talking self catering in general), I am alway disappointed when I have gone self catering and there hasn't even been salt and pepper provided.
Thanks.
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Dr John - The holiday was around 10 yrs ago with Neilson (New Year, Val Thorens) and there was at least one morning when the chalet host didn't show up for breakfast (may have been more it is going back some time in my memory). There were also issues with the evening meals but I can't remember the details. I complained to Neilson at the time and we were given vouchers for £40 off another Neilson holiday. Needless to say we didn't use them.
Obviously this was some time ago so it is not a reflection on current Neilson standards. However it was bad enough to put us off using this company again.
I'm glad to hear standards are higher now.
NickyJ - I also went on holiday with Inghams pre children and found them very good. Stayed at a hotel in courmayeur that time.
This thread is slighly confusing in that it talks about self catering and DIY. It is possible to self cater and use a tour operator too! Eg. Snow Bizz
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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NickyJ, I have been disappointed too, which is why it doesn't happen in my own apartment. There's also coffee filters, kitchen roll, foil and cling film.
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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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You know it makes sense.
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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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[quote="Boris"]
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I was having a bit of joke when I started this and didn't want to start the same arguments again. But like Boredsurfing, I hope SH doesn't turn into a place for slagging TOs. Or at least only with some form of right to reply!
Still I suppose without the same arguments SH would be a bit quiet
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Why can't TOs be criticised?
It works both ways. If you have a good experience with a TO I'm sure they are pleased to have a positive mention in a trip report. Therefore they cannot expect people to keep their bad experiences to themselves.
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Poster: A snowHead
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snowymum, I'm not saying they can't. But you will only ever hear one side of the story in complaints about the TO and there is nothing to stop people making malicious accusations either.
I'm all for highlighting issues, but I'm not entirely sure SH is right place to do it.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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| Quote: |
i can indulge my list making tendencies no end!
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Absolutely. Some people like organising stuff, and are prepared to cope when it hits the fan. Others like the organisation done for them. I like making lists too - the organisation for getting people (including very small kids) to and from different flights to our apartment and the next door one we borrowed, the last couple of Christmasses, along with having enough food to feed people really well without having to shop for the first few days required lots of lists.
TO packages can still be quite hard work with kids though - especially as we could never afford "child care". One very cheap coach job to Valmeinier saw me rather rashly take four extra kids (cousins) who had to be gathered up as we got ourselves to Dover to catch the coach. We were due to arrive (and did arrive) early Saturday morning and the kids wanted to be on the slopes in 10 minutes flat. So that entailed having to have all their stuff ready and accessible without having to open all the bags we stashed in the TV room whilst awaiting access to our rooms after 4 pm. that meant I had to make lists for two other lots of parents!
I was very glad not to ALSO be organising food on that occasion (though my food is a lot better than food in a Snowcoach chalet hotel - I really don't like chalet hotels, can't see the point of them. They're neither one thing nor the other.
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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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| Quote: |
as I am a total control freak
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I think this sums it up the best!
If you're easy going and don't want to be bothered with the detail, a TO will take care of everything for you. And if it's not 100% to your liking? Well, you're easy going to begin with so what's the big fuss? And if thing really gone quite wrong, complain about it on the internet! 
Those who're finicky tend to like DIY. If you've lived this long and stay particular about a lot of things, chances are you've also cater to your own quirk for this long! So you're very likely to be quite capable of sorting a lot of things out by this point. So what's so different about a ski holiday that involves flights, transfer, hotel/apartment, cooking, equipment hire + lesson? Piece of cake! Oh, when things goes wrong, you can sort it out too. It's part of the package -- yourself!
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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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| abc wrote: |
If you're easy going and don't want to be bothered with the detail, a TO will take care of everything for you. And if it's not 100% to your liking? Well, you're easy going to begin with so what's the big fuss? ! |
That's one of the best summaries of why people choose TO I've heard (read). Spot on.
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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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But there's always a Pandora in the box somewhere.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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IMO going with a TO is my least favoured option. I gave up TO's 10 years ago after many dodgy chalet trips (too many bad new stories to list here) disinterested in-resort staff, and overpriced hotel deals/ surrounded by Brits moaning about stuff that I vowed never again. It's so easy nowadays via the internet to do minor research, book all areas flights/ tunnel/ car hire/ trains/ transfers/ accom/ meals independently and just go for it. I've been 20-30 times independently and its never been an issue, yes it can be a bind when it goes slightly wrong but for so many reasons I prefer it that way and be in control. I'd hardly call myself a control-freak, rather an in-control person!
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| Quote: |
It's so easy nowadays via the internet to do minor research, book all areas flights/ tunnel/ car hire/ trains/ transfers/ accom/ meals independently and just go for it.
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And that's one of the best summaries of why people choose DIY!
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| Boris wrote: |
I was having a bit of joke when I started this and didn't want to start the same arguments again. But like Boredsurfing, I hope SH doesn't turn into a place for slagging TOs. Or at least only with some form of right to reply!
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There is absolutely nothing to stop a TO from registering on the site and commenting. Some of the most positive outcomes for any organisation come from dealing with complaints. And dealing with those publically, especially when dealing with a customer that we may percieve as difficult and potential unjustified, demonstrates a company gives a toss and is prepared to do something to rectify it.
I've seen massively positive publicity from companies doing this, however it is an art. To walk into a forum with no history, and manage to turn that into a positive experience for the customer, requires effort and thought. If you do it well, however, you can come out with more customers than you'd have if the customer didn't publically complain at all.
Nobody is ever going to censor or stop a TO from coming on here to try and resolve a problem. They have the same right to reply as their customers. Many are scared to do it, because if done badly, it makes the complaint much more memorable, and people like me who might write off one or two bad reports could then see the TO as a problem, not just one resort or one location within a resort.
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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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Monium, assuming they know of the thread and assuming the person actually is from the TO and not just a 'sock' stirring up more trouble. Plus, as with any review site, what's to stop 10 people from Company A registering here and slagging of Company B - same issue with all review sites.
Luckily most snowheads can read between the lines and spot genuine issues
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Hi all
To add my two-penneth worth from a tour operator's point of view...
Snowheads in general does have a slightly rarified and critical atmosphere overall and while I don't think that's a bad thing necessarily, in some threads I do think Crystal and other tour operators get a bad rap.
For example if you look at our Facebook page (http://facebook.com/crystalski) you'll see (generally!) lots of glowing holiday reports from our customers, whereas here we do tend to see more negatives. It's just the nature of the beast I suppose. You can't stop people from being critical but it's certainly more productive to take up your issue with your holiday company rather than having an anonymous rant online about it!
What I don't particularly understand is why people would want to spend their own time AND money DIY-ing when we can do it cheaper and quicker for them and they have the security of us being there if the worst comes to the worst. 
Had to get a plug in there somewhere!
Cheers
David
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FAQ
! OOOh the stress last year (7am conf calls the day before to book new flights etc, callign cab firms to reschedule whilse hastily packing a bag and slugging back the gin as if your life depended on it!) when if you were on a charter it would all be done and dusted for you.
