 Poster: A snowHead
|
|
a
Last edited by Poster: A snowHead on Fri 24-09-21 15:29; edited 1 time in total
|
|
|
|
|
|
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
|
|
Oh dear.
|
|
|
|
|
|
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?
|
|
marmotte16, only to be expected . . . I've been on 3 seriously cheap tips with them over the years . . . all were crappy and I just used them as a base for a single traveler and put up with the lousy conditions in their hovel . . . Mt. Blanc, Valandry.
|
|
|
|
|
|
You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
|
|
Anyone else got any experience of Snowcoach?
|
|
|
|
|
|
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
|
|
Popcorn, not sure salty or toffee?
|
|
|
|
|
|
You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| huw_jenks wrote: |
Whilst I was at work yesterday I got a text saying that a company I used to work for were on Rogue Traders on BBC1. I wasn't the least bit surprised and had a good laugh to myself. Anyone heard of Snowcoach?
I got home and got on IPlayer and discovered that the programme wasn't Rogue Traders but one called The Sherrifs Are Coming, where bailiffs go around trying to get back money people are owed. The episode can be found here
http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b01qgq49/The_Sheriffs_Are_Coming_Series_2_Episode_11/
9mins in, but here is a quick summary. A guy goes off to work for Snowcoach (or one of the dozen or so other company names) in France as a ski explorer but very quickly gets tired with having to take all the flak and complaints from customers that are really the responsibility of the staff in head office and the result of years of mismanagement. After 3 months he hands in his notice, works his notice as stated in the contract and returns to the UK but is still owed over £600. After months of phone calls and letters it becomes clear that the only way to get his wages (plus bonus, holiday pay, deposit etc) is to go through the courts. Snowcoach (or whatever they happen to be called this week) don't bother contesting the case and the court rules in favour of the claimant. And still the money is not forthcoming.
Of course, the company can still afford to put new flat screen tv's in all the rooms of its hotel, just not pay the people who live in the worst conditions, do the longest hours and get the least money.
So the bailiffs turn up at the HQ of what might be Snowcoach Holidays or Snowcoach Cantabrica or Cantabrica Air Hols or European Liesure or Bourneworth Ltd or whatever it's called and are let in. Whilst the bailiff is calculating the value of items in reception a woman comes along and tells him that the company he is after isn't based there at all, contradicting what another member of staff has told him. He goes upstairs and continues making notes on the value of goods in the office, walking around the staff who don't seem in the least concerned (I expect this happens a lot).
After a bit more waiting around in walks Sauron himself, David Stewart! A man who for a long time I believed to be a myth, people talked about him but he was never seen and was not ever in the office at the right time to recieve a phone call... He calims that the company the bailiff is looking for has all its assets in France but this is easily disproven by the footage of the employee answering the door when requested. Then he claims that Snowcoach's lawyers are still working on the case, again untrue and the bailiff has a high court order to sieze goods. The bailiff is given a cheque for the money (I bet it bounced...)
How many more people are owed money by this thief? How many people are in France this winter working their fingers to the bone for a company that won't be paying them? How many skiers will go on holiday, get onto the slopes and find that their prepayed lift passes don't work? How many holiday makers will be evicted from their accomodation in the middle of the night?
If you know anyone considering going on holiday with Snowcoach, make sure they know to avoid at all costs. |
Ahh ok...I guess you must have had a similarly bad experience with them too? Judging by your bold statement above!?
|
|
|
|
|
|
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.
|
|
Are they the group that takes the big coach into the London ski show?
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Megamum wrote: |
| Are they the group that takes the big coach into the London ski show? |
Yeah, that's them. Must cost a bit doing that, probably why they can't pay their staff and they all end up trying to set fire to the hotel!
|
|
|
|
|
|
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
|
Boredsurfing, toffee for me please! 
|
|
|
|
|
|
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.
|
|
|
|
|
|
I once went on holiday with them too, many years ago, and had a good experience.
But if you knew how the company worked...
Workers never being paid, rent never being paid, resort bills never being paid, lift passes not being paid for (despite having been pre-paid by customers), heavies turning up at hotels demanding cash, being chased down the street by a landlord demanding money, holidaymakers being evicted from their chalet at night by police, employees angrily confronting the director asking why they arn't getting any money, televisions being thrown out of windows, arrests being made....
.....would you tell people or just say you were a satisfied customer?
|
|
|
|
|
|
You know it makes sense.
|
|
Have you told Simon Calder about this?
|
|
|
|
|
|
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
|
|
|
|
Poster: A snowHead
|
They're still ripping people off, so I think it's still worth bringing up!
|
|
|
|
|
|
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
|
|
Did you ever get your own case sorted huw?
|
|
|
|
|
|
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?
|
| sev112 wrote: |
| Did you ever get your own case sorted huw? |
Answers on a postcard please!
|
|
|
|
|
|
You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
|
| huw_jenks wrote: |
Workers never being paid, rent never being paid, resort bills never being paid, lift passes not being paid for (despite having been pre-paid by customers), heavies turning up at hotels demanding cash, being chased down the street by a landlord demanding money, holidaymakers being evicted from their chalet at night by police, employees angrily confronting the director asking why they arn't getting any money, televisions being thrown out of windows, arrests being made....
.....would you tell people or just say you were a satisfied customer? |
Well, personally I'd pay to see all that action.
Haven't we heard all this re a certain Mr Reynard?
|
|
|
|
|
|
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
|
As I have said before on here, I have travelled with them 5 times (between 2006-2009) and never had any issues.
Probable not the best ski holidays I've had, but definitely the best value for money. I would think 90%+ customers on the holidays I went on with them where more than happy and every holiday I did I meet people I had meet before as they have many repeat customers. I would also say most of the staff I talked to were happy enough, saying you won't make much money but will have a good time and a chance to ski most days.
|
|
|
|
|
|
You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
|
|
I think Chris Reynard is in another league!
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
If this has managed to get past the BBC lawyers in the current climate of double checking everything, I would suppose there has to be more to it than the mutterings of some ex staff.
I seem to recall a Facebook group with phone camera footage of staff berating a company owner, I think about lift passes - anyone else catch that? Think it was this same company.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
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.
|
Bode Swiller, no it was a different one, they didn't film their owner.
The one I am thinking of was done in the doorway of an hotel. I think they were attacking him about non-provision of passes for guests.
The LM 7 was a great example of social networking though.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| albinomountainbadger wrote: |
Bode Swiller, no it was a different one, they didn't film their owner.
The one I am thinking of was done in the doorway of an hotel. I think they were attacking him about non-provision of passes for guests.
The LM 7 was a great example of social networking though. |
I seem to remember that this was the LM7.
|
|
|
|
|
|
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
|
|
sequoiaboard, well done, there was a small clue.
|
|
|
|
|
|
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.
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Bode Swiller wrote: |
| sequoiaboard, well done, there was a small clue. |
Yes... I thought that albinomountainbadger was suggesting that it wasn't LM7.. DOH?
|
|
|
|
|
|
You know it makes sense.
|
No, I'm definitely not thinking of the LM7, I remember them quite well.
Here's a screenshot from the now deleted second group - note first posts!!
Last edited by You know it makes sense. on Thu 31-01-13 9:53; edited 1 time in total
|
|
|
|
|
|
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
|
|
albinomountainbadger, ^ You are right,I'm wrong. Vid doesn't exist anymore but I could have sworn that it was LM7. Damn.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Poster: A snowHead
|
|
|
|
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
|
If you saw the end of the programme, they gave a brief update, they issued some sort of counter claim, saying that the monies given were from another unrelated company and therefore could not be used to pay the original debt.
Basically as i understand the sherrif collects the money and this is held for 7 days before being released to the claimant, as they disputed the payment in this particular instance the person didnt get the money, but they may have got it later i guess.
|
|
|
|
|
|
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?
|
| ansta1 wrote: |
If you saw the end of the programme, they gave a brief update, they issued some sort of counter claim, saying that the monies given were from another unrelated company and therefore could not be used to pay the original debt.
. |
Convenient or a Phoenix job?
|
|
|
|
|
|
You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
|
|
probably pheonix.......I would be pretty sure he knew what he was doing, but for the relatively paltry sum involved seems a little strong, probably cost him as much in legal fees as the claim.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
|
|
MO of dodgy cashflow operators is to go bust, renege on all debts as a result then require all necessary assets in a flatpack insolvency, then reestablish in a remarkably similar name. I think we'd have heard somewhere if Snowcoach had done this so more likely he just conveniently pulled out a chequebook for the wrong company. Regardless I do believe in a bit of caveat emptor once you start to hear of a business that takes casflow management to extremes.
|
|
|
|
|
|
You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
|
|
I've been on two snowcoach trips (1999 and 2011) and enjoyed both. Staff seemed happy enough.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
After having a few holidays with Snowcoach, I worked a season 2011/2012 and what has been said is absolutely true. During the season there were times we had no money to restock the bar, buy food or lift passes for the guests until the Saturday morning they were due to turn up. In addition I it took me a long time to get paid the last 7 weeks of the season, I'm still owed 200 quid. Dave Stewart is a tosser, he puts pressure on staff to drive un-road worthy mini busses, I refused to drive one night, and he got another driver to drive from st gervais to val cenis in a mini bus with no heating, and side lights only. I for 1 have no respect for the man and would not holiday with them again.
The guests seem to comeback year in year out though, although I know a number of people who refuse to go with them now
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
I retract all previous statements in regards to my own matter. I have been paid all the money owed to me as has everyone who worked for them this year.
Last edited by After all it is free  on Thu 29-08-13 19:15; edited 1 time in total
|
|
|
|
|
|
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.
|
joann22490, as a regular to this hotel, I know quite a few of the staff that return to work there year after year?
What are they doing differently? 
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
I retract all previous statements in regards to my own matter. I have been paid all the money owed to me as has everyone who worked for them this year.
Last edited by Ski the Net with snowHeads on Thu 29-08-13 19:36; edited 1 time in total
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
FAQ
