Not impressed with Mount Snow's ski school

[drjeff]

I have had at least one, if not both of my kids in the Mountain Camp (age 7-14) at Mount Snow for the last 4 seasons. They have had Mountain Camp season passes and on average receive 30-35 days of Mountain Camp instruction per year on everything from early season to late season to full out holiday week crowds (the 26th, 28th and 29th this week too) My kids typically are tired at the end of the day pick up. Granted they're in or were in either the park group or the purple (most advanced) group, but they ski a lot during their lesson. One thing to keep in mind is that in the group lesson setting, especially on cold days like it was earlier this week, the instructors will ask the entire group if they are cold and/or need a break on every run - so if you have even 1 child in that group who answers "yes" then that class is taking a break. Let's be honest, not all kids handle the cold as well as others, and there are cold days where my kids experience a lesson where its a break after every run or two.

As for the Bullwheel break part, I guarantee that your kids weren't upstairs in the Bullwheel in the summit lodge as all race team and kids ski lesson groups aren't allowed upstairs in the Bullwheel bar area.

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[New Daddy]

Mount Snow's business is to make money. They don't care about you or your kids, just the money you bring.

Of course. no doubt about it. What I meant was, I thought ski resorts provide day care and ski school to attract families as well as make money, but not to MAXIMIZE profit solely from day care and ski school. Some retailers deliberately sell some stuff at a loss - called loss-leaders - so they can attract consumers who will spend more on other stuff and more than make up for the loss. I'm not into ski resort business, but I was thinking that ski school and day care might be offered in similar fashion. Not necessarily to lose money, but to attract families.

 

[twinplanx]

For a "new daddy" you sure seem to have plenty of experience with ski schools during the holidays. Prehaps it's time for more advanced lessons? Or maybe you should actually ski with your kids... Sorry you had a bad experience, but this thread has provided the most entertainment this Sunday afternoon. But I don't have kids, so what do I know... ;-)

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[KevinF]

Of course. no doubt about it. What I meant was, I thought ski resorts provide day care and ski school to attract families as well as make money, but not to MAXIMIZE profit solely from day care and ski school. Some retailers deliberately sell some stuff at a loss - called loss-leaders - so they can attract consumers who will spend more on other stuff and more than make up for the loss. I'm not into ski resort business, but I was thinking that ski school and day care might be offered in similar fashion. Not necessarily to lose money, but to attract families.

You thought wrong.

 

[BenedictGomez]

First, there is criticism that I was not active enough as consumer and should not have come here to complain.
Second, my experience at Mount Snow was probably the norm and my expectation was too high.

I find both strands ridiculous to certain extent.

I'm beginning to see that one thing is certain here, this customer is always right.

Mount Snow's business is to make money. They don't care about you or your kids, just the money you bring.

The statement above is a failure of logic. For starters, the business wouldn't MAKE money if it didnt care about the product/value the customer receives.

 

[deadheadskier]

I certainly don't need philosophy lecture from you. No thanks.

I think this was the first time that I was not happy with a ski school program on x-mas vacation. That's why I spoke up here. I don't know where you got "you would never be happy", although it does explain why you were always unhappy in the past, as you conceded. Everyone is different, I guess.

We will agree to disagree. Many websites - especially review sites, although this is not one - exist so people share their experiences - good and bad - without bearing the onus to actively trying to rectify. I'm not committed to Mount Snow, so I saw no need to actively speak to the management, when I have other choices that delivered far better experience in the past. Maybe skiing is different from restaurants, but I wonder how many complain to the chef for sub-par food before writing a review on yelp. (And I'll repeat as some won't read the whole thread. It was a three-day lesson, and I realized Mount Snow's ski program must be systematically poor after the second day, with only one day left.)

If I read a review on yelp about a bad restaurant experience and the diner makes no mention of attempting to improve their experience through sending their food back or speaking with management, I ignore the review.

 

[Geoff]

I have had at least one, if not both of my kids in the Mountain Camp (age 7-14) at Mount Snow for the last 4 seasons. They have had Mountain Camp season passes and on average receive 30-35 days of Mountain Camp instruction per year on everything from early season to late season to full out holiday week crowds (the 26th, 28th and 29th this week too) My kids typically are tired at the end of the day pick up. Granted they're in or were in either the park group or the purple (most advanced) group, but they ski a lot during their lesson.

Apples vs Oranges

Your kids are long-term repeat business. They're treated very differently from a Christmas week kid half-day group lesson.

I can't speak for Mount Snow but at most larger resorts, I would have low expectations for half-day group kid lessons during Christmas week. Resorts simply don't have the staffing so you're getting every part-timer and wannabe filling in.

 

[New Daddy]

If I read a review on yelp about a bad restaurant experience and the diner makes no mention of attempting to improve their experience through sending their food back or speaking with management, I ignore the review.

Ok, this is off-topic, but I have news for you: http://online.wsj.com/news/articles/SB990564481869649471

I do make my voice heard when I'm committed and I need to see improvement - like my kids' school.

 

[AdironRider]

You going to start writing yelp reviews for the low grade dog food at Taco Bell?

"Buyer beware, this is not authentic Mexican food"

 

[BenedictGomez]

You going to start writing yelp reviews for the low grade dog food at Taco Bell?

 

[Bene288]

I'm beginning to see that one thing is certain here, this customer is always right.



The statement above is a failure of logic. For starters, the business wouldn't MAKE money if it didnt care about the product/value the customer receives.

Parents are going to ski and enroll their kids in daycare so they can get more skiing by themselves. Somewhere along the line someone had the great idea to start a lesson/daycare program and charge a ton of money for it. Just like any business, some with strive for a superior product, and some will have the "screw it, they'll come regardless" attitude. They make a ton of money on the program regardless if it's sub par or stellar.

 

[thetrailboss]

I certainly don't need philosophy lecture from you. No thanks.

I think this was the first time that I was not happy with a ski school program on x-mas vacation. That's why I spoke up here. I don't know where you got "you would never be happy", although it does explain why you were always unhappy in the past, as you conceded. Everyone is different, I guess.

We will agree to disagree. Many websites - especially review sites, although this is not one - exist so people share their experiences - good and bad - without bearing the onus to actively trying to rectify. I'm not committed to Mount Snow, so I saw no need to actively speak to the management, when I have other choices that delivered far better experience in the past. Maybe skiing is different from restaurants, but I wonder how many complain to the chef for sub-par food before writing a review on yelp. (And I'll repeat as some won't read the whole thread. It was a three-day lesson, and I realized Mount Snow's ski program must be systematically poor after the second day, with only one day left.)

You're so busy talking that you're missing the point, which is this:

Sure, it's fine to relay your experience to other consumers. However, most consumers will take that information with a grain of salt if they know no attempt was made by the person complaining to seek a resolution to the problems they experienced.

There's nothing a customer service business wants more than an opportunity to correct their mistakes. If they don't receive feedback from their customers that their product needs work, they don't have an opportunity to improve.

Sorry you had a bad experience.

You should have given them a chance to fix it.

 

[deadheadskier]

Ok, this is off-topic, but I have news for you: http://online.wsj.com/news/articles/SB990564481869649471

I do make my voice heard when I'm committed and I need to see improvement - like my kids' school.

you were committed. You paid for a three day lesson program. your kid might have had a better experience if you spoke up after the first day. your loss. you had everything to gain by speaking up at the point of service. you gain nothing by complaining after the fact.

 

[goldsbar]

So you bought a half day group lesson on the busiest days of the year, at one of the busiest ski areas on the East Coast, and are surprised they weren't getting ski on laps?

A little harsh but basically true based on my experience. This is THE absolute worst time of the year for lessons. I'm not saying it's right, but that's the way it is. New instructors, an influx of customers from 30% full to 110% full. Vote with your $s and don't go back.

 

[gmcunni]

If I read a review on yelp about a bad restaurant experience and the diner makes no mention of attempting to improve their experience through sending their food back or speaking with management, I ignore the review.

if there are several bad reviews, regardless of whether the customer attempted to remediate, i take my business elsewhere.

 

[legalskier]

Look at the bright side- at least you weren't at...omg...Catamount. :wink:
http://forums.alpinezone.com/showthread.php/91726-Catamount-is-the-worst-in-the-EAST-!!!!
Seriously, Catamount is a fine area, just as Mt Snow is. They're also very convenient. Which means during holidays they get crowded. Perhaps the HS instructors who committed to work at MS this week never showed. That isn't MS's fault. Other posts here show the opposite experience than yours so maybe your timing just was unlucky. I don't know, but it's a bit unfair to criticize if you're only basing it on one experience.
I do agree with others that you should have spoken up, but I don't think it's too late. You might contact/email them about it, state your case, and see if they can make things right. MS's site lists Doug Daniels as "Skiing Services Manager/Director of Training," so he would be a good place to start. http://mountsnow.com/pdf/recruitment-brochure.pdf

If you can't bring yourself to return, you might consider a less crowded option next time like Bromley, Magic or Pico. Killington also gets crowded like MS, but they've addressed the problem you described by dedicating all of Ramshead Peak to their kids program. http://www.killington.com/winter/lessons/childrens_programs

My kids skied in Belleayre's Skiwee program many years ago. The instructors were young- probably HS or college age, and my kids always had a ball. At the end of the day the instructors would relate what they worked on and what they needed to focus on in the future. We got our money's worth and left happy.
Those are some nice memories. I miss those days. Enjoy them while you still have them.

 

[Newpylong]

Had my son attend Mount Snow's 7-and-over ski school from the 24th to the 26th. I understand it was a busy week, but we've had far better experience at other resorts in similarly busy times.

During each of the three half-day sessions, my son rode the chairlift just twice! I think he spent as much time at Bullwheel - the mountaintop cafe - as on the trail. The instructor-to-kids ratio was terrible too. I think they had 8 kids on one of the three days. And on the 24th, my son had a HIGH SCHOOL KID as an instructor! Is this normal? even legal? It not like summer camps, where high school kids work as counselors under supervision of more experienced teacher. I think everything points to one cause: they were terribly short-handed and didn't hire enough staff.

Cool story, would be better off letting the mountain know and not a ski forum.

 

[New Daddy]

Look at the bright side- at least you weren't at...omg...Catamount. :wink:
http://forums.alpinezone.com/showthread.php/91726-Catamount-is-the-worst-in-the-EAST-!!!!

Wow. That poster did speak with the manager at the mountain, but his report was not received any better. tough crowd.

 

[C-Rex]

This makes me think of the time I took my ex-wife to Butternut and got her a snowboard lesson. After the lesson she complained that all the instructor taught them was how to stand up when strapped in and how to skate around. So I went into the lesson center, calmly and politely voiced my displeasure, and you wouldn't believe what happened. Their head instructor dropped what he was doing, apologized to myself and my ex, and then took her out for around an hour and half private lesson. By the end of that, she was linking turns and having a blast. He also told us that the first instructor was new and that he would go through some retraining.

Amazing what can happen if you're polite and reasonable, and give a business a chance to correct poor service.

 

[MommaBear]

Amazing what can happen if you're polite and reasonable, and give a business a chance to correct poor service.

To OP, you should have at least let the mountain know that you were unhappy (after day 1, but definitely after day 2). They can't make something better if they are unaware something is wrong.