Durango Pulls Complainer's Pass
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Durango Pulls Complainer's Pass
[ November 20, 2009 - 11:58am ]
Dek:
An unhappy customer complains about Durango Mountain Resort; DMR strikes back
Oh boy -- this one's sure to start some debate. According to The Durango Herald (Colo.), Durango Mountain Resort "has revoked a woman's season pass for publicly criticizing the ski area's new operating schedule." The backstory: In the early and late season, DMR often only opens on weekends. It seems that D-Town local Lauren Slaff thought the new schedule was unfair to weekday-pass holders, and she complained about the new schedule to a resort manager. He offered her a refund for her pass; she refused. In a subsequent interview with the Herald, Slaff reiterated her complaint that the schedule undercut the number of skier days for weekday skiers -- and DMR didn't like what read. In an open letter to Slaff, Durango CEO Gary Derck wrote, "It would be best if we part ways and refund you the all-season pass you purchased so you can find another place to ski/ride that better meets your expectations." The resort then dumped her pass and refunded her credit card. Now here's where it gets good: When Telluride Ski Area heard about the incident, they offered Slaff a season pass at a reduced price. We're not going to comment on the public relations lesson to be learned from all of this. Instead, a simple question: In this scenario, who looks like the hero and who looks like the hoser?
Photo by: avern on Flickr
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I dont understand..was she aware of the restrictions in place when she purchased the pass? Did they change the rules of the game after she purchased? In either case, if the mountain cannot make money during the week during fringe parts of the season and needs to go weekend only to survive I dont know what the complaining is all about. I think the mountain did exactly the right thing in refunding her money and inviting her to take her business elsewhere.....
OK!! Then they offer her a reduced price pass!!!!!!! She will probably complain the price is too low! :-)
I am so sick of these cry baby people. This girl is a prime example of what is wrong with the country. she knew the hours and she bought the cheapo pass anyway, but i guess her stupidity is reason enough for them to offer her a refund,instead lets flip out and start some BS. Wow Good for you Durango,your doing what you must for your company and yes let her go cry about someone elses mountain . People like Her will complain no matter what. Down South we call these people E-PABs.Evil-Plotting Ass Bi@$hes
COnative, thanks for adding some perspective to the story. Slaff bought a cheaper, weekday-only pass, so she should've expected fewer ski days than an unlimited pass would've provided. Bet she spends more on gas driving to and from T-ride than she would've spent if she'd gotten a full-price DMR pass in the beginning. Wonder if she'll bitch to Telluride when she's expected to share a gondola on busy days?
ULLR almighty, you didn't just call one of your advertisers a hoser did ya ?????????????? Seems to me the woman was a whiner.
Update: Just read that apparently the woman has been complaining constantly about one thing or another for over 2 years, an ongoing thing with the mtn staff, ever since she moved to town from New York. This is just her latest tirade. You know, SKI mag, at some point a business must make a decision not to serve a customer. You guys closed FREEZE magazine. People complained. But it is DMR's right not to operate at a loss on weekdays early and late season, as it is your right not to publish a really cool magazine that loses money. You made a business decision and so did DMR.
And then the woman went to Telluride to complain? T ride didn't contact her, she just wouldn't let it go. Now, it seems, Slaff is T ride's problem. Kudos to DMR.