Emily and Caroline at Skydive Snohomish are the least helpful people I've ever met.
I made a reservation to skydive for the first time with a jump date set for August. On the morning of my jump, I awoke to pouring rain. I figured the jump was cancelled, but if you don't show up and it's NOT cancelled, you forfeit your reservation fee. I called several times that morning without getting an answer. As I was getting in my car to drive an hour towards the airport, someone from Skydive Snohomish did call me to inform me thatI would have to reschedule. I did- for today.
This morning I awoke to blue skies and got ready to go. Nobody called to say that the jump was delayed or cancelled, so I drove an hour north to the airport, nervous about what my first skydiving experience would be like.
EVERYTHING changed when I went inside.
A family of 4 was already standing at the counter being ""assisted'. A smug teenaged girl (either Emily or Caroline, I don't know which is which. They were equally awful) asked, ""Are you with this group?"" ""No, we're not."" Her response (I kid you not): ""Well, what do you want then?""
What do I want?
""We have a 10:45 reservation.""
""Well, that jump was cancelled due to weather.""
""It was? I wasn't informed.""
""It's YOUR responsibility to call and check ahead of time.""
""Really? Last time you guys rescheduled on me, on a day that was actually cloudy and rainy I tried calling several times with no answer before someone called me to inform me. I figured since no one called today, and it's nice outside, that we were set.""
""No. We don't have to call you. That was a courtesy last time, but we don't have to do that if we don't want to.""
And that was it. No, ""I'm so sorry, let's see what we can do to get you rescheduled."" Just a blankstare. I asked for her manager.
""The manager will tell you the same thing.""
""That's ok, I'd still like to speak to him.""
She walked down to the end of the counter and started speaking to another smug teenaged girl (either Emily or Caroline, obviously angry at the world). They stood there talking about me- IN FRONT OF ME- loud enough that I could hear them.
""This guy is pissed because his jump was cancelled. No, he didn't call ahead. Blah blah blah""
I walked down there to speak to them. ""No, I'm not upset that the jump was cancelled. I'm upset that nobody called me and now I'm being treated as though I'm the one who has done something wrong.""
""It's YOUR responsibility to call. We don't have time to call, our phones are ringing off the hook.""
I looked around. Other than the family of 4, there was no one there but us. No phones had rung since I'd been there.
""Apparently,"" I said. ""It sounds like you are really busy.""
""Well, the phone doesn't ring ALL the time.""
""Here's a tip, when the phone ISN'T ringing, that's where you make time to call people to give them a heads up- hey, don't spend an hour in the car driving up here because we won't be able to help you today.""
Still, blank stares. Not one offer to reschedule me or do ANYTHING. I finally asked:
""Can I reschedule for later today?""
""We're all booked. If you had called us earlier, we could have gotten you in.""
""Can I get a refund?""
""There are no refunds.""
""Again, why did no one call me this morning?""
""That's not our job.""
""So what IS your job?""
""To take you skydiving.""
""So let's go!""
""You can go. If you make a reservation when the weather is nice. YOU are the one who wanted to skydive in October in Seattle. YOU should have known better.""
She said that. Word for word. One of the girls finally gave me the manager's name (Tyson Harvey), and rest assured, I will be calling every day until I am refunded.
Emily and Caroline, I hope you someday outgrow your awkward years so you can stop taking out your teenage angst on customers.
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