Page 3 | Go Ape refusing refund

Stripyseason · 2024-10-02T13:13:28+00:00

I can’t work out of I’m being unreasonable or fighting like a mama bear here in the right. took my kids to Go Ape on Sunday as a treat as it’s expensive (£60 for all of us). I’ll pop my original complaint email in as it explains it all thoroughly. Emails have been back and forth since then with them apologising and offering a discounted voucher for us to return and “give it another go”. I’ve said we don’t want to return as the left in tears feeling like they’d been rushed and the last thing they want is to go back! I just want a refund but 12 emails back and forth are going nowhere. They have said they shouldn’t have been rushed but they don’t do refunds and theyd like us to come back with a discount. Do I just leave it and chalk it up to experience? Or do I keep going and if so how? TIA. Dear customer services, Im just writing after quite a disappointing experience at X Go Ape today. It was myself and my 2 children, 8 and 11, one of whom has autism. We booked for the only available slot left which was _16:30_ and arrived by _16:15_ to be in plenty of time. We had to wait for a while for the safety briefing which was fine, and we got started. We were told we would have the chance to do 4 levels if we wished. We started off great and were enjoying it until we finished level 2 and my son heard some instructors saying we were “over time”. When we went to wait at #3 an instructor said we were running behind with time and as they were closing soon we likely wouldn’t have time to do course 4 if we did 3 so we felt pushed to do 4. This wasn’t helpful as it felt a big step up from course 2 and my son felt rushed and was worried saying they’re closing, so we hurried as much as we could. It ended in a bit of a downer sadly with the kids just feeling like they’d “taken too long” on courses 1&2 despite being told in the safety briefing that we could take as much time as we needed on the levels. I’m disappointed because we arrived in good time and if the last slot was always going to be rushed I think that should have been made clear at point of booking. We had to miss out a whole level which we had paid for. It was a lot of money as a treat and we all just left A bit downhearted after a good start. I’ve been to Go Ape before and had a really Positive experience so this felt quite disappointing sadly and I’d appreciate a gesture of a refund and to let the very nice staff know that rushing us didn’t feel fair given we had paid for a slot so feel we should have been given the same time as everyone else who booked for earlier. Many thanks etc

CasaBianca · 03/10/2024 13:06

If you had only 47min instead of 60, then yes maybe a 20% discount/refund would make sense, but definitely not a full one.
Also, to clarify, after the 47min were all 4 levels closed or only the third one? If some were still open it could be argued that you chose to leave instead of enjoying the full hour.

Nannyoggapple · 03/10/2024 12:47

SereneFish · 03/10/2024 12:43

If the latest update is true (big 'if') Go Ape have done a blinder here in customer service. Endless patience and professionalism with an obvious grifter. I can't imagine how helpful they'd be to somebody with a genuine complaint.

I hate heights but will look for a suitable occasion to buy someone else a Go Ape experience!

Now I'm wondering if this thread was started by Go Ape for advertising purposes

Hahaha

:) 😀

CrazyGoatLady · 03/10/2024 12:44

Stripyseason · 03/10/2024 12:33

update as promised:
I’d emailed last night based on advice here asking for a smaller discount than my original full one. Just had a phone call from a Senior in customer services, she was really pleasant, had gone through everything thoroughly before calling which was appreciated. She’s offered a 50% refund which is more than I’d asked for in last night’s email, and assured me they will be updating their hidden disabilities training as a result of recent matters brought to her attention, so assuming it’s sadly not just us. She was very nice and said she is also a parent to children with autism and she can completely understand the confusion and will personally ensure all staff understand this aspect and to not make any promises that can’t be kept. Felt very heard and while we won’t be returning, I do feel assured they will improve things for other families in the future.
thank you to those who helped me, and I have simply no words for those who just hopped on to make fun of my language or suggest I could do better things with my time.

This is a good result and well done for having a conversation and coming to a sensible agreement with them.

I would just like to say that I corrected your language, I didn't "make fun" of it. And I only bothered to do that because you responded meanly to another poster who didn't know what "stimming" meant. Pots and kettles and all.

Anyway, I'm glad you have sorted it and can put this to bed now.

SereneFish · 03/10/2024 12:43

If the latest update is true (big 'if') Go Ape have done a blinder here in customer service. Endless patience and professionalism with an obvious grifter. I can't imagine how helpful they'd be to somebody with a genuine complaint.

I hate heights but will look for a suitable occasion to buy someone else a Go Ape experience!

Nannyoggapple · 03/10/2024 12:39

She said that " she will give better training to staff, "

That is a verbal phrase - which is commonly used to get the customer to stop complaining.

We have all said it to customers. "Of course we take your feedback on board and we will improve our services going forward."

It's standard. You're naive if you think that she doesn't say that to everyone.

Still, while I feel bad for the staff there,

I'm glad you got the outcome that you wanted.

Aysegull · 03/10/2024 12:38

Magnastorm · 03/10/2024 12:36

AKA a "just get rid of her so she stops pestering us" refund.

Edited

Exactly this. Countless emails for the sake of 13 mins.

I would hate to see how OP deals with actual problems.

Magnastorm · 03/10/2024 12:36

AKA a "just get rid of her so she stops pestering us" refund.

Aysegull · 03/10/2024 12:36

FGS OP, I can’t believe this thread is still ongoing. You’re complaining over 13 minutes (even though you originally claimed you were on for an hour..). Move on! There are bigger problems in life to worry about.

Nannyoggapple · 03/10/2024 12:35

Stripyseason · 03/10/2024 12:33

update as promised:
I’d emailed last night based on advice here asking for a smaller discount than my original full one. Just had a phone call from a Senior in customer services, she was really pleasant, had gone through everything thoroughly before calling which was appreciated. She’s offered a 50% refund which is more than I’d asked for in last night’s email, and assured me they will be updating their hidden disabilities training as a result of recent matters brought to her attention, so assuming it’s sadly not just us. She was very nice and said she is also a parent to children with autism and she can completely understand the confusion and will personally ensure all staff understand this aspect and to not make any promises that can’t be kept. Felt very heard and while we won’t be returning, I do feel assured they will improve things for other families in the future.
thank you to those who helped me, and I have simply no words for those who just hopped on to make fun of my language or suggest I could do better things with my time.

I still feel bad for the customer services staff.

They would have agreed to give you a refund to get you to stop emailing them

Saddlesore · 03/10/2024 12:33

Let it go.
You said your children were upset, but might some of that have been due to them being overwhelmed by the very physical and mental challenges of Go Ape? They might also have picked up on your annoyance over time-keeping.

I think it's unfair of you to blame their unhappiness entirely on the Go Ape management, who, in my opinion, have been more than fair to you in their response.

Original poster

Stripyseason · 03/10/2024 12:33

update as promised:
I’d emailed last night based on advice here asking for a smaller discount than my original full one. Just had a phone call from a Senior in customer services, she was really pleasant, had gone through everything thoroughly before calling which was appreciated. She’s offered a 50% refund which is more than I’d asked for in last night’s email, and assured me they will be updating their hidden disabilities training as a result of recent matters brought to her attention, so assuming it’s sadly not just us. She was very nice and said she is also a parent to children with autism and she can completely understand the confusion and will personally ensure all staff understand this aspect and to not make any promises that can’t be kept. Felt very heard and while we won’t be returning, I do feel assured they will improve things for other families in the future.
thank you to those who helped me, and I have simply no words for those who just hopped on to make fun of my language or suggest I could do better things with my time.

OP posts:

Nannyoggapple · 03/10/2024 12:32

I think everyone should do a six month stint working in customer service, to stop them being aggressive with other people.

I was in a restaurant yesterday.

The waitress was extremely slow to take my order. Then when she came over to our side, she took the order of a couple who had come in after me.

I got irritated. But then I thought "she is probably tired", and she also probably can't remember who came in first, as she is dealing with so many of us.

I thought of it from her side. And I was polite to her.

That came from me previously working in customer service (in a different area)

Nannyoggapple · 03/10/2024 12:30

Most places won't give you a full refund, if you have gone and used the service.

If there was something you were not happy with the service, they will usually give a voucher if they give anything

Magnastorm · 03/10/2024 12:28

KRealLife · 03/10/2024 11:01

I'd still ask for a full refund.

Some posters are incredible spiteful on this thread. Even if you disagree with the OP I don't understand why some posters have to be so snide and catty. It's pathetic. It's not hard to set out why you disagree with the OP without the sad little comments.
The OP hasn't been rude. She has been confusing but not rude.

On what basis should someone who recieved the service they paid for get a full refund?

I think she's lucky to have gotten a voucher.

CrazyGoatLady · 03/10/2024 12:28

BalmyLemons · 03/10/2024 10:46

Maybe she's teaching them that if a business makes a mistake that results in the customer losing part of a service they've paid for the onus should be on the business to cover the cost, not the customer.

I do agree with you that often people do kick off when it is unnecessary/inappropriate, my undiagnosed ASD father was terrible for this, but going home and writing an email is not the same as kicking off in front of your children. Discrimination doesn't appear to be the cause in this case either, just staff wanting to get home faster!

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Which is why many of us including me have said that she should ask for proportionate compensation rather than the full refund, because yes, there was a mistake made here. The key word being "proportionate".

I can't imagine OP's kids are completely unaware of her OTT "mama bear" approach to this, even if it is taking place by email.

I can see from an earlier update that the OP has now accepted that a proportionate refund is a more reasonable and realistic response, which seems sensible - she's clearly listened to some of the more middle ground voices on here.

PuddlesPityParty · 03/10/2024 12:27

Thebellofstclements · 03/10/2024 12:26

The incorrect use of "myself" in the OP and Go Ape's emails... I despair for the beautiful English language.

Yawn 🥱

Thebellofstclements · 03/10/2024 12:26

The incorrect use of "myself" in the OP and Go Ape's emails... I despair for the beautiful English language.

mm81736 · 03/10/2024 12:25

mm81736 · 03/10/2024 12:23

Also dud you actually cause this issue at the time? If you didn't I don't think you have a leg to stand in.

*Raise this issue at the time?

PassingStranger · 03/10/2024 12:24

Very good publicity for go ape actually. You are advertising them without realizing.

Nannyoggapple · 03/10/2024 12:23

cookiebee · 03/10/2024 12:05

Yep, I back you up in this and ALL others who have worked in customer service will as well, managers actually don’t answer their phone to staff looking for them, they also mostly avoid customers like this and leave it to the lower pay grades to deal with, customer services get bullied by the public relentlessly and I don’t even mean with shouting and swearing, I mean with this relentless wearing down of them with call after call or email after email, until they get what they want, which is always a FULL REFUND PLUS MORE MONETARY COMPENSATION, when that’s not what they deserve.

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Yes!

The ten long winded emails demanding a full refund!

I hear you. I feel you. I send you a hug :)

mm81736 · 03/10/2024 12:23

Also dud you actually cause this issue at the time? If you didn't I don't think you have a leg to stand in.

mm81736 · 03/10/2024 12:21

You started in the trees at 5.10 and you said (see below) you finished at 6.00pm .It was taking you an average of around 17 minutes per course.How would you have had time to walk to course 3 and go round it in 10 minutes?

PuddlesPityParty · 03/10/2024 12:20

Spinet · 03/10/2024 12:09

How is this the fault of customers and not the business? Your attitude is as a result of working for shit employers and has made you see even reasonable complaints like the OP's as just nuisance.

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Did you read what she put? Clearly not.

Spinet · 03/10/2024 12:09

cookiebee · 03/10/2024 12:05

Yep, I back you up in this and ALL others who have worked in customer service will as well, managers actually don’t answer their phone to staff looking for them, they also mostly avoid customers like this and leave it to the lower pay grades to deal with, customer services get bullied by the public relentlessly and I don’t even mean with shouting and swearing, I mean with this relentless wearing down of them with call after call or email after email, until they get what they want, which is always a FULL REFUND PLUS MORE MONETARY COMPENSATION, when that’s not what they deserve.

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How is this the fault of customers and not the business? Your attitude is as a result of working for shit employers and has made you see even reasonable complaints like the OP's as just nuisance.

Nannyoggapple · 03/10/2024 12:09

Spinet · 03/10/2024 12:02

That is the fault of the business. They should not be putting people on the front line without any recourse to someone else or power to actually do anything. Additionally, complaining and abusing are not the same thing. I do get people can be utter arses but the OP is not one of those, she is just standing up for herself & kids.

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Yes but customers ask to speak to the manager ALL the time.

If you tell customers no, they won't listen, they ask to speak to the manager.

My manager actually had other things to do in her Job. She can't get on the phone with every ranty customer.

We were trained to de - escalate the customer.

I would apologise, then tell them "the manager is saying that she will say the same thing as me" or tell them the manager is busy or in a meeting etc. Which she usually was.

If an apology didn't get them to stop, I would then give them the email for our complaints department.