Ever experienced anything like this? (1 Viewer)

EX51SSS

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What a miserable way to go about your life believing every good turn bites your ass!
And if the attendant did a good turn and that was her last because she was sacked because she's an employee not the owner, would the OP be regretful or happy. Who knows if there's a counter or cctv to monitor the amount of vehicles going through?
 
Oct 8, 2014
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Car park audit Spot check 50 cars at £8 =£400
Cash in bag £392
Oh! him? I just let him in for free because??????????? half hr LATER YOUR STILL WAITING!!!!!
Every good turns bites you in the a**e

So if the above were to happen, and the organization displayed the same attitude to there employee, then yes the person in question did a good job.
 

EX51SSS

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As a representative of Bolton Abbey I would have thought that being totally inflexible, refusing to accede to a perfectly reasonable request and displaying a severe lack of common sense or good will could hardly be described as doing a good job. Its not as if the OP was wishing to park, he was simply wishing access to a rally field with is a completely different thing, and he says he had explained his intentions. If I were her supervisor I would be concerned she was presenting the wrong image, one which I would see as hardly likely to foster good public relations. I would also be concerned because I prefer public facing employees to have a sense of humour, and to be welcoming and helpful to those they encounter.
There are many many jobs that, as an employee, you're not allowed to make the call, not allowed your decision of a reasonable request. In the eyes of the car park management, it might be totally unreasonable. Lots of employees aren't allowed to think for themselves. It could be gross misconduct.

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Hammie

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And if the attendant did a good turn and that was her last because she was sacked because she's an employee not the owner, would the OP be regretful or happy. Who knows if there's a counter or cctv to monitor the amount of vehicles going through?

In that case she could have explained her thinking but she didn't and so while I understand many of the comments defending her I still think she was obstructive.
 

KeithChesterfield

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SC 05 OUT - I have a Yorkshire born brother-in-law - he's very generous to charity collectors although what they do with the threepence coins he gives them I don't know!

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sdc77

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My earlier +1 was me agreeing with Geo. I still do. The op turned up to park for an hour. The car park entrance attendants job is to let people in on payment. Its quite simple really and nothung to do with poor service. The National Trust provide an excellent car park in order to protect the village from inconsiderate motorists parking everywhere and facilitate visitors.
There is no option but to pay if you want to park. If she had smiled as she said "No" would that have made any difference.
I'm on the side of the car park attendant not letting people in for free.
But £8 ... :(
 

Geo

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So if the above were to happen, and the organization displayed the same attitude to there employee, then yes the person in question did a good job.
Or did the employee pocket the £8?
What a miserable way to go about your life believing every good turn bites your ass!
Hammie
I've lost (Read had stolen) 3 petrol cans 2 very expensive sets of jump leads ,1 x Battery, half a dozen spanners and at lest £20 cash, helping (for free)local broken down motorists and folks locked out
I dont have a miserable life believing it, I have lived it, now you want help borrowing stuff, twice its value deposit
You clearly have little experience of helping others or you would know its a fact ;)
G
 
OP
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Just glancing through the posts and I'd like to make something a little clearer that maybe my point of raising this had been overlooked.
I fully appreciate that charges apply to using this car park. The £8 is for car parking and towards entrance of the abbey and upkeep. This was never in dispute so I'm unsure why some are quoting maths on spot checks etc or quoting what good the national trust does with its car parking charges.
Secondly, it was never our intention to park in their car park. Access to the Camping & Caravan Club Rally field is via the rear of the car park.
Spot checks/audits or whatever it's called doesn't mean anything to me in this case as I wasn't intending on parking in the car park - apologies but I thought I'd explained that in my op.
Only when I've asked to transit through their car park has this very lovely helpful lady requested £8.
and when queried and asked if I can wait in a vacant spot whilst my friend came to collect some cakes - which would have taken him less than 3minutes from where he was, would have been the only time that I would have been in their car park.
My complaint was about how inflexible to such a request this lady was.
The charge of £8 for driving through the car park in my view is extortionate - given that on later checking with others using the rally field that they were not charged and subsequent visitors not charged - as they were parking in the rally field.
I've not even covered how rude she was as I could foresee some asking well how do we know how rude you was to her!

Yes, I appreciate that there's two sides to every story and for the doubters or business owners who've turned defensive on posters who have posted their views on this, I have written to Bolton Abbey about this and as it is as I've posted, I've nothing to hide and will be happy to post their response if/when this happens
As for complaining about folk who do a good job and those who don't, and how does that work, i still don't understand this statement.
If my business was complained about or praised, I would be all over it like a rash.
Part of being a member on here and reading recommendations of good work or avoidance of sub standard would help me decide where my hard earned cash is spent.

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Jan 3, 2008
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Just glancing through the posts and I'd like to make something a little clearer that maybe my point of raising this had been overlooked.
I fully appreciate that charges apply to using this car park. The £8 is for car parking and towards entrance of the abbey and upkeep. This was never in dispute so I'm unsure why some are quoting maths on spot checks etc or quoting what good the national trust does with its car parking charges.
Secondly, it was never our intention to park in their car park. Access to the Camping & Caravan Club Rally field is via the rear of the car park.
Spot checks/audits or whatever it's called doesn't mean anything to me in this case as I wasn't intending on parking in the car park - apologies but I thought I'd explained that in my op.
Only when I've asked to transit through their car park has this very lovely helpful lady requested £8.
and when queried and asked if I can wait in a vacant spot whilst my friend came to collect some cakes - which would have taken him less than 3minutes from where he was, would have been the only time that I would have been in their car park.
My complaint was about how inflexible to such a request this lady was.
The charge of £8 for driving through the car park in my view is extortionate - given that on later checking with others using the rally field that they were not charged and subsequent visitors not charged - as they were parking in the rally field.
I've not even covered how rude she was as I could foresee some asking well how do we know how rude you was to her!

Yes, I appreciate that there's two sides to every story and for the doubters or business owners who've turned defensive on posters who have posted their views on this, I have written to Bolton Abbey about this and as it is as I've posted, I've nothing to hide and will be happy to post their response if/when this happens
As for complaining about folk who do a good job and those who don't, and how does that work, i still don't understand this statement.
If my business was complained about or praised, I would be all over it like a rash.
Part of being a member on here and reading recommendations of good work or avoidance of sub standard would help me decide where my hard earned cash is spent.
Well said
 

Anthea M

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I am currently having a pair of heavy rusty metal gates replaced by new on our very old french house.I need two enormous oak posts putting on to the stone first to,support the gates.
The guy doing this has a siret number so all legal.
He arrives on time,has his cuppa,works for a while and then stops for a smoke and chat to the Mrs. On the phone,not once but loads of times a day.We agreed a day work rate at the beginning as he is a good worker normally.I certainly shall not do that again.
We have been ripped of loads of times recently in different ways,not good.
Ian the builder likes his fags and tea but does graft!! Can you use him next time?!

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Hammie

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Or did the employee pocket the £8?

Hammie
I've lost (Read had stolen) 3 petrol cans 2 very expensive sets of jump leads ,1 x Battery, half a dozen spanners and at lest £20 cash, helping (for free)local broken down motorists and folks locked out
I dont have a miserable life believing it, I have lived it, now you want help borrowing stuff, twice its value deposit
You clearly have little experience of helping others or you would know its a fact ;)
G

Perhaps I was just lucky or choose who I help with more thought?
 

FJmike

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We live in a 100% rip off society where it seems pretty much everyone tries to screw every last penny they can from any opportunity that comes their way. When was the last time a tradesman gave you a proper quote for a job based on the hours he would take and the materials he would use? Everyone I have dealt with (except friends) in the last few years simply thinks of the highest number he would like to get away with and bugger honesty and reasonableness. I had my fascias replaced a few months back, and asked a very nice local chap who had done my neighbours house a few weeks before to quote. He quoted exactly double for the same job on the same type of house as he didn't know I knew how much my neighbour had paid. He just looked at the new Carthago in the drive and thought this guy looks reasonably well off, how much can I screw him for? Local Authorities are all at it as well. Evesham doubled their car parking charges when there was a big fishing festival in town a few weeks ago, and I paid £3 for a paper cup of hot coffee coloured water which I threw away in disgust. It's such a pleasure to spend time in France where things seem a little more in control, unlike here where a reasonable price for a reasonable job or service seems to be an unknown phrase for many. Rant over, but I could go on, it's a subject I feel strongly about.
Please don't paint all tradesmen with the same brush. I pride myself that all my customers know exactly how much their valet will cost before I arrive. I do know of others that on arrival the price goes up which is in my view unprofessional.

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OP
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As promised, please find below the response from Bolton Abbey - I only feel it right for the other party being complained about to have their view shown too.
I'm sure that opinions will differ, depending on which side of the fence you sit on such subject.

Complaint sent:

Dear Sir/madam,

Unfortunately, I feel compelled to share my utter disappointment and disgust at your customer service - or lack of, after visiting Bolton Abbey today.

Our friends are currently on a Camping & Caravan Club Rally at Bolton Abbey on your rally field behind the main car park.
Our plan was to visit them in their motorhome for an hour after we had purchased some cakes and local delicacies for them to enjoy.
We arrived at your main car park booth at 1500hrs and explained to your female member of staff that we were visiting friends in the rally field.
She told us that the charge for entering would be £8.00.

I explained to her that we were not visiting the Abbey or wanting to park in the main car park and that we were wanting to visit the rally field and would be an hour at most.
Still, a charge of £8.00 would be applicable.

I advised her that I refused to pay £8.00 to deliver some cakes and stay in a rally field for an hour for the privilege.

I was then advised that I couldn't enter the car park unless I met her demand of £8.00

I telephoned my friend and explained that I was being charged £8.00 to enter, regardless of how long I would be staying or even if it was to only drop some cakes off and leave.
My friend advised me that he would come to us and collect the cakes, so that we could immediately depart.
Your member of staff then asked me to move my car away from the entrance and after asking her if we could park in one of the many vacant spaces whilst waiting for our friend to walk from the rally field to us, but was refused and told to park on the road and wait.

I was, and still am so angry with this. A total lack of customer service in my view.

I understand that Bolton Abbey is a business and car park charges are applicable for visitors.
I also understand that you charge £8.00 car parking to use your main car park and the benefits that this includes.

What I don't understand is the total lack of empathy and point blank refusal to allow us to even enter the car park to access the rally field, or wait until someone walks a hundred metres to come to us without being charged. It's a disgrace.
Incidentally, my friend paid £9.00 to park his motorhome in the rally field for 3 days!
My membership of the Camping & Caravan Club must not be able to permit me to access one of their rallies as a visitor. Or does this lady charge everyone attending such a rally your £8.00 charge to cross the car park to access the rally field?

If we had arrived earlier in the day, I would have probably paid the £8.00 fee and made a day of visiting the Abbey, Gift Shop and Tea Rooms, but I refuse point blank to pay £8.00 for an hours visit to a friend or to even drop off some cakes in a field.
This is a typical example of being 'ripped off' and is nothing short of a disgrace.

I do not consider myself to be penny pinching, but there's a limit to what I consider value for money charges.
Under such circumstances, I feel that your member of staff was wrong and such lack of compassion, understanding or leniency has now cost you a future visit.
We have never visited the Bolton Abbey estate and none of us now plan to ever visit in the future.
If this is your organisation's policy to adapt such a non flexible approach, I don't feel that you deserve future business.

I shall be expressing my disappointment and sharing my Bolton Abbey experience with the Camping & Caravan Club. Your car parking attendant certainly did not meet our expectations and I am sure that as the 'jobs worth' that she was, will go home tonight feeling satisfied that she has followed your charging orders to the letter, regardless of ruining our afternoon and leaving us with a Bolton Abbey bad taste!

Reply:


Thank you for your email in which you advise of being charged the estate admission fee of £8 to visit a member of the caravan rally here at Bolton Abbey this weekend.

When booking this field for their rallies, although they pay a fee to stay on the estate for an extended period, caravan clubs are not automatically granted exclusive use of the field to invite guests onto the site. If rally visitors receive guests during our admission hours (currently 9am – 5.30pm), like all visitors to the Estate, my staff at the kiosk are instructed to charge the facility fee of £8 per vehicle.

I spoke with both the Steward and the Vice President on Sunday morning about this and they agreed that guests to field should pay the estate admission. Once on site, we have no control as to whether day visitors to the caravan field then enjoy the wider estate and it is reasonable to presume that they do.

I am sorry you felt that my colleague was a “jobs worth”, however she was simply doing her job.

Response:

Thank you for your reply to my complaint letter.

As mentioned previously, I fully appreciate that the estate needs to charge for car parking in your main car park.

Judging by your response, I can only feel sorry for your business that you may make assumptions that such potential visitors to your rally field may use this as an excuse to overstay their welcome, utilising your facilities free of charge.

I shall of course post your response to the forums for such future visitors to make their own judgment on how you bracket everyone’s intentions.

As for your ‘jobs worth’ who was simply only doing her job, not only do I feel that staff training in managing customer expectations is lacking from her part but also higher up your company structure if you feel such approach is acceptable in any job role.

You've failed to explain the inflexibility shown for even refusal to our request to park and wait in our car for our friend in the rally field to come and collect goods from us - surely an indication that we had no intention of visiting the sights 'through the back door' when at that stage, being so put off with her attitude that we wasn't going to stay/get out of our car?

Or acknowledgement to the poor level of customer service shown with her unhelpfulness to any requests on the whole?

We came away from Bolton Abbey with a feeling from her of a pay up or get off our land demeanor (as confirmed with her telling us to park and wait on the road – which as you’re aware is double yellow lines). - Maybe this is part of your customer service training?

On the whole, a very poor response and certainly not meeting our expectations.

Do please pass on my above observations to your Steward and Vice President who I think have still got work to do in this area.
A common sense approach in future may have avoided alienating future potential clientele.
We however, will be voting with our feet!
 

Hammie

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£9 for three days to park a Motorhome £8 to pass through the car park to the rally field for not even one full day??? Are there other venues in future or if they want to keep the business is there another separate access to the rally field.

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Hammie

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Why don't you put this up on Facebook and see what the general opinion of the situation is?
Emphasise the fact that you were there at 1500 and a full day was being charged @£8 was it 2 hours before closing?
 
OP
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£9 for three days to park a Motorhome £8 to pass through the car park to the rally field for not even one full day??? Are there other venues in future or if they want to keep the business is there another separate access to the rally field.
Not sure about future rallies but the only access to this rally field is via the main car park.
 
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I can still see you are angry about this, but having read the reply I do kind of side with Bolton Abbey

What would be a better solution for all to move it forward is a preagreed parking rate on the rally field for visitors to the rally

I do think there is a good chance most visitors would then take a walk in the grounds which is effectively covered by the parking fee

Or better still next time arrive after 4, problem gone home (y)

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Hammie

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I see bits from both sides of this and agree that a reasonable access fee could have been charged. As it turned out there was no financial gain just a lot of bad publicity. The upset caused to potential visitors has in fact cost money I for one would not go there if there is a likelihood of my day being ruined by stroppy intractable people. This country has countless old Abbeys. Would it not be better to charge £1 per hour with a maximum fee of £8 per day thus everybody's needs would have been served. If someone is so cheap as to do an Oplympic sprint round the Abbey and grounds to save money let them get on with it. Parking at £1 per hour might get more people into the coffee shop as well increasing profitability in the end. This is such a British problem and not one I have found in France as yet but then they approach the public with a polite Bonjour. Often a smile and hello in this country is met with a stonefaced lack of response. All very sad and achieved nothing.
 

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