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ton-e-boy
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03-08-2007 06:32 PM
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Joined: 03 Aug 2007
Posts: 1
| We are in the process of reporting this 'Holiday Company' to the Health & Safety Excutitive, The Charity S.A.F.E. The England Tourism Council, BH&HPA and Yarmouth Borough Council regarding complaints we raised with its head office.
On the day we arrived, we had to stop and really think whether we wanted to spend 7 days and nights on what appeared to be a 50's council estate.....I'm not a snob...Im working class and spent 15 years of my 38 years living on a rough housing estate...so I am well aware where I'm coming from!
Firstly, we were surrounded by loud music, swearing, shouting, dogs barking, smoke, revving car engines, kids playing on our pitch, footballs hitting the caravan, tattooed beer swigging louts and flies....and this was in the first 10 minuets of our arrival.
Even the staff member who showed us to our pitch was warning us where to go or not to go...she even gave us the address to a local pub for food as the on site restaurant was not a healthy place to be!
As it was my family's first holiday in 4 years and my daughter was looking forward to it since we booked it...we decided to give it a go and risk it.
We set up the caravan and pitched the awning...got cleaned up and went off to Yarmouth for dinner....all well so far.
We got back about 9.30pm...and on entering the site you have to drive past the 'Family Entertainment' venue...this was surrounded by a gang of about 10 youths...most smoking and joking with the sites very own 'Max and Paddy' on the door....wearing the SAS type ear piece and men in black type suits (pathetic)
We also noticed people standing inside the entrance to the venue smoking...(smoking ban?.....what smoking ban?)
When we drove through this lot we arrived at our van....again...the noise, THE DOGS?....why do people bring dogs on caravan holidays only to leave them locked up all day (and night)?....we counted 4 different types of dogs barking in a radius of about 40 feet....we made a game out of it in the end.....guess the breed of dog!
Anyway...we pulled the blinds down, locked the door and watched TV for a bit and this blocked out the noise.
At about midnight we settled down for bed....but soon we could hear that distant base rhythm.....you know the one....the type you hear on a Friday night Saturday morning coming from a flat on the 29th floor.....boom boom, boom...boom boom boom. This was the din from the 'Familty Entertainment' venue....it was mental torture at its best....This venue has a disco every night till 1.00am!! Luckily enough we have a radio in the van...so I went to sleep with radio 4 in the back ground.... I was woken up at about 3.00am with the boy racers riding around the site with a more distinct clarity of BOOM BOOM BOOM, BOOM BOOM, BOOM!
That set the dogs off who in turn set the dog owners off! I didn't wake the next morning because I wasn't asleep!...I never saw my family get up and out so quick, so early!
We decided to head out for the day and in doing so we discussed the problems we encountered and agreed I would speak to a manger if things had not improved.
On returning that evening (6.00pm) we decided we would try out the outdoor swimming pool before dinner...we were unlucky again as the pool had shut at 5.30pm and although this was not mentioned in the brochure/leaflets/web site/on site, we were told by a staff member that it was common knowledge that it shut at that time? We were told to try the sister site down the road which had an indoor pool...so off we went, but that too shut at 5.30pm.
Ok...we thought, we wont give up we will just visit the 'Family Entertainment' venue...so we made our way to there and again we were confronted by about 10 gobby youths, smoking and larking with Max and Paddy...we had to battle our way through a cloud of tobacco smoke to get into the inner entrance of the venue...past Max and Paddys mate who was so ingrossed in chatting up a small group of young girls he never even saw me (especially) walk in...I was not asked for any ID or my site pass. We didn't stay there too long as the prices were ridiculously high and the place was half empty anyway. We had a look at the bingo that was in swing, only to find out that the bingo calling machine had blown up and they were using a kiddies plastic bingo globe with the numbers on ping pong type balls....which they had to buy from Argos that evening as we were told by a staff member....pathetic!...we had seen enough and headed back to the van.
The same problems happened that night so we decided then and there I was going to complain the next morning. To test the lapse in security I went back to the venue and again, I found Max and Paddy chatting with the younger punters and again I walked in and through the hue of blue tobacco smoke and again I was never stopped!
On the 3rd day of our stay we were up early and decided we'd go for a swim, so we went down to the outdoor pool...in we went and went about finding the changing rooms....but! surprise surprise....no changing rooms (nothing on the advert about that!)...Well that was the final straw...I had enough!
I went into the reception and spoke to a lady who promptly called the complex manager and the swimming pool manager....very soon the office was filled with about 4 or five gents....I began to explain my problems but felt very exposed as there were customers around me listening in. I stopped and asked who I was speaking to and one large shaven headed gent came right up to the counter, and very close to my face and said his name and that he was the complex manager...as he did he was smirking over to the others behind him...I went on and continued with what I was saying but again I noticed that this particular gent was not showing any signs of interest I told him this and he shrugged his shoulders, smirked back at his mates and said...."Yeah...what ever!" and walked away and out of the office with his 2 mates behind him!
I could not believe what had happened, I was gobsmacked! The swimming pool manger was the only one who would speak to me and he was very apologetic.
I was handed a customer complaint form and told it would take them 14 days to reply to it...this was not good enough, so I asked to speak to the GM....He turned up and was a bit more approachable but explained that he had just started in the job and was not 'up to speed' on the complex, but assured me he would look into my complaint.
At no time was I offered an alternative move to the sister site, although I did mention it at the start I was so annoyed by it all I decided then and there we were leaving.
We spent the rest of that day visiting and calling other sites, but all were full....my wife went back to reception to call the customer services in London and spoke to a lady who was also making a complaint...she suggested visiting The Wild Duck, Haven site which was only a short trip down the road....it was full when we called in....but WOW...what a difference....professional, courteous and the site was a delight.
The lady on reception was so helpfull...she told us that there was a pitch available from the followinng day and as a good will jesture for the problems caused at Park Rresorts, she gave us a 10% discount off the cost of our stay....at last, our holiday was about to begin!
We left it till very late that evening to return to the van and again spent a restless night...but at least we knew we were getting out of there the next day!
Before we left, I thought I'd take some pictures of this excuse for a holiday park, and I'm glad I did....not for posterity but more for health and safety...
I took photographs of an electric room adjacent to the toilet block with the security door kicked in, no lock, wide open, inside were a large cluster of electric isolator switches which I assume was the power source to the whole site, in there I saw a boiler with its back cover off and all its electrical wiring and hot parts exposed!
I took photographs of gas cylinders lying around the rear of the reception and only 20ft away from the playground, also I found old gas cylinders so corroded that they were at risk of splitting and leaking.
I got photographs of large tractors with grass cutting machines, the blades exposed, again only feet away from the play ground....a large builders skip full of large objects and what appeared to be builders rubbish, no netting or fencing and again close to the playground and 'Family Entertainment' venue.
I took many other photographs, but what worried me the most was a pump action paint sprayer partially full of Creosol fence paint sitting on a deck chair inside the swimming pool area, a pair of rubber gloves were on a chair next to this...and it appears by the dust and dirt on the chairs, that they had been there for some time.
My wife again called the customer services department to advise we had photographic evidence of many health and safety breeches only to have the phone slammed down on her.
We are now seeking a full refund of the cost of the holiday plus the cost of transferring to another site and if possible compensation for the trouble it caused.
My photographs and letters are being sent to each of the authorities advertised on the Park Resorts brochure as well as the Health and Safety Executive and anyone else who will shut this sh*t hole of a place down before someone's child gets seriously hurt or worse.
In a nut shell....stay clear of this place....its a dump and its customer service is non existent!
Regards
Tony (Haven Holiday's newest customer)
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Twicebitten
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20-05-2008 02:39 PM
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Joined: 05 Feb 2008
Posts: 11
My Profile
| Hi, just thought I would let you know about the great deal at Park Resorts Breydon Water park. It's their spring sale with 30% off their caravans. So Park Resorts what's the catch or is it because of the bad publicity you are having to reduce your prices as you are not getting any sales. Hurray at last people could be getting the message and not falling into the trap of buying a 'white elephant'. Also does anyone know if Haven have suddenly changed their name or if they also have had so much bad publicity that they are advertising holiday home ownership in next weeks 'Whats on TV' mag page 76 without any mention of the Haven name or logo. Instead it says to go to the the website youbelonghere.co.uk. What makes me ask is the parks they mention are or was Haven sites. Very suspicious eh!
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essex boy
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20-05-2008 02:59 PM
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Joined: 16 Apr 2008
Posts: 15
My Profile
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Reply to twice bitten
I have just spent the weekend at breydon water,, the site looks
a mess,, apart from the new club house that sends out boom boom
all night till 3 am,, due to the bully boy tactics the nice gardens have
gone, people have taken their mowers home,, and the whole area looks
neglected,, ( well done park resorts )
I have never seen so many empty pitches,, and the atmosphere on
the site is terrible,,
Park resorts have gone in heavy handed and it has back fired on them
as you say you can only sell so many white elephants before the word
gets out.
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mugged
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20-05-2008 09:41 PM
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Joined: 13 Oct 2007
Posts: 49
My Profile
| Hi Twicebitten,Glad you found the Rockley Park and O.F.T web sites.
If only all Owners could access this info! I tell everyone about it and where I can I give out a couple of copies!The more that can see what
rights they have the better. Same on this site 30% off caravans.
We may be closer to that "Weak Spot".
Owners here still cut grass after the Staff do the Park as it is disgusting
the way they leave it.I have been so tempted to rake the Grass up and tip it in the Managers Office see if they like sweeping up all the time! We still have not budged with Sheds and I warned them I was prepared to take them to the Small Claims should I be made to get rid of my shed.It may cost me a few hundred but it would cost them thousands just to hire a solicitor!
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mugged
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20-05-2008 10:09 PM
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Joined: 13 Oct 2007
Posts: 49
My Profile
| Living the Dream, What a load of Rubbish about investing money on training Staff on Customer Care ****** Park Resorts would go Bankrupt they don,t have that much money to waste! As for your opinion of Plastic Sheds Well they were good enough to be sold by Park Resorts until 18months ago for £280.Just goes to prove the Low Standards of Services they have been providing! Thats why Owners should always look to proffesionals and reputable Suppliers!
I made enquiries to the suppliers of Said Sheds who pointed out to me that The Shed does comply to Health&Safety Regulations,as the Certificate that came with the Shed says.The Shed is combustable if someone was to POUR PETROL over it, in time it would melt (same could be said for these very expensive and highly recommended profit making plastic Verhanders) I should expect anyone running around the Park carrying petrol cans to pour over my Shed to be pulled up before the deed is done!My shed and all others have stood on park for years in gales ect.Unlike these new Metal Ones my shed could be knocked out the way by a Fire Engine the Metal Ones are screwed into concrete.Not that a Fire Engine could even get between a Caravan on this Park because the Vans are pitched too close together but I am working on that one with the Local Authority.
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Twicebitten
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21-05-2008 08:34 PM
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Joined: 05 Feb 2008
Posts: 11
My Profile
| To mugged, Don't know if you already have, but have you spoken to your Caravan Insurance Company and told them of your concerns regarding the spaces between caravans and the fire risk. We know of an instance where this has happened and the Insurance Company wrote to the Park Owners and insisted the caravans were moved. The Park Owners has no alternative but to move them. Good Luck and may the force be with you.
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OMG
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22-05-2008 10:12 PM
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Joined: 22 May 2008
Posts: 6
| What a sad sad life you all lead, having your little converstaions and winging like little babies ! Life is far too short, so get over it!!! There are thousands of happy owners on haven parks and park resorts and tens of thousands of happy holiday makers visiting the sites every year. If you dont like it leave! I used to work for Haven and Park Resorts and i still holiday with both regularly. Theres a lot of hard working staff at these sites. Stop been so negative.... god what a horrible life you must lead? It must be really horrible for your familys!
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essex boy
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23-05-2008 12:50 PM
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Joined: 16 Apr 2008
Posts: 15
My Profile
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MESSAGE FOR OMG
Having been employed buy park resorts and haven in the past
you are used to walking all over people,, with little or no morals
as long as you get a sale.
us owners who have worked hard for our money, in order to to
buy our holiday homes would not expect you to have any sympathy
for our situation, reference bully boy letters, goal posts moving, etc
do yourself a favour and have a day off will you,,
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OMG
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23-05-2008 02:19 PM
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Joined: 22 May 2008
Posts: 6
| Why dont you people that moan moan moan actually get off your arses and speak to the managers. Like a previous employer of PR said, and im assuming they used to be a manger like myself, but you usually find that if you speak to people they can actually help you, and totally agree that most of the time they want to help you, you arent the only people that want to enjoy your time on these holiday parks? Grow a set of balls and go talk to your manager, if he or she cant help you then speak to their directors. Stop moaning and ****ing about your sheds and flowers..... remember that there is a reason for these rules, wether its H&S or wether it is to improve the park standards and the way they look. I have first hand experience of seeing camber sands before PR took over and then what it looked like 2 years later. WOW, what an improvement and not just because PR spent £4million pounds on it, but because the mangers enforced the Rules and stuck to the pitch improvemnets scheme. You will never get in writing how much a caravan is worth a year, 2 years or ten years down the line because no body has that information but get real, its like buying a car, if you part exchange it you will get a good price back for it, if you sell it PRIVATELY you will get a good price for it if you are realistic and also if you advertise it BUT if you want to sell it back to PR you will generally only ever get TRADE price for it. You wouldnt take your car back to the garage you bought it from and expect the same money back, firstly they probably wouldnt buy it, but if they did they would buy it at trade or even 'under book'! For anyone reading any of these comments you really need to go to these parks and see for your selves, speak to any of the hundreds of happy owners and families that have purchased holiday homes and ignore these sad sad people who take far more time writing negative comments on here than actually going into the office to speak to people who can help them. What sad sad lives they lead and i pity their families who will more than likely grow up to be very sour bitter and negative just like them.... these are the same sort of people that changed and created this culture that we live in with all these false claims... its absolutely rediculous and the person that thinks the manager at Breydon is called Mark Warner, its ROB!!! Shows how much of an effort you made to talk to him, and for your info i worked with Rob for several years and he is very highly thought of within the company and you tend to find the people who dont like managers just havent got their own way so the dummy comes out, the toys come out of the pram and then you go on to websites like this so other people can read how miserable and pathetic you are!
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OMG
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23-05-2008 02:25 PM
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Joined: 22 May 2008
Posts: 6
| Oh, and one more thing.... I never understood this either,
How on earth can somebody FORCE you to spend any amount of money on a holiday home wether its £10,000 or £90'000???????
I wish i could have had some of these sales people when i was a manger. Do they actually exist in any industry, if so the please forward there CV's for PR and HAVENS perusal, they would pay very good money for these im sure!!!
P.S Essex boy... I hope that your license is terminated very soon and then you can find somebody else to harass and have issues with, PR must be very bored of you!
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Twicebitten
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23-05-2008 05:39 PM
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Joined: 05 Feb 2008
Posts: 11
My Profile
| OMG
Well well well finally someone is obviously taking an interest.
Full marks to all who have found the time to make honest remarks on this forum.
May I suggest OMG goes onto Rockley Park Owners Forum and comment on there also.
You mentioned that you apparantly worked as a manager but the tone of your remarks obviously shows that you did not listen in at any of your courses in customer services/relations or did'nt you attend any.
The tone is enough to say it all you still have a bombastic attitude towards some owners. I agree theres plenty of owners out there who are happy.
You gave an interesting account on caravan sale.
Once again I agree with you it is like buying a car if you buy brand new depreciation usually is 25% in the first year. Its the tactics used by some.
EG Owner wishes to sell caravan and informs site management
Site Management says potential buyer must have a meeting with them
Sales manager offers an alternative sale through them with a discount on site fees making it more attractive.
Potential owner changes mind and buys direct Free Country you say but
this is unfair practise and in time with owners voicing their concerns to Trading Standards and OFT I am sure will get changed
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essex boy
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23-05-2008 07:00 PM
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Joined: 16 Apr 2008
Posts: 15
My Profile
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OMG
you have a typical arsole attitude that we have come to expect
from park resorts managers,, and as for speaking to the manager
about any points we would like to discuss,, forget it;; the man has been
at great yarmouth for 4 months has not had the manners to introduce
himself,, al he is good at is sending out threatening letters,,
and as for yourself,, your attitude stinks,but then we have
learnt to expect nothing else since park resorts took over.
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essex boy
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23-05-2008 07:13 PM
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Joined: 16 Apr 2008
Posts: 15
My Profile
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OMG
YOU are bleating on that we should have balls and do this and do that
i cant be botherd answering all your points,, i guess you work for park
resorts,, but i will answer you on an important point ,ref an owner
who wants to sell a caravan privatley to get the best price,, then please
get your facts right before you throw your toys out of your pram;;
park resorts do not allow you to sell privatley;; its a case off accept
park resorts offer,, or take your caravan off the site,, some choice,
this does not affect me personally as i have no intention off upgrading,
and as for park resorts terminating my license, sorry i dont break site
rules, and freedom of speach is not breaking rules is it,, sorry if it gets
your back up
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OMG
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23-05-2008 07:45 PM
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Joined: 22 May 2008
Posts: 6
| Messgae for essex boy:
Seems like its not my back that its getting up, but maybe a reality pill and a hard dose of the truth upset you, im sorry. Actually, im not at all!
Its people like you that made me question wether or not i wanted to do the job and when i was offered a Mon-|fri job i jumped ship. Haven and Park resorts were both good employers and I can sleep every night quite comfortably knowing the people i worked with were honest and professional.
I do know that some people sign heir paper work without checking they understand it, please dont think im suggesting you are thick because i wouldnt dream of it but unfortunately not everyone reads all the details or listens when it is explained, this can be for many reasons.
It must be a very cheap holiday home or in poor condition because you've stated that theres plenty of pitches so its not like they need yours, they obviously dont want it.
Please remember Essex boy that people tend to speak to you as you speak to them and even those employed as mangers wether it be sales manager or General Manger they are still human beings and you're right, by the way you deal with things I would not have wanted to help you if i had been a manger at that park, i think your attitude stinks and can happily say that I dont miss all the unnecessary grief I used to get from idiots just like you!!!
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OMG
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23-05-2008 08:00 PM
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Joined: 22 May 2008
Posts: 6
| Message for twice bitten:-
My tone represents the anger and disgust i feel when reading some of the comments against previous colleagues and friends and as a manger my customer service skills were of a very high quality, but unfortuantely you can only bite your lip so much and as i no longer represent either company i can speak freely. I feel for any one that has genuinely being mis treated because im sure that some people have got it wrong , i have worked with some people in the past who would say pretty much anything to get a deal but i also know that both companies have their GM or a nominated person sit down and go through the paper work to make sure that there are no verbal agreements. there is a section on their about 'future value' but people tend not to at that stage of the process be thinking about re-selling their van. In the two years i worked for park resorts they did get rid of people that used these methods to sell and i can honestly say that they do now genuinely care about the owners and GI along with the new MD and operations directors are big into this. I keep in touch with quite a few friends still in the industry and that seems to be the key change. Im sure alot of PR customers will have started to see this, or at least i hope so becasue there are alot of genuine people out there and it does make you feel good when you can sort peoples issues out, wether it be a door handle that needs replacing or wether its an essay of after sales issues, the biggest problem is that people did not come in, or even write in, yet how much time does it take to write on here? That guy that crops up on the top of every page TONY, why didnt he deal with the company, if he didnt get any joy out of the HOD's then speak to the GM and if he/she cant or doesnt help you, speak to his boss the operations director, and then after them, which i never knew it not get resolved you have the MD? Alternatively if it something that is legal then im sure both parties have solicitors, I just couldnt believe it when i read some of the comments on here, ther is some very sour people out there who have not followed these processes.
Kind Regards
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essex boy
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23-05-2008 08:46 PM
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Joined: 16 Apr 2008
Posts: 15
My Profile
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reply for omg
First of all ref paper work;; i signed mine with the previouse owner
not p.r.
secondly, my caravan is neither old or in poor condition,, the reason for
empty pitches is that, a lot of owners have thrown in the towel and
vacated the site,, and park resorts are not getting the sales ( i cant think why )
when the previouse owner had the site he employed one sales person
there was never a vacant plot,, always a waiting list ,, now i realise the climate has changed slightly as i am in sales myself,, but having six
sales people and constantly being bombarded with offers and still having
all these empty pitches somethings not working is it,,
I can say one thing with certainty,, employing people such as your self
with your poor attitude to customer relations can only burden park resorts
even more ( well done )
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essex boy
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23-05-2008 08:52 PM
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Joined: 16 Apr 2008
Posts: 15
My Profile
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One last thing OMG,
Ref my attitude,, i would like to point out i have been on the site 10
years and until park resorts took over , nobody even new i existed,,
but when you see what is happening around you too good friends
you have to speak up i am polite as long as people are polite to me
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OMG
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23-05-2008 09:13 PM
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Joined: 22 May 2008
Posts: 6
| last response to old moaning essex boy:
yet another OLD person, set in his ways, unadaptable to change and unable to comprehend life in the 21st century. From all your comments i beg to think that you are polite in any way shape or form, you are that ignorant you dont even know your managers name, how can you have an issue with someone you dont know? Pathetic... I feel more sorry for him having owners like you than anything else.
Oh well, i can honestly say im glad im out of that game but good look to you..... keep doing what you've always done and you'll always get what you've always got! Think about that!!!
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iaintwoeyes
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23-05-2008 11:16 PM
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Joined: 11 Jan 2006
Posts: 2230
My Profile
| This is a friendly forum, please keep it that way. As you now have decended into personal insults I have no alternative than to lock the thread.
HW Iain
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My Latest Review: Jun 2008 Hardwick Hall Hotel, Sedgefield (7/10)
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