[pct-l] VVR

Fri Mar 12 00:14:14 CST 2010

> "As for a customer's response being more important than an
employees - I disagree with you. First, because I'm NOT an employee who
feels he has to defend his employer. I'm a long time friend who does
the website for free... and who happens to have the inside knowledge of
the workings at VVR... and secondly, because more often than not, the
real story can be had from the employees - not the customers."

Bill,

As the chef of the Stehekin Landing Restaurant for 2008 and dinner chef from Aug.-Nov. 2009 I've had the pleasure of serving many thru-hiker their last "town meal". Being part of the hiking community my fiance and I take this responsibility very seriously. We did our best to provide guests with the best possible experience that was within our power to provide.

Even as a chef my ego is not so fragile that I believe that we were perfect. Nor do I expect everyone to like me personally. If someone considers me "shady" I can live with that on a personal level, but it would give me pause as an employee. As you keep pointing out we're operating businesses. These businesses survive or die by customer opinion, not employee perception. While I always listen to my employee's side of any customer complaint, what ultimately matters is that the customer left unhappy. Industry figures point out that 9 out of 10 unhappy customers will
never bother to speak out about their dissatisfaction, they simply wont
return. I applaud your attempt to straighten out the controversy over hiker packages, I can tell you that several hikers spoke of this subject with me in 2008. Perception is everything in the service industry. Discounting Junaid's experience in an attempt to protect your friend is bogus. I'm sure that Jim is man enough to take negative feedback about his operation. Perhaps the reason that the controversy over "hiker food" being resold has persisted in the PCT comunity for so many years is that the employees at VVR have done a poor job of informing their customers of what is really happening.

jason

> From: pct-l at edisonlake.com
> Date: Thu, 11 Mar 2010 21:39:22 -0700
> To: pct2010 at ridgetrailhiker.com
> CC: public at postholer.com; pct-l at backcountry.net
> Subject: Re: [pct-l] VVR
> 
> Jim,
> 
> I still don't get this... what's wrong with selling the contents of unclaimed packages?  VVR is a business and has to recoup the cost of transporting the packages up the road one way or the other.  
> 
> I agree that a customer's response is important, and I also want to read about complaints.  But I just wonder how valid a complaint is 4 years after the fact, when the person making the complaint didn't address the issue when it happened.  There's NO way we can know what happened to Junaid in 2006 exactly, because Junaid didn't provide us anything other than his beliefs.  He didn't confront Jim or anyone at VVR and ask why it was being done, he simply stated he thought it was shady.  I can promise you that the disclosure was on the website in 2006; I created the website, and have updated it every year that Jim has owned VVR - since July of 2002 when Peggy sold it to Jim.  It's always stated the same thing... and if a hiker doesn't want his or her unclaimed package put out on the shelves, he has many options... all disclosed on the website.
> 
> As for a customer's response being more important than an employees - I disagree with you.  First, because I'm NOT an employee who feels he has to defend his employer.  I'm a long time friend who does the website for free... and who happens to have the inside knowledge of the workings at VVR... and secondly, because more often than not, the real story can be had from the employees - not the customers.
> 
> It's fine if you don't believe that VVR is awesome; we don't expect to please everyone all the time.  And you're right... we only have one place to eat and a limited store; we're a wilderness outpost, not a town.  If that's what you want, that's fine... go into the towns and bypass places like VVR.  You won't get the same kind of ambiance, but maybe you don't want that.  Again, HYOH...
> 
> Bill
> 
> On Mar 11, 2010, at 9:19 PM, Jim Keener ( J J ) wrote:
> 
> > Hi Scott,
> > 
> > Other places take packages and I don't know of any other that sell the contents of unclaimed packages. Shady? That's a matter of opinion. I'm glad It's disclosed on the website. Probably makes it legal. Don't know. I'm not a lawyer.
> > 
> > I was planning to go to VVR this year, thinking the snow load might keep other places closed: Muir Trail Ranch and Red's Meadow (Mammoth). I prefer Red's Meadow (Mammoth). To me, far more bang for the buck. This year I plan to mail a package to the store at Red's Meadow and stay on the trail. Unless I'm ahead of schedule. Then I'll go into Mammoth. Big grocery stores, outfitter, lots of dining options, and as someone else wrote - movies.
> > 
> > What I do like about VVR? Hiker camaraderie. The place itself is nothing special to me.
> > 
> > What I don't like? No alternatives. One place to eat. Very limited store - unless a lot of hikers did not claim their boxes ; = ), limited access and departure times. I had a sense of being stuck. And yes, we ended up hiking out.
> > 
> > VVR awesome? Nah. But the hikers there can make it seem like it is.
> > 
> > I want to read about complaints, not stifle them. To me, a customer's response is more important than an employee's.
> > 
> > Walk well,
> > Jim Keener ( J J )
> > _________________
> > 
> > jj at ridgetrailhiker.com
> > 
> > http://postholer.com/jj
> > http://ridgetrailhiker.com
> > http://olderhealthier.com
> > 
> > 
> > 
> > 
> > 
> > 
> > On Mar 11, 2010, at 7:49 PM, Postholer wrote:
> > 
> >> 10 days AND 200 miles out of Kennedy Meadows, why wouldn't you go to VVR?
> >> 
> >> VVR is awesome!
> > 
> > _______________________________________________
> > Pct-l mailing list
> > Pct-l at backcountry.net
> > To unsubcribe, or change options visit:
> > http://mailman.backcountry.net/mailman/listinfo/pct-l
> > 
> > List Archives:
> > http://mailman.backcountry.net/pipermail/pct-l/
> 
> _______________________________________________
> Pct-l mailing list
> Pct-l at backcountry.net
> To unsubcribe, or change options visit:
> http://mailman.backcountry.net/mailman/listinfo/pct-l
> 
> List Archives:
> http://mailman.backcountry.net/pipermail/pct-l/

_________________________________________________________________
Hotmail: Trusted email with Microsoft’s powerful SPAM protection.
http://clk.atdmt.com/GBL/go/201469226/direct/01/