So, I returned at opening on Tuesday March 1st, to speak with Lora LaMarca. Of course I was told by Lamar she was not available, but I could call her assistant to make an official meeting with her. I had to laugh. Why do I need to have an official meeting to get an official answer that should have come with my refund?
I was also told by Lamar that he had done what I asked. No, I asked to have Lora come to the office to give me a reason, not have a formal meeting for something simple that I was due without having to request it. This was getting insane.
I then asked if he had gotten the copy of the "Terms." He had not. I said I would like them, he said I could get them when I had the meeting. I said I would like them ahead of time, so I can see what I may have violated. I requested he get a copy and I would pick it up at the end of the day. He said he couldn't "Guarantee it", as Lora wasn't available all day. He also couldn't guarantee it by the next day. I said if it existed, it should be no problem.
So, if this is a guideline for Membership, why is it so elusive and why is Lora the only keeper of it?
I had, had enough by this point. I was and am very upset and exhausted to have to chase down a reason for having my Membership revoked. It has been over two weeks. My partial refund check was dated February 14, 2011. I am upset that they still hadn't refunded me the additional $20, which means I have not received a full refund, so technically my Membership should still be in standing, yet I have had to buy tickets to be admitted.
I ended the conversation that was going nowhere and upsetting me and said I would email Lora myself.
I received a reply from Lora and frankly it was very unprofessional. I do not think someone in a professional position should respond to official correspondence like she is writing to friends casually, by inserting responses at whim during important conversation points. I also took offense to her tone, as I seemed like "When I get the time." These people really believe they can treat people unjustly. ... Also note that her signature is on the refund checks, so she indeed knows when the checks are issued.
------------
Kim,
Please see responses below in blue:
Lora LaMarca
San Francisco Zoo
Vice President Marketing, Membership& PR
1 Zoo Road
San Francisco, CA 94132
tel: 415.753.7081
fax: 415.681.2039
mobile: 415.793.6998
loral@sfzoo.org
The San Francisco Zoo connects people with wildlife, inspires caring for nature and advances conservation action.
-----Original Message-----
Subject: My Membership
I am writing to you requesting both a reason for revoking my membership and to obtain a copy of the "Terms and Policy".
When I visited the Zoo Saturday, February 26, 2011, I went into the Membership office to ask if he could give me a reason. He didn't have an answer and deferred me to you. He did say that I was "In violation of Terms and Policy".
Since you were not there to informally meet with me today at the Membership office as I requested (I do not do informal meetings in the Membership office; I believe he requested that you contact my assistant Susan Schafer to schedule a meeting which you can do at any time), I will pass on setting a formal meeting with you at this point and instead make my request via this email correspondence.
By the end of the workday tomorrow, Wednesday March 2, 2011, I would like a copy of the "Terms and Policy" emailed to me, along with a reason for the revoking. I should not have to wait or chase down an answer. I will be curious to see this document, as it seems to be quite elusive in that even your Membership Sales team doesn't have a copy and seemed to not even know what it was. If there is such a document there should be no problem emailing it to me.
(Semantics. We have a "Policy and Procedures" document that documents the practical details of membership. I have a full schedule tomorrow, but I will attempt to email it to you Thursday morning before I leave town for a few days.)
I have been advised by a Committee Member (???) to have hard copies (written), so additionally I would like the same document and reason sent to me via post mail without delay. I do not think its appropriate business practice to have not included this with my refund check.
Let this request for post mail documentation also reflect the same for Lee , as we are not the same person and she will need her own documentation (Lee would have to make her requests to me personally, not through a second party).
Also note that my Membership fees have still not been refunded in full, as I upped my Membership on Saturday February 19, 2011. Please also include a check for that $20 (I do not issue checks; I am told our accounting department is processing your check).
Kim
-------
I was also told by Lamar that he had done what I asked. No, I asked to have Lora come to the office to give me a reason, not have a formal meeting for something simple that I was due without having to request it. This was getting insane.
I then asked if he had gotten the copy of the "Terms." He had not. I said I would like them, he said I could get them when I had the meeting. I said I would like them ahead of time, so I can see what I may have violated. I requested he get a copy and I would pick it up at the end of the day. He said he couldn't "Guarantee it", as Lora wasn't available all day. He also couldn't guarantee it by the next day. I said if it existed, it should be no problem.
So, if this is a guideline for Membership, why is it so elusive and why is Lora the only keeper of it?
I had, had enough by this point. I was and am very upset and exhausted to have to chase down a reason for having my Membership revoked. It has been over two weeks. My partial refund check was dated February 14, 2011. I am upset that they still hadn't refunded me the additional $20, which means I have not received a full refund, so technically my Membership should still be in standing, yet I have had to buy tickets to be admitted.
I ended the conversation that was going nowhere and upsetting me and said I would email Lora myself.
I received a reply from Lora and frankly it was very unprofessional. I do not think someone in a professional position should respond to official correspondence like she is writing to friends casually, by inserting responses at whim during important conversation points. I also took offense to her tone, as I seemed like "When I get the time." These people really believe they can treat people unjustly. ... Also note that her signature is on the refund checks, so she indeed knows when the checks are issued.
------------
Kim,
Please see responses below in blue:
Lora LaMarca
San Francisco Zoo
Vice President Marketing, Membership& PR
1 Zoo Road
San Francisco, CA 94132
tel: 415.753.7081
fax: 415.681.2039
mobile: 415.793.6998
loral@sfzoo.org
The San Francisco Zoo connects people with wildlife, inspires caring for nature and advances conservation action.
-----Original Message-----
Subject: My Membership
I am writing to you requesting both a reason for revoking my membership and to obtain a copy of the "Terms and Policy".
When I visited the Zoo Saturday, February 26, 2011, I went into the Membership office to ask if he could give me a reason. He didn't have an answer and deferred me to you. He did say that I was "In violation of Terms and Policy".
Since you were not there to informally meet with me today at the Membership office as I requested (I do not do informal meetings in the Membership office; I believe he requested that you contact my assistant Susan Schafer to schedule a meeting which you can do at any time), I will pass on setting a formal meeting with you at this point and instead make my request via this email correspondence.
By the end of the workday tomorrow, Wednesday March 2, 2011, I would like a copy of the "Terms and Policy" emailed to me, along with a reason for the revoking. I should not have to wait or chase down an answer. I will be curious to see this document, as it seems to be quite elusive in that even your Membership Sales team doesn't have a copy and seemed to not even know what it was. If there is such a document there should be no problem emailing it to me.
(Semantics. We have a "Policy and Procedures" document that documents the practical details of membership. I have a full schedule tomorrow, but I will attempt to email it to you Thursday morning before I leave town for a few days.)
I have been advised by a Committee Member (???) to have hard copies (written), so additionally I would like the same document and reason sent to me via post mail without delay. I do not think its appropriate business practice to have not included this with my refund check.
Let this request for post mail documentation also reflect the same for Lee , as we are not the same person and she will need her own documentation (Lee would have to make her requests to me personally, not through a second party).
Also note that my Membership fees have still not been refunded in full, as I upped my Membership on Saturday February 19, 2011. Please also include a check for that $20 (I do not issue checks; I am told our accounting department is processing your check).
Kim
-------
The stall tactics and waiting, and tracking down just to get a response that didnt have a reason was so unprofessional. My thought on this was that you were so darn fast revoking, why take the time and be so cruel in giving a reason that's still to this day not given. This has depressed me deeply. Another issue I had was that they were so into putting us both together on this but then had to write, I want to hear from each separately. My take on this is that there is no reason, never has been. I am a firm believer that if one tells the truth, each time the story will stay the same. We have told the truth. The zoo staff has continually changed their stories.
ReplyDelete@Lee- Yes! I noticed that too. We have been blamed as one, considering I have never received a reason I am assuming its the blame that was put upon you (although not as an official reason either), but yet I received not only an unprofessional response, one that is contradicting to what we've experienced.
ReplyDelete