On Thursday February 24, 2011, I went to the Zoo in the late afternoon as I intended to go to the Joint Zoo Committee Meeting there that evening.
When I arrived at the gate house I was told by Guest Service staff member Bertha, that my Membership had been revoked! I was shocked! This really was an outrageous action. I asked why and she said she didn't know and I would have to ask the Membership office. In the Membership office I spoke with Guest Service leader of sorts, Walker, who could not tell me anything, other than I had been revoked, would be receiving a refund and would have to buy a ticket from now on. I remembered the Certified Letter notice I had yet to pick up and realized I was going down the same path Lee been sent. I had a guest pass with me that I used at that time, but I was pretty upset. I was upset that no one was there to give me a reason. I was upset because I knew this was unjustified.
I had requested to speak with four people, Lamar in Membership, Deb Howe/Operations, Durant/Guest Services, and Director Peterson (who was off skiing) and none of those people were available, two were off til Saturday and another in a meeting. I was told I could get an answer from Lamar on Saturday.
So, knowing Lee didn't receive a letter with her check stating an official reason, was I now also being blamed for the incident at Bears? Not to throw Lee under the bus, but to be technical, we are not the same person and I didn't make that call, so how could my Membership be in jeopardy?
What else could it be?
Later that evening I spoke with Committee Member, Sally Stephens who without hesitation agreed what we witnessed warranted a call. She advised me to request a letter of reason be issued in writing.
I went home that night and wrote a letter to Director Peterson, stating that I would need a letter post mailed containing an official reason for my revoking. I planned to leave it for her on Saturday when I talked to someone, in hopes of getting an answer. ... The whole event of that night left me with anxiety, as I anxiously waited for Saturday to arrive.
When I arrived at the office, I spoke with Lamar, curiously he answered like a robot and offered the same response to everything I asked him, "I don't have that answer." Eventually he deferred me to speak to Lora LaMarca the head of Marketing when she returned on Tuesday. As I was wrapping up my persistent questioning, he offered that we had, "Violated Terms and Policy (of Membership)."
I asked where these "Terms" are as they are not given with Membership material and they are not posted in the Membership office. Curiously, the guy who is in Membership Sales, not only doesn't know what the "Terms" are, is not in possession of a copy of them.
When I arrived at the gate house I was told by Guest Service staff member Bertha, that my Membership had been revoked! I was shocked! This really was an outrageous action. I asked why and she said she didn't know and I would have to ask the Membership office. In the Membership office I spoke with Guest Service leader of sorts, Walker, who could not tell me anything, other than I had been revoked, would be receiving a refund and would have to buy a ticket from now on. I remembered the Certified Letter notice I had yet to pick up and realized I was going down the same path Lee been sent. I had a guest pass with me that I used at that time, but I was pretty upset. I was upset that no one was there to give me a reason. I was upset because I knew this was unjustified.
I had requested to speak with four people, Lamar in Membership, Deb Howe/Operations, Durant/Guest Services, and Director Peterson (who was off skiing) and none of those people were available, two were off til Saturday and another in a meeting. I was told I could get an answer from Lamar on Saturday.
So, knowing Lee didn't receive a letter with her check stating an official reason, was I now also being blamed for the incident at Bears? Not to throw Lee under the bus, but to be technical, we are not the same person and I didn't make that call, so how could my Membership be in jeopardy?
What else could it be?
Later that evening I spoke with Committee Member, Sally Stephens who without hesitation agreed what we witnessed warranted a call. She advised me to request a letter of reason be issued in writing.
I went home that night and wrote a letter to Director Peterson, stating that I would need a letter post mailed containing an official reason for my revoking. I planned to leave it for her on Saturday when I talked to someone, in hopes of getting an answer. ... The whole event of that night left me with anxiety, as I anxiously waited for Saturday to arrive.
When I arrived at the office, I spoke with Lamar, curiously he answered like a robot and offered the same response to everything I asked him, "I don't have that answer." Eventually he deferred me to speak to Lora LaMarca the head of Marketing when she returned on Tuesday. As I was wrapping up my persistent questioning, he offered that we had, "Violated Terms and Policy (of Membership)."
I asked where these "Terms" are as they are not given with Membership material and they are not posted in the Membership office. Curiously, the guy who is in Membership Sales, not only doesn't know what the "Terms" are, is not in possession of a copy of them.
This whole ordeal is shocking. How can a place that is supposed to be a "learning" place, a "happy" place, treat people like this? I believe to this day that the blanket excuse "terms and policies" is just that, a blanket excuse to give someone when they have nothing and hope that the person believes that is all they need to say.
ReplyDelete@Lee- Well, repetitiously weaving that term in and out of the conversation, would make one think there was such a document, but when that document can not be produced when requested, one would be led to believe it doesn't exist.
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