Friday. Well, I guess I was fooled. 45 minutes to get to work from the employee parking lot. I had to J-Walk, run across two icy parking lots, then race across another icy parking lot in ski boots to be late by 6 minutes (9:46). I was late, then written up. I am not sure what is going on exactly.
Monday. The parking was better. The bus drivers have power to make decisions on the fly. That is an improvement. Things get fluid out there. I am very happy to see the flexability with transportation. I believe the management is very aware of the problem, and now making adjustments to better serve all its guests during the busy March days. Thank you!
Previously I wrote (abridged):
Thank you Mr. McCarthy and Mr. Buhler. You attempting to be world class leaders in the ski industry. Please accept my apologies for the harsh criticism. But I must say, I still don’t understand the Broomfield home office. Being so far away from the action seems like a metaphor for what is happening around the resort.
Breckenridge is in the midst of incredible growth. The future is very bright. With growth comes opportunity. I am very happy to see and hear John and Roger working to make things better. The future is bright at Breckenridge the World Class ski area. Thank you for sharing some of your valuable time with me.
I very much enjoy sharing the passion of snowsport with our guests. As do all of our instructors and employees. I believe that compassion for the internal guest is still in need of embracing.
Thank you,
Jon
p.s. And for those who may think I was pressured or was told to remove rants for VRI. No fear. They did not ask me to remove the rant pages. I offered to remove them. My reasons for posting such rants are to simply share a POV that is not being listened to by those who can make a change. Fortunately, I had spent the past 5 years developing a few companies which are creating financial security. I don’t teach skiing for a living. I teach it for a lifestyle. In other words, “I don’t need the money, but I gladly accept the money”. Thank you to my students!
I am saddened at seeing “The Peter Principle” in action at the supervisor, mid-mgmt level. We need further training of the supervisor staff.
My objective with this section of the site to express frustrations that are not being heard in order to help Breckenridge maintain its status as one of the top resorts in the world. Once I feel an honest effort has been made in listening and addressing the issues. I do not feel voicing the rant is appropriate, as the message has been heard and addressed.
Unfortunately, the employee parking issues and a few specific supervisors are still real issues which need to be addressed. I will continue to voice these concerns.
Breckenridge upper MGMT comes through!!! – close but, NOT…yet
Thank you Mr. McCarthy and Mr. Buhler. You are both World Class leaders in the ski industry. And thank you Mr. Rob Katz for bringing some of my writings to those two individuals.
Good times.
I am amazed how many “thank you’s” I get from industry insiders who are scared to speak up about many of the problems that our industry faces.
I am lucky enough to make a good living and ski because I love it, rather than having to take a low paying job at a resort to get a free pass as so many younger folks do. Often times the resorts need to to hear from people because they are losing touch with a lot of the issues we face. I applaud you for having the courage to be a troublemaker and hope that they don’t clip your season pass and change the locks. =) (j/k)
There is no sense having a problem with something and sitting on your hands. You gotta speak up or it means that you are OK with what is happening.
I agree with Justin. I work at Breck, also for the lifestyle and the fun of it, and I luckily have not had to deal with frustrations as an employee with parking. Thanks for having this section on your site – it’s well-needed! And I too applaud Vail Resorts for taking action and calling you in for a meeting about your “little rants.” It’s good to know they are heard, and that the company is working towards solutions.
I have had my problems that stem from working for a big corporation also, but for the most part, the people I work with (front-mine employees) are here for the good times and the snow, as I am.
Thanks for posting these points of view,
Gregg
I Am So Busted–Blogging versus Dayjobs
So during the course of one of my “how is work going” chats with my boss, I let slip that I run a little website about skiing. By the time I had let it slip, I realized it was a…
I don’t understand how a ski resort can develop a corporate feel, but then again, the industry has consolidated so much that it is hard not to. I go skiing precisely to get away from the corporate grind. Folks that are working 80 hours a week to the detriment of their family so that they can move up that one step into middle management so they can keep working 80 hours a week and make a little more money.
Most of the smaller resorts are run by folks that never aspired to manage a resort, but started working somewhere while they were in college or ski bumming and somehow that turned into a “real job”. They still take half days when the powder dumps come and they genuinely care about their employees. You have a flat corporate structure where the folks that are in charge are not cities or states away.
I can’t imagine going to work at a job skiing and hating it like I do my day job most of the time. It sucks getting up and going to work when your job is no longer fun and I feel like I am simply putting in the time rather than doing something I love. If you are gonna get paid next to nothing, they damned well better respect that and treat you well.