Texas Ski Ranch Warning

What I am about to share is my only experience with TSR. TSR may be a good company but I just wanted to give everyone a heads up on things you may want to check on before ever heading down there.

My friends and I made plans to head down to the Guadalupe on Friday and my roommate and I talked everyone into going down a day early, Thursday, so we could ride the cable. When I started to make plans I called and checked the internet and made the decision to ride Thursday night starting at 9 until 12. We got there around 8:30 with the intention of paying, signing wavers, and being on the dock to start as soon as they reopened. They charge $23 for the whole night so we wanted to ride as much as possible. Just before 9 they tell us that they are only going to open if there are at least 7 people to ride. At this point there are only 2 of us. I try to tell 2 different employees that we have driven 4 hours to be there and would have rethought the whole process had we of been told that there were conditions to them opening at night. Both of the employees, the pro-shop manager being one of them, tell me that the decision was made that day and there was nothing they could do about it. They also tell me there is a major lack of communication through the whole company and no one ever knows what’s going on. With the way I was treated I still have a hard time believing I was actually talking to the pro-shop manager. But that’s what he claimed. For me the most aggravating thing at the time was the total disregard to the fact that I was a paying customer who drove 4 hours and was getting a hotel room just to ride that night, at a scheduled time they claimed to be open. I have worked retail for a long time and as a manager or someone with common sense you step up and make a decision to do what is best for the company. Not one of the employees was willing to do this. By the time they had enough people to ride it was around 9:30 and we decided it wouldn’t be worth the $23 to only ride for a little over 2 hours, again no decision to do a price break due to them not opening at the posted and scheduled time.

Another disturbing thing I saw just before I left was the “manager” being a complete jerk to a member of the ranch and making him pay full price because that’s what his computer said. For those of you that are unfamiliar with how they do things, they have memberships that give people who have them a price break. The member tried to show him paperwork with the discounted rate but the only thing he said was I am going to do what my computer says.

I did speak with one of the owner’s, Jeremy, he was extremely nice and seemed to genuinely care and be interested in my issues. Not that I would expect anything else, but he did seem to agree with me that they should have opened. He told me to expect a call from him by 5 last Friday with a response to why everything went the way it did, I have not heard from him yet but I hope to soon. He really did seem to be on top of things, so I am surprised he hasn’t called yet.

Sorry for such a long post I just wanted to make sure that I covered everything. Just be sure and get all the details several times over before you ever head down there. Like I said earlier there seems to be an extreme communication break down in the company so try and make sure you have all the information before heading down.

That SUCKS. Sounds like you kept it pretty cool. I would have lost it.

The employees let me know by their arrogance that getting mad would do me no good. I told them my issues and left.

lame....

reminds me of that movie where the griswalds drove cross country to get into wally world and it was closed...

bad business! If they are hurting for people to even show up, they better be top notch on customer service to get repeat business and have them talk up their name andnot down... That sucks justin... I would of been upset, after all the money spent to do that...

Ryan I was thinking of that same movie!... Haha... take a gun and force them to open! haha...

Damn...TSR is Wally World! I hope the Orlando park is better. I'm headed there in January.

I was at OWC a few weeks ago and had zero problems.

J-Rod - OWC is going to be closed Mid Jan-Early Feb. about 3wks
You better make sure you check before you make the reservations.
It's the time they do major maintenance to the Cables.

CRAP...I'm there for a conference at that time. Looks like I'm screwed. Anything else I can check out in the Orlando area?

WTF!!! That is real hard to believe Justin. I live 35mins away from tsr and ride on a regular basis. I have been there at open on numerous occasions where it was just me and a friend of mine and we rode with no problems. The arrogance you speak of is completely off the wall too. I have had the best luck with these guys. They are honestly the coolest I have delt with. I am not trying to call you anything you are not, but what you are saying about your experience is completely opposite of what I have experienced when I attend on a regular basis. From the first time I rode through the current, TSR has been nothing but customer service who treats members and nonmembers alike. They have made exceptions on numerous occasions if their computers say otherwise. I dont know what else to say other than I am sorry if this is all true and unexagerated, but I am not the only one to say that TSR is one stand up establishment.

national lampoon's something vacation with chevy chase

Cody

What does the World Tennis Federation have to do with the Texas Ski Ranch?

Cody,
I wish that what I am saying was exaggerated in some way. I wish the best for them and hope they can right the ship. Unfortunately I have been told by a few others that their arrogance can be too much. Not to get too corny, but I love this sport and want to see it and every person involved with it succeed. With that said, I want TSR to right the ship and become very successful, which I think they will do. Their success is good for the sport and for wakeboarding in Texas.

next time your in the area call us. We have a full pro shop and the best wakeboarding around. You won't be disapointed. http://mcelhinneywakeboardschool.com830-401-0988

Pat, congrats on another National Title!!!!!
Your web link is not working.

Justin...that sucks. Fortunately with your retail experience, you can understand both sides of what is going on. It probably does not make you feel any better though.

Looking from the outside, I can see how if they don't have enough riders that they would want to shut down but, I firmly agree that if any riders are there and paying money to ride, it just makes "good business sense" to fire up the cables. In my mind, that would be good customer service, but not all companies have the same idea about good customer service.

He forgot the www here it is:

http://www.mcelhinneywakeboardschool.com/

I actually agree with shutting the cable down when there are not enough riders. But, this needs to be laid out as a policy to give visitors a warning. They told me the decision was made that day, probably while I was making my 4 hour drive down. I have spoken to one of the partners with the cable and he told me that he has no idea where the idea to only open the cable if enough people show up came from. So the story is getting weirder. The partner, Blake, seems to be on top of things and is doing all that he can to make it right.

Pat, a friend of mine got to ride with you several years ago. It was you chris r. and a few others. He told me you designed the phatty. I want to say, if that is true, you are awesome. I have seen you out on the cable lake too, and you are fun to watch. Just wanted to give you props. I work at the heb in seguin, and when I get enough cash I hope to get over to your school.

Cody, it's all true. He used to ride and design boards for o'brien.

Sorry folks, parks closed. Moose outside should have told you.

Pat also designed the Evil Twin and the old school Shredder for O'Brien. He may have done others as well, but I can't remember off the top of my head.

UPDATE:

I just wanted to take a moment to say good job. I have spoken with Blake, the cable manager, over the phone and through e-mail. I am thoroughly and overwhelmingly impressed with the steps taken by both Christine and Blake to right the situation both with their employees, myself, and the public. I will be making another trip down there probably in the spring and feel very confident that it will turn out differently. Once again...TSR went above and beyond, in my opinion, to make things better.