Welcome to Park Spy, in which we call parks anonymously and put customer service to the test with a delicate question. Have any suggestions for us? Send Liz Mettler ([email protected]) your questions and, if we use one, you’re immune for one issue! We present seven spy missions here; you can check out all 12 at www.adventureparkinsider.com.!
THE QUESTION: What happens if I reach the top of your course and I freeze?
PARK 1, FL
First contact: Female.
API: Stated question.
Staff: Umm, on the zip line?
API: I guess, or the ropes course?
Staff: The X pack?
API: Sure.
Staff: OK. With the zip line adventure, once you’re up on the towers, there’s no way to come back down until you complete the course. OK. With the Y pack adventure, you do have to go up the steps to the towers three times, so if you do decide to change your mind you will have a way to come back down.
API: Great. What about the ropes course?
Staff: We don’t do a ropes course with our tours…
API: Oh, sorry. I guess I was on your website and thought I saw a ropes course. So those three towers…
Staff: OK, so those three towers that you see on our website… it says the Y pack, which is where you will have to go up the steps three times.
API: OK.
Staff: That has the X, Y and Z elements (she explained all three elements in detail).
API: Gotcha! So with that adventure I can come down if I don’t want to do all three?
Staff: You could on those, yes ma’am. The other adventure you go up the steps one time and then you zip from tower to tower with seven zips and three sky bridges, and you won’t be able to come down in the middle of that tour.
API: Great! Thank you. That’s really helpful.
Staff: No problem, let us know if there’s anything else. Have a great day.
Rating: 9
Comment: Walked me through the website, which is always helpful, and explained all the details of each course. I know exactly what to expect.
PARK 2, CA
First contact: Automated machine. Chose “reservations.”
Answering phone: Female.
API: Stated question.
Staff: Uh, we have guides on the ground that can come up and get you down at any point on the course.
API: OK, so there’s someone there to help if I freak out?
Staff: Yeah, absolutely. Hmm mmm. Silence…
API: OK, thanks then.
Staff: You’re welcome. Let us know if you have any other questions.
Rating: 4
Comment: Will my other questions get single-sentence answers as well?
PARK 3, GA
First contact: Female.
API: Stated question.
Staff: Um, do you already have it booked with us?
API: My friend is booking it.
Staff: OK. Um, if you were, I know they run in sequence of each other, so like, say you were to go through level one, and then you get through level two and you just don’t want to go through level three, then you can just downgrade. They’re not going to make you do it.
API: OK, so there’s a way down?
Staff: Right. Yes. If you just totally freeze up, I mean, they are trained to like technically rescue you, so they could do that, or if you’re able to walk back or get down yourself, but they are trained to handle the situation.
API: Cool. So I can be rescued? Ha ha.
Staff: Of course.
API: Thanks!
Rating: 6
Comment: Got the answer, sort of, but the details were mind-bogglingly vague. Who are “they”? Spell it out for me.
2 Comments
In this article you fault a person for giving single sentance answers, but in other articles give credit for answers being “short and sweet”. Reading these articles it seems as though you are simply looking for someone to talk to when you are lonely,
While we love a good chat to stave off loneliness, our Park Spy prefers to talk about things like football or favorite kinds of cheese. You’re completely right it’s very hard to convey tone in these articles and we can try and improve upon that. Short and sweet works if the answer is informative and the tone is friendly. Short and snooty answers, not so much.