Good grounds for banning someone from a DZ?

[Andrewnewell 0]

A while ago a friend of mine, who will remain unnamed, was banned from his local DZ in the UK for posting a negative review of the DZ on the net.

He was obviously unhappy with the service provided at the DZ and reacted by complaining directly to DZ staff and writing a unfavourable review on a public forum. He was subsequently banned from the DZ.

Considering skydiver's are usually very passionate about the sport and where they choose to jump I can understand the reaction from DZ and staff to an extent, but as a patron and paying customer surely he has the right to openly question the service provided?

This seems to me a case of quick fixing. If someone is rocking the boat it is better to throw over board/ban them than to address the problems that have been brought up??

It is obviously hard to make comment without knowing the full story but I would still like to hear your views, on the actions of the DZ and reflectively the alleged disloyal actions of the banned skydiver.

[darkwing 4]

Well, part of me feels that a DZ, or any business, can ban someone if they want. It is a business decision, and can backfire, but it is a choice they are allowed to make.

I'd like to hear both sides of the story though. In this particular case I reserve judgement. There are cases in which I would agree with either side.

-- Jeff
My Skydiving History

[Samurai136 0]

There are a few ways of handling customer complaints.

1. Assume the customer is always right and seek to accomodate the customer and make them satisfied.

2. Customer can not be satisfied, Distance your self from them. They will always be the one bad unsatisfied customer. If you talk trash about me don't expect to be welcome at my house to watch the Super Bowl.

Your friend apparently did not anticipate option #2.

Ken

"Buttons aren't toys." - Trillian
Ken

[kenneth21441 0]

On my DZ here in Michigan I know of only a few areas that will ban a skydiver from jumping there these are:
Jumping a out of date reserve parachute: Have only seen one case in many years of this and this was for a year

Pulling and/ or having a container open below 2000 feet (628 meters): this is the main canopy

and

Totally be unsafe in the air through no faught of their own. Suck as knowing that hook turns are not allowed and doing one. or knowingly creating a danger for himself/ herself and others

As far as doing a bad review I would have hoped that this person would have attempted to get his point across first by talking with the DZ management on the issues that were a problem and generally I find that these matters can be confronted and repaired.

I personally would not ban someone unless he or she had talked with me first on a issue. But if this person did not talk to me and then went on to post something then I could see no problem in banning them for a period of time.

This of course has its pro's and con's but the end result is that person should have talked first to stop any free floating rumors that usually start.

Just my two cents worth here.

thanks Ken.

Kenneth Potter
FAA Senior Parachute Rigger
Tactical Delivery Instructor (Jeddah, KSA)
FFL Gunsmith

[LittleDJ 0]

i think the reaction would be from the negative post, the phrase mud sticks comes to mind.....in these situations i think its better to take the issue up directly with the dz first, but i understand that in some dz its hard to communicate any problems without causing a bigger one .........

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LittleDJ!!- There is no such thing as a perfectly good aircraft!!!

[lawrocket 3]

There could be more at work. IN business we have "red flag" customers. As an attorney, I immediately view with suspicion someone who has fired his/her attorney on a case and wants me to take over. If someone's already canned his or her attorney 3 or 4 times, I simply will not take this person. 9 times out of ten, that person is just plain trouble.

There's probably a lot more to this story. I am, just as a matter of personal pragmatism, apt to side with the business owner on this subject.

My wife is hotter than your wife.

[airtwardo 6]

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...banned from his local DZ in the UK for posting a negative review of the DZ on the net.

***

The only advise I could give would be the sage old
'Rule Of Thumb' that's been followed since the beginning of man....

"Don't shit where you eat."

~ If you choke a Smurf, what color does it turn? ~

[UntamedDOG 0]

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I would still like to hear your views, on the actions of the DZ and reflectively the alleged disloyal actions of the banned skydiver.

I’ve been banned from several dropzones in the southern California area. Most recently Perris. I made some offensive comments about the DC-9 jet and the SkyVenture wind tunnel here on the internet. The owners Melanie and Ben were furious.

When I was identified at Perris, two of the local skygods “Dom” and “JP” dragged me away kicking and screaming off to the parking lot. It was humiliating. They said, “don’t ever come back, your not welcome here!” This statement shattered my world! I thought my expressions online served to make me more popular. I guess I was wrong?

There is a photo of me in the manifest office, which prevents me from sneaking past the “guards” and getting on a load. Believe me, I’ve already tried.

My only recourse is to write a negative review on DZ.com. I’ve thought about it, I’m not sure I have the guts.

I suppose a negative review would only serve to make myself look bad in the end.

UntamedDOG

[rocketdog 0]

i agree w/everyone who's asking: did he/she make any previous attempts? it would almost seem to be slander if the customer was bitching up a storm without ever voicing concern....

....but ASSUMING he/she is not keeping management in the dark about his/her concerns & complaints, the customer had every right to post it (in my opinion). i know if i went to an unsafe DZ or felt like i was being shafted, i certainly would share w/ other jumpers so they could learn from my experience & mistake(s). it's up to the jumpers to keep businesses honest in this sport

~hollywood

see the world! http://gorocketdog.blogspot.com

[skinnyshrek 0]

dude, you have earned the right to become an orfun..

http://www.skydivethefarm.com

do you realize that when you critisize people you dont know over the internet, you become part of a growing society of twats? ARE YOU ONE OF THEM?

[cocheese 0]

DZO's are God.

end of story.

[skinnyshrek 0]

there's bullshit at every DZ. Well, every dz i goto anyways..Maybe its me. I have only been kicked off one dz but yes maybe its me....lol

http://www.skydivethefarm.com

do you realize that when you critisize people you dont know over the internet, you become part of a growing society of twats? ARE YOU ONE OF THEM?

[NelKel 0]

there's bullshit at every DZ. Well, every dz i goto anyways<<<<<<

true there is bullshit at every DZ. I have quit working as an Instructor at one, and went to work at another I felt was safe. I found out I was banned from returning the first later. The first one, the one I quit was guilty of severial BSR vilotations, however I later found out that if a DZ is not a Group Member of the USPA, then the BSR are out of the window. However any USPA Instructor guilty of BSR violations weather at a GM or not can still be fined, or have an I rating removed by the USPA. I'm glad I quit.

_________________________________________

Someone dies, someone says how stupid, someone says it was avoidable, someone says how to avoid it, someone calls them an idiot, someone proposes rule chan

[mjosparky 3]

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the customer had every right to post it (in my opinion).

And the business owner has every right to refuse service. If you don't like how a DZO runs his/her DZ you have 2 options.
1. Jump some where else
2. Open your own DZ and run it the way you want.

If you chose option 2 and someone posts a bad review of you operation are you going to do it his way or yours?

If he posted a bad review on the DZ why does he give a shit if he is banned?

Sparky

My idea of a fair fight is clubbing baby seals

[damion75 0]

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A while ago a friend of mine, who will remain unnamed, was banned from his local DZ in the UK for posting a negative review of the DZ on the net.

There is of course a slight difference in attitude between

a. writing a negative (but unbiased? ) review on dz.com about a dz

b. writing something unsubstantiated, continuing to want to go to the DZ that you 'hate' because you get cheaper jumps there and then deleting and re-writing your review every time anyone else puts a review in so that yours is at the top...

The first I have sympathy with, the second just seems like a four year old with a tantrum to me...

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Not one shred of evidence supports the theory that life is serious - look at the platypus.

[bergh 0]

Right of admission is reserved.

A DZ/DZO has the right to choose with whom he does bussiness. It's that simple, if you are not happy with the
way they do bussiness go to another DZ, if other people
feel the same the DZ won't last very long.

Eg. I don't like the Golden Arches I choose not to support
them.

_______________________________________
You are unique, just like everybody else ...

[dgskydive 0]

Wish I had been there. Since i live on the other coast now, i must have long arms.

For the record. I have never met UntamedDOG face to face. I feel slandered.

I thought you got banned from here? Is there no justice in the world anymore?

Dom

[diablopilot 2]

Hey ya'll.... I'm starting to believe this guy doesn't exist.

I've never met him, never seen one of hit "fan club" t-shirts on the DZ. It's probably just one more 11 year old who just isn't getting his rocks off on e-porn.

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You're not as good as you think you are. Seriously.

[dgskydive 0]

JP.... Next time, make sure I am not sleep walking when we throw someone off the DZ.

I miss all the fun.

Dom

[Remster 24]

And here I was, being friendly to both of you, when in fact, you are a tool of The Man. I feel used now...



Back to the oricinal question, it doenst sound fair, but, the DZO can make whatever business decision they like.

Remster

[mjosparky 3]

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I feel slandered.

Dom,

Give me the word, we will track him down and wack him.

Quote

Hey ya'll.... I'm starting to believe this guy doesn't exist.

JP,

Oh he exists, but mainly in his own mind.

Sparky

My idea of a fair fight is clubbing baby seals

[dgskydive 0]

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Dom,

Give me the word, we will track him down and wack him

Get him Spark!!

Dom

[slotperfect 7]

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Hey ya'll.... I'm starting to believe this guy doesn't exist.

Maybe he and KBone car pool back and forth to ATCville every day?

Arrive Safely

John

[mjosparky 3]

Quote

Quote

Hey ya'll.... I'm starting to believe this guy doesn't exist.

Maybe he and KBone car pool back and forth to ATCville every day?

Are you trying to tell us something?
Sparky

My idea of a fair fight is clubbing baby seals

[slotperfect 7]

Quote

Are you trying to tell us something?

Curioser and curioser . . .

Arrive Safely

John