As the Sept. 17 deadline to use 2019/20 Whistler Blackcomb passes approaches, customers are voicing frustration about parent company Vail Resorts’ customer service.
Stories of excruciatingly long hold times (that often go nowhere in the end), customer reps located in Colorado answering phones (before admitting they can’t help) and abruptly disconnected calls have permeated social media—and Pique’s inbox—over the past few weeks.
For Heather Sneddon of West Vancouver, sorting out her passes took no fewer than five phone calls, two e-chats and several hours of her time.
Sneddon has been skiing Whistler since the early ‘70s.
“My takeaway is this Vail corporation is lucky that they’re getting our support again this year, after all this nonsense,” she said.
“We’ve had no problems until Vail [Resorts] took over … I don’t know what they’re doing. Half the time last year we’d go up to ski and the alpine would be closed, and it wasn’t just due to weather either.”
Asked about the frustrations, Vail Resorts’ West Coast director of marketing Marc Riddell directed Pique to Vail Resorts’ social media channels for explanation.
“We are currently experiencing a high volume of calls to our customer service center, but to better serve you ahead of Thursday’s pass deadline, we have added to the number of pass experts who can help you both on the phone and via chat,” reads a recent Whistler Blackcomb Facebook post.
Anyone hoping to use their credit to purchase a pass of lesser value or to switch from a Whistler Blackcomb Pass or EDGE Card to an Epic Pass can fill out an online form before Sept. 17 to lock in their benefits.
Follow Whistler Blackcomb and Vail Resorts’ social media channels for further updates.
While Vail Resorts got Sneddon’s money this year, she said she’ll have to see how Whistler Blackcomb handles the upcoming winter—and its new COVID booking system—before deciding where she skis next year.
“We’ll see how they handle that; see how they do with the mountain, [and] having the mountain open,” she said.
“They’re going to have to start paying more attention to the local customers, because I don’t think our border is going to be open to the U.S. anytime soon, possibly not even all winter.”
Whistler Blackcomb has stated previously that its new reservation system is online and does not rely on phone customer service for operations.
