Hi.

This is a bit of a whinge, but I am wondering if I am being too harsh. I recently got a lesson I wasn't too happy with.

This is my second season and after my first lesson in 2011 all my other sessions have pretty much involved just me. I can self launch and land upwind/downwind, get up a go in both directions, struggle a bit with switch and staying upwind.

Last week I tried to book a lesson to iron out any technical deficiencies. I made it quite clear to the owner that I had half an idea and wanted 3 hours of style/technique feedback. On the morning of the lesson (after the previous day had been cancelled due to high winds) the winds were so light that we didn't even try to put a kite in the sky as neither myself nor the instructor had a kite over 11m. We used my kite and I had a theory lesson on the beach where I was shown a self-rescue and had a couple of questions answered. The last twenty plus minutes where the instructor watching me pack up my kite and talking about surfing and surfboard design and various towns we had lived. I asked if we could continue the lesson in the afternoon when the winds were forecast to pick up, but during my lesson the boss and already booked another lesson. I then asked how much I owed. The 3hr lesson was going to be $220 but since it had only taken 1 1/2hr a much higher hourly rate was charged and I was charged $132. Seeing how this included me packing up my gear and a friendly chat about nothing to do with a kite lesson, I was feeling pretty disappointed.

Am I being unreasonable in thinking a self-rescue beach lesson and a couple of questions in no way takes an hour and a half and $132? It was an IKO qualified company but I don't know about the instructor. He showed me the paperwork and then ticked none of the boxes.

Thanks for the reply.

I did ask to postpone the lesson twice but he refused.

I hear what you are saying about the chat. I should have asked earlier what I owed him rather than have him follow me around and chat at the back of my car. I was after a bit more than how I looked.

Spent my whole life surfing. I hope to never be the Poo-Man. Or mistaken for a Brazilian - I don't believe there is a ruder, more arrogant nation in the water.

Well there's the problem.

I went up north for a few days to practice kiting and had a lesson. They are a long way from me and I am back home in Busso so another lesson won't be happening. I go up there pretty frequently as it is the town I was born in and my family is still there, but I don't particularly want to give him anymore coin.

I did try and ring the owner three times and then got into a text chain with him. I don't really want my money back or anything. I just wanted to tell him I thought it was a cheeky rip off. At no time did he seek to assuage my issues and seemed to think I was just a whining customer. I very well may be so I thought I would check other people's opinions here. It is a whinge, but I would like to think it is a justifiable whinge.

arloj said...
Im normally there when the the instructor is out, i wont say his name or give a by the km pinpoint navigation like you have done flaming the company but i had a lesson with these guys when i started and the instructor you would of had. I have nothing but the utmost respect for the owner and instructor, very professional and gives the light of day for the students as i have witnessed on many occasions while kiting.

The owner called me after my lesson later that day to get feedback on how it went, was there anything that could of been changed and thanked me for choosing them. I have another friend who had the exact same call after his lesson.

Flaming pretty much the only 1 kite company here and knowing how many people look at this forum is a big call - they are hugely respected by locals like myself at this 'kite mecca' we all love seeing new people get into the sport and being taught the right way. id had to see them lose business.

At least make it more anonymous rather than giving the location.

whinge over

Well I didn't mean to flame them so I have edited the previous post. I meant to indicate that I am a long way from that town.

So maybe they look after the locals then?

Do I still count as a local if I lived there 26 years?

arloj said...
by locals i mean those who frequent that spot and kite on a regular basis, you could live there 26 years but you started kiting in 2011.

Im not making this personal chief, i just want to re iterate i have had completely different experiences with this company as well as i know many others have...

Anyways, the original post was asking for feedback on my experience, not a description of yours.

Do you think it takes an hour and a half to teach a self-rescue and answer a couple of questions? Funnily enough, I asked this of the owner too, but he didn't answer.

I got mates in that town who said they were good, so I am not trying to say their not, just my experience was ordinary. I just wanted feedback on my experience and whether I was being too hard on them.

Wat, if you know all the theory and safety and can get going then stop getting lessons and get a kite buddy or two, if your having trouble staying upwind then it's either your trying to fly your kite at the top end our bottom end of it's window or your not looking in the direction you want to go and twisting your hips.

In answer to your question I would have had the ****s if I was asked to pay for a lesson I didn't have or want. What's more if I brought my dissatisfaction to the attention of the owner of the business and he made no attempt to make ammends I'd have no problem telling everyone I know about the experience.

A bit like the time Kirra Surf sold me a dud deck grip a few years ago (on sale) that fell off the first time I used it....! I can count 8 mates ive convinced to buy JS surfboards eslewhere. And yeah I know billa own it now....

The simple thing to have done would have been not to pay for the lesson if you weren't happy with the service provided.

Richie72 said...
Go hard. I think its great to vocal about it if you feel this way. It not like you have been a Wiki Leeks about it all. F*#K if what you say is true I would have named and shamed. The price you paid, you should get better service. The French are the first to bitch and moan. Bloody garlic snails and frogs legs.

Nah, not my style, but thanks for the support.