Following up on my blog post from last week regarding my family’s membership at the Woodland Park Zoo, I received a phone call from the membership department. Honestly, I did not expect one, but was not terribly surprised.
I spoke with the membership customer coordinator and we spent a fair amount of time on the phone. She wanted to address my concerns and see what they (the zoo, as an organization) could do. I told her I wanted to know that I was getting what I pay for, a full 12 months of membership, the concern I raised in my previous blog post.
Over the course 20 minutes we talked about membership, and specifically my family’s membership history going back to 1998. There were times when our membership lapsed (usually doe to finances or knowing we wouldn’t be going to the zoo for a few months) and times when we paid for our membership before it expired. The biggest concern I raised in my previous post was addressed in our conversation, at no point did we pay for membership and it did not extend a full 12 months.
Much, if not all, of the problem with the letter I received is due to two different databases being used. Unfortunately I didn’t ask why there are two different databases or what is being done to rectify this situation. I guess I’m not much of a reporter. Oh, I’m actually not a reporter.
When asked what I want, I responded that I would like for the zoo and aquarium to offer joint membership again.
The bottom line is Woodland Park Zoo is not trying to trick members into paying for more membership than they are getting. [Members] “get what they pay for.”
Yes, we are renewing our membership to Woodland Park Zoo. No, I have no animosity towards the organization over this confusion. I am glad to know that everybody gets their full membership as paid for.