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dtown223

Huge -1 to Cherry Ridge

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So the kid & I have been dying to get out and spend some time together at the range, I pack up my gear last night, and check the website to make sure the range will be open to members today.

No mention of a shutdown.

So far so good.

Wake up this morning early, call the "range availability hotline"

I hear:

"Good morning, today is september 22nd 2013, all ranges are open from 8:30 am til...."

Ok, still good, if they were closed, it'd be the first thing they mentioned right?

So I double check the website, just to be safe, still good!

Load up the car, and drag our asses an hour into the hills to go kill some paper and when we arrive?

ALL RANGES CLOSED WORK WEEKEND

So now I'm quite unhappy, and go into the clubhouse to suggest that the website and "hotline" might be updated, and what do I get??

ATTITUDE

The woman minding the clubhouse was completely baffled that someone might use a computer to look at a website, and informed me that I  must be a new member, and it was my fault for not reading the mailer they sent more thoroughly.

So I find the whoever was in charge, and express my displeasure, and instead of:  

"I apologze sir, we may have negeleted to appropriatley inform out MEMBERS that we were closed today"

I get a douchey F*ing smirk, and he says:

"I guess you didn't listen to the message, at the end of the update we mention the closing"

Clearly customer service isn't important when you're the only game in town.

And what does it matter? next sunday, it'll be packed full of new  rubes to pad the coffers full of cash.

I am beside myself, I wish I could afford dues @ Old Bridge, maybe I'll look at EFGA, I don't know.. 

totally disgusted right now.

 

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I was at the range on Thursday. Earlier in the week I check and saw I was good to go and noticed that it was going to be closed this weekend. I checked again I think Thursday and the calendar must have been updated starting from October and did not show this last week of September any more I thought it was a bit strange.

 

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Until today, I've never had a bad experience with the staff.

the LOW price point, facilities, and proximity made it the best value for me.

The total lack of accommodation to anything besides bench shooting was a turnoff, but I could live with it.

Having the range closed to members so they could host events was BS too, but whatever, I wish the whole organization nothing but ill now, and will always make sure to steer new shooters away from there.

As far as being the "face of the fight" for NJ gun rights, well...they've proven themselves to be a complete joke over and over.

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I was planning to come today, but few days ago  checked  range schedule and it said "work weekend". Looks like now they have updated website starting from Tuesday. 

 

I've seen some attitude there, mostly from elderly (70+) people. I don't think those are employees. I got pissed few times until I've realized: it's not a Range, it's a Club. I believe they have very few paid employees, most of the people hanging there are volunteers or just other members. 

 

So, there is no much customer service involved. As a club member you have range/kitchen/bathroom privileges. That's it. 

For less than $20/month it's a great deal (vs $15-$30/hour). 

 

I use 3 ranges. 

1. Bullet Hole. Close to me and allow 30 min sessions. If I'm close to home and have 1 hour of free time, I can get home, pack the bag, get to BH, make 50-100 holes in the paper, come back home and be on my way. 

2. Gun for Hire. State of the art range - feels good to be there. If I feel like I need some advise, I go to GFH for free instruction. Those ROs standing back are not just for decoration, they are watching you and seem to know thing or two about shooting. When I ask what I'm doing wrong, one of them always tells me exactly how to improve. And it works.  Also you can grab coffee and some food without becoming a criminal. :D 

3. Cherry Ridge. It's a day trip, at least 5-7 hours. Fresh air is always good. Few hours at the pistol range + few hours at 100 and 200/300. If you like to shoot a rifle - that is the place to be. Feel free to use their kitchen, just leave it clean. 

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I have memberships at both Cherry Ridge and GFH and enjoy both. GFH is always great with great facilities and staff and is only 10 minutes away. Cherry Ridge is great as long as you go on a weekday when it's nearly dead and there is no RO staffing the range. It's great to be outside on a nice day and enjoy blasting off a few hundred rounds.

 

My major issue with shooting there is going when it's busy as the ROs can be a huge pain in the @ss. Last time I went I got there 10 minutes before the scheduled taget change but apparently the RO's watch was fast for that change and I missed it so I had to wait 40 minutes to even put my target out since miraculously his watch had corrected itself. When the RO is there you can normally be civil to other members and do a target change as needed.

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I shoot primarily a cr....I use all the ranges...while today was sucky as far as scheduling and that is a shame..I think I know the woman twho you are referring .....she is old and old school...cut her a break...lol...when you are one hundred maybe you will not be so social either...lol....jk...

 

Could some things change..sure...STEEL..PITS..etc....but it is a nice facility and the RO's have a shitty job dealing with some of those that are less thastellar in handling a firearm.... so if they are "testy"....I can understand... I've never had a problem......but then again I tr to stay away on weekends....to many douches....if I do go on weekends I am at the five stand...

 

That being said..stuff happens....steering new shooters away from any range doesn't do an good for anyone in the shooting sports...

 

 

Im sorry....But thats the BS attitude that allows shitty customer service to continue.  Dont take the job if you cant handle the work.  Ask any waitress how many A holes they deal with and yet still cant be "testy" with other customers.  No one should be treated with that kind of attitude, especially if you are a paying customer!

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Showing a shocking level of ineptitude, ruining what was supposed to be a fun day for my son, and then treating me like I was a piece of sh*t, because I had the audacity to call them on their total incompetence doesn't get a pass because some of the staff is older.

If you can't treat members with respect, stay the F home.

The whole. "we're gun people, not computer people" excuse doesn't fly with me at all, I'm sorry, it's 2013, if you're unable to execute a simple task like updating a calendar on a website, it's time to give that responsibility to almost any twelve year old and hand in your webmaster ID

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yeah Nick, it was a huge disappointment, and what we did, was move on, just like Ill be moving on from CR.

 

Not so long ago, I had a gunsmith make an oopsie with a small job I paid for on a rifle. The gunsmith admitted they made a mistake, and corrected it, no big deal, poop does indeed happen.

Now I recommend that shop to anybody who needs work done, because of the willingness to admit a mistake was made, and showing excellent professionalism and customer service.

The shop was Mastodon, and that gunsmith was you, Nick, so I know firsthand that customer service is something you value as a person.

 

The point here is that instead of: "we messed up, we're sorry" I got "you're an a$$hole, and there's nothing you can do about it" I'm a really easy going guy, I had every intention of offering to help maintain the website (which I'm capable of doing) when I walked into the clubhouse, so this sort of thing could be avoided, but was immediately greeted with hostility and accusations.

 

So no, it's not my "northeast attitude" it's giving what I get, pure and simple.

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Im sorry....But thats the BS attitude that allows shitty customer service to continue.  Dont take the job if you cant handle the work.  Ask any waitress how many A holes they deal with and yet still cant be "testy" with other customers.  No one should be treated with that kind of attitude, especially if you are a paying customer!

 

A bit of misunderstanding here. 

There are no paying customers. No customers at all. Int's not a business. There are no customer service reps. It's a club run by members for their convenience. 

If something is wrong at YOUR club, it's your duty as member to bring it up next meeting and find a way to fix it. Perhaps have it done yourself if it's important to you. 

 

So, there is a female member who came today for the work weekend (all good members expected to come this weekend). Maybe she came to paint something or to administer whatever. She may or may not be related to club officials. 

Unhappy dtown223 runs into her offering suggestions about website and "hotline" etc. Gets HER attitude. 

 

town223, just out of curiosity, do you have reasons to believe she wasn't just average "old school" member who stopped by the club to use restroom and grab coffee? 

 

The work weekend was mentioned to me more than once by ROs during last few weeks. It was on the website and printed in the mailer. 

 

Don't get me wrong, I'm member for few months and I see plenty of things that could be improved at Cherry Ridge. 

They need new young blood. 

Someone actually has to take action from inside.

But who is going to do it? 

 

cjzm.jpg

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I'm not talking about a volunteer VinI.

I'm talking about the paid staff members at the club, staff members who have established a reputation for being unpleasant and unprofessional.

I'm certainly not the first person to note this either, FWIW.

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Not that has any relevance to the OP, but that never stopped me before.

 

Was a member of CR for many years as a kid, and this was way before there were any ROs.  As teenagers, on occasion we used to go 4-wheeling on Cherry Ridge road, which cut right through the 300 yard range. 

 

One night, I guess it was after they hired their first official RO, we were driving down Cherry Ridge Road, and instead of simply asking us not to drive down there any more, he decided to take a shot at us with his shotgun.  Since we were technically trespassing on their property we didn't really have a legal lag to stand on, but one of the people that was with us did report it to the local police.  I don't know what the outcome was, I think it was about the time I was went off to college.

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I've been a member a couple of years now.No major issues. I screwed a few things up and was nicley corrected by some RO's.

But one RO there really irks me. He kind of is a my way or the highway type.But even him I have a compliment for as I watched him clear a nasty jam for some guy shooting reloads. So I guess everything has it's good and bad.

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I have been a member for 6 years and can not complain. Besides the calender being updated a week early. I had RO help me set up on the 300 yard range. Also im in my late 30's but have had other members double my age be frendily towards me even though I shoot a tactical bolt setup and AR.

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I've been a member of CR since 1990 and the crabby old codgers have always been there. When I first joined, it was a single shot range, except for the pistol range. AR's back then would get you dirty looks from the old long term members, if you fired more than three shots in a 10 minute span they would give "advice" that you're going to ruin your barrel because you're heating it up to much. There were no RO's back then and the crowds were minimal. I suppose you're dealing with the remnants of that crowd, who are probably lamenting that the old days are now gone and I doubt they will ever change.

 

I would say that overall, I've always had good experiences there.

 

That said, they are in desperate need of upgrading to modern technology and modern shooting styles. This will hopefully come with younger leadership there.

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I've been a member of CR since 1990 and the crabby old codgers have always been there. When I first joined, it was a single shot range, except for the pistol range. AR's back then would get you dirty looks from the old long term members, if you fired more than three shots in a 10 minute span they would give "advice" that you're going to ruin your barrel because you're heating it up to much. There were no RO's back then and the crowds were minimal. I suppose you're dealing with the remnants of that crowd, who are probably lamenting that the old days are now gone and I doubt they will ever change.

 

I would say that overall, I've always had good experiences there.

 

That said, they are in desperate need of upgrading to modern technology and modern shooting styles. This will hopefully come with younger leadership there.

They're not desperate, and it wont happen.

The board is too entrenched in "the old ways"

As I wrote previously, Until today, the RO's (Craig, Heather Steve) Have always been 100% courteous and professional, which is a big part of what irks me

But the way I was treated seems to have gotten me more than a little riled up.

 

well, that and I was hoping the Giants would help to lighten the mood with a win today  :wild:

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They're not desperate, and it wont happen.

The board is too entrenched in "the old ways"

As I wrote previously, Until today, the RO's (Craig, Heather Steve) Have always been 100% courteous and professional, which is a big part of what irks me

But the way I was treated seems to have gotten me more than a little riled up.

 

well, that and I was hoping the Giants would help to lighten the mood with a win today :wild:

I guess today was bad luck for you hoping the Giants would win.

 

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A bit of misunderstanding here. 

There are no paying customers. No customers at all. Int's not a business. There are no customer service reps. It's a club run by members for their convenience. 

If something is wrong at YOUR club, it's your duty as member to bring it up next meeting and find a way to fix it. Perhaps have it done yourself if it's important to you. 

 

So, there is a female member who came today for the work weekend (all good members expected to come this weekend). Maybe she came to paint something or to administer whatever. She may or may not be related to club officials. 

Unhappy dtown223 runs into her offering suggestions about website and "hotline" etc. Gets HER attitude. 

 

town223, just out of curiosity, do you have reasons to believe she wasn't just average "old school" member who stopped by the club to use restroom and grab coffee? 

 

The work weekend was mentioned to me more than once by ROs during last few weeks. It was on the website and printed in the mailer. 

 

Don't get me wrong, I'm member for few months and I see plenty of things that could be improved at Cherry Ridge. 

They need new young blood. 

Someone actually has to take action from inside.

But who is going to do it? 

 

cjzm.jpg

 

 

^^^^^THIS^^^^^

 

Excellent post!  

 

To the OP:

 

I don't have a dog in this fight, so I can see both sides of it.  When I was younger, I stopped bringing my son to the range to merely put holes in paper.  Instead I joined several Leagues of various disciplines in rifle, pistol, and shotgun shooting.  Each League had both adults and juniors competing.  Since I wished to show him a nice, safe time and get both of us some free tips and instruction, we decided that the League format was best, and scheduled additional time to spend together as Father and Son.  The net result is that he's welcome to shoot any League he shows-up at, and has learned from some of the nicest Crack Shots around.  Leagues often have their own email system for League members, which keeps them up-to-date on such things as range closures.  If you've ever shown-up to a range and forgot to bring something, being a League member open doors.  At some venues/clubs, you can show-up with NOTHING, and stay and shoot the League, because the League members go out of their way to get you outfitted and ammo'd-up for the event.  Spare guns, mags and ammo fall outta bags and wind-up in front of you.  It's a whole 'nuther world!  

 

Paying stricter attention to the League Schedule and reading your newsletter might have alerted you to the Work Day.  I get the newsletter for my $40 a year.  Too bad you didn't call me to check (sorry for the sarcasm, I'm one of those Old Fudds that likes the printed word).

 

 I can't speak for CR as I'm not a member, although I shoot there as a member of a "Member Club" at least twice a year.  They do have some serious rules.  They also have some very WIDE Firing Lines.  And they still have to deal with Noobs that think they know it all, and it's O-K for them to "sweep the line" as long as the slide is back on the gun!  (IF I wanted to be swept all day, I'd go to Shore Shot instead of joining Old Bridge for $384 a year--twice what YOU pay!).  I've always enjoyed myself there, and even volunteer for Range Days like when the Boy Scouts come and shoot for free.  It's a 150 mile round-trip for me to be there, so it's just my way of "paying it forward".  I do this and I'm not even a member.  OR a CUSTOMER...........

 

So, in closing, blow-off your steam and help to improve things from INSIDE of your CLUB, since nobody is a customer.

 

Dave

Former Board Member of a Gun Club

Current Discipline Chair

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Little late to the thread, but just a short note about the schedule. Last Tuesday I checked the upcoming dates and it did say it was a work weekend. So I went Wed morning instead. So not sure how that was missed. As long as I can remember, they always post work weekends way ahead of time... Just saying.

 

 

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I have been a member for 5 years now and love the place! I have also not done my part to look and see if the range was open one time and it was a work weekend. I drive 90min to get to the place and was pissed off to. But I learned ,my lesson and look to make sure its open or that there are no classes or matches on the range I want to go on any given day. You need you look at the online calendar.

http://www.anjrpc.org/?page=Range_schedule

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Little late to the thread, but just a short note about the schedule. Last Tuesday I checked the upcoming dates and it did say it was a work weekend. So I went Wed morning instead. So not sure how that was missed. As long as I can remember, they always post work weekends way ahead of time... Just saying.

 

 

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+1

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I am a member there and looking  for some where else to go. I cant deal with the range masters anymore talking down to the members like they are little kids that don't know anything.  

As long as your safe and follow the rules they have never bothered me. In fact I have spent hours of my time over the years just Bull Sh(tin with them. they are mostly good people with interesting backgrounds.

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