This is the first year for our haunt in a new location under different ownership and different charity. Our team has been together 8 years, with probably 60 years experience between us. We've had some things happen this weekend and I needed to vent as well as get any feedback.
First of all, we had a Facebook attack, we are a haunt that raises money for our local historical society, we are licensed, inspected and permitted to do so through every possible facet. We had 2 volunteers quit on us and they went home and told their moms we disrespected them, this couldn't be farther from the truth, we relish every volunteer which I'm sure all of you know. Well Saturday morning I woke to the mother severely bashing our operation and telling people not to come and that we were pocketing money at the cost of our volunteers. First of all, all advertising (print and web) states that we benefit our local sponsor. Well, we pointed this out to her in a professional matter, and she got all of her friends involved, claiming we were pocketing money. We clearly pointed out that we have all along advertised and worked with the local group. This argument turned in to many other arguments, all because their children can of course do no wrong, so we were the evil haunt. we contacted our attorney and he advised us, the offenders were then blocked from our facebook and made a deal about that.
Secondly, we had a group come through and accuse one of our actors (who by the way is a 5'4" girl that weighs 90lbs soaking wet) of tackling her against a tree and injuring her hand. The customer claimed it was a 6'5" male weighing 250 pounds. we have two individuals fitting this description, but they were both accounted for. She called and bashed me up and down and wanted her money back (a groupon she hadn't even paid for, she admitted that) on scene one of our managers asked her if she needed assistance when she complained to him, she just screamed at him and left. 3 hours after she came through that I got the call, after they went out to eat. We are completely insured and once again, inspected licensed and trained our actors how to scare but she said she's going to get us shut down and tell everyone she knows not to come out.
We aren't really afraid of any action since we are covered, and our attorney and insurer were both contacted. It's just unneeded stress.
I feel a little better, but how do you all handle these situations, I've worked for several professional haunts and non profit, and I know you can't please everyone, but what do you do to not dwell on it?
First of all, we had a Facebook attack, we are a haunt that raises money for our local historical society, we are licensed, inspected and permitted to do so through every possible facet. We had 2 volunteers quit on us and they went home and told their moms we disrespected them, this couldn't be farther from the truth, we relish every volunteer which I'm sure all of you know. Well Saturday morning I woke to the mother severely bashing our operation and telling people not to come and that we were pocketing money at the cost of our volunteers. First of all, all advertising (print and web) states that we benefit our local sponsor. Well, we pointed this out to her in a professional matter, and she got all of her friends involved, claiming we were pocketing money. We clearly pointed out that we have all along advertised and worked with the local group. This argument turned in to many other arguments, all because their children can of course do no wrong, so we were the evil haunt. we contacted our attorney and he advised us, the offenders were then blocked from our facebook and made a deal about that.
Secondly, we had a group come through and accuse one of our actors (who by the way is a 5'4" girl that weighs 90lbs soaking wet) of tackling her against a tree and injuring her hand. The customer claimed it was a 6'5" male weighing 250 pounds. we have two individuals fitting this description, but they were both accounted for. She called and bashed me up and down and wanted her money back (a groupon she hadn't even paid for, she admitted that) on scene one of our managers asked her if she needed assistance when she complained to him, she just screamed at him and left. 3 hours after she came through that I got the call, after they went out to eat. We are completely insured and once again, inspected licensed and trained our actors how to scare but she said she's going to get us shut down and tell everyone she knows not to come out.
We aren't really afraid of any action since we are covered, and our attorney and insurer were both contacted. It's just unneeded stress.
I feel a little better, but how do you all handle these situations, I've worked for several professional haunts and non profit, and I know you can't please everyone, but what do you do to not dwell on it?
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