Most of the people I encountered at KQ Ranch were wonderful. The majority of the staff genuinely…read moreseemed to care about ensuring guests had a positive experience.
My negative experience stemmed from an interaction with the sales department. After purchasing my rig, I had been offered complimentary nights at the ranch. I wanted to stay one additional night beyond that offer and left a voicemail for the sales department asking whether I could pay for an extra night. The following morning, I received a voicemail informing me that they do not extend stays for guests who are there under a sales promotion. While that answer would have been perfectly acceptable, the tone of the message was unnecessarily harsh and could have been delivered much more professionally.
When I later spoke with other staff members, I learned that this individual has a reputation for being unkind. That was disappointing because it contrasted sharply with the attitude of nearly everyone else I met at the ranch. Unfortunately, it left me with the impression that, within the sales department, closing deals and earning commissions may take priority over customer service.
Having worked in sales myself, I understand the importance of commissions. I also understand that prospective customers are free to decide whether a product is right for them. Ultimately, I chose not to purchase a membership at KQ Ranch. During the sales presentation, the salesperson made several unnecessary negative remarks about competitors, which I found unprofessional. In addition, the only option presented was a lifetime membership, which did not fit my circumstances.
I am currently living the van-life lifestyle on a temporary basis and explained my travel plans in detail. However, despite our conversation, the salesperson seemed more focused on following a script than understanding my needs. Within minutes, it became apparent that he had not retained basic information about me, my vehicle, or my travel goals. For example, I specifically mentioned that I do not enjoy hot climates, yet he repeatedly emphasized that several of their locations are in desert areas. That was not a compelling selling point for me and suggested that he was not listening carefully to what I had shared.
Outside of the sales experience, I enjoyed many aspects of the ranch. The facilities were well maintained, the store carried useful items, and the laundry facilities were convenient. Overall, the property itself was quite good.
The reason I will not return is the customer service I received from the sales department. Before making my request for an additional night, three different staff members kindly helped me determine who to contact. Each of them indicated that asking about an extension would likely not be a problem and wished me well during my stay. Their friendliness made the voicemail I later received feel even more out of place.
I also spoke with another guest whose trailer had bats enter it during their stay. They were directed to the same sales representative for assistance but felt they received little support. Instead of using the complimentary night included with their membership, they chose to leave and spend the night in Julian. Experiences like these suggest that the sales department's approach to customer service leaves much to be desired.
There is only so much discourteous behavior I am willing to overlook from a sales team. It is unfortunate because the actions of a few individuals can influence whether guests choose to return, despite the efforts of many hardworking staff members who clearly care about the guest experience.
One point emphasized during my sales presentation was that competing organizations have locations that are not well maintained. Based on what I observed, however, I found some areas of KQ Ranch's own RV storage facilities to appear less polished than the image of exclusivity and prestige that was being presented.
Overall, KQ Ranch has many positive qualities and many excellent employees. Unfortunately, my interactions with the sales department overshadowed those positives and ultimately influenced my decision not to return.
