There is so much information on the internet that you really begin to question what is real and what is not so real. For example, my son recently hired a moving company to move a small amount of furniture from Aventura to Ft. Lauderdale. The company received all the necessary stars, on line, to indicate that they were a reputable moving company. He SMARTLY put the deposit on a credit card. He took a day off from work and had to make the move during a small window of time to accommodate the rules and regs of two condo associations. Needless to say, they never showed up. He did receive his deposit back, but he was definitely “taken” by the on line credentials.
How can you tell the difference between something that is real and something that is not so real? How do you go go on Trip Advisor or Camp Ratingz and understand what is a real submission vs. something that was placed, purchased or manipulated? You can’t tell. That is the bottom line. The most reliable source of information must be, continues to be and will always be personal connections with something.
Travel agents, as a perfect example, offer an element of expertise and entre that cannot be achieved through on line research. They have visited the sites, they have met with the personnel and they can direct you to the locations, hotels and planning that you could never do on your own. Well, you can do it on your own, but you will spend a lot more time, and the risk is incredibly high. And there is no fee for a travel agent… so why not use their cost free expertise?
Same with camp and teen programs. Every single brochure, dvd and website is gorgeous. Every single camp has happy kids, lovely directors and beautiful fields. And trips and programs for teens are each and every one fantastic for their experience, safe, secure and reputable. Right?? Well…. the stories we have heard are pretty chilling. There are many community service programs that have left kids so much on their own that the chance for local kidnapping to drug involvement to pick pocketing is overwhelming. It is so crucial to make sure that you research using a reputable service, again at no charge like a travel agent, to make sure you find safe, secure and consistent organizations.
So this week, starting on Wednesday, I will be doing your homework. Please go to my Twitter Feed where I will be sharing a lot of insight on programs that will include excellent summer camps at all prices, lengths and locations AND teen programming and opportunities. Three days of presentations, in detail, by programs that I have used for many successful years. I will let you know about opportunities and price savings; specialty programs and deadlines; new and updated information. Your job will be to send me your contact information and specific requests. Just click here and fill out the form to get into the loop.
Remember, tune in Wednesday, November 6 – Friday November 8. I will be tweeting and hope you join in.
PS My son got all his money back from the movers and we found a reliable source to oversee the move without using the internet. Unfortunately, he lost his day off from work…..