Local Guides Challenge: Toronto Event

[MegS]

Hi All,

An issue has come to our attention that an email intended for all of the individuals on our waitlist was not received by everyone. (If you didn't receive a confirmation email from us on Thursday, January 19, you are on our waitlist.) We apologize for any confusion or inconvenience this may have caused.

A few FAQs we've fielded that may provide more insight:

• This event was not meant as a bait and switch; if you received an invitation there was nothing further you needed to do (except RSVP) to be eligible to attend.
• We received ~3,000 RSVPs for fewer than 300 spaces. We were amazed at the interest and bummed we weren't able to accommodate everyone.
• Please do not show up at the Google office as our events (in all cities) are not held at Google offices — there will be no one to meet you.
• As for what to expect at our event, our invitations are intentionally vague. 😉 Please reference our event FAQs for hints at what our event will include, but we do not share details ahead of time.
• There is no dress code — dress as you please: festive, fun, casual, dressed up, however you are most comfortable.

If you have questions about the Toronto event, please submit them on this thread. If you have feedback about anything else (other events, the Local Guides program, Google Maps, etc.), please share it on Connect on the appropriate discussion board so we can escalate accordingly.

Thanks for all you do for Local Guides!

[ChristopherD]

Dear Google Local Guide Challenge,

I am writing this letter to express my deep dissatisfaction with the “Google Local Guide Challenge” event held in Toronto on January 24, 2017.  I first received an email from Google on December 21st, informing me that Toronto was one of the winning cities for this event and that I was invited to attend due to some of the photos I had posted and hits received. Having never heard of this challenge before, I was pleasantly surprised and very excited to attend this exclusive event.  The details of the location were kept secret adding to the excitement and mystery leading up to the date.  I RSVP’d to the event in a timely fashion.  My wife and I were very excited to get out for a nice dinner in Toronto (since with 3 kids, these occasions are far and few between).  We secured a babysitter and a hotel for the night as we live an hour away.

As the date of the event approached, my wife asked me a few times if I had received the event details, but still nothing.  When I still had no information from Google the day prior to the event, I started getting worried.  Many things ran through my head....Is this event even real? Was the invitation a hoax or spam?  Was my RSVP received?  So after a couple hours of searching the internet for any information, I found a conversation thread with many other people in the same situation as I was in asking the same questions.  I was then told by a “Level 4” person on the thread that they received the event details a week prior and that if I didn’t receive that email I was not confirmed as an attendee.  My wife and I were very upset by this news.  Not only were we finding out the day before the event, but we had to search for this information ourselves.  We put in a lot of time and effort to be able to attend the event and then to be told it wasn’t happening was pretty disappointing.  I understand that there may not have been a venue large enough to host everyone or the budget, but then we should have been told in advance that the event was limited and confirmations would be sent only if we were selected.  

So looking back, this whole experience has left a bad taste in my mouth.  Google is one of the top organizations in the world and this is how they treat their users? In a past role, my wife managed events for Microsoft and communication was always a top priority.  They ensured that all pertinent information was communicated to attendees prior to and after each event.  This was an exhausting process as many departments were involved and legal approvals needed to be obtained, however, with proper planning and controls, issues like this were avoided.

I thank you for taking the time to read my email and I hope that you can address these issues with your team to avoid any future embarrassments like this one.  I know we are not the only ones who feel mistreated by this whole situation.  I would like this to be escalated.

Regards

[MegS]

Hi @ChristopherD,

Thanks for the feedback. A few others were confused by our automated emails confirming we had received their RSVP request too; we've made a note and will use different language in the future. Our apologies for the confusion and for any inconvenience it caused.

Thanks again for your note and we hope to see you next time!

[HankTu_韓森博一]

我們希望是用當地慣用辭彙而非英語翻譯(英譯中)，畢竟有人理解力不好!!謝謝周末在台北的慶功宴，非常用心也很開心，只是可惜場地太小!!Go Go..

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@MegS wrote:

Hi @ChristopherD,

Thanks for the feedback. A few others were confused by our automated emails confirming we had received their RSVP request too; we've made a note and will use different language in the future. Our apologies for the confusion and for any inconvenience it caused.

Thanks again for your note and we hope to see you next time!

---

[WilliamL]

That's too bad...I have RSVP'ed and made arrangement and been waiting for the announcement of the venue/location.  I hope this will be organized better next time.

Whoever are in the final list, please share with us how the event goes afterwards, thanks!

[ChristopherA]

Are we to understand that if we did not receive a confirmation e-mail with the location of the event that we are not invited? If that's the case I would like to know since I did plan this evening back when the original mailers were sent to register back on December 21, 2016. Kinda stinks that I couldn't get a heads up since I did plan this evening with my SO and we had to take the evening off from work :(. Guess we'll just go somewhere else tomorrow night !

[RichardTrus]

Thanks @MegS for clarifying - will there be a coat check? I will be having my backpack from work - will I be able to check it or should I leave it at work?

Thanks,

Rick Trus

Co-Moderator

Google Local Guides Toronto

[RickK]

I feel baited and let down.

I'm sure all the people picked knew each other somehow.I am no longer adding to google....waste of my time.I will invest more in my own business.I am bitter because I am a born Canadian from Toronto a native to here....lets hope you guts picked at least one true canadian.I feel like a minority in my own country now.....I will continue to explore this country on my own now.

Thanks for let down.

---

@MegS wrote:

Hi All,

An issue has come to our attention that an email intended for all of the individuals on our waitlist was not received by everyone. (If you didn't receive a confirmation email from us on Thursday, January 19, you are on our waitlist.) We apologize for any confusion or inconvenience this may have caused.

A few FAQs we've fielded that may provide more insight:

• This event was not meant as a bait and switch; if you received an invitation there was nothing further you needed to do (except RSVP) to be eligible to attend.
• We received ~3,000 RSVPs for fewer than 300 spaces. We were amazed at the interest and bummed we weren't able to accommodate everyone.
• Please do not show up at the Google office as our events (in all cities) are not held at Google offices — there will be no one to meet you.
• As for what to expect at our event, our invitations are intentionally vague. 😉 Please reference our event FAQs for hints at what our event will include, but we do not share details ahead of time.
• There is no dress code — dress as you please: festive, fun, casual, dressed up, however you are most comfortable.

If you have questions about the Toronto event, please submit them on this thread. If you have feedback about anything else (other events, the Local Guides program, Google Maps, etc.), please share it on Connect on the appropriate discussion board so we can escalate accordingly.

Thanks for all you do for Local Guides!

---

[Anonymous]

Seems horrible to keep us in suspense,  have us be invited and rsvp'd, invite guests and then tell us this the day before... I have to break off a date tonight we had been planning for weeks because you failed to limit the invites and responses to the available space. Very unlike Google to handle this so poorly.   the least you could have done is send emails to those who were being uninvited. Rather than being made to feel valued and rewarded I feel lied to and mislead. You failed us and got out hopes up for nothing. Please be sure in the future to make sure invites clear that you are only entered to win a chance to attend this is heartbreaking news the morning 

before a Google event. 

[MegS]

@RichardTrus Yep, we'll have coat check and you can leave whatever you like with them.