New Club Shop - One step forward, 5 back!

[Richard_Cadette]

Now I know I often delude myself that my beloved team will run as a professional football team should be, and by now, I should realise that with Southend, that just isnt every going to be the case, and yet I still find myself getting extremely annoyed by there ramshackle approach to thing.

Chain of event yesterday:-

I ring the clubshop to order the new away shirt, I speak to the lady on the phone and I ask to be put through. I get told thats not possible, because they havent got a phoneline. I said you really are winding me up, but nope, no phoneline in the brand spanking new all singing all dancing club shop. I said I wanted to order the new away shirt, and eventually, I accept her alternative suggestion of ordering the shirt via the website.

I go to the club shop web site and yes, thats right, only away shirts available to order are last seasons!!

Back on the phone to SUFC, I explain to the same woman what has just happened and her response was 'Oh thats OK, Southend are playing in the same shirt as last season, so you can go ahead and order it'. It seemed almost surreal to have to tell her that that theory only applies to the home shirt, but I did anyway, and after seeming to be somewhat confused, she put me through to someone who could help.

A man answers the phone, i tell him i want to order the new away shirt but the shop has no phone line and the website is only carrying last seasons away shirt... his response was 'Yes'!!! There was a pause, and I then had to ask, what do you mean yes?

??

I went into one saying that this is absolutely outrageous that you have opened a new shop but dont have the facility to order stock unless you go down in person... I mean you dont have a phoneline?

??? Its absolutely pathetic, and even by our standards, appalling!

He tried to argue that it was a new shop and the website was being replaced at some point in the future, and then even went onto use the sentence 'You will get all the perks of the shop being run by a franchise of Nike'... I said yes, such perks as not even having a phoneline, I suppose on the brightside, you have just saved me £40!!

After more ranting, he said he would get someone from the shop to ring me back, presumably from a call box, but that never materialised and so they have just lost out on £40 worth of much needed revenue!

To cap all this off, his final quote to me was 'we want to bring the shop upto the standard of all other League Two Clubs'!!! Spot the deliberate mistake, i didnt want to point out we had just got promoted to League One, but i think i ought to, as he was blissfully unaware!

At times, we really are a very badly run club, and no matter how much I love this club, i have never in my life dealt with such an inept organisation as Southend United Football Club... All this and the season hasnt begun yet, God help us!

 

[Scamps]

Very well put.
Couldn't organise a p%&s up in a brewery..!

 

[Shrimpbizkit]

Thats shocking but not surprising at all. I spent two days trying to get through to the ticket office.

 

[Bucks_blue]

Do you order a shirt from Next , Burtons over the phone?

Why should you be able to from the club shop?

People get so stressed over the tiniest things. So you have to make a trip to Roots Hall to buy your shirt?!? It's not as if you weren't going to go anyway or arn't you going to any games this season?

This way the club force you in to the shop where you may well actually buy MORE merchandise. Clever marketting ploy if you ask me.

 

[overseas shrimper]

Quote[/b] (Bucks_blue @ Aug. 04 2005,11:58)]Clever marketting ploy if you ask me.

Is it also a clever marketing ploy not to have a phoneline to the shop at all?

Is it a clever marketing ploy to direct customers to an on-line store that's no longer up to date?

Is it a clever marketing ploy to tell customers that we're keeping the same shirt as last season when said customer is asking about the away shirt?

Is it a clever marketing ploy for a member of SUFC staff to think we're still in League 2?

I think not.

 

[The Flying Scotsman]

Quote[/b] (Bucks_blue @ Aug. 04 2005,10:58)]Do you order a shirt from Next , Burtons over the phone?

Why should you be able to from the club shop?

People get so stressed over the tiniest things. So you have to make a trip to Roots Hall to buy your shirt?!? It's not as if you weren't going to go anyway or arn't you going to any games this season?

This way the club force you in to the shop where you may well actually buy MORE merchandise. Clever marketting ploy if you ask me.

There are Nexts in every town centre, not exactly difficult to find it. They also have a catalogue and a website.

 

[McScriven]

Glad I'm working from home!

It makes me laugh when people say SUFC is the worst run club ever. Having seen both sides of the fence you might want to make a trip behind the scenes of some other clubs then you will know Mickey Mouse.

The problem with the shop is that it hasn't been put into the phone network yet since the building work but will be very shortly.

We're getting a brand new ticket office and system as well as phone system with queuing facilities which will improve things no end you just wait.

As for the online shop I'm in the process of trying to get it taken down as we are getting a brand new soloution. However, I'm at the mercy of PTV until they can remove it.

Just bear with us, we'll get it right eventually.

 

[Prodigal Son]

If it helps they seem to have boxes of away shirts when I've been in there twice so you should not be disappointed if you visit in person. I think we need to remember it is not Nike but a franchise and we have all had these experiences but I vowed to myself never to post criticising the club.

The away shirt is not bad but did we really vote for it? Were the votes varified like om Big Brother? I can't believe we voted for it ahead of the others but maybe this has been covered in the last couple of weeks when I've been on holiday.

 

[Prodigal Son]

The other thing to mention is that I was exiled from the club for 5 years until the beginning of last season after being a season ticket holder for 15 years and upon my return I have noticed is how much improved the running of the club at all levels is. My absence helped me notice this but those who have been around for the duration will not I guess.

 

[Richard_Cadette]

In reply to Bucks Blue, it is worth getting stressed out because it isnt just a one-off incident, when you add that to a whole catalogue of bad management (by that, I mean on the commercial side of things, not the playing side), then yes, it is very frustrating. Football these days, as everyone keeps saying, is a business, so Southend, at least in that area, should be run as such.

Quite frankly, if any other organisation or business was run like that, put simply, it wouldnt survive. Southend have the luxury of a loyal fan base who will go back no matter what, but that doesnt mean it should be taken for granted. Standards should be raised and maintained, and in this instant, they have not been.

As for your 'Next' example, its just simply not comparable. As OS pointed out, it is possible to order Next items either online, via a catalogue, via the phone, and additionally, most big towns have a Next store. I work away from Southend, the shop will therefore only be accessible to me on a Saturday, and you can guess how busy it is going to be Saturday.

All of that is irrelevanr of course as if I choose to order my merhcnadise via the phone or the website, I should be able to do so.

Scriv,

I hear what you are saying, but at the end of the day things such as phonelines really should be in place before the shop is opened... Not to mention employing staff who a. know the situation, and b. know how to deal with the public

 

[Spaceman Spiff]

Quote[/b] (Richard_Cadette @ Aug. 04 2005,10:36)]Now I know I often delude myself that my beloved team will run as a professional football team should be, and by now, I should realise that with Southend, that just isnt every going to be the case, and yet I still find myself getting extremely annoyed by there ramshackle approach to thing.

Chain of event yesterday:-

I ring the clubshop to order the new away shirt, I speak to the lady on the phone and I ask to be put through.  I get told thats not possible, because they havent got a phoneline.  I said you really are winding me up, but nope, no phoneline in the brand spanking new all singing all dancing club shop.  I said I wanted to order the new away shirt, and eventually, I accept her alternative suggestion of ordering the shirt via the website.

I go to the club shop web site and yes, thats right, only away shirts available to order are last seasons!!

Back on the phone to SUFC, I explain to the same woman what has just happened and her response was 'Oh thats OK, Southend are playing in the same shirt as last season, so you can go ahead and order it'.  It seemed almost surreal to have to tell her that that theory only applies to the home shirt, but I did anyway, and after seeming to be somewhat confused, she put me through to someone who could help.

A man answers the phone, i tell him i want to order the new away shirt but the shop has no phone line and the website is only carrying last seasons away shirt... his response was 'Yes'!!!  There was a pause, and I then had to ask, what do you mean yes?

??

I went into one saying that this is absolutely outrageous that you have opened a new shop but dont have the facility to order stock unless you go down in person... I mean you dont have a phoneline?

??? Its absolutely pathetic, and even by our standards, appalling!

He tried to argue that it was a new shop and the website was being replaced at some point in the future, and then even went onto use the sentence 'You will get all the perks of the shop being run by a franchise of Nike'... I said yes, such perks as not even having a phoneline, I suppose on the brightside, you have just saved me £40!!

After more ranting, he said he would get someone from the shop to ring me back, presumably from a call box, but that never materialised and so they have just lost out on £40 worth of much needed revenue!

To cap all this off, his final quote to me was 'we want to bring the shop upto the standard of all other League Two Clubs'!!!  Spot the deliberate mistake, i didnt want to point out we had just got promoted to League One, but i think i ought to, as he was blissfully unaware!

At times, we really are a very badly run club, and no matter how much I love this club, i have never in my life dealt with such an inept organisation as Southend United Football  Club... All this and the season hasnt begun yet, God help us!

That kind of experience you should really be detailing to Uncle Ron...

I know it might be laborious to write to him, but he's the man who can do something about it - and is the one most likely to be sympathetic.

I agree with you completely and sympathise - but we also have a responsibility to ensure that we direct our constructive criticisms to those that can help. If we dont tell them, they wont know - and therefore cant do anything about it...

 

[The Flying Scotsman]

Quote[/b] (Prodigal Son @ Aug. 04 2005,11:05)]The away shirt is not bad but did we really vote for it? Were the votes varified like om Big Brother? I can't believe we voted for it ahead of the others.

You are not alone in your thoughts. I can't believe that that shirt was voted 1st!

As club secretary for SZFC I am sent through catalogues for football equipment and just to give you an idea of costs for the choice of kits, obviously discounts will apply for bulk etc, but for an individual adult shirt:

Red (Like our home kit) - £24.99
Yellow/Blue (Like last seasons Red) - £18.99
White with Black sleeves - £16.99

Now, is it any surprise that the cheapest kit won. We would still be charged £40 for a shirt, just means more goes to the club. Now I don't have a problem with that at all, but please don't try to pull the wool over our eyes and pretend we actually had a hand in the matter.

My worry is what the quality of this shirt, after all everyone noticed a marked increase in quality from our previous Nike kit which incidentally costs £14.99. Looks the new away kit is a step backwards

 

[Leeboy]

blimey Shags - you really have opened a can of worms there.............

 

[Richard_Cadette]

Quote[/b] (Spaceman Spiff @ Aug. 04 2005,11:19)]

Quote[/b] (Richard_Cadette @ Aug. 04 2005,10:36)]Now I know I often delude myself that my beloved team will run as a professional football team should be, and by now, I should realise that with Southend, that just isnt every going to be the case, and yet I still find myself getting extremely annoyed by there ramshackle approach to thing.

Chain of event yesterday:-

I ring the clubshop to order the new away shirt, I speak to the lady on the phone and I ask to be put through.  I get told thats not possible, because they havent got a phoneline.  I said you really are winding me up, but nope, no phoneline in the brand spanking new all singing all dancing club shop.  I said I wanted to order the new away shirt, and eventually, I accept her alternative suggestion of ordering the shirt via the website.

I go to the club shop web site and yes, thats right, only away shirts available to order are last seasons!!

Back on the phone to SUFC, I explain to the same woman what has just happened and her response was 'Oh thats OK, Southend are playing in the same shirt as last season, so you can go ahead and order it'.  It seemed almost surreal to have to tell her that that theory only applies to the home shirt, but I did anyway, and after seeming to be somewhat confused, she put me through to someone who could help.

A man answers the phone, i tell him i want to order the new away shirt but the shop has no phone line and the website is only carrying last seasons away shirt... his response was 'Yes'!!!  There was a pause, and I then had to ask, what do you mean yes?

??

I went into one saying that this is absolutely outrageous that you have opened a new shop but dont have the facility to order stock unless you go down in person... I mean you dont have a phoneline?

??? Its absolutely pathetic, and even by our standards, appalling!

He tried to argue that it was a new shop and the website was being replaced at some point in the future, and then even went onto use the sentence 'You will get all the perks of the shop being run by a franchise of Nike'... I said yes, such perks as not even having a phoneline, I suppose on the brightside, you have just saved me £40!!

After more ranting, he said he would get someone from the shop to ring me back, presumably from a call box, but that never materialised and so they have just lost out on £40 worth of much needed revenue!

To cap all this off, his final quote to me was 'we want to bring the shop upto the standard of all other League Two Clubs'!!!  Spot the deliberate mistake, i didnt want to point out we had just got promoted to League One, but i think i ought to, as he was blissfully unaware!

At times, we really are a very badly run club, and no matter how much I love this club, i have never in my life dealt with such an inept organisation as Southend United Football  Club... All this and the season hasnt begun yet, God help us!

That kind of experience you should really be detailing to Uncle Ron...

I know it might be laborious to write to him, but he's the man who can do something about it - and is the one most likely to be sympathetic.

I agree with you completely and sympathise - but we also have a responsibility to ensure that we direct our constructive criticisms to those that can help. If we dont tell them, they wont know - and therefore cant do anything about it...

Fair comment Spff, in all honestly I was going to do that anyway, but you're right, if no one makes a point of cpeaking to the people who can change things, then nothing will get done. I will keep you posted, if pardon the pun!

 

[Spaceman Spiff]

ets hope you're successful and we get a phoneline in the club shop! Perhaps even a bit of Customer Service training might help too, especially for the bloke you spoke to...

 

[Prodigal Son]

My thoughts exactly, an obvious job lot, just makes you think they must think we can't work this out.

As I have said, merchandise is good but make sure you get the right size as it takes a long time to do a retuen even if it is a straight swap for a different size. Don't do it on match day.

 

[Interpol Shrimper]

Quote[/b] (The Flying Scotsman @ Aug. 04 2005,11:24)]

Quote[/b] (Prodigal Son @ Aug. 04 2005,11:05)]The away shirt is not bad but did we really vote for it? Were the votes varified like om Big Brother? I can't believe we voted for it ahead of the others.

You are not alone in your thoughts. I can't believe that that shirt was voted 1st!

As club secretary for SZFC I am sent through catalogues for football equipment and just to give you an idea of costs for the choice of kits, obviously discounts will apply for bulk etc, but for an individual adult shirt:

Red (Like our home kit) - £24.99
Yellow/Blue (Like last seasons Red) - £18.99
White with Black sleeves - £16.99

Now, is it any surprise that the cheapest kit won. We would still be charged £40 for a shirt, just means more goes to the club. Now I don't have a problem with that at all, but please don't try to pull the wool over our eyes and pretend we actually had a hand in the matter.

My worry is what the quality of this shirt, after all everyone noticed a marked increase in quality from our previous Nike kit which incidentally costs £14.99. Looks the new away kit is a step backwards  

How very interesting. The closest we ever got to knowing the actual vote result was from Scriv & that "there was a few votes in it, I'll check when I'm in the office tomorrow."

I don't want to suggest anything untoward has gone on in the choice of away kit but an £8 difference per shirt profit is a lot of money (obviously this might be different depending on bulk order pricing).

I have to say, although I didn't like the choice (as it looked cheap & tacky) I am slightly warming to it now. Anybody know if the shorts/socks are black or white?

 

[overseas shrimper]

Quote[/b] (glasgowsufc @ Aug. 04 2005,12:36)]Anybody know if the shorts/socks are black or white?

I asked the same question but nobody answered.

Bloody clique!

 

[Prodigal Son]

Is this my big chance to join the clique? Here goes, on two visits to the shop this week there are white shorts with black badge/logo so that is your answer I hope.

 

[McScriven]

I forgot to get back to you about that sorry. I'll check Saturday when I'm in for the game but I can assure you that it was something like 98 votes for white, 88 for yellow and 70 for red - roughly.

I've still got all the votes if no one believes me?