The wonderful ticket office

[Lester Bangs]

In its wisdom has a new policy in place to stop fans reserving tickets.

My bank account has a debit card which is not recognised by the machines used in the ticket office and as a result I cannot buy tickets over the phone. The club has been kind enough to acknowledge that the issue is with their machines and have always reserved the tickets for me and I've turned up at the booking office on match days and bought the reserve tickets without fail, I have been doing this for years and not months.

I ring up today and attempt to do exactly the same thing to be told by the sales assistant that the club has a new policy where tickets can no longer be reserved. I speak to the manager of the ticket office who tells me the same.

I state that I'm a fan who is unable to get to the ticket office prior to kick off day and I get a stonewall response 'That tickets cannot be reserved'. Well you know what SUFC '**** you and the horse you rode in on' I'm an avid fan that wants to support my local club. In a time when attendences are at their lowest they've been in years they decide to stop reservations? Thats insane.

I'm so angry right now, I will not be spending any more of my money at them club for the foreseeable future. The decision making at the club is beyond a joke. I appreciate that some may reserve and not turn up, however, looking at my sales history proves I have never done this.

 

[GrumpyBlue]

My experience yesterday was somewhat better than Lesters experience. Despite being met with the message `this is a test message` (twice) and being cut off after going through the main switchboard on the fourth go I was able to order tickets for the Oxford and Shrewsbury games next month. Amazingly the tickets arrived this morning in sunny Cornwall. I did have the advantage of using a mainstream debit card though.

My I also offer my apologies in advance for the crappy performances in the above games due to my attendance :winking:

 

[Crawliano]

I'm so angry right now, I will not be spending any more of my money at them club for the foreseeable future. The decision making at the club is beyond a joke. I appreciate that some may reserve and not turn up, however, looking at my sales history proves I have never done this.

I don't want to sound like a smart arse or anything here, but wouldn't the best port of call with this post revolve around something that begins: "Dear Mr Martin" and ends with "I would be keen to hear your comments on the matter, regards"?

He'll reply and if it's something that's been decided and they then find out that their customer base is being alienated may reinstate it, or find a solution for you, coming on here and moaning about it is merely going to get 28 replies of how much of a **** RM is and just get you more wound up.

If you've already spoken to the organ grinder rather than the monkies then apologies.

 

[Lester Bangs]

I don't want to sound like a smart arse or anything here, but wouldn't the best port of call with this post revolve around something that begins: "Dear Mr Martin" and ends with "I would be keen to hear your comments on the matter, regards"?

He'll reply and if it's something that's been decided and they then find out that their customer base is being alienated may reinstate it, or find a solution for you, coming on here and moaning about it is merely going to get 28 replies of how much of a **** RM is and just get you more wound up.

If you've already spoken to the organ grinder rather than the monkies then apologies.

You're right and when I composed my OP I had just put the phone down to the ticket office. I was fuming at the lack of consideration given to my situation and the fact I was offered nothing other than a stonewall response.

I'm going to write to RM as I still believe the situation to be ridiculous.

 

[TrueBlue]

Come on guys you know our club is a joke NOBODY GIVES A DAMN AT SUFC!!!!!!!

 

[Brett Angle]

They are a walking PR disaster. I almost feel sorry for Ron sometimes..... almost. I'm not sure if he just doesn't take advice or if he does and the advice he gets is cr*p. However I think he would do himself a big favour by recruiting someone who can better reflect the mood of the fans, players, creditors (!) etc.

On the Marketing side I can't believe some of the crass spin like the recent 'big hearted' gesture of freezing matchday ticket prices this season despite a 2.5% increase in VAT ... the share issue, or the £100,000 slush fund that is the 'Legends' shirt .... I mean really what do they take us for.

By the way does anyone know if the half a dozen people they showcased on the OS who have allegedly splashed out £100 to have their name put on a T-Shirt real people or just stooges ?! Apologies if anyone who posts on here has already parted with their cash ! The compensation will be that I suspect the font they use might be bigger than they first planned :winking:

 

[Somerset Ex-TTB]

Pay peanuts, get Monkey's. Whole club is a shambles from top to bottom and it is showing no signs of getting any better.

 

[Mick]

Ticket Office ? Commerce ? Isn't that the new guy's remit ? Not exactly high profile is he? Or is he too busy oiling the Sainsbury's wheels to actually get involved with mere supporters ?

 

[Tangled up in Blue]

Come on guys you know our club is a joke NOBODY GIVES A DAMN AT SUFC!!!!!!!

Good news,bad news for me.
Good news.FWIW, I eventually got through to the Ticket Office quite quickly last week to book a ticket for the Cheltenham game.
Bad news.Despite asking for an East Reds ticket but Not one behind a pillar.........that's precisely what I got.
BTW,TB your comment is exactly what a fan told me before the game(about the TO staff)!

 

[Brett Angle]

The whole Board have become increasingly reclusive ..... when was the last time anybody heard from Ron ? Running a football club must be the only major business's in the UK that don't share business plans with its key stakeholders (i.e. in football their shareholders and supporters). I don't mean a couple of grainy slides at an AGM I mean a proper 1 year, 3 year and 5 year plan with some kind of tangible measurements of success. I think if they did that its supporters might be inclined to get more involved helping the clubs achieve its stated ambitions off the field and it might help manage the fans expectations around its success on the field too.

 

[Mick]

The whole Board have become increasingly reclusive ..... when was the last time anybody heard from Ron ? Running a football club must be the only major business's in the UK that don't share business plans with its key stakeholders (i.e. in football their shareholders and supporters). I don't mean a couple of grainy slides at an AGM I mean a proper 1 year, 3 year and 5 year plan with some kind of tangible measurements of success. I think if they did that its supporters might be inclined to get more involved helping the clubs achieve its stated ambitions off the field and it might help manage the fans expectations around its success on the field too.

An AGM would be good.

 

[Strykr]

Come on guys you know our club is a joke NOBODY GIVES A DAMN AT SUFC!!!!!!!

we have always been a mickey mouse outfit! this sort of box office frustration and lack of customer care has been the same since i first started going over 20 years ago. I dont expect anything else.

 

[THE SEVENTIES NORTH BANK]

I can't see what everyone is moaning about. The ticket office is good for a laugh.
Only last Month, fans were ringing up the ticket office and were getting the endlessly repeated answerphone message give details for Junior Blues Membership for the 08/09season. And telling them that the next home game is against Millwall on Tuesday 3rd March at 19.45.
You couldn't make it up.

Very professional and efficient me thinks.:thumbdown:

 

[GrumpyBlue]

Crikey I must have been very lucky :smile:

 

[Mick]

we have always been a mickey mouse outfit! this sort of box office frustration and lack of customer care has been the same since i first started going over 20 years ago. I dont expect anything else.

It's a deliberate tactic to sell season tickets, so you don't have to deal with our patently not fit for purpose ticket office throughout the season.

 

[mattytheshrimper]

another fan who won't be spending money at the club because sufc are total idiots.