I made the train from Cannon Street and arrived on time at Charlton at 4.50pm. Nice stroll around to the Club Shop which now doubles as our non-matchday Ticket Office only to find the door "locked." There were four people visible inside, one of whom beckoned to me to "push." I did push and was slightly embarrassed that my huge frame still couldn't open the door. At that point, the person nearest the door turned and unlocked it - "what do you want?" "Tickets!" I replied with the excitement and expectation of Charlie Bucket. "Sorry, we're closed" came the terse response and the door was shut in my face.
Stunned, I took a few automatic steps away and then checked my trusty Swiss timepiece which said 4.57pm. I turned back checking the time on my phone and Blackberry - 4.57pm and 4.58pm. I knocked on the door again and explained that it wasn't yet five o'clock. "It is on our computer" said the slightly embarrassed-now looking club rep and the door was again shut in my face.
Then the penny dropped. I've seen this before. You know, Government offices and Jobsworth operations. When you shut at 5pm, that means you clock off at 5pm. So you lock the door before closing to avoid a rush of people getting in who might delay your 5pm departure. I am assuming the bloke who encouraged me to push was a latecomer who was the last "customer" to be let in before the Jobsworth shut the door.
It's soooo frustrating. Bouyed by the feel-good factor, I have been feeling much more positive about the club I love and thinking about booking a box or hospitality for a crowd of friends in the run-up to Christmas. Then you are reminded just how much your money means to the club. Why, oh why, do we allow the people who represent the club to get away with nonsense like this? Hospitality? Forget it.
yeh know what u mean not run by the same nice ladies who work on matchdays! tried to get a shirt printed 15 mins before closing but was told not enough time!! and sure enough shop shut at 5 to the hour! why do we bother??
ReplyDeleteDave that is shocking. I'm sure that the vast majority of us have jobs where we couldn't get away with that nor would want to. At a time of high unemployment and people desperate to earn a living you still come across folk like this, unbelievable !
ReplyDeleteI truly hope that you complain as vigourously as you can. It is so out of order. Those people should be brought to book...they may not be but please try.
As fans most of us wouldn't mind working for the club in some capacity if it were feasible and to have some lazy numbskulls doing so and acting like that really pi**es you off.
Blimey. Overreaction here on Daves post and most definitely on Phils above. Brought to book?
ReplyDeleteYes if I were on approx minimum wage I'd probably go all out those extra few minutes. Even tho it was not right and churlish not to serve you I think writing that your not going to book hospitality because of it is very petulant and not something that sounds like you Dave.
Here's hoping unlike Phil above - jeez he sounds like a laugh - that they don't get the sack.
Brenda - I think you know it won't stop me. Like the majority if us, our relationship with the club transcends individuals (however much they earn). But, I was sufficiently pissed off that it will be a while yet before I do it. The point is, there are plenty of casual fans for whom that experience could be it. I live around the corner as you know but they dnt know that and I could have travelled up from Dartford or wherever. Little things like this are very important and are inexcusable in my mind. Pay the minimum wage earners an extra 15 minutes everyday to ensure you aren't losing Customers.
ReplyDeleteBrenda, don't worry about my sense of humour....I support Charlton, live in Milton Keynes and teach in a primary school........nuff said. I don't recall advocating that they got sacked but should certainly be spoken to by the management. Dave went out of his way to get tickets and to close before the scheduled time is unforgivable. Had it been someone who was a new fan or one who'd just attended a game again recently as a result of fiver promotion against Chesterfield then you've probably just lost them. That damages my club that I care passionately about.
ReplyDeleteOverlooking all that, it's just plain bad customer service and something that as Brits we've a history of accepting and we shouldn't.
Finally, I would say that it is even more unacceptable when we live in such tough economic times and I know of many young people who would do almost anything for a job right now. I've no idea what they get paid but I don't see why their level of pay excuses poor service.
Bad experience Dave and I can see why it annoyed you so much.
ReplyDeleteLike you, I live just an easy walk to the Valley but work further away.
Might I suggest buying over the phone in future?
It's difficult to respond to this without hearing both sides of the story and in any case I have no authority over the retail staff, but generally speaking I don't believe the staff behave in this way. For example someone came into reception at 5.05 on Monday asking where he could buy a ticket and I took him into the commercial centre where staff were happy to serve him. It would be nonsense to suggest that the full-time staff don't want to be helpful towards fans, in my experience.
ReplyDeleteCome on Dave! A fair and valid observation let down by the childish point at the end.
ReplyDeleteNot taking hospitality now??? Why stop there? Perhaps you could have really hit home your point by suggested you was on the verge of pumping millions of pounds into the club........but not now.......so there!!!!
And I'm taking my ball with me!
Ronny
Well then lets hope there are plenty waiting in the wings to take over these jobs after the current employees get the sack for not serving you at 4.58.
ReplyDeleteI think I err on the side of Phil here if I'm honest. Sure start clearing away etc. before 5pm so that you can make a speedy exit, but to turn away a customer that has come to specifically make a purchase is unforgivable.
ReplyDeleteI bet they don't use the 'computer' that is five minutes fast when they come into work in the morning?
I do think sacking is drastic, but if the guy worked for me then I'd want to call him over for a chat if I found out about this.
For all he knew you might have been buying half a dozen tickets in the East Stand for Tranmere and might have decided not to bother after that.
Marco - these tickets aren't being sold online.
ReplyDeleteRick - generally speaking, I don't think our staff would behave in this way either. Fact is they did and once is too often. I am sure if you had been walking around at that moment I would got my tickets. Appreciate the response.
ReplyDeleteAnon - I thought very carefully about whether or not I should mention the hospitality bit, but it's precisely what I have been considering and it's very relevant to the potential impact of poor customer service. As I said to Brenda, it won't actually stop me because I have been here for 30+ years. I won't be doing it this week though.
ReplyDeleteDave- I know the tickets aren't available online but you can still buy them by calling on the telephone ticket line. (assuming there are still some left!)
ReplyDeleteGood luck - hope you manage to get some tickets in the end.
Marco - thanks, I got them night. I have never had a problem before (never left it so late) and postal service more of a risk for me.
ReplyDeleteExactly the same thing happened to me a couple of weeks ago when buying a ticket for the Brentford game. Like you, I arrived several minutes before 17:00 only to find the shop closed. It was definitely before 17:00 as I walked around to the reception area and asked them about it. They had Sky News on and the time was showing as 16:58. Perhaps the answer is to make the official closing time 16:50 with the staff being allowed to leave at 17:00.
ReplyDeleteI hoping to read that someone at the club is planning to look into this; with a view that the ticketing staff are reminded to look after the customers / fans, and that is the purpose of their job. Turning away someone who wants to buy tickets close to 5pm is just not on, and someone needs to have a word. It is very poor attitude.
ReplyDeleteI am glad to read that Dave got some tickets for Stevenage. The club should consider offering some discount / enhancements or complimentary bonus for any hospitality that he decides to book the next time
The club could also look to paying the staff, (or one or two members of the ticketing staff up to 5.15pm or 5.30pm), with the aim that people wanting to buy tickets up to 5pm can do that. Maybe clearer information regarding a telephone number for the ticket office, so people rushing across London, can call ahead so that the ticket office are prepared for someone coming in close to 5pm would be helpful.
If the club is going to grow, it needs to treat its fans and customers well. Not just new fans. But also, the fans that have stuck with the club during the difficult times.
VFF
VFF - appreciate the support but I have got my Stevenage tickets and all is well. My post was "a cautionary tale" and to that end it has served it's purpose. Someone else had exactly the same experience and I am sure the message is out that the shop should not be locking it's doors until 5pm. Personally, I will ensure I never cut it that fine again.
ReplyDelete