"Bumped" out of Legends
What is proposed is deeply unsatisfactory for a number of reasons:
- it is an extremely cynical breach of an existing contractual arrangement. Administrative incompetence is one thing but this is of an entirely different order
- whilst I fully understand the Club's wish to try and shore up interest in the ill-conceived and ill-administered 'Crossbars package' for next season, it should not be done at the expense of agreements that are already in place. Why on earth did the Club take the booking two weeks ago (at 'Gold match' prices incidentally) ? Even on a cynical commercial view, this runs a very serious risk of alienating existing users of the facilities (not that this seems to trouble them)
- we are taking some guests who are really looking forward to it and who have been extremely hospitable to us in the past. The Club have now put us in an invidious position
- when you unilaterally take something away, you should look to replace it with something better, not worse
- I've been coming down here since 1968 and my firm and I have made many hospitality bookings over the years, going back to the portacabins after we returned to the Valley in 1992. Suffice it to say that I won't be utilising the facilities again.
In short, this is an incredibly shabby and arrogant way to treat people.
I was told that the Club would call me again once my response had been reported back. I shall be interested to hear what they have to say for themselves, assuming they bother to ring me.
Comments
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That's outrageous.
They should bump you UP - not down.
Amateur hour management.0 -
Unbelieveable, I would be straight on the telephone to Richard Murray if possible or the SLP. Don't stop until you get satisfaction.0
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Disgraceful.0
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what does your replacement offer consist of @Blutcher ?
If its a suite meal in one of the West lounges, i would suggest you've been upgraded not down.0 -
Very surprised at this as whenever I've been "bumped" in the hospitality areas at The Valley they have always moved me to a better package (last season for example I was moved from the celebration suite to the Keith Peacock suite at no extra cost as they had overbooked the celebration suite).
I would get on the phone to Ravi at the commercial centre. He's a good guy and will help you out if you explain all of the above.
Good Luck.3 -
If you've been moved from a suite that overlooks the pitch to one that doesn't, I'd say you've had a result.26
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I think it's the North West Quadrant, via the Media entrance (not the Centre Circle or the upstairs one which Theo Foley used to host).0
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The good news about Charlton Life having such a wide usage by fans is that some club staff read it. I believe Richard Murray does too. I would suggest that the new owner's attitude to break even probably (!) includes corporate customer retention and growth.
It used to be that every complainant might tell 20 people so best resolve these things pronto.
The stats on the front page will tell CAFC exactly how many have read this thread - it's going to be a tad higher than 20.
The only way for the club to close down the bad news stories on this site is to sort things out on and off the pitch AND communicate that approach through statements, dialogue and action.
At the moment as per Razil's post yesterday it appears that the dialogue has been switched off.1 -
Zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzseriously_red said:The good news about Charlton Life having such a wide usage by fans is that some club staff read it. I believe Richard Murray does too. I would suggest that the new owner's attitude to break even probably (!) includes corporate customer retention and growth.
It used to be that every complainant might tell 20 people so best resolve these things pronto.
The stats on the front page will tell CAFC exactly how many have read this thread - it's going to be a tad higher than 20.
The only way for the club to close down the bad news stories on this site is to sort things out on and off the pitch AND communicate that approach through statements, dialogue and action.
At the moment as per Razil's post yesterday it appears that the dialogue has been switched off.2 -
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Very disappointing for you, Blucher. Agree with the person above who suggested contacting Ravi to see if he can help. Also worth pointing out your hospitality booking record to them. Hope you get something sorted.0
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Years back when the club messed up my 40th booking of the two boxes i had booked which are joined - they bumped me out into the Centre Circle suite. Much nicer.
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Poor customer service. Get your money back and take your friends out for a nice dinner elsewhere.0
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SparrowHawk said:
Zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzseriously_red said:The good news about Charlton Life having such a wide usage by fans is that some club staff read it. I believe Richard Murray does too. I would suggest that the new owner's attitude to break even probably (!) includes corporate customer retention and growth.
It used to be that every complainant might tell 20 people so best resolve these things pronto.
The stats on the front page will tell CAFC exactly how many have read this thread - it's going to be a tad higher than 20.
The only way for the club to close down the bad news stories on this site is to sort things out on and off the pitch AND communicate that approach through statements, dialogue and action.
At the moment as per Razil's post yesterday it appears that the dialogue has been switched off.
Whats the point of that post? There are a number of here that like do like to right an essay, its just easy enough not to read it rather than be rude.6 -
Don't say "customers" mate you'll get lynched!!!!Mortimerician said:Poor customer service. Get your money back and take your friends out for a nice dinner elsewhere.
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Curb_It said:
10 Years back when the club messed up my 40th booking of the two boxes i had booked which are joined - they bumped me out into the Centre Circle suite. Much nicer.
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Sorry!0 -
Poor service from the club. They could have used a more distant game for their own promotional day and they should definitely offer an upgrade. I'm sure they don't sell out of these packages.
Maybe make Katrien aware of this, even if she doesn't want to speak at the moment.
Good luck.0 -
Sh****** over loyal, existing customers in order to pursue new business is unprofessional and gives a clear, clear message as to how existing customers are valued.
One would have thought that the initial outcry over the Crossbars fiasco would have taught them that. Evidently not.
They've made it clear what they think of you so, in your shoes, I would demand my money back and entertain my clients elsewhere.
EDIT: I've used the term "customers" as that is the language of the Asset Sweater.2 -
@Blutcher
I know its not the compromise you would want, but would it help in any way if i arranged for all of us freebie invitees to collectively raise our free pint glasses in a toast 'TO BLUTCHER' in Crossbars whilst we gaze out of the glass window onto the Valley of Dreams that day ?
:-)
only joking mucker. Hope they correct the errors of their ways.0 -
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Have to say that the corporate sales team seem to be getting just about everything wrong at the moment. Fast becoming a joke.0
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I think Legends is the lowest on the hospitality scale so anything else by default will be an upgrade.
Still poor communication though.1 -
Nope we were in the North west suite for the Upbeats party. It's not that big and there is no view of anything.Friend Or Defoe said:I think Legends is the lowest on the hospitality scale so anything else by default will be an upgrade.
Still poor communication though.
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Sweating the assets.Blucher said:A couple of weeks ago, we booked a table in Legends for the Reading game on Saturday. I received a call early this morning from the Club, saying that we were being unilaterally relocated to an alternative area in the stadium which does not overlook the pitch. This is a consequence of the complementary 'Crossbars' offer, which features on another thread http://forum.charltonlife.com/discussion/61003/complimentary-crossbars-tickets-for-reading-game#latest
What is proposed is deeply unsatisfactory for a number of reasons:
- it is an extremely cynical breach of an existing contractual arrangement. Administrative incompetence is one thing but this is of an entirely different order
- whilst I fully understand the Club's wish to try and shore up interest in the ill-conceived and ill-administered 'Crossbars package' for next season, it should not be done at the expense of agreements that are already in place. Why on earth did the Club take the booking two weeks ago (at 'Gold match' prices incidentally) ? Even on a cynical commercial view, this runs a very serious risk of alienating existing users of the facilities (not that this seems to trouble them)
- we are taking some guests who are really looking forward to it and who have been extremely hospitable to us in the past. The Club have now put us in an invidious position
- when you unilaterally take something away, you should look to replace it with something better, not worse
- I've been coming down here since 1968 and my firm and I have made many hospitality bookings over the years, going back to the portacabins after we returned to the Valley in 1992. Suffice it to say that I won't be utilising the facilities again.
In short, this is an incredibly shabby and arrogant way to treat people.
I was told that the Club would call me again once my response had been reported back. I shall be interested to hear what they have to say for themselves, assuming they bother to ring me.
Blucher, I hope they do the decent thing for you.0 -
I thought they pulled the curtains down in every suite whilst the match was in play anyway?? Some nonsense about not being able to drink in view of the pitch!0
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Indeed Sonic, you can't watch the game from inside so I fail to see that that's really an issue. I think they have bumped you up and ot down in terms of the meal you'll receive so I actually think you're just really trying to find a(nother) reason to compain about the Criossbars offer.3
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Just by way of a postscript, no one called me yesterday and so I dropped Ben Kensell an email yesterday teatime. To be fair he called me first thing this morning after getting back from Leeds last night and has sorted it all out.
The mistake here was selling a Legends lunch package which didn't exist, in circumstances where the Crossbars initiative was planned two months ago.
Still, all's well that ends well and credit where it's due for a good salvage job.7 -
Not as big or more private?! ;-)Curb_It said:
Nope we were in the North west suite for the Upbeats party. It's not that big and there is no view of anything.Friend Or Defoe said:I think Legends is the lowest on the hospitality scale so anything else by default will be an upgrade.
Still poor communication though.
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We got "bumped" from Legends last season for a night game due to only a small number of people booking Legends, it made sense to me so I accepted it. However we finished up in a suite in the West Stand with small, very high windows so obviously no view of the pitch etc, poor service and exactly the same menu as we would have received in Legends.Friend Or Defoe said:
Not as big or more private?! ;-)Curb_It said:
Nope we were in the North west suite for the Upbeats party. It's not that big and there is no view of anything.Friend Or Defoe said:I think Legends is the lowest on the hospitality scale so anything else by default will be an upgrade.
Still poor communication though.
The place was dark, soulless and we were glad to get out of there.
I cannot remember the name of the suite now but give me Legends any day0
