So the ticket office ought to have been open. I arrived at about 10.40, so maybe I was there at the wrong time, but on the face of it I ought to have been able to make a straightforward cash purchase at the window today, which as I have reported above didn't happen.
The story says "Wednesday, December 23rd: Normal working hours (shop open until 7.30pm)"
Wednesday's normal working hours are 9am-1pm (phone lines only). So the shutters were shut as planned and advertised.
Thank you for clearing that up. This is how the story appears:
The club shop and ticket office are working under alternative opening hours during the Christmas period. Full details below:
Monday, December 21st: Normal opening hours Tuesday, December 22nd: Normal opening hours Wednesday, December 23rd: Normal opening hours (shop open until 7.30pm) Thursday, December 24th: 9am-2pm (shop until 1.30pm) Friday, December 25th: CLOSED Saturday, December 26th: CLOSED Sunday, December 27th: CLOSED Monday, December 28th: 9am-3pm* Tuesday, December 29th: Normal opening hours Wednesday, December 30th: Normal opening hours Thursday, December 31st: CLOSED Friday, January 1st: CLOSED Saturday, January 2nd: Normal matchday hours* Sunday, January 3rd: CLOSED Monday, January 4th onwards: Normal opening hours.
So reading that story it is crystal clear that it is solely about the ticket office, and that on two occasions the alternative working hours of the shop are mentioned. The lead in line that the club shop which is mentioned first, and the ticket office which is mentioned second is a clue. And the alternative opening hours are about extra closures for the ticket office except for tomorrow and next Monday. Anybody else reading, except for me, would have unravelled all that in an instant.
So the ticket office ought to have been open. I arrived at about 10.40, so maybe I was there at the wrong time, but on the face of it I ought to have been able to make a straightforward cash purchase at the window today, which as I have reported above didn't happen.
The story says "Wednesday, December 23rd: Normal working hours (shop open until 7.30pm)"
Wednesday's normal working hours are 9am-1pm (phone lines only). So the shutters were shut as planned and advertised.
badly written, un-informative and deliberately misleading dross
Every lost opportunity to sell a ticket and bring in a fan is precisely that. Target Anything has no chance with a mentality like ours at the moment. They just don't get it because they aren't really football fans and can't comprehend the impact of their short term decision-making. It's just like your Mum asking why you can't miss Saturday's match to attend Aunt Nellie's birthday drinks on the basis that "there will be another home game in two weeks."
I must admit I don't understand why they don't just site the team near the window and add a 'ring for service' buzzer for the quiet times. Then the window would remain available for anyone throughout working hours without needing someone to be dedicated there all the time. A call centre can go anywhere.
I must admit I don't understand why they don't just site the team near the window and add a 'ring for service' buzzer for the quiet times. Then the window would remain available for anyone throughout working hours without needing someone to be dedicated there all the time. A call centre can go anywhere.
So the ticket office ought to have been open. I arrived at about 10.40, so maybe I was there at the wrong time, but on the face of it I ought to have been able to make a straightforward cash purchase at the window today, which as I have reported above didn't happen.
The story says "Wednesday, December 23rd: Normal working hours (shop open until 7.30pm)"
Wednesday's normal working hours are 9am-1pm (phone lines only). So the shutters were shut as planned and advertised.
You must spend more time on here answering wibble moans than writing the programme
So the ticket office ought to have been open. I arrived at about 10.40, so maybe I was there at the wrong time, but on the face of it I ought to have been able to make a straightforward cash purchase at the window today, which as I have reported above didn't happen.
The story says "Wednesday, December 23rd: Normal working hours (shop open until 7.30pm)"
Wednesday's normal working hours are 9am-1pm (phone lines only). So the shutters were shut as planned and advertised.
Thank you for clearing that up. This is how the story appears:
The club shop and ticket office are working under alternative opening hours during the Christmas period. Full details below:
Monday, December 21st: Normal opening hours Tuesday, December 22nd: Normal opening hours Wednesday, December 23rd: Normal opening hours (shop open until 7.30pm) Thursday, December 24th: 9am-2pm (shop until 1.30pm) Friday, December 25th: CLOSED Saturday, December 26th: CLOSED Sunday, December 27th: CLOSED Monday, December 28th: 9am-3pm* Tuesday, December 29th: Normal opening hours Wednesday, December 30th: Normal opening hours Thursday, December 31st: CLOSED Friday, January 1st: CLOSED Saturday, January 2nd: Normal matchday hours* Sunday, January 3rd: CLOSED Monday, January 4th onwards: Normal opening hours.
So reading that story it is crystal clear that it is solely about the ticket office, and that on two occasions the alternative working hours of the shop are mentioned. The lead in line that the club shop which is mentioned first, and the ticket office which is mentioned second is a clue. And the alternative opening hours are about extra closures for the ticket office except for tomorrow and next Monday. Anybody else reading, except for me, would have unravelled all that in an instant.
If they'd wanted to be even slightly helpful they would have put the actual times rather than "Normal opening hours". Why make your customers go through extra hoops ?
Normal opening hours would surely be understood by the average normal punter to normally mean normal opening hours for a normal business that wants to take as much normal money as normally possible. Normal normally means 9 to 5 on normal working days. If only our club was normal.
So the ticket office ought to have been open. I arrived at about 10.40, so maybe I was there at the wrong time, but on the face of it I ought to have been able to make a straightforward cash purchase at the window today, which as I have reported above didn't happen.
The story says "Wednesday, December 23rd: Normal working hours (shop open until 7.30pm)"
Wednesday's normal working hours are 9am-1pm (phone lines only). So the shutters were shut as planned and advertised.
When was it announced that phone lines are not open Wednesday afternoon, Olly? I don't think it ever was, so my assumption has been that the website was wrong.
In fact, I notice that the website has now been changed to say that the phone lines are open until 5pm on Wednesdays, so obviously it was wrong and had been for weeks.
I don't blame you for that. It's obvious that the people in charge in that area don't take proper responsibility for ensuring the accuracy of the messages coming out of the club about ticketing and has been for some time.
However, if the club doesn't put out accurate information, it can't expect the fans to work out what's going on for it.
On the specific issue of Bristol City tickets, the story published on Tuesday which said tickets were available from The Valley until 1pm on Thursday has now been changed to say that people can order by phone and collect at Bristol. This is not what it said originally, which I know because a mate who had been planning to buy on the day messaged me for advice.
Clearly, the club's intention is to remove personal service on tickets completely except on matchdays. This is quite mad - and would be even if the online ticketing wasn't shit too.
Nobody knows what "normal opening hours" are any more.
I live a few minutes' walk from The Valley. Without a link to anything that says otherwise, how on earth is "normal opening hours" at the ticket office not being able to walk down the road on a weekday daytime, to talk to staff on the window who have always been really nice people, and buy tickets? (The ticket staff have always been brilliant ambassadors for the club. Why shut them away?)
Why is a club that bangs on about "community" trying to save a few quid by shutting ticket office windows, while acting like spivs and charging extra for web/phone sales?
It is beyond me why we cannot have a ticket office open between 9-5 like everybody else.
How many days in a season are the people in the office unable to 'cope' with the demand of fans/customers/mugs(delete as applicable) paying them a visit during the week?
It is beyond me why we cannot have a ticket office open between 9-5 like everybody else.
How many days in a season are the people in the office unable to 'cope' with the demand of fans/customers/mugs(delete as applicable) paying them a visit during the week?
I think that's the point - nobody turns up randomly at 1148 on a Friday trying to buy tickets so why have a front of house ticket office open when the world at large buys stuff on line and over the phone.
I've never bought a CAFC ticket online by the way but I hear the system isn't intuitive for 'all'. I've never failed to buy what I want over the phone or on the day and the service has always been great.
Get your moans prioritised. Having to buy tickets over the phone is not a biggie and nor is having a sofa in the ground.
It is beyond me why we cannot have a ticket office open between 9-5 like everybody else.
How many days in a season are the people in the office unable to 'cope' with the demand of fans/customers/mugs(delete as applicable) paying them a visit during the week?
I think that's the point - nobody turns up randomly at 1148 on a Friday trying to buy tickets so why have a front of house ticket office open when the world at large buys stuff on line and over the phone.
I've never bought a CAFC ticket online by the way but I hear the system isn't intuitive for 'all'. I've never failed to buy what I want over the phone or on the day and the service has always been great.
Get your moans prioritised. Having to buy tickets over the phone is not a biggie and nor is having a sofa in the ground.
I think you are missing the point PL. If you position the people that answer the phone by the ticket window you then get the best of both worlds, and it doesn't cost any extra.
It's not a new idea and it's not rocket science, in fact I think it's called 'catering for all needs'
Cash purchases in advance can't be bought over the telephone. Indeed for some people with hearing loss it is difficult, as is using a computer to buy whether cash or otherwise.
It is beyond me why we cannot have a ticket office open between 9-5 like everybody else.
How many days in a season are the people in the office unable to 'cope' with the demand of fans/customers/mugs(delete as applicable) paying them a visit during the week?
I think that's the point - nobody turns up randomly at 1148 on a Friday trying to buy tickets so why have a front of house ticket office open when the world at large buys stuff on line and over the phone.
I've never bought a CAFC ticket online by the way but I hear the system isn't intuitive for 'all'. I've never failed to buy what I want over the phone or on the day and the service has always been great.
Get your moans prioritised. Having to buy tickets over the phone is not a biggie and nor is having a sofa in the ground.
Nice to see you can post something other than silly one liners.
It is beyond me why we cannot have a ticket office open between 9-5 like everybody else.
How many days in a season are the people in the office unable to 'cope' with the demand of fans/customers/mugs(delete as applicable) paying them a visit during the week?
I think that's the point - nobody turns up randomly at 1148 on a Friday trying to buy tickets so why have a front of house ticket office open when the world at large buys stuff on line and over the phone.
I've never bought a CAFC ticket online by the way but I hear the system isn't intuitive for 'all'. I've never failed to buy what I want over the phone or on the day and the service has always been great.
Get your moans prioritised. Having to buy tickets over the phone is not a biggie and nor is having a sofa in the ground.
Nice to see you can post something other than silly one liners.
The irony of this poster saying "Get your moans prioritised" is not lost on me though Elfsborg. And his totally made up statement about nobody turning up randomly at 11.48 - how the f*** does he know?
On the matter in hand, I just randomly checked five clubs of (arguably) lesser status than us for ticket office times. All are open Monday to Friday, as well as match days.
Brentford 10 to 4 Sheff Utd 9 to 5 Port Vale 9 to 5 Luton 10 to 5 Northampton 10 to 5 (7PM on Thursdays before a Saturday home match)
Again, whatever the defenders of the dictator say, our club's policy is bollocks.
It is beyond me why we cannot have a ticket office open between 9-5 like everybody else.
How many days in a season are the people in the office unable to 'cope' with the demand of fans/customers/mugs(delete as applicable) paying them a visit during the week?
I think that's the point - nobody turns up randomly at 1148 on a Friday trying to buy tickets so why have a front of house ticket office open when the world at large buys stuff on line and over the phone.
I've never bought a CAFC ticket online by the way but I hear the system isn't intuitive for 'all'. I've never failed to buy what I want over the phone or on the day and the service has always been great.
Get your moans prioritised. Having to buy tickets over the phone is not a biggie and nor is having a sofa in the ground.
Nice to see you can post something other than silly one liners.
The irony of this poster saying "Get your moans prioritised" is not lost on me though Elfsborg. And his totally made up statement about nobody turning up randomly at 11.48 - how the f*** does he know?
On the matter in hand, I just randomly checked five clubs of (arguably) lesser status than us for ticket office times. All are open Monday to Friday, as well as match days.
Brentford 10 to 4 Sheff Utd 9 to 5 Port Vale 9 to 5 Luton 10 to 5 Northampton 10 to 5 (7PM on Thursdays before a Saturday home match)
Again, whatever the defenders of the dictator say, our club's policy is bollocks.
Comments
The club shop and ticket office are working under alternative opening hours during the Christmas period. Full details below:
Monday, December 21st: Normal opening hours
Tuesday, December 22nd: Normal opening hours
Wednesday, December 23rd: Normal opening hours (shop open until 7.30pm)
Thursday, December 24th: 9am-2pm (shop until 1.30pm)
Friday, December 25th: CLOSED
Saturday, December 26th: CLOSED
Sunday, December 27th: CLOSED
Monday, December 28th: 9am-3pm*
Tuesday, December 29th: Normal opening hours
Wednesday, December 30th: Normal opening hours
Thursday, December 31st: CLOSED
Friday, January 1st: CLOSED
Saturday, January 2nd: Normal matchday hours*
Sunday, January 3rd: CLOSED
Monday, January 4th onwards: Normal opening hours.
*Shop open 30 minutes after full time.
Read more at http://www.cafc.co.uk/news/article/charlton-athletic-club-shop-christmas-2864400.aspx#k9Q57MbR0Of5U4ZG.99
So reading that story it is crystal clear that it is solely about the ticket office, and that on two occasions the alternative working hours of the shop are mentioned. The lead in line that the club shop which is mentioned first, and the ticket office which is mentioned second is a clue. And the alternative opening hours are about extra closures for the ticket office except for tomorrow and next Monday. Anybody else reading, except for me, would have unravelled all that in an instant.
:-)
Extra income from a call centre but why divert resources from your core business?
It's the sort of thing a proper T20k group could have thrashed out and pointed out the flaws in the idea. Shame we won't get a proper T20k group now.
http://www.cafc.co.uk/tickets/ticket-prices/
Somebody however didn't read that and turned up anyway
The shutters were indeed closed when they turned up
So somebody bought 2 tickets over the phone
And they were hand delivered
Seems ok
Edit - just saw, it wasn't a moan after all.
It was open
I bought what I wanted
Madness
Merry Xmas.
If only our club was normal.
In fact, I notice that the website has now been changed to say that the phone lines are open until 5pm on Wednesdays, so obviously it was wrong and had been for weeks.
I don't blame you for that. It's obvious that the people in charge in that area don't take proper responsibility for ensuring the accuracy of the messages coming out of the club about ticketing and has been for some time.
However, if the club doesn't put out accurate information, it can't expect the fans to work out what's going on for it.
On the specific issue of Bristol City tickets, the story published on Tuesday which said tickets were available from The Valley until 1pm on Thursday has now been changed to say that people can order by phone and collect at Bristol. This is not what it said originally, which I know because a mate who had been planning to buy on the day messaged me for advice.
Clearly, the club's intention is to remove personal service on tickets completely except on matchdays. This is quite mad - and would be even if the online ticketing wasn't shit too.
I live a few minutes' walk from The Valley. Without a link to anything that says otherwise, how on earth is "normal opening hours" at the ticket office not being able to walk down the road on a weekday daytime, to talk to staff on the window who have always been really nice people, and buy tickets? (The ticket staff have always been brilliant ambassadors for the club. Why shut them away?)
Why is a club that bangs on about "community" trying to save a few quid by shutting ticket office windows, while acting like spivs and charging extra for web/phone sales?
How many days in a season are the people in the office unable to 'cope' with the demand of fans/customers/mugs(delete as applicable) paying them a visit during the week?
I've never bought a CAFC ticket online by the way but I hear the system isn't intuitive for 'all'. I've never failed to buy what I want over the phone or on the day and the service has always been great.
Get your moans prioritised. Having to buy tickets over the phone is not a biggie and nor is having a sofa in the ground.
It's not a new idea and it's not rocket science, in fact I think it's called 'catering for all needs'
On the matter in hand, I just randomly checked five clubs of (arguably) lesser status than us for ticket office times. All are open Monday to Friday, as well as match days.
Brentford 10 to 4
Sheff Utd 9 to 5
Port Vale 9 to 5
Luton 10 to 5
Northampton 10 to 5 (7PM on Thursdays before a Saturday home match)
Again, whatever the defenders of the dictator say, our club's policy is bollocks.
Saves flowering things up.