Questions For Davel

[Alex#40]

at least on the field it was abillion times better all be it with a few teething problems,

If queues like that happen again they need to open the gates and man them with stewards who can check tickets with those cliker things they use at nights clubs, would of relieved alot of the problems saturday, I was lucky I got in 2 minutes before kick off butthats only because we decided to miss out the last pub stop, others werent so lucky,

DaveL I think the club need to issue an apology over this and quite quickly

I was very happy with what I saw on the field Saturday in general and the cost reduction throughout the squad has been long overdue and required 100%. The factors though, not all the clubs fault, like shirts, ticketing, communication on some issues and other bits and pieces do lead to people not bothering in the long run and the club as a whole being a harder sell to fans.

[downendcity]

Since we're at it, my questions are thus :

1) When will we see the benefits of this revolutionary new ticketing system? I will quote from an article from 20th May :

City commercial director Kevin Smith said:"This is a massive development for this football club. We have conducted a full review of how we communicate with fans and it was clear that a strong supporter relationship management and ticketing system were at the very heart."

Green 4 Director Peter Oliver said: Were absolutely delighted to announce a partnership with Bristol City Football Club focused on the delivery of a truly joined up fan experience, beginning in the 2013/14 season.

Green 4s approach is to provide clubs with a single platform stadium solution that enables them to improve all aspects of the fan experience."

Perhaps not a question for Dave L, but more for Kevin Smith and Peter Oliver?

Peter - The only "joined up" fan experience today was 3,000 people standing ass to cock! Perhaps you'd like to provide some answers?

Kevin - Relationship management? All very well speaking buzzword bingo fella, but you've yet to prove to me what you can do to touch the heart and soul of this club.

2) Why is it, that the fans in the East End are still "kettled" at half-time. Everyone else in the ground is allowed to wander free, but the EE fans have to wait until the ref blows his half-time whistle before we're allowed out of the gates. Why? Personally, I'm not bothered, as I wait til half-time to go to the bar anyway, but many others are restricted from nipping off 2 minutes early to avoid the beer queues. Simple question - Why is this?

3) Ah, sorry, I mentioned the beer queues! Why not have the bar staff pour 500 or so ready-made pints to serve at half-time?

There are several hundred people who converge on one bar area during a 15 minute spell. Is it not easy to have prepared stock awaiting their arrival? You know you're gonna sell x amount of drinks between 4:40 and 4:50, why not have them ready and waiting, rather than create a 10 minute wait whilst your 3 bar staff try to serve 800 people in a 10 minute timeframe??

At most festival sites / beer tent area's, they have pints pre-poured, meaning a faster rate of service. Try it one time.

Aside from that, another successful day off the pitch for BCFC!

Perhaps 3, 000 fans queing "ass to cock" is the joined up fans experience the club was looking to acheive !! :-)

[Aizoon]

at least on the field it was abillion times better all be it with a few teething problems,

If queues like that happen again they need to open the gates and man them with stewards who can check tickets with those cliker things they use at nights clubs, would of relieved alot of the problems saturday, I was lucky I got in 2 minutes before kick off butthats only because we decided to miss out the last pub stop, others werent so lucky,

DaveL I think the club need to issue an apology over this and quite quickly

Should have been done at half time. Who is in charge on match day?

[B-Rizzle]

I know this isn't feasible for everyone's circumstances, but just buy online in advance! It's cheaper, bloody easy and you can pick exactly where you want to sit! Not difficult!

[leftwingfullback]

I know this isn't feasible for everyone's circumstances, but just buy online in advance! It's cheaper, bloody easy and you can pick exactly where you want to sit! Not difficult!

That doesn't apply to any of the questions I was asking though!

[RedM]

I know this isn't feasible for everyone's circumstances, but just buy online in advance! It's cheaper, bloody easy and you can pick exactly where you want to sit! Not difficult!

I think you are missing the point. I'm sure everybody knows this and will do so when possible. But for those who can't for a variety of reasons getting a ticket shouldn't be an ordeal.

[Aizoon]

I think you are missing the point. I'm sure everybody knows this and will do so when possible. But for those who can't for a variety of reasons getting a ticket shouldn't be an ordeal.

This is how new fans and those coming back after a break will go, particularly for the season's first game. Yesterday's shambles won't encourage them to come again.

It put me off even thinking about going, because it was blindingly obvious to everybody but BCFC management that it was going to happen.

[RedM]

20 people working 5 hours on a Saturday, at £6 an hour (is that minimum wage now?) is £600. More like David James half a day rate!

Or to put it another way, one match day ticket in the Williams for example would have employed someone for 4 hours on your figures, one ticket! I dread to think how many we lost on Saturday, and probably because of this future Saturdays too. What about night matches when everybody is even more pushed for time, not many can arrive hours early then?

[B-Rizzle]

That doesn't apply to any of the questions I was asking though!

I think you are missing the point. I'm sure everybody knows this and will do so when possible. But for those who can't for a variety of reasons getting a ticket shouldn't be an ordeal.

But I don't think everyone does know this! Yes, the club let down fans on sat. This new system (which I trust will come good in time) and it's teething problems resulted in buying a ticket, as you say, an ordeal. Not good enough. However I dont agree with criticism at the the clubs cutbacks in closing other ticket offices. Times have changed and the club are actively trying to encourage pre-match, online sales.

The issue here is about the new match day system not being ready and also the lack of initiative shown by, as others have suggested, staff not grabbing a pile of tickets and taking exact cash off people. They should have had contingency plans in place for such a teething issue occurring.

[myol'man]

have you read the "I won't be going again" thread yet DaveL?

[Dave L]

Yes

[bearded_red]

Although it is clearly not as important an issue as fans having to wait in lengthy queues and/or miss the start of Saturday's game I would also like to know why we are unable to get tickets for tomorrow night or Sunday online?

City commercial director Kevin Smith said:"This is a massive development for this football club. We have conducted a full review of how we communicate with fans and it was clear that a strong supporter relationship management and ticketing system were at the very heart."

Green 4 Director Peter Oliver said: “We’re absolutely delighted to announce a partnership with Bristol City Football Club focused on the delivery of a truly ‘joined up’ fan experience, beginning in the 2013/14 season.

“Green 4’s approach is to provide clubs with a single platform stadium solution that enables them to improve all aspects of the fan experience."

That all sounds very good and everything, but for the last couple of seasons I have been able to get away tickets online in the space of about 2 minutes, this season, at present, I am unable to do so. I don't think that can really be considered an improvement.

I expect there is a reasonable enough explanation for this, but simply stating on the website that 'There are no online sales currently for away tickets' isn't really it.

[Monkeh]

Although it is clearly not as important an issue as fans having to wait in lengthy queues and/or miss the start of Saturday's game I would also like to know why we are unable to get tickets for tomorrow night or Sunday online?

City commercial director Kevin Smith said:"This is a massive development for this football club. We have conducted a full review of how we communicate with fans and it was clear that a strong supporter relationship management and ticketing system were at the very heart."

Green 4 Director Peter Oliver said: “We’re absolutely delighted to announce a partnership with Bristol City Football Club focused on the delivery of a truly ‘joined up’ fan experience, beginning in the 2013/14 season.

“Green 4’s approach is to provide clubs with a single platform stadium solution that enables them to improve all aspects of the fan experience."

That all sounds very good and everything, but for the last couple of seasons I have been able to get away tickets online in the space of about 2 minutes, this season, at present, I am unable to do so. I don't think that can really be considered an improvement.

I expect there is a reasonable enough explanation for this, but simply stating on the website that 'There are no online sales currently for away tickets' isn't really it.

because they are away games Gillingham and Coventry will need the same system as us in order to produce the online tickets, as coventry are in dire strights and scally is a tight ass then thats not possible,

Most clubs in the championship have all the online bells and all thing but league one and two the clubs don't have as much money so I doubt online tickets are a piroity for them,

Thats two excauses whether ether are true I couldn't answer

[Drew Peacock]

What about night matches when everybody is even more pushed for time, not many can arrive hours early then?

Night matches are a disaster waiting to happen, not only for potd tickets but for access through the turnstiles as so many people turn up shortly before KO, which is the earliest they can arrive.

I couldn't believe the turnstiles queues on Saturday until I got to the front and had to hand over my card for it to be manually scanned.

Progress? Not at all, seems like a stereotypical large IT project not scoped properly and not tested properly but "we've spent all this money, let's go live"..........

[Aizoon]

Night matches are a disaster waiting to happen, not only for potd tickets but for access through the turnstiles as so many people turn up shortly before KO, which is the earliest they can arrive.

I couldn't believe the turnstiles queues on Saturday until I got to the front and had to hand over my card for it to be manually scanned.

Progress? Not at all, seems like a stereotypical large IT project not scoped properly and not tested properly but "we've spent all this money, let's go live"..........

I've seen this from the other side as an anal prog (fnarr fnarr).

We can shout "it's not ready!" until we're blue in the face, but they'll still go live rather that wait for it. Guess where the sh1t always lands

[Guest]

Yes

Direct and to the point, maybe you could do the same for this question;

Will fans who missed half the first half of Saturdays game, (many travelling many miles to do so) through no fault of there own, get any reduction or promise that this will not happen again the next time that they may try to do the same again ? (there are a few that seriously wont bother until the club wakes up and puts the fans first).

If you went to Tesco and queued for half an hour at the check out would you go back the next week to do the same again, systems should be in place to deal with however many customers turn up; the club has fallen down at the first hurdle....no excuses you should of been ready you weren't.

[chinapig]

I mentioned this simple solution for the Reading friendly. It takes men with letters after their names and have badges with their job title on to organise a piss up in a brewery though.

Why not have the Dolman huts open just for card only or cash only? How hard can it be?

Who appear never to have heard of (excuse the business speak) risk management or business continuity planning. I imagine Steve's company doesn't take a "sod the customer" attitude if things go wrong. But then their customers might go somewhere else if they did.

[BUTOR]

Also... why have the tickets been appearing so late on the club website! Was hoping to buy for Gillingham but had no idea how to so I invested my money elsewhere for the England game, turns out the tickets went on sale a day before the game! We've only sold 40 tickets and won't hit 100!

[Aizoon]

I'm pretty certain the ticketing will be sorted out eventually but, until it is, the club can do without my custom. I'll start going to the Gate when I know from OTIB, not from the club, that I can POTD without wasting a significant portion of my life queueing.

Why do I trust OTIB more than the club? Because there's a lot of fertiliser emanating from both, but on OTIB there's some truth as well.

[Ian M]

I'm pretty certain the ticketing will be sorted out eventually but, until it is, the club can do without my custom. I'll start going to the Gate when I know from OTIB, not from the club, that I can POTD without wasting a significant portion of my life queueing.

Why do I trust OTIB more than the club? Because there's a lot of fertiliser emanating from both, but on OTIB there's some truth as well.

You can believe the part of the O/S that shows the league table as we've been told for years that the league table doesn't lie.

[Aizoon]

Who appear never to have heard of (excuse the business speak) risk management or business continuity planning. I imagine Steve's company doesn't take a "sod the customer" attitude if things go wrong. But then their customers might go somewhere else if they did.

This baffles me too (and I'm not making that point rhetorically). How can SL run such an effective and profitable business and make such a dog's breakfast of the business side of the club? We all know that what happens on the pitch is maddeningly unpredictable - it's the stuff of legend. Surely, though, arranging for people to buy tickets and get into the ground (and feed them edible food when they're in) isn't brain surgery?

Just to take one example, the name and address business is a major hassle to the vast mass of supporters and a total non-impediment to banned yobs. Surely that is obvious to the dimmest brain?

I'd correct you on one thing, chinapig. People will go elsewhere. Not immediately and not to another football club perhaps but, as I said before, we're not still in the 1950's. There are lots of other attractions on a Saturday afternoon now, including a riveting Ashes series on the box. Even the most masochistic fans have their tolerance limits; it's not wise for the club to test them...

[i hate rovers]

This baffles me too (and I'm not making that point rhetorically). How can SL run such an effective and profitable business and make such a dog's breakfast of the business side of the club? We all know that what happens on the pitch is maddeningly unpredictable - it's the stuff of legend. Surely, though, arranging for people to buy tickets and get into the ground (and feed them edible food when they're in) isn't brain surgery?

Just to take one example, the name and address business is a major hassle to the vast mass of supporters and a total non-impediment to banned yobs. Surely that is obvious to the dimmest brain?

I'd correct you on one thing, chinapig. People will go elsewhere. Not immediately and not to another football club perhaps but, as I said before, we're not still in the 1950's. There are lots of other attractions on a Saturday afternoon now, including a riveting Ashes series on the box. Even the most masochistic fans have their tolerance limits; it's not wise for the club to test them...

[chinapig]

This baffles me too (and I'm not making that point rhetorically). How can SL run such an effective and profitable business and make such a dog's breakfast of the business side of the club? We all know that what happens on the pitch is maddeningly unpredictable - it's the stuff of legend. Surely, though, arranging for people to buy tickets and get into the ground (and feed them edible food when they're in) isn't brain surgery?

Just to take one example, the name and address business is a major hassle to the vast mass of supporters and a total non-impediment to banned yobs. Surely that is obvious to the dimmest brain?

I'd correct you on one thing, chinapig. People will go elsewhere. Not immediately and not to another football club perhaps but, as I said before, we're not still in the 1950's. There are lots of other attractions on a Saturday afternoon now, including a riveting Ashes series on the box. Even the most masochistic fans have their tolerance limits; it's not wise for the club to test them...

Yes, fair point.

[Nibor]

Yes

Any chance of you providing some meaningful answers to the real questions you've been asked? And doing it in the open?

[leftwingfullback]

Any chance of you providing some meaningful answers to the real questions you've been asked? And doing it in the open?

To he fair, he is on holiday at the minute and said he will update tomorrow. Everyone's allowed a break, none of these problems are his fault.

I would like answers to the questions I put at some point though.

[GodEmperor Palpatine]

The only question I would ask is why the EE is unavailable for POTD supporters?

Other commitments means I don't have a season ticket so home games are at a premium. I prefer the EE to the other stands and was looking forward to getting a ticket there for the Wolves game but its shut off... Is this because of safety/policing? A mate of mine told me on Saturday that he couldn't get a ticket for the EE against Bradford but looking at the highlights it did not seem full, empty seats aplenty at the front.

[Nibor]

To he fair, he is on holiday at the minute and said he will update tomorrow. Everyone's allowed a break, none of these problems are his fault.

I would like answers to the questions I put at some point though.

He also said that a full explanation would be posted on the website.

I'd expect better to be honest. When things go this badly wrong in any remotely professional industry, they don't wait on personal commitments.

[leftwingfullback]

He also said that a full explanation would be posted on the website.

I'd expect better to be honest. When things go this badly wrong in any remotely professional industry, they don't wait on personal commitments.

Your right, but that's the clubs fault not his fault. Like I said everyone's needs a break, if he was told something would be on the site and its not, that's not his fault.

The last thing I want when I'm on a break, is people from my work nagging me.

[Guest]

Your right, but that's the clubs fault not his fault. Like I said everyone's needs a break, if he was told something would be on the site and its not, that's not his fault.

The last thing I want when I'm on a break, is people from my work nagging me.

As fans liason officer employed by the club a break after the first day of the season is not the greatest plan imo

[leftwingfullback]

As fans liason officer employed by the club a break after the first day of the season is not the greatest plan imo

Again, not his fault is it?