worrying issue

[shrimperian]

My business partner is a lifelong Chelski fan and has vowed to never enter RH again after a typical expereince in the Jobson era. However, I am forever telling him how much the club has changed and that it is now much more welcoming to casual fans and families. His Son came with me to the Swindon match and went home clutching the scarf of his new found love! Job done, I thought. My partner has been asking about season tickets etc. and almost came with me to Yeovil on Saturday, but was really looking forward to Friday's match. Knowing what the online ticket service is like, I suggested that he phone the ticket office and get four tickets (he is bringing his entire family) in the RBS family enclosure. He could also ask about the cost of season tickets to the end of the season.

He telephoned me at 4.30 today exasperated and vowing to never even contemplate coming to RH after being abused by the ticket staff! Apparently, after holding on the line for 45 minutes at number 5 in the queue, he got through to be told that they were very busy and could he ring back or call in personally. When he told them that he lives in Bradwell on Sea and that he had been waiting 45 minutes they said he could have tickets in the South Stand. He said he wanted tickets in the West RBS enclosure and was told that it was South Stand or dont bother! He said that he wont bother now or in the future!

I have sent an e mail to the club asking for an explanation but have thus far had no reply. Has anyone else had bad experiences of the ticket line?

This has come as a double shock to me because I was hoping that our business could get involved on the corporate side of the club but it appears that will now be very unlikely.

 

[Upminster Blue]

Sorry to hear your story.

I've found the ticket office service recently to be generally very good and courteous. Never had to wait more than 5 minutes to get through on the phone - probably because I don't call at the start or the end of the day.

My only very minor grumbles are the service being slow when booking in person and their slightly jobs worth nature (I exchanged two tickets a couple of weeks ago for identically priced tickets for the same match and they insisted on having to refund the original tickets and then rebook new tickets from scratch! Took about 15 minutes all told.)

However, depsite the good recent service, I still don't quite trust them (probably due to numerous ****-ups in years gone by) and I always suspect that you have to ask the right questions and/or know how things work to get the right result. For that reason, any friends I'm trying to convert I always book their tickets myself to take the ****-up factor out of play.

Why don't you book your partners tickets? Once he's experienced the Roots Hall effect he'll soon be hooked and forget about the ticket office.

 

[Norwichsufc]

Sorry to hear your story as well. Today, it took me 14 minutes to get through the queue on the ticket line ( I am still disgruntled with the changes to the online booking system, as I have raised in an ancient thread).This was at 10.40 this morning. I wanted 2 seats for the upper south, not row g(as automatically given by the online ticketing), as we are both big lads 6ft and above and dont like the bad backs achieved by sitting in row g! The man on the phone stated that he had very little left in the upper but got us row e block j next to the west. On checking the online ticketing I can still get 2 seats in row g

 and could have had 4 seats in row e in the family area if I was looking for family area! My point is bring back the system where you could identify what seats you were actually booking. The clubs system can obviously do this.
On the old seatbooker system you didn't have to keep going back and starting again (after reserving seats you didn't want ) just to take them out of the equation and reserving more until you got seats nearer the front row. Obviously that is why the system used now has changed. Update the system, let us see what seats are available, and also do not let occasional fans be let down, when they want to visit the "Hall"

 

[Yellow Army]

I'll be honest that the ticket office were very busy today, as the Col******r screening tickets have gone on sale. They have been non-stop. But i'm not here to make excuses. I'm sure the the person in the ticket office didnt mean any harm and was taken out of context. I hope that your problem is sorted and that you will come to Roots Hall.

While on the subject, to all supports - please do not ring the club shop number for tickets or to be put through to the ticket office, we have a separate landline which does not allow this.

Its a shame when you read comments like this because over the past month i can't recall seeing one, and i again hope the problem is soughted soon

UP THE BLUES!

 

[Norwichsufc]

Further to my previous post. It is now apparent that I could book seats in the away (our spiritual North bank) end. Despite the ensuing warning that if I was an away supporter booking tickets online I would risk being rejected from the ground without refund.

See this as proof that  it can be done                      

  Type    Section    Row     Seat    Price  Fee    Total  

  FULL    AWAY      A      54    £16.50    £1.00    £17.50  

  FULL    AWAY      A      55    £16.50    £1.00    £17.50  

  FULL    AWAY      A      56    £16.50    £1.00    £17.50  

      Total    £49.50    £3.00    £52.50  



SubTotal: £52.50    

Tickets are non-refundable and non-exchangeable

 




Choose a Different Price Level  

Choose a Different Match  

   

 Concessions
Junior concessions are available to children 16 years and under only who are still in full time education. All children aged 13 years and under must be accompanied by a responsible adult.
Student concessions are only available to full time students and proof of status will be required. All student tickets will be held at the Ticket Office for ID verification.
Senior citizen concessions are available to persons aged 60 years and over and proof of status will be required.
Family tickets are only available for the family enclosure. All adults must be accompanied by a child and all children aged 13 years and under must be accompanied by a responsible adult.
The maximum ratio allowable of adult to concession tickets is 1:4.
Disabled supporters should contact the Ticket Office.
With regards returns or exchanges, if the tickets are returned to the Ticket Office by 12 noon on the day of the match indicated on the ticket (or 10 am if kick off is earlier than 3 pm) then a full refund or exchange ticket will be given. It is not the Club's policy to offer refunds or exchange tickets after this time. Any booking fees paid are non-refundable.


All tickets sold via the internet are for home areas and supporters only. Away team supporters purchasing these tickets risk rejection from the ground with no refund.

 Please Southend sort this system out. We need all the support we can get to cheer us onwards through this league

 

 

 

[Southampton Shrimper]

Also very sorry to hear this story. I have to say, though, that every time I have phoned up the ticket office this season (about four or five occasions) the service has been excellent. I have always been number 1 in the queue - as Upminster Blue said, maybe because I chose the right times to phone, although to be honest if I'd been told I was number 5 I probably would have hung up and tried again later!! When I got through, the staff on the phone have always been very helpful and courteous, and then when they look me up on the system we go through the same routine of total shock and surprise that I live in Southampton and we have a good old laugh about it.

I suppose all that will stop your partner now from becoming a total Roots Hall exile is if the club can make some kind of goodwill gesture to him - or else get his son to apply the pressure on him!!

 

[shrimper4life]

I phoned them up last week regarding colu tickets and only had to wait 30 seconds!

 

[shotg8 shrimper!]

does any 1 no the colu score?



god i hope they lose!!!!

 

[Jam_Man]

Ive always got through fairly quickly but the "customer service" you receive is poor.

The last time I rang Iwas offered row P in the east stand and when I grumbled slightly that those seats dont give enough spave for me at 5 foot 8, let alone my mate at 6 foot 5 the bloke got extremely shirty with me as if I insulted his mum.

Seems to be one business where we arent actually viewed as customers sometimes.

I too think they should bring back the old system, it was superb.

Surely

 

[Soton Blue]

always very polite and usually quite quick. Certainly better than in the past. i do however agree about the on-line system and the need to go back to the old system where you can choose your seats

 

[Kent Shrimper]

I think if the old seatbooker online system was adopted it would free up a hell of a lot of time for the ticket office. People arent using the online system (no proof but a pretty good guess). I thought that the club were rectifying the problem way back when tickets.com tooks over?

 

[Yellow Army]

I can see where your comming from but, we can't go back to the new system

- one its a totally different compnay
- The season 'cards' use the new system to let the ticket office know wether the card has been used or not.
- The new turnstiles use the new cards not the season ticket books.
- I'm sure it'll sort its self out soon, its only been running since septemeber on its first season, the problems do get addressed and normally sorted, and i hope they can sort them out for you, but again i'm in no position to comment, i am on this site as a supporter .

 

[Kent Shrimper]

Quote[/b] (Steve_Clubshop @ Feb. 07 2006,20:29)]I can see where your comming from but, we can't go back to the new system

- one its a totally different compnay
- The season 'cards' use the new system to let the ticket office know wether the card has been used or not.
- The new turnstiles use the new cards not the season ticket books.
- I'm sure it'll sort its self out soon, its only been running since septemeber on its first season, the problems do get addressed and normally sorted, and i hope they can sort them out for you, but again i'm in no position to comment, i am on this site as a supporter .

None of what you have stated has any relevance to being able to choose your ticket online, rather than randonmly being alocated it. When the new system was installed there was uproar becuase you couldnt choose your seat online. the club stated they were getting tickets.com to rectify this annoying situation, It still hasnt happened.

Becuase of this the ticket staff at RH are taking longer to answer the phone, and not being particularly helpful once the phone has been answered as they are under to much pressure because no bugger books online.

I am far from a fecking genius but can you spot the odd one out?

 

[We_Got_The_Gower]

One of my mates works for seatbooker and he has said that he believes that there may now be some legal proceedings regarding SUFC.

*However, since the matter is in the hands of lawyers, it has been decided to remove the allegations concerning dealings between Seatbooker and SUFC from this board*

I also prefered the old system where you can choose your seats and I really hope the club can listen to what their supporters are saying and rectify this situation. I really hate to hear of these stories where potential supporters are put off by bad experiences like the ones mentioned in this thread.

 

[Xàbia Shrimper]

Quote[/b] (Steve_Clubshop @ Feb. 07 2006,20:10)]... the ticket office were very busy today, as the Col******r screening tickets have gone on sale. They have been non-stop. But i'm not here to make excuses.

Good because that was a sh!te one ...

WS
Jávea

 

[canveyshrimper]

The ticket office staff to my mind, although sometimes stressed have always been courteous and helpful in their approach, and do the best they can.

 

[C'mon you Blues]

I got my tickets for Friday yesterday. There was a small queue. Staff efficient and courteous. Couldn't ask for more.

 

[The Flying Scotsman]

I've had to phone the ticket office a couple of times and both times had to wait on the phone for 45 minutes. This was to chase up my super dooper season card which they still insist was sent to me, but I'm still waiting.

 

[Einstein]

Quote[/b] (The Flying Scotsman @ Feb. 08 2006,09:03)]I've had to phone the ticket office a couple of times and both times had to wait on the phone for 45 minutes. This was to chase up my super dooper season card which they still insist was sent to me, but I'm still waiting.

I've given up on trying to get my amazing season ticket card to work now!

Not once has it worked to swipe through since I got it back in September!

Told every game by the steward to go in the ticket office so on the one occasion I do go in the office:

"Sorry, we're a bit busy at the moment, can you come back during the week?"

Well sorry SUFC, but I'm a bit busy then too!

This now results every poxy home game having to have a debate/argument before the steward will let me through!

 

[Maisie Shrimper]

Quote[/b] (We_Got_The_Gower @ Feb. 07 2006,21:16)]One of my mates works for seatbooker and he has said that he believes that there may now be some legal proceedings regarding SUFC.

*However, since the matter is in the hands of lawyers, it has been decided to remove the allegations concerning dealings between Seatbooker and SUFC from this board*

I also prefered the old system where you can choose your seats and I really hope the club can listen to what their supporters are saying and rectify this situation. I really hate to hear of these stories where potential supporters are put off by bad experiences like the ones mentioned in this thread.

this is an allegation that you have just made against the club mate, can this comment be removed by the moderator, otherwise this fourm will be in trouble. its the same as questioning attendance figures!!! and i'd hate for this site to be in trouble