How Would You Improve The Ticketing System?

[Mendoza]

But then why don't the club just run like a business, and EMPLOY people on a 4 hour contract to do it?? Teenagers looking for their first jobs would do it - and from personal experience, i know that people ask for saturday jobs at the club and get turned away.

youve seen the teenagers that have been employed by the club have the piss ripped out of them already on this site, mainly because they couldnt write an address on an envelope.

it seems Uncle Bucks incentive could be a way forward!

 

[Horton's halftime iceberg]

youve seen the teenagers that have been employed by the club have the piss ripped out of them already on this site, mainly because they couldnt write an address on an envelope.

it seems Uncle Bucks incentive could be a way forward!

Without losing sight of the issue what do the other 92 league clubs do!

Employ enough staff and pay them a fair wage?

Southend had a bar coded system with only stewards to manage it and Roots Hall aint exactly a high tech stadia. I am sure this is about cost cutting and poor managemnt of the situation.

 

[Brovion]

Automate it. If you've bought on-line or over the phone using your credit card then when you get to the ground you swipe your card through a reader. This checks with information held on something called a 'computer' and prints out the tickets. These machines exist and they are as cheap as chips - certainly when compared to extra staff costs.

You need staff on hand in case of failure (they may have to manually enter card details if the card won't read) or in case of complaint. But the actual donkey work of checking the details and producing the tickets is done by machine. And you don't even have to have the computer at the ground, it could be in the club shop or in Timbuctu thus allowing late sales to be automatically picked up by the machines at the turnstiles.

I write software for systems similar to this. Maybe I should give the club a call.

 

[Horton's halftime iceberg]

Automate it. If you've bought on-line or over the phone using your credit card then when you get to the ground you swipe your card through a reader. This checks with information held on something called a 'computer' and prints out the tickets. These machines exist and they are as cheap as chips - certainly when compared to extra staff costs.

You need staff on hand in case of failure (they may have to manually enter card details if the card won't read) or in case of complaint. But the actual donkey work of checking the details and producing the tickets is done by machine. And you don't even have to have the computer at the ground, it could be in the club shop or in Timbuctu thus allowing late sales to be automatically picked up by the machines at the turnstiles.

I write software for systems similar to this. Maybe I should give the club a call.

Spot on.

 

[Mendoza]

Without losing sight of the issue what do the other 92 league clubs do!

Employ enough staff and pay them a fair wage?

Southend had a bar coded system with only stewards to manage it and Roots Hall aint exactly a high tech stadia. I am sure this is about cost cutting and poor managemnt of the situation.

what the other 91 clubs do should be the task of Brown and Knight to find out surely. Then take advice and implement something that doesnt involve buying a new system

there is no way the club will invest money in a barcode thing like at many grounds when it will just become redundant in 2 years time when we move stadiums, but then again it is obvious for everyone to see, that the club cannot hold out until Falmer to do something about the fiasco

 

[Kylies Stunt Arse]

I've just had a thought.... wasn't it MA himself that said "Failing to prepare is preparing to fail"?!

Originally, no I don't think so, but yes it is a favourite quote of his.

Some of the ideas that people have come up with here are simply unworkable at Withdean, and the club, rightly IMO, are not going to throw much money at something that is very short term in the scheme of things.

There are always youth teamers, ball boys, and spare stewards around that could help out in situations like this. It just needs SOMEONE to actually be aware and have the authority to sort these things out. I'm fairly confident, based solely on my limited dealings with him in the past, that the Stadium Manager would have been on top of this early last night had he not been on holiday, but in his absence the club need to look to the stewards to actually use some common sense and get someone senior involved early, even if it means dragging them out of the boardroom or hospitality, to make a decision if they don't feel confident enough to make the call themselves.

They usually have someone in a back office at the ground printing up tickets so we know that facitlity is available there. Why not train someone else to do this and help relieve the ticket office staff on a matchday? Give whichever set of people (YT, ball boys etc) basic training about what they may be required to do, and give a senior steward responsibility and authority to make the call that they need more people in place to get the crowd in safely and quickly.

 

[reigate]

Without losing sight of the issue what do the other 92 league clubs do!

Southend had a bar coded system with only stewards to manage it and Roots Hall aint exactly a high tech stadia. I am sure this is about cost cutting and poor managemnt of the situation.

It could be that although clubs such as Southend have "low tech" stadia, it is at least a permanent home. We will hopefully be here for to more years, so can not justify the expense of new systems.

This discussion is about 10 years to late. I don't remember that many complaints when we had to queue half way down queens road to get a ticket in 1st seasons at Withdean

 

[Mendoza]

the club need to look to the stewards to actually use some common sense

Well thats your plan f***ed then

 

[ben andrews' girlfriend]

youve seen the teenagers that have been employed by the club have the piss ripped out of them already on this site, mainly because they couldnt write an address on an envelope.

it seems Uncle Bucks incentive could be a way forward!

Well I was taught how to write an address on an envelope in year 6 - if you cannot spell "Close" correctly or know that you need something as simple as a postcode on an envelope then you should be up for some serious stick - it's shocking that the club lets this happen, but that's another story!!!

 

[Nemesis]

I doubt the queue would be as large, becuase in reality, there would be a tricke affect. Not everyone would turn up 45 mins before KO, or indeed 5 mins before KO.

The system is poor, but some fans should use a bit more common sense. Anyway, gives you all something to moan about after such a good start on the pitch

You don't get it do you? The club's ticketing system has f***ed up badly for 2 consecutive games. People caught up in the shambles will think twice about going through that again so the club loses customers. Possibly NEW customers who will not bother again.

How difficult can it be to sort and distribute envelopes alphabetically?

As I said before-you are trying to defend the indefensible. It is not the CUSTOMER's fault that the ticket office employs people who don't know the alphabet and write like 3 year olds. Maybe instead of Albion videos playing in the ticket office they should have Sesame Street on?

 

[clippedgull]

I would volunteer in exchange for a free season ticket. My only condition would be that I would be in my seat as the teams came out to start the game.

 

[Dover]

I did not go last night due to lack of funds, but this reminds me of the Chelsea Youth Cup debacle, and lest we forget the play off final. Both of which the club should have learnt some valuable lessons.

I for one like the idea, proposed by many, that a card reader should be at the turnstiles like the Odeon, and this sounds simple and inexpensive.

I do have another, but similar idea. When buying tickets on line, the ticket could come via a return e-mail, with a bar code printed with the applicants name and address. When presenting the ticket at the turnstile, proof of ID, with a photo is presented, and or the original card that purchased the ticket, if say for a group. with the bar code being read, and the proof of ID this maybe a short term answer to the present problem.

 

[Uncle Buck]

I'm fairly confident, based solely on my limited dealings with him in the past, that the Stadium Manager would have been on top of this early last night had he not been on holiday, but in his absence the club need to look to the stewards to actually use some common sense and get someone senior involved early, even if it means dragging them out of the boardroom or hospitality, to make a decision if they don't feel confident enough to make the call themselves.

Ah, well judging by some of the contributions I have seen, that is where another fine plan fails.

 

[reigate]

You don't get it do you? The club's ticketing system has f***ed up badly for 2 consecutive games. People caught up in the shambles will think twice about going through that again so the club loses customers. Possibly NEW customers who will not bother again.

How difficult can it be to sort and distribute envelopes alphabetically?

As I said before-you are trying to defend the indefensible. It is not the CUSTOMER's fault that the ticket office employs people who don't know the alphabet and write like 3 year olds. Maybe instead of Albion videos playing in the ticket office they should have Sesame Street on?

The indefensible? f*** me it's not exactly crime of the century!

Yes the system is shit, and i'm sure the club are well aware of it and are looking to sort it, but some fans (i know not not all) could help by either booking in advance or turning up earlier.

I guess if you pay peanuts, you get monkeys. Maybe the club should employ more highly paid staff for this highly skilled job, and pass the cost on to the customer?

 

[Easy 10]

Maybe instead of Albion videos playing in the ticket office they should have Sesame Street on?

Genuine chuckle.

 

[Easy 10]

Yes the system is shit, and i'm sure the club are well aware of it and are looking to sort it, but some fans (i know not not all) could help by either booking in advance or turning up earlier.

Would those be the fans who booked and paid in advance AND turned up 45 minutes before kickoff in the (not unreasonable) expectation of picking up their tickets in time for kickoff ?

You seem to think the onous is on the fans to jump through various hoops in order to navigate through our shitty ticketing system, rather than the club getting its arse into gear and SORTING IT OUT.

Do you honestly think the fans are to blame for this fiasco ?

 

[Uncle Buck]

The indefensible? f*** me it's not exactly crime of the century!

You are right.

Crime of the century is parking too close to Withdean on a match day...

 

[reigate]

Maybe instead of Albion videos playing in the ticket office they should have Sesame Street on?

I think you've cracked it. Judging by some of the childish shit that come people post on here, this could encourage people to actually go to the ticket office to buy a ticket, and therefore not need to queue.

You are a genius

 

[reigate]

You are right.

Crime of the century is parking too close to Withdean on a match day...

Thanks for the parking space last night btw......although I was a a bit worried that if that queue had got any longer they would be leaning against the car

 

[Uncle Buck]

Thanks for the parking space last night btw......although I was a a bit worried that if that queue had got any longer they would be leaning against the car

It is nice almost being able to see the South Stand turnstiles when you have parked the car...