Ticketing issues: constructive criticism

[poidy]

The problem with criticising the system is some people immedietely assume you are refering to the staff. The staff are supurb and we all know that. I think some people need to look beyond that. The attitude seems to be 'I got my tickets, the systems great'. however clearly with the amount of posts we've had on this matter it is flawed.

 

[clapham_gull]

An interesting situation yesterday.

All came down to me having more than one account on the system. Partly my fault (through forgetting that), but then again it wasn't my fault in the first place that more than one was set up.

Anyway - I logged into the account without a season ticket. This account is linked to my brothers current season ticket account. Fortunately he doesn't have a duplicate account.

So as I proceeded to purchase, I assumed I was only able to buy one ticket.

What was actually happening, what I was purchasing one for my brother and not me.. because under that account he was eligible to get one and I wasn't...

.. even though I was doing the purchase.

My point is - that really wasn't clear at all on the site and took a while with the ticket office (brilliant again by the way) to sort out what had happened.

 

[portlock seagull]

I believe disabled fans who need to secure parking far more than able bodied fans like me have once again been forgotten. Because you can't sort these matters out by the net, you must call. And after several hours waiting to be told arrangements have yet to be finalised whilst other parking spaces for able bodied fans are flying out the door...well we all know what could happen. It's even tougher on those who have paid for 1901 seats, ironically only because the club provided inadequate views in other areas of the ground so they had to buy these seats. Such fans could have spent several thousand pounds and now have no way of getting to the ground. Believe there's a BODS meeting on Tuesday about this but really Albion, get your act together and stop treating this section of support who are every bit as loyal as non disabled as an after thought. You promised falmer for all and it's not exactly been that in this respect. If anything, their needs should be prioritised cause the rest of us will only endure hassle accessing the ground. Without adequate parking, your denying these fans entry effectively. And after you've taken their money. Not good enough, regardless of the "teething" issues.

 

[See You Tuesday!]

Confusing from the off. States that you don't need to register if you are a STH, but still asks you for a password. How can you have one of those if you don't register in the first place? Also, I'm still to receive my season ticket/card. How should I know my fan number without this?

 

[Jimbo.GRFC]

The problem with criticising the system is some people immedietely assume you are refering to the staff. The staff are supurb and we all know that. I think some people need to look beyond that. The attitude seems to be 'I got my tickets, the systems great'. however clearly with the amount of posts we've had on this matter it is flawed.

Exactly the the point I was making and note your thinking along the same lines. This IT ticketing system contract should have gone to the company with the best solution for our club (not the cheapest) But to have a company (our club), shut up shop, the day prior to day one is nothing short of shocking.

 

[Horton's halftime iceberg]

I believe disabled fans who need to secure parking far more than able bodied fans like me have once again been forgotten. Because you can't sort these matters out by the net, you must call. And after several hours waiting to be told arrangements have yet to be finalised whilst other parking spaces for able bodied fans are flying out the door...well we all know what could happen. It's even tougher on those who have paid for 1901 seats, ironically only because the club provided inadequate views in other areas of the ground so they had to buy these seats. Such fans could have spent several thousand pounds and now have no way of getting to the ground. Believe there's a BODS meeting on Tuesday about this but really Albion, get your act together and stop treating this section of support who are every bit as loyal as non disabled as an after thought.

I queued for 3 hours to get tickets and chatted with someone from BODS, they checked ahead of the sale and were told to only way for them to get tickets was to Q. It seemed ridiculous there could not have been some kind of priorty system for registered members, I find it embaresing the club makes some one who had trouble standing, do this for 3 hours.

The reason I was in the Q was because I tried to log in for 20 minutes and only got a 'try again later' meesage. I know my online ticketing system works as I have previously used it with my friends and family, and everyone had enough points.

It would have been useful for information on how the system would work if busy, i.e a number system like the deli counter. You would then know you are in a Q and its a matter of waiting. I had persuaded myself the system would work for a high volume of requests due to the club selling all three games at once.

I did not want to experience the club telling me a day later tickets had sold, so walked up to Queens Road and queued with many others who had the same experience.

So for me I would like a system that lets me know if I am in the system and that I will have able to bid/buy for avalible tickets. Plus come on Albion sort out a system for BODS/Seniors to get tickets without a 3 hour Q in the rain.

 

[Birdie Boy]

I popped into the shop on Friday as I wanted travel tickets, no problem here, although they should have been sold on the website. I had issues with passwords on my account as well as my sons (STHs) because none had email addresses on them, so could get the passwords. Girl in the shop sorted them out and added us all as Family & Friends. Spoke to her about tickets for Tottenham, the max they were going to sell (approx.) was 5,000 in the first week, this covers 1901 and last years STHs. So, there was never any panic, especially for disabled people queuing for 3 hours, they could have walked, wheeled straight in the next day. As for Gillingham tickets, as we are STH's our seats are reserved, so these were never going to be sold to anyone else either, again no panic needed, especially as this game is full attendance.

I thought the shop staff were excellent, shame the web site lets them down (which was the first thing they said to me when I walked in - ie. "the website's shit!").

 

[Bozza]

I thought the shop staff were excellent, shame the web site lets them down (which was the first thing they said to me when I walked in - ie. "the website's shit!").

Is it though?

There have clearly been some data issues, such as those you detail yourself. However, now those have been cleaned for you, it should be plain sailing. Multiply that by c18,000 (although many will be 'clean' already) and by the time the ramp-up/Gillingham process is complete 99% of fans should be well sorted to use the online ticketing system going forward.

Beyond that, there are some functional quirks to the site that could be improved but I don't think any of them are particularly significant.

The last thing is the ability to handle peak demands and even last week, I don't think it was that bad. What the site does well is protect those who have fully accessed the system from the hoardes still trying to get in. This is vital to ensure that transactions can be completed cleanly. I'm sure the site could have coped with higher volume but I think it was the case that everyone who wanted tickets on Day 1 managed to get them. And there were another 6 days to follow where demand has been low and the system has been fully available to those who didn't feel the need to join the unnecessary hour 1/day 1 rush.

 

[Birdie Boy]

Is it though?

Exactly what I said to her in the shop. A couple of quirks need ironing out but that is it.

 

[briggsy]

does anyone know when the smartcards will be sent out to season ticket holders.Im assuming season ticket holders wont have to then do anything just turn up at the game apart from cup games when they will need to purchase tickets.

 

[The Brighton Buzz]

I started with 1500 loyalty points then went to 3500 and today it has gone back to 1752 hav'nt got a clue whats going on.Anyone else seen theirs go down.

 

[timbha]

I queued for 3 hours to get tickets and chatted with someone from BODS, they checked ahead of the sale and were told to only way for them to get tickets was to Q. It seemed ridiculous there could not have been some kind of priorty system for registered members, I find it embaresing the club makes some one who had trouble standing, do this for 3 hours.

So for me I would like a system that lets me know if I am in the system and that I will have able to bid/buy for avalible tickets. Plus come on Albion sort out a system for BODS/Seniors to get tickets without a 3 hour Q in the rain.

my mate's 75 year old mother was told she had to Q to get a disabled parking ticket. Arriving at about 9.15 on the 1st day of sale armed with her Blue Badge (she was dropped off outside cos she cant use buses and cant walk far) she reached the front of the Q about 10.30 to be told to fill in a form. She has heard nothing since so still doesn't know if she can use her Falmer ST - not a good way to treat someone who regularly went to the GG, G'ham, and Withdean

 

[Bakesy]

i don't seem to be able to log in at all - however i am a newbie.

I put my fan number in, and my password (and i've done 'forgotten password' and received the email with my password confirmation so i know that's right) and it just returns me to whatever screen i was in when i tried to log in and says (on the left) 'you are not logged in'.

Help.

same here

 

[goldstone]

I have just tried purchasing a ticket for the Spurs game (10pm Tuesday) when I delieve I can't buy it until 10am tomorrow (1000 points).
The ticket apeared in my basket as soon as I logged in (together with Gillingham and Eastbourne which I don't want), but when I tried to check out nothing happened.
There was a very confusing message "A pre-requisite product must be purchased prior to being used to make a second purchase. Membership purchases may require approval before they may be used as a pre-requisite. You must have previously purchased the product '<<<pre_req>>>'. You will need to reallocate these items to another customer and update your basket."
Very confusing is the wrong term ... more like completely unintelligible! What the hell does any of that mean?
I was going to try and buy online tomorrow morning, but I now think I'll go down to the shop in order to hopefully ensure I get a ticket.

 

[Braders]

Right quick question (don't felt it deserved its own thread) in the future will the club be selling tickets from both the Stadium AND the Queens Road shops - alot of talk was only from the Stadium , which for me and no doubt many others will be an absolute pain to get too.

 

[Skaville]

Can someone from th club come up here and cook my lunch? I've been pressing try again for twenty five minutes and I'm running out of time to eat.

 

[Skaville]

Can I suggest that you remove the banner that reads "Tickets, book online. Simple, quick and easy". You may well get prosecuted under the sale of goods act for any one of those three claims.

 

[Joe Gatting's Dad]

I started with 1500 loyalty points then went to 3500 and today it has gone back to 1752 hav'nt got a clue whats going on.Anyone else seen theirs go down.

Same again. Seems you are being allocated 20 points for Spurs and nothing for Gillingham, which somehow adds up to 1752 not 1270 - ah well keeps us at the front of the queue!

 

[Bozza]

Same again. Seems you are being allocated 20 points for Spurs and nothing for Gillingham, which somehow adds up to 1752 not 1270 - ah well keeps us at the front of the queue!

I started with 1500 loyalty points then went to 3500 and today it has gone back to 1752 hav'nt got a clue whats going on.Anyone else seen theirs go down.

If you look at your purchase history are you able to see where the points have come from?

 

[seagullsslimjim]

Just bought 2 Spurs tickets from the club shop at the stadium - Strolled in and only 1 in there buying and done a few mins - bought a few bits and bobs too. apparently the phones had gone down earlier.

Understandably thats no good for people far away or work - but beats the Queens Road issues of queueing for hours