Match off

[AustrianAndyGull]

That last bit says it all really Micky.

[Gullscorer]

I don't actually disagree with anything that's been said above. I'm sorry I did not adequately express myself here and that people missed the point I was trying and intending, probably unnecessarily, to make, which was that customers are also prone to being discourteous. I intended no criticism of any supporters here and sorry if it came across this way. :Oops:

[SkyBlueGull]

For me it was a wasted trip down from Coventry - 7 hours in the car -£70 in petrol.

My experience at the ticket office was okay - there was jsust disappointment from both sides of the counter - typical British Fortitude

However one point of interest.

Another fan who had treavelled a long way got into a discussion with a member of staff and intimated that our pitch problems stemmed from a period backin/towards the summer when we had a groundsman who was absent through illness for circa 6 weeks and things that needed to be done didnt get done.

Now I have no way of knowing whether true or not - nor do I want to get into any sort of debate - but if true it seems that the sickness of the groundsman and our manager have done some serious damage to the club this season.

As an aside I work in insurance - and there is something you can get called keyman insurance. It does what it says on the tin in that it will cover you, the employer, for the absence of a key member of staff through illness ( or unfortunately death) and will pay you a sum to employ a replacement to cover the absence or until you fill it.

The premium is obviously dependant on the salary you are looking to cover but I know of a company whereby

a) £25 premium per month covers a salary of £35,000 for a period of 6 months

b) £100 premium per month covers a salary of £75,000 for a period of 12months

Surely it would be worth the club considering going forward - even if option a at a cost of £300 per year would assist in a replacement for the manager during his illness

[brucie]

This message about the ticket refund says it all really. Its typical of the attitude which has run through the staff at Torquay United for nigh on 40 years. Customer service? there has never ever been any. Its an appalling state of affairs when supporters who make efforts to get to matches are treated with such disdain.
I wonder whether Mr Candy has read this thread - he has a major job on his hands turning this rabble around.
Going back to saturdays postponement - I understand that the match was called off at 1.40 pm,
What information was put out to fans (via website etc) that a pitch inspection was planned or that the match was in doubt?
I can confirm that radio devon first announced the match was off at 2.07 pm just as I arrived at the ground in the car.
Thats probably half an hour AFTER the game was called off.
The first procedure on calling off the game is that the local press should be made aware - a simple phone call to radio devon would suffice for starters - I know for a fact that they would announce any postponement straight away - they wouldn't wait for the sports program.
That would have saved me 50 miles.
Its things like this that would really make a difference but do the staff care about the supporters? - do they ****.

[ferrarilover]

Given your attitude to "facts", I doubt your claim.

Sky knew by about 1350. A Tweet was sent at 1342. The club can only tell who they can tell. Local radio wouldn't have made any difference to me, since I don't listen to it and I suspect I'm not alone. I'd reckon that more people will be watching Soccer Saturday than will be listening to Radio Devon before a game.

The club isn't perfect, but then, nor is any other. I really fail to see why alleged 'supporters' are so keen to bash the club they claim to love at every opportunity given virtually no good cause.

Matt.

[AustrianAndyGull]

Matt, i can't and won't comment on the issues of when the match was called off and when the info was first put out there because i wasn't there, i wasn't listening to BBC Radio Devon and nor do i live in the area however, we are customers and expect a reasonably professional standard of service alongside basic good manners which is what a lot of people are unhappy with. Yes we are supporters but that doesn't mean we should be treated differently to customers of other retail / service providers, we all expect a minimum standard and if the service falls below this then we have good cause to complain IMO.

Like i have said earlier, i've only been to Plainmoor 3 times and on 2 of those occasions i was unhappy with the service. On one occasion i asked a few questions about the kids membership, home shirt, product enquiries as i'd not been before and got rebuffed on all three, the lady not really knowing the answers to my questions nor seemingly willing to go the 'extra mile' to find out for me. On top of this she was turning around every 2 seconds to conduct a conversation with another member of staff whilst i was in the middle of a transaction. This is simply not acceptable and although it's not something she needs to be tried and hanged for, it made me feel disappointed. I felt as though I was being an inconvenience in wanting to buy things, find out things that would have benefitted the club financially with me spending money and the overall surly, short attitude was tangible.

I'm not bashing the club Matt, i just think that there is a basic standard of service and respect a customer should receive wherever he/she chooses to frequent and it is clear from many on here that this is not being adhered to. I can understand they should begin to resent customers, i had a really customer focussed role about 12, 13 years back and the longer i did it and had to deal with complete pr*cks on a daily basis the more i found it affected my job and my moods so i jacked it in. It wasn't fair on the company i was paid to represent and it wasn't fair on me as i had began to become disinterested with the cusotmers and disinterested in the job as i'd gotten used to it. It had become stale, repetetive and boring. Maybe that is the same for some of them at TUFC in which case i do honestly feel their positions should be reviewed and they should be asked the question if they still had the club and it's customers at heart and in addition be enrolled on a customer care course should they say yes. We should then see a marked improvement or some new faces behind the desks depending on the answers they give.

[ferrarilover]

**** hell, you think I have missed the point of a post, that's almost the dictionary definition of irony.

The club weren't expecting a pitch inspection. How many more times am I going to have to say this before you understand? The pitch was inspected at 1330, the game called off at 1340. I live 12 miles from the ground and we leave at 1400. Realistically, anyone living more than 15 miles away would have left by the time the match was called off. These people couldn't afford to wait until after the inspection until they set off, because they would have missed kick off.

I didn't suggest that my situation was the definitive situation, I used it to demonstrate that, since the overwhelming majority of TUFC fans live within, say, half an hour of the ground, it's more likely that the major media of Twitter and Sky would reach considerably more people than the half a dozen listening to Radio Devon.
No one else seems to struggle interpreting my very simple and plainly written posts (hell, even Andy manages). Are you educationally subnormal?

Matt.

[AustrianAndyGull]

f**k hell, you think I have missed the point of a post, that's almost the dictionary definition of irony.

The club weren't expecting a pitch inspection. How many more times am I going to have to say this before you understand? The pitch was inspected at 1330, the game called off at 1340. I live 12 miles from the ground and we leave at 1400. Realistically, anyone living more than 15 miles away would have left by the time the match was called off. These people couldn't afford to wait until after the inspection until they set off, because they would have missed kick off.

I didn't suggest that my situation was the definitive situation, I used it to demonstrate that, since the overwhelming majority of TUFC fans live within, say, half an hour of the ground, it's more likely that the major media of Twitter and Sky would reach considerably more people than the half a dozen listening to Radio Devon.
No one else seems to struggle interpreting my very simple and plainly written posts (hell, even Andy manages). Are you educationally subnormal?

Matt.

I try my best...........

[ferrarilover]

I'm not convinced Andy. I think we need to stop expecting pristine service. I've done all sorts of things in my time, been to some genuinely top notch places. I've eaten in some of the world's finest restaurants (places which deal, with monotonous regularity with US Presidents, HMQ, Popes and the like) and stayed in some incredible hotels (similar). For the service I receive at these places, I pay a handsome price and so do the establishments. They pay huge salaries to their top guys, they spend plenty of time and money on training and they have a huge staff in order that every little thing may be executed with absolute perfection. Torquay United, on the other hand, employ half a dozen enthusiastic amateurs who are paid a pittance in order to deliver a functional service.
Sure, sometimes it doesn't even reach the standard of functional and I appreciate that this is a pain, but the club don't do it deliberately, nor do they really have the money to do a great deal about it.
The Candyman does an excellent job of running the show on his own. I think also that the guy in the ticket office is pretty good.
If you're unhappy, then something has gone wrong and that's not ideal, but, for me, it's a lower league football club, I expect it to be a bit hopeless at customer service. I've never had worse service at TUFC than I have at any other L2 side.

Perhaps we just have different expectations?

Matt.

[ferrarilover]

if the club wernt expecting a pitch inspection and didnt look at the pitch at say 1pm and think hmmm this is going a head only for the ref to say no its not at 1.30 then they are more gormless then we all think.

its simple. either they think the pitch looks bad lets have a pitch inspection at 12 and see how it looks and let the fans know we are doing inspections. i.e. get the word out it might be off.

or they really thought it was good enough to play on and hadnt noticed the puddles on the pitch.

we hear all the time football is a business. well the customer service and product offering isnt up to scratch.

as i said it is fun.

ps in terms of education. i might be educated but might not but

Something else you've failed to interpret correctly.

I'm not bothering to explain, AGAIN, why we didn't have an inspection any earlier than we did.

Matt.

[AustrianAndyGull]

I'm not convinced Andy. I think we need to stop expecting pristine service. I've done all sorts of things in my time, been to some genuinely top notch places. I've eaten in some of the world's finest restaurants (places which deal, with monotonous regularity with US Presidents, HMQ, Popes and the like) and stayed in some incredible hotels (similar). For the service I receive at these places, I pay a handsome price and so do the establishments. They pay huge salaries to their top guys, they spend plenty of time and money on training and they have a huge staff in order that every little thing may be executed with absolute perfection. Torquay United, on the other hand, employ half a dozen enthusiastic amateurs who are paid a pittance in order to deliver a functional service.
Sure, sometimes it doesn't even reach the standard of functional and I appreciate that this is a pain, but the club don't do it deliberately, nor do they really have the money to do a great deal about it.
The Candyman does an excellent job of running the show on his own. I think also that the guy in the ticket office is pretty good.
If you're unhappy, then something has gone wrong and that's not ideal, but, for me, it's a lower league football club, I expect it to be a bit hopeless at customer service. I've never had worse service at TUFC than I have at any other L2 side.

Perhaps we just have different expectations?

Matt.

I can see your point of view now you put it like that but these people have still answered job adverts, been interviewed and got the jobs they are in so they should know what they are doing at base level. I suppose we do have different expectations and i agree the Candy man is doing a great job. I've not eaten in the worlds finest restaurants though but the bog standard bistro on the Kartnerstrasse in Vienna takes some beating as does a TESCO fry up the morning after a night out. =D

[Glostergull]

I'm not convinced Andy. I think we need to stop expecting pristine service. I've done all sorts of things in my time, been to some genuinely top notch places. I've eaten in some of the world's finest restaurants (places which deal, with monotonous regularity with US Presidents, HMQ, Popes and the like) and stayed in some incredible hotels (similar). For the service I receive at these places, I pay a handsome price and so do the establishments. They pay huge salaries to their top guys, they spend plenty of time and money on training and they have a huge staff in order that every little thing may be executed with absolute perfection. Torquay United, on the other hand, employ half a dozen enthusiastic amateurs who are paid a pittance in order to deliver a functional service.

You really must tell me more young man. I do wonder why you drool over my cor now.




Sure, sometimes it doesn't even reach the standard of functional and I appreciate that this is a pain, but the club don't do it deliberately, nor do they really have the money to do a great deal about it.
The Candyman does an excellent job of running the show on his own. I think also that the guy in the ticket office is pretty good.
If you're unhappy, then something has gone wrong and that's not ideal, but, for me, it's a lower league football club, I expect it to be a bit hopeless at customer service. I've never had worse service at TUFC than I have at any other L2 side.

Perhaps we just have different expectations?

I suspect those who still expect more of service at Plainmoor should look at what they themselves get paid and ask, If i got paid the basic monimum wage, would i still give the maximum service for being abused in the service of this company or would I feel undervalued and not perform to the level a better paid person might perform to.
I suspect you will get the answer No!. Yet the staff do perform way above what they get paid for. They do love the club in the main and I suspect if they were made redundant they would all hurt like hell. We do not value them for what they do, But would sit complaining like hell if we were paid what they were paid and got sod all thanks for it.
Like Matt says. You get the level of service you pay for. If you don't pay enough don't be surprised if you get a monkey.

Matt.

[Trojan 67]

Um ?

Don't get what Gloster's on about.

Another facked up quote, facked up response, eh ?

[MidDevon]

Regarding customer service at Plainmoor

25 years at all levels of retail have tought me something

Poor customer service from staff is down to 1 of 3 things

1. Lack of training (manager to sort out)
2. Lack of ability (manager to manage person out of role)
3. Conduct (manager to manage individual out of business)

I have rarely seen a member of staff coming to work with the intent of doing a bad job, In almost every case I have ever dealt with is actually down to the training, ability or conduct of the manager in place, sort them and your problem has gone.

....If there is a problem, that is where I am sure Mr Candy now has the authority and support to sort

[camberwick green]

Maybe it's time to start looking ahead to Tuesday night. What are the chances that the pitch will have recovered in time? For the benefit of those living away from Torbay, maybe the locals can tell us, how was the weather on Sunday? And today? Does anyone know of plans already in place to inspect the pitch at any stage?