Club comms

[Day]

1 minute ago, i-Ram said:

Pearce is a puppet.

Ahh, and the evil Baron Silas von Greenback controls everything from my thoughts to picking the team and the tea bag in the concourses, gotcha. 

If only I had known this sooner, I feel such a fool ??‍♂️

[i-Ram]

3 minutes ago, David said:

Ahh, and the evil Baron Silas von Greenback controls everything from my thoughts to picking the team and the tea bag in the concourses, gotcha. 

If only I had known this sooner, I feel such a fool ??‍♂️

Mel Morris.

Baron Silas von Greenback.

[Day]

1 minute ago, i-Ram said:

Mel Morris.

Baron Silas von Greenback.

Real life Scooby Doo episode right here!

 

[Yani P]

9 minutes ago, David said:

Ahh, and the evil Baron Silas von Greenback controls everything from my thoughts to picking the team and the tea bag in the concourses, gotcha. 

If only I had known this sooner, I feel such a fool ??‍♂️

Who has been tea bagged on the concourses? ?

[Day]

Just now, Yani P said:

Who has been tea bagged on the concourses? ?

My money is on @DarkFruitsRam7

[Steve Buckley’s Dog]

1 minute ago, David said:

My mistake, thought I wrote that.

You're right that it's immaterial to Derby fans, however looking what other clubs are doing helps understand the financial climate.

I was talking to my mate who's a Spurs fan, was telling me it's the same there, can't be aware it is open on match days.

Other clubs are running at reduced hours, where we have chose to not open at all. There's obviously a reason for this and clearly causing problems for some fans which isn't great, but what can we do? 

Help each other out navigate the online systems, which I have seen it's been great to see.

As for why, some are saying financial, yeah I can see that, but then why open the Megastore? How many customers walk through the doors during the week, wouldn't it make sense to close this and spend the staffing budget on the ticket office.

Or does the data show more ticket sales are completed online? I honestly don't know, I also don't know if that's the main reason why the reduced attendances, we are still in a pandemic which has people concerned and avoiding large crowds. 

We're also coming off the back of a near miss relegation with £0 spent and EFL disputes ongoing, are fans disillusioned and refusing to return until things have been sorted and improved?

Again, I don't know, just speculating here and looking at all possible reasons, trying to understand instead than attacking the club. 

And that's not "loyalty" to Mel, we don't even know who's decision this is, Stephen Pearce is the CEO, knows his way round a calculator and spreadsheet, could this be his idea? 

I think you are right, I think there are a multitude of reasons why gates are down. However I do know of people not going because of ticketing issues - whether that be the ludicrous delay in selling and sorting season tickets and season ticket cards or the online only ticket sales. I also know of people trying to contact the club to resolve issues, of which I am one, and are finding communicating with the club extremely difficult - there is about a 2 week delay in replying to emails and even when they do they send a response indicating that they haven’t read or assimilated the information given to them. Phone lines at a premium rate (why? Why not a local number?) are barely manned and others on here have failed to get through, not had issues resolved or had very costly waiting times. The inability to actually speak to a person who can resolve an issue is incredibly frustrating and incomprehensible. 

Even opening it one day a week, like the clubs in the examples you have stated, would give some fans an opportunity to have problems resolved and give older supporters or those without access to technology / printers etc a chance to actually buy and pick up tickets. Making obstacles and hoops to buying a product isn’t a very smart business decision in my opinion.

I personally know of one person who can’t order/access tickets and hasn’t been able to go this season, another who doesn’t know his customer number, has never bought a ticket online and has decided it isn’t worth the hassle, another who has relied on me making an hour long drive to sort his tickets out, along with, anecdotally, quite a few others who have just given up due to the initial difficulty in buying tickets. I know personally of 4 people in dispute about their tickets, none of whom can get the matter resolved. 

The club is struggling seemingly in every way possible and if I was running it I would be doing everything I could to bring in as much revenue as possible and keep my fanbase communicated with and treated honestly and fairly.

At the moment decisions being made seem to be driving people away and disenfranchising them, which is a shame because I am enjoying watching an honest bunch of players giving their all and would much rather be focussed on that. 

[Day]

3 minutes ago, Steve Buckley’s Dog said:

I think you are right, I think there are a multitude of reasons why gates are down. However I do know of people not going because of ticketing issues - whether that be the ludicrous delay in selling and sorting season tickets and season ticket cards or the online only ticket sales. I also know of people trying to contact the club to resolve issues, of which I am one, and are finding communicating with the club extremely difficult - there is about a 2 week delay in replying to emails and even when they do they send a response indicating that they haven’t read or assimilated the information given to them. Phone lines at a premium rate (why? Why not a local number?) are barely manned and others on here have failed to get through, not had issues resolved or had very costly waiting times. The inability to actually speak to a person who can resolve an issue is incredibly frustrating and incomprehensible. 

Even opening it one day a week, like the clubs in the examples you have stated, would give some fans an opportunity to have problems resolved and give older supporters or those without access to technology / printers etc a chance to actually buy and pick up tickets. Making obstacles and hoops to buying a product isn’t a very smart business decision in my opinion.

I personally know of one person who can’t order/access tickets and hasn’t been able to go this season, another who doesn’t know his customer number, has never bought a ticket online and has decided it isn’t worth the hassle, another who has relied on me making an hour long drive to sort his tickets out, along with, anecdotally, quite a few others who have just given up due to the initial difficulty in buying tickets. I know personally of 4 people in dispute about their tickets, none of whom can get the matter resolved. 

The club is struggling seemingly in every way possible and if I was running it I would be doing everything I could to bring in as much revenue as possible and keep my fanbase communicated with and treated honestly and fairly.

At the moment decisions being made seem to be driving people away and disenfranchising them, which is a shame because I am enjoying watching an honest bunch of players giving their all and would much rather be focussed on that. 

Try emailing the SLO (Supporters Liaison Officer) slo@dcfc.co.uk 

Tell her what your email was about and when you sent it, should be able to see what's going on for you.

As for the person that doesn't remember their customer number, is this for their season ticket or just to buy individual match tickets? If the latter simply create a new account online and they will be assigned a customer number.

[Steve Buckley’s Dog]

11 minutes ago, David said:

Try emailing the SLO (Supporters Liaison Officer) slo@dcfc.co.uk 

Tell her what your email was about and when you sent it, should be able to see what's going on for you.

As for the person that doesn't remember their customer number, is this for their season ticket or just to buy individual match tickets? If the latter simply create a new account online and they will be assigned a customer number.

Emailed the SLO 3 weeks ago - still no response. Emailed them again last week asking to be liaised with - still no response. Completely ineffective and a waste of time. Maybe we no longer have an SLO? Either that or they don’t see liaising with supporters asking to be liaised with as part of their job description! 

Person who didn’t know their number, too late - they aren’t online and they have given up stating that the club obviously don’t need their custom. An irregular supporter but one who would go a couple of times a season nevertheless. They can’t be bothered now. Their revenue, no matter how small, has been lost. I am just giving you examples that I personally know about. Bit of a worry if this trend is extrapolated. That was the point I was making. I appreciate your suggestions however. 
 

[Day]

4 minutes ago, Steve Buckley’s Dog said:

Emailed the SLO 3 weeks ago - still no response. Emailed them again last week asking to be liaised with - still no response. Completely ineffective and a waste of time. Maybe we no longer have an SLO? Either that or they don’t see liaising with supporters asking to be liaised with as part of their job description! 

Person who didn’t know their number, too late - they aren’t online and they have given up stating that the club obviously don’t need their custom. An irregular supporter but one who would go a couple of times a season nevertheless. They can’t be bothered now. Their revenue, no matter how small, has been lost. I am just giving you examples that I personally know about. Bit of a worry if this trend is extrapolated. That was the point I was making. I appreciate your suggestions however. 
 

On the SLO, we do have one. She's also on Twitter @dcfc_slo if you are on that platform, might be a stupid question but just to rule it out, have you checked your spam/junk folder?

[Steve Buckley’s Dog]

2 minutes ago, David said:

On the SLO, we do have one. She's also on Twitter @dcfc_slo if you are on that platform, might be a stupid question but just to rule it out, have you checked your spam/junk folder?

Yes I have. If we have an SLO they are certainly not replying to my emails. I don’t have / use Twitter or any social media other than this forum. I’m afraid to say that if we are currently employing someone whose job is to liaise with supporters then I am appalled at the lack of response, especially as the first line of my email stated that I was a supporter who wished to be liaised with!! 

[Dean (hick) Saunders]

Could try a strongly worded letter?

[Steve Buckley’s Dog]

3 minutes ago, Dean (hick) Saunders said:

Could try a strongly worded letter?

Who would I address it to? We seemingly don’t have anyone who worked there or replies to anything. A real sad state of affairs. 

[Eddie]

10 minutes ago, Dean (hick) Saunders said:

Could try a strongly worded letter?

How's about a strongly lettered word? Say 'syzygy' - useful in Scrabble.

[angieram]

The SLO did say she was taking a few days' leave during the international break. She said so on Twitter.

There are also regular messages on there from people she has helped to sort out all sorts of problems.

Knowing people as I do who have had their queries sorted that way, or  through email to dcfc tickets or through the phone lines it does seem extremely unfortunate that all your attempts to contact people have been met with a stony silence. I feel for you.

 

[Tyler Durden]

Note wrapped round a brick as a final resort?

[Day]

14 minutes ago, angieram said:

The SLO did say she was taking a few days' leave during the international break. She said so on Twitter.

There are also regular messages on there from people she has helped to sort out all sorts of problems.

Knowing people as I do who have had their queries sorted that way, or  through email to dcfc tickets or through the phone lines it does seem extremely unfortunate that all your attempts to contact people have been met with a stony silence. I feel for you.

With this, @Steve Buckley’s Dog I would drop the ticket office another email as frustrating as that is, not sure what was in your previous email but I would only discuss the issue you are personally having, I doubt they will access other fans accounts to discuss with you unless you have your customer ID's connected as a family. 

[kash_a_ram_a_ding_dong]

Everything around the club's finances and communications is so,so c*** that I that many of us are becoming blind to it......but the reality is,the club are making a complete hash of looking after their fan base in just about every conceivable way.

[Steve Buckley’s Dog]

5 minutes ago, David said:

With this, @Steve Buckley’s Dog I would drop the ticket office another email as frustrating as that is, not sure what was in your previous email but I would only discuss the issue you are personally having, I doubt they will access other fans accounts to discuss with you unless you have your customer ID's connected as a family. 

Exactly what I have done. Only discussing my issue and those of my connected family with all details asked for provided, which my first email also did. No reply. Maybe you can begin to see the mounting frustration now! I am not the only one being treated in this way. 

[Day]

15 minutes ago, Steve Buckley’s Dog said:

Exactly what I have done. Only discussing my issue and those of my connected family with all details asked for provided, which my first email also did. No reply. Maybe you can begin to see the mounting frustration now! I am not the only one being treated in this way. 

I do get it, in a similar position with RyanAir, no replies to email, call and I'm 92 in the queue, live chat 156 in the queue no matter what time I ring and the flight departs a month tomorrow, so yeah I get it.  

Reading above where Angie has seen and heard people having their issues resolved, suggests they are there and working, I'm guessing with the complexity of issues given the season ticket refunds, offers, kids memberships etc. is bogging them down.

I just went to check if there had been anything on the club website. Now I know this won't help but it appears staff shortages is the issue, 

Quote

 

And albeit with a temporary limited service due to staff shortages, the Ticket Office phone lines will be manned between 10am-4pm on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday to primarily help with processing Season Tickets.

Full details on 2021/22 Season Tickets can be found by clicking here.

Whilst acknowledging some supporters’ frustration in not being able to engage directly with a Ticket Office representative, the club asks for patience whilst it endeavours to answer a backlog of email enquiries and processes tickets for Saturday’s home league game against Nottingham Forest (12:30pm kick-off).

 

This was published on 22nd August

https://www.dcfc.co.uk/news/2021/08/season-ticketticket-office-update-21st-august-2021

I also went to look at Derby County jobs, if you are having staff shortages, what do you do? Employ more people and they are advertising for full time ticket office assistants with a closing date of September 12th.

https://www.dcfc.co.uk/page/ticket-office-assistant-full-time?k=7385bc6b64510231104d9488242d2624b70b2f78

As well as match day ticket office assistants 

https://www.dcfc.co.uk/page/ticket-office-assistant?k=851138c3f354cede0708df5a393bffca8e5542f1

[Leeds Ram]

No-one on here knows Mel so I think all speculation (some more informed than others) on if he's a 'good guy' or not should probably be put to one side. I think the club is quite obviously being run into the ground and I don't think the way we're being mismanaged is particularly defensible anymore in a number of areas. The ticketing situation is ridiculous especially for some away games which does make it an absolute pain to get tickets and it is definitely financially harming the club. The lack of communication in a number of areas is not good enough, if Mel was just another owner this alone would be getting a lot more grief for it. Mel's tactics with the EFL has put a target on our back and alienated us from other clubs in the division, whether he is right or wrong on the argument is of secondary importance, it's inevitably led to this state of affairs that has left us in a shambles. 



I don't really have sympathy for the argument of 'bad luck' and 'he's put in a ton of money' to me i just think go and play the world's smallest violin as Mel's a rich man and he'll still be rich after he's sold us. Money is easy to spend when you've got it and it doesn't reflect much more than your capacities. As an owner he should have been more prudent with his investment and despite trying to sell the club for 2 years, as of last year he was still asking for 100 million quid for the club 'all in'. That's not a price that screams 'desperate to sell' it's much closer to 'I am selling the club but I want my investment back'.  

He was more than happy to be celebrating at elland road on the pitch with his scarf so in my book he's also got to be as visible when things go sideways. He simply hasn't done this and it's a mark of poor quality leadership that has defined his time at the club.