Confusion over special offer

[Rotten Johnny Shawcraw]

There was some confusion at the turnstiles on Saturday as people arriving with one child were told they'd have to pay, how can you tell them they can bring two kids in for free but not one?

 

It would be a shame if what was a great PR exercise backfired because of something as petty as that.

[chris blanc]

I turned up with only one child and had no problems at all

[ifa]

I turned up with one and had to pay. I was advised to 'find' another one, but I did't fancy my name in the papers.

Seriously, if I had known it was two kids or nothing he could have brough a mate - therefore increasing the attendance by one!

[StuThompson]

There was confusion with different people being told different things eventually it turnrd out that it was up to 2 accompanied children.

[ifa]

I will therefore officially donate the £5 that I need not have paid to club funds. However, I expect to be able to choose the colours of the away strip for european competitions.

[Hawkeye]

Had the same problem trying to get my grandson in and told offer only applies to two children. Eventually got him in at another gate but I had to stay outside and join another queue. Also a couple of ladies walking around outside with a fiver in their hands not knowing where to go.

If these fantastic offers are going to be a regularity can we please have clear instruction on what gates to use and can the adult please be allowed to accompany the child through the gate?

[Rotten Johnny Shawcraw]

I saw some people 'borrowing' a kid from somebody else, some kids were even told by their parents to go in and then come out again so as to go in again with someone else who had only one kid, the whole thing decended into a total farce!

This is a great idea but can it be a bit better organised next time, ie one or two kids free with each paying adult?

[Paulo GNFC]

I think the offer was clear enough but the guys on the gates misunderstood it. Also, why can't a season ticket holder bring in a child for free? I was under the impression the idea is to attract/encourage youngsters along and if they enjoy the day they will want to return and bring their friends/parents etc... After all, I have still paid my entrance fee but well in advance.

[Rotten Johnny Shawcraw]

Good question Paulo, you are effectivley being penalised for being a season ticket holder and I suppose the club never thought of that, the whole thing was a bit of a [****!!****] up!

[James]

Isnt any offer that our illustrious new chief executive has so far come up with surely staff briefings is one of the first things you carry out with any special offer

[Ronnie]

There is very little communication between the club and the people that man the gates. My son worked a gate last season and only knew if the club was opening early (live footie in the bar) because I found out on here and told him.

[Wobbly Wayne rides again]

I was critical over the lack of initiatives emanating from our new CEO, but in recent weeks I have been pleasantly suprised. Its taken a while but we now seem to be getting things right.

Lets give praise where it is due.

But as rightly pointed out by some in this thread we need to also get the basics right, many of our new supporters first impressions would have been formed by the shambles at the turnstiles, and it comes across very poorly.

 

C'mon you reds onwards and upwards.

 

[Andrewc]

My son and I arrived at the ground around 13.45 on Saturday and I too was bemused when told by the young turnstile operator that I needed two children to qualify for the 'kids for free' offer. I thought it strange but to keep the peace paid up anyway. I then sought out Glenn Aitken who explained the offer was for adults bringing in up to two children not those specifically with two children. I accompanied him to the errant turnstile operator and listened while he clearly explained the offer to him, I also received my fiver refund. It would be interesting to hear whether the incidents outlined above happened after say, 13.50. If they did the turnstile bod clearly wasn't listening or is simply dense. Either way, is this the calibre of person we should have on the gate?

 

[FleetFanatic]

I can 100% confirm that the person in question was not a connex employee.

 

However, the person would seem to be of the 'right' calibre for platform duties.

 

With that poor attempt at humour.....

 

.....seriously - it all seems rather bemusing at the lack of communication amongst certain departments. However, I would expect that these problems will be ironed out asap. Well, I hope so anyway!

[James]

I agree with Wobbly Wayne I am not critiscing the ideas but it is there implementation if Glenn Aitken had explained the offer properly to the turnstile operative he would not have to go and tell him after he cocked up in the first place through no fault of his own.

[mikef]

SD said ".....seriously - it all seems rather bemusing at the lack of communication amongst certain departments. However, I would expect that these problems will be ironed out asap. Well, I hope so anyway!"

 

I totally agree with you SD. Look at the lack of co-ordination for FITC last summer, there was even mis-information given such as one person telling people there would be no FITC this summer another person saying there was but didn't have all the info & as far as I could tell nothing in the local papers.I ended up contacting Ian Docker myself to find out what was happening. And as for the clubs relationship/communications with its younger youth teams the less said the better. Yes I also hope that all these problems are sorted out ASAP for the clubs sake

 

 

Mike F

[StuThompson]

ANDREWC said:

My son and I arrived at the ground around 13.45 on Saturday and I too was bemused when told by the young turnstile operator that I needed two children to qualify for the 'kids for free' offer. I thought it strange but to keep the peace paid up anyway. I then sought out Glenn Aitken who explained the offer was for adults bringing in up to two children not those specifically with two children. I accompanied him to the errant turnstile operator and listened while he clearly explained the offer to him, I also received my fiver refund. It would be interesting to hear whether the incidents outlined above happened after say, 13.50. If they did the turnstile bod clearly wasn't listening or is simply dense. Either way, is this the calibre of person we should have on the gate?

 

 

 

Before you start bitching at us on the gates I will tell you the facts.

Cheryl who is in charge of gate staff was wrongly imformed by whom I don't know that it was two accompanied children after the uproar halfway through she was told it was up to two so clearly coming from higher up not the 'incompetent' gate staff also season tiket holders children were getting in for free. Sorry if this post offends but some of the quotes above I found offensive.

P.s if the bloke who got really offensive with me on saturday is reading please realise I was only going by rulesdon't take it out on me I don't make them!

PP.s the boy in question is my nephew Danny who has just finished his exams and got better grades than quite afew people about {mainly Bs} so not as thick as you make out.

[Andrewc]

I note the comments made. I still find it absolutely amazing that no-one either in the office or on the turnstiles had the sense to question why the instructions relating to 'kids go free' were different from those previously in place when the 'same' offer applied earlier in the season.

 

However, in an effort to draw a line under these misunderstandings I would suggest that for the future the Chief Exec or whoever is in charge of the turnstiles gives a card noting the scale of admission prices, and how they are to be applied, to all turnstile operators when they are handed their cash boxes prior to opening up.

 

In this way a repeat of Saturday's problems can be avoided as well as eliminating the opportunity for chinese whispers develop.