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Post by hcstokie on Aug 4, 2019 11:39:33 GMT
I couldn’t go to the game yesterday so I was hoping to watch the stream. Having seen the thread about all of the problems people were having I decided to not bother. The club is a mess and seemingly simple attention to detail and customer service is overlooked.
The food hygiene report is a disgrace and those in charge at the club should be ashamed. They may share responsibility with the catering company but this happened on their watch.
As people have said, the club haven’t developed the matchday experience for years and arguably if people can’t get in due to tickets not working and pointless security pat downs they’ve made it worse.
The ground is a soulless shell to watch a game of football in and no thought or effort on how to improve the customer experience has been made at all. Couple this with the fact that the football on offer for the last 3/4 years has been dire and you’re left with a pretty poor product to entice people back.
I was on the fence about renewing my season ticket but I did so through a sense of obligation more than enjoyment. I didn’t miss not going at all yesterday and if the club don’t get their act together soon I sense that others may start to feel the same way.
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Post by harrysburrow on Aug 4, 2019 11:43:52 GMT
So, taking everything into consideration, can anyone think of another plus point other than Nathan Collins yesterday then?
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Post by passtheoatcakes on Aug 4, 2019 12:06:49 GMT
Pre-Match:
- Health and Safety report completely slams the food hygiene at the stadium. - Those using iOS app and have paid for the streaming service left behind due to 'maintenance' - Season tickets at turnstiles not working at all, resulting in mass queues with many fans missing the first half and more. - Those who paid for the game on StokeCity+ couldn't log in or if they could were greeted with 'Listen Live' instead of 'Watch Live' (Luckily, I wasn't affected by this.) Mid-Match:
- Warm beer and whatever else if you dared brave it after reading the hygiene report. - Streaming service stopped dead at 90 minutes despite us having 5 minutes extra time only to resume 3-4 minutes into extra time when there was no point. Post-Match:It remains to be seen but I sense that it will be a slow response time in regards to refunds for the stream. I can add to this, the young pissed off lad serving on one of only two of the 5 kiosk tills working outside Block 28 told me to f**k off not once but twice as he threw a bottle of water over the counter at me. Hasten to add I had not been abusive in any way, I had just been in the middle of the rugby scrum getting nowhere and had suggested that his manager should put an out of order sign on the duff tills. Before the outburst he had basically told me they were only serving the outer queues and I along with the rest of the unserved should realise this. He wasn’t going to serve me as I was standing in the wrong queue. I have sent a letter of complaint in. Never had dogs abuse like that before, what with the naive shite football on offer I was ready to bail out. Badly run amateur set up both on and off the pitch these days.
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Post by Deleted on Aug 4, 2019 12:08:02 GMT
Pre-Match:
- Health and Safety report completely slams the food hygiene at the stadium. - Those using iOS app and have paid for the streaming service left behind due to 'maintenance' - Season tickets at turnstiles not working at all, resulting in mass queues with many fans missing the first half and more. - Those who paid for the game on StokeCity+ couldn't log in or if they could were greeted with 'Listen Live' instead of 'Watch Live' (Luckily, I wasn't affected by this.) Mid-Match:
- Warm beer and whatever else if you dared brave it after reading the hygiene report. - Streaming service stopped dead at 90 minutes despite us having 5 minutes extra time only to resume 3-4 minutes into extra time when there was no point. Post-Match:It remains to be seen but I sense that it will be a slow response time in regards to refunds for the stream. I can add to this, the young pissed off lad serving on one of only two of the 5 kiosk tills working outside Block 28 told me to f**k off not once but twice as he threw a bottle of water over the counter at me. Hasten to add I had not been abusive in any way, I had just been in the middle of the rugby scrum getting nowhere and had suggested that his manager should put an out of order sign on the duff tills. Before the outburst he had basically told me they were only serving the outer queues and I along with the rest of the unserved should realise this. He wasn’t going to serve me as I was standing in the wrong queue. I have sent a letter of complaint in. Never had dogs abuse like that before, what with the naive shite football on offer I was ready to bail out. Badly run amateur set up both on and off the pitch these days. Mate that sounds absolutely mental if true.
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Post by Deleted on Aug 4, 2019 12:09:25 GMT
The staff levels behind the bar are ridiculous.
At one station there should be no issue with 6 tills.
Till one - Cash only
Till two - Card only
Till three - Bottles only / card
Till four - Bottles only / card
Till five - Bottles only / cash
Till six - Cash or card
That's six staff, one per till and then two extra pulling pints behind.
8 staff on 8 pound an hour.
They should be making on about 4 pounds a minute on each till. How hard is it.
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Post by passtheoatcakes on Aug 4, 2019 12:13:46 GMT
So, taking everything into consideration, can anyone think of another plus point other than Nathan Collins yesterday then? The subs......except should have been earlier as always.
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Post by passtheoatcakes on Aug 4, 2019 12:16:56 GMT
I can add to this, the young pissed off lad serving on one of only two of the 5 kiosk tills working outside Block 28 told me to f**k off not once but twice as he threw a bottle of water over the counter at me. Hasten to add I had not been abusive in any way, I had just been in the middle of the rugby scrum getting nowhere and had suggested that his manager should put an out of order sign on the duff tills. Before the outburst he had basically told me they were only serving the outer queues and I along with the rest of the unserved should realise this. He wasn’t going to serve me as I was standing in the wrong queue. I have sent a letter of complaint in. Never had dogs abuse like that before, what with the naive shite football on offer I was ready to bail out. Badly run amateur set up both on and off the pitch these days. Mate that sounds absolutely mental if true. 100% true, not fake news matey, waiting for the response from SCFC towers, no doubt it will be a thinly veiled apology maybe and a voucher for a dodgy pie 😎👎
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Post by shrewspotter on Aug 4, 2019 12:20:09 GMT
I paid a fiver as I’m in Greece right now, couldn’t get it to work then got on board with Rob and watched it through YouTube for a quid
It’s quite staggering for a club that spends millions on new players can’t get their own streams working properly, even more staggering that the stream went off at 90 minutes. This means somebody must have turned it off which beggars belief
As for the ticketing mess and warm beer it really goes to show the club do not value our support as much as they say they do, quite frankly Peter Coates needs to get hold of that imbecile that is Tony Scholes and get someone that will run this club properly both on and off the pitch
I appreciate the tickets weren’t directly Scholes doing nor was the beer but he’s the man at the helm and he needs a royal fucking for it
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Post by bayernoatcake on Aug 4, 2019 12:24:24 GMT
See I wasn’t being dramatic.
This club is an absolute shit show.
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Post by keasie1863 on Aug 4, 2019 12:26:18 GMT
Too many people in cozy jobs that have been there too long.Top companies regularly ,move or change management every 3 years or so for that reason.otherwise complacency sets in,as we have seen on a regular basis,which culminated in yesterdays fiasco.
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Post by shrewspotter on Aug 4, 2019 12:27:55 GMT
See I wasn’t being dramatic. This club is an absolute shit show. true, its unbelievable to be honest
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Post by Pugsley on Aug 4, 2019 12:29:41 GMT
Are these some of the Supporters Council's accomplishments? Thinking about this, it's an absolute damning indictment of the council and the lip service the club pays to it. Reading these posts, it really is disgraceful. Shameful in fact.
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Post by Paul Spencer on Aug 4, 2019 12:43:25 GMT
Mate that sounds absolutely mental if true. 100% true, not fake news matey, waiting for the response from SCFC towers, no doubt it will be a thinly veiled apology maybe and a voucher for a dodgy pie 😎👎 You're expecting a reply? 😁
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Post by ParaPsych on Aug 4, 2019 12:51:33 GMT
On the positive side, my sausage roll didn't kill me. Although I'll have to remortgage the house to cover the cost.
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Post by hcstokie on Aug 4, 2019 12:55:16 GMT
Are these some of the Supporters Council's accomplishments? Thinking about this, it's an absolute damning indictment of the council and the lip service the club pays to it. Reading these posts, it really is disgraceful. Shameful in fact. The frustrating thing is that the off field issues are completely avoidable if managed properly. When there are so many off field issues across the board from lack of communication, staff attitudes, technical deficiencies, food hygiene, etc. it’s clear that those in charge are either incapable or don’t give a shit. The supporter’s council need to ask some very strong questions and refuse to be fobbed off by the club. Improvements need to be made across the board and quickly as people won’t tolerate it forever.
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Post by byronpotter on Aug 4, 2019 12:59:29 GMT
I’d like to add there is never, ever, any hand towel in the top tier of block 1 toilets.
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Post by smallthorner on Aug 4, 2019 13:02:53 GMT
It’s a great OP The club has been in relative freefall since the announcement of ‘self sufficiency’ as a strategy, what, 4 years or so ago Staggering given the Coates family wealth and the revenue we had as a Premier League team Yes. That statement four years ago said it all for me. It's a bit of a mess isn't it. And now to compound the situation we've got a manager who wants to play a diamond" with no tips. I'm getting a tad peeed off with all the talk if I'm honest. And where is the cliucking pace? We seem slower now than ever.
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Post by RedandWhite90 on Aug 4, 2019 13:04:09 GMT
Best thing I've ever done is to begin parking on the Rugby Club.
Reasonably priced pint, fresh food sky and BT on multiple TVs, never any longer than a 5 minute queue and a steady 20 minute walk to the ground.
I would imagine over the cost of 2 rounds of drinks it covers the cost of the parking (compared to stadium prices) and I get to spend the minimum amount of time possible inside the ground. 🙏
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Post by byronpotter on Aug 4, 2019 13:04:57 GMT
I should also add that I got a £35 parking ticket as there is nowhere to bloody park anymore. My cunning spot, and many peoples, off broadway drive, is now a building site. South Car Park gone? Where are you supposed to park?
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Post by dreamtheater on Aug 4, 2019 13:09:37 GMT
Our club is a fucking mess from top to bottom. We have billionaire ownership and for some strange reason they haven't got the first fucking clue what they're doing. This -- ( above) I'VE SAID TIME AFTER TIME - there was not enough 'blood on the carpet' after our relegation Me - Ive not subscribed to anything ( thank god) nor will I until, the second of the incompetents I hold individually responsible departs shocking stuff reported again yesterday A well oiled operation ? A complete joke more like and an embarrassment - there's no hiding it the Club cant even manage the most basic of services to ordinary paying customers - that is plain over to you Mr Scholes its your watch - you are responsible
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Post by thevoid on Aug 4, 2019 13:30:04 GMT
The buck stops at the very top perhaps Coates has lost all interest or is to old to care or take on board what is really happening. The people who work for him must tell him any old bullshit & carry on regardless. Perhaps its time for Peter to say i have had enough & sell up because as things are at the moment we are heading to league 1 rapidly in all respects. Couldn't agree more.
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Post by Deleted on Aug 4, 2019 13:35:10 GMT
I should also add that I got a £35 parking ticket as there is nowhere to bloody park anymore. My cunning spot, and many peoples, off broadway drive, is now a building site. South Car Park gone? Where are you supposed to park? Park in Hanford off the top Wilson Road and walk through the public right of way to the back end of Sainsburys - from where it is just a short walk to the canal. Takes about 15-20 minutes tops. Apologies for the bad drawing, but here are the rough directions, starting in Wilson Road and finishing by the Oatcake Boat.
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Post by Dutchpeter on Aug 4, 2019 13:35:54 GMT
The problem is that they pay piss poor wages so they only attract supporters or those desperate for a job. They don’t attract people with the necessary skills, qualifications and experience and anyone worth their salt won’t go near them. End result is we’re run by a bunch of amateurs overseen by probably the most overpaid charlatan in English football. Peter Coates will happily host rallies for Jeremy Corbyn and thrash stupid money on overweight, crap players but won’t pay local people a pound or two over the minimum wage. His socialism is as shambolic as his football club.
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Post by philb on Aug 4, 2019 13:36:09 GMT
I decided (perhaps unwisely) to try the hot food on the concourse in the Family Stand. Having occasionally las season bought the meal deal (cheeseburger, chips and drink for £7.50) I looked at the menu and couldn’t see it. I then noticed something called ‘The Hat-Trick’ (who thought that one up 🙄) which I very quickly discovered was a cheeseburger, chips and guess what? A hot drink. Oh it’s there I said, slowly then realising that for some reason it was priced at £8.00 not £7.50. Ok I said prices go up I suppose. I then asked the what I can only describe as ‘gormless’ looking person by the till if I could have ‘The Hat-Trick meal please’ and she looked at me as if she hadn’t got a clue what I was on about. She then turned to another ‘gormless’ looking person and they both turned round and looked at the menu board behind them. And it must have took a few seconds before it dawned on one of them what I actually wanted. One stood there by the till doing nothing whilst the other disappeared around the corner and came back with a cheeseburger in a box. Whilst the one standing by the till (still doing nothing) stood there the other one disappeared again and came back with some chips, which incidentally went all over the counter as they were filled too full. They then looked at each other and one said to the other ‘he needs a drink as well’ she took my money and I finally got my food and drink after all that. I know these people are on minimum wage and probably don’t give a shit, but for God’s sake Stoke at least give them a days training so they actually look like they know what they’re doing.
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Post by PolPotter on Aug 4, 2019 13:45:15 GMT
Coates has almost taken us full circle. Jones is the new Mills. I don't need to be told it's just the first game of the season. I can go back to games during the 16/17 season when it was very clear things were starting to go smelly and it's progressively gotten worse. Do not think for one second this season will be a success.
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Post by Deleted on Aug 4, 2019 13:45:45 GMT
So, taking everything into consideration, can anyone think of another plus point other than Nathan Collins yesterday then? I didnt go. That's a huge plus, personally.
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Post by byronpotter on Aug 4, 2019 13:55:33 GMT
I should also add that I got a £35 parking ticket as there is nowhere to bloody park anymore. My cunning spot, and many peoples, off broadway drive, is now a building site. South Car Park gone? Where are you supposed to park? Park in Hanford off the top Wilson Road and walk through the public right of way to the back end of Sainsburys - from where it is just a short walk to the canal. Takes about 15-20 minutes tops. Apologies for the bad drawing, but here are the rough directions, starting in Wilson Road and finishing by the Oatcake Boat. Cheers. I drive from Sheffield to Uttoxeter to pick my Dad up so knowing where to park when we get to Brit very handy!
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Post by danceswithclams on Aug 4, 2019 14:08:48 GMT
For quite a long time for me, actually going to the match is the worst part of the day.
Even if you ignore the fact that what's served up on the pitch is largely dull and uninspiring, I still find myself wanting to spend as little time as possible in the stadium and avoid engaging with the club in any way unless absolutely necessary, purely as a result of knowing that the level of service offered for almost every off-field aspect will be at best underwhelming or worse, down right negligible.
If it was any other business (i.e. one without a captive audience/guaranteed repeat custom) then it'd have gone to the wall a long time ago.
The truth is however that they simply don't care as they know that people will keep coughing up the dollar year after year and put up and shut up like good little supporters.
I've defended the club in the past when people on here have jumped on any little issue and used it as a stick to beat the club with but the absolute clusterfuck of season tickets not working, wank streaming service, being served hot (not warm, hot!) beer at £4.80 a pop is fucking inexcusable.
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Post by Deleted on Aug 4, 2019 14:09:22 GMT
Park in Hanford off the top Wilson Road and walk through the public right of way to the back end of Sainsburys - from where it is just a short walk to the canal. Takes about 15-20 minutes tops. Apologies for the bad drawing, but here are the rough directions, starting in Wilson Road and finishing by the Oatcake Boat. Cheers. I drive from Sheffield to Uttoxeter to pick my Dad up so knowing where to park when we get to Brit very handy! If you need any more help mate just get in touch either on here or by DM. I've used that area for years and never had any issues. I'd recommend it to anyone who doesn't mind and/or is able to walk a short distance.
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Post by raythesailor on Aug 4, 2019 14:23:50 GMT
What half astute businesses would have a scenario where they could have say 20,000 potential customers contained in a confined space and not take advantage of the massive marketing opportunities?
Say each person were to spend a conservative £2.00 per head per 20 home games. You don’t need to be a mathematician to work out that this is a gross turnover that many small businesses would die for. It is quite unbelievable that SCFC are not only ignoring the potential, but also the needs of their grass roots supporters.
If whoever is in charge of this were on The Apprentice I am sure they would be fired very early on in the series.
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