Why not take calls and sell tickets in the club shop on Thursday afternoons. Can't be hard to put a terminal in there.
The shop is no longer run by the club (outsourced).
I'm not sure that's a good reason. I live in Manchester and various third-party tourist outlets can sell tickets to MUFC and MCFC matches.
But they will want a % thus reducing CAFC ticket income. The way I read it nobody is losing their jobs, so empolying the shop to sell tickets would be an extra cost. You used to be able to buy a matchday programme in the shop but that is now not possible.
Well I do not think that CAFC as a business will grind to a halt over this....... but It does seem a very limited cost saving. And I have gone down to the Valley before and bought tickets,often for additional family members if I am in the area. Perhaps they are going to do staff training?. Yes I can buy tickets on my red card for this, but you do lose an opportunity, however limited that may be. Perhaps switching that big screen off, that seems to be on 'standby', or was during the u21 match a week or so ago if every pound counts?.
I know I could look this up, but does anyone know what time does the club shop open on a monday morning? I was in Charlton the other monday dropping someone off for an hour appointment so drove down to The Valley to see if I could pop into the shop (haven't been to The Valley this season at all) but it was in darkness with delivery boxes inside the front door. I didn't pull over as it looked very shut. But it was gone 10am? Surprised me, but went up to Charlton House for a coffee instead as I assumed Bartrams wouldn't be open.
Seems bizarre that they wouldn't even pick up the phones on Thursday afternoons even if they couldn't be at the window. They used to sit at their desks and one person would look out if someone was at the window and they'd move over to serve them. If it's really quiet, don't know why they can't carry on doing the same? or even get a bell to ring for service!?
They should get an automated machine like a cash point installed for those personal callers with 24 hour access. (Although they'd probably have to pay someone to refill the machine with tickets... but only on a Tuesday.)
I know I could look this up, but does anyone know what time does the club shop open on a monday morning? I was in Charlton the other monday dropping someone off for an hour appointment so drove down to The Valley to see if I could pop into the shop (haven't been to The Valley this season at all) but it was in darkness with delivery boxes inside the front door. I didn't pull over as it looked very shut. But it was gone 10am? Surprised me, but went up to Charlton House for a coffee instead as I assumed Bartrams wouldn't be open.
Seems bizarre that they wouldn't even pick up the phones on Thursday afternoons even if they couldn't be at the window. They used to sit at their desks and one person would look out if someone was at the window and they'd move over to serve them. If it's really quiet, don't know why they can't carry on doing the same? or even get a bell to ring for service!?
They should get an automated machine like a cash point installed for those personal callers with 24 hour access. (Although they'd probably have to pay someone to refill the machine with tickets... but only on a Tuesday.)
They have got a bell, went down this morning to buy tickets. No one serving so rung the bell and was then served
I know I could look this up, but does anyone know what time does the club shop open on a monday morning? I was in Charlton the other monday dropping someone off for an hour appointment so drove down to The Valley to see if I could pop into the shop (haven't been to The Valley this season at all) but it was in darkness with delivery boxes inside the front door. I didn't pull over as it looked very shut. But it was gone 10am? Surprised me, but went up to Charlton House for a coffee instead as I assumed Bartrams wouldn't be open.
Seems bizarre that they wouldn't even pick up the phones on Thursday afternoons even if they couldn't be at the window. They used to sit at their desks and one person would look out if someone was at the window and they'd move over to serve them. If it's really quiet, don't know why they can't carry on doing the same? or even get a bell to ring for service!?
They should get an automated machine like a cash point installed for those personal callers with 24 hour access. (Although they'd probably have to pay someone to refill the machine with tickets... but only on a Tuesday.)
They have got a bell, went down this morning to buy tickets. No one serving so rung the bell and was then served
What type of ring tone does the bell have? Maybe we can all moan about that?
a lot different AFKA. Some people only need a twig to beat him with it.
The beyond parody comment did not help his cause. It's a strange decision but not a world shattering one.
Equally I am not sure how much praise the club got for removing the premium rate charge on the phones.
Quite a lot, from me, in the last VOTV, as it happens. Sorry you missed it!
I don't care what conclusions people come to regarding my motives - but as it happens David Colgan is a good mate of mine, so barking up the wrong tree there. Ben Kensell resigned several weeks ago (to join Norwich) so I doubt if he's driving this decision either.
Of course, most supporters would cope even if the ticket office was closed permanently all week. You could make an administrative case for that, forcing people to buy in person on Saturday mornings from 10am or online at any time and collecting on the day.
The main inefficiency in staffing the ticket office is people sitting around doing nothing during the week because it's impossible to match staffing exactly to peaks and troughs in demand, not just over days of the week but also according to fixtures. That's not the staff's fault.
It might make administrative sense to shut, but it would not make commercial sense, because people would get pissed off that they couldn't get a response from the club at a time that was reasonable in terms of their experience with other clubs and other industries.
That's my view, based on having overseen the management of the ticket office and therefore having some insight into it. But it's just an opinion.
a lot different AFKA. Some people only need a twig to beat him with it.
The beyond parody comment did not help his cause. It's a strange decision but not a world shattering one.
Equally I am not sure how much praise the club got for removing the premium rate charge on the phones.
Quite a lot, from me, in the last VOTV, as it happens. Sorry you missed it!
I don't care what conclusions people come to regarding my motives - but as it happens David Colgan is a good mate of mine, so barking up the wrong tree there. Ben Kensell resigned several weeks ago (to join Norwich) so I doubt if he's driving this decision either.
Of course, most supporters would cope even if the ticket office was closed permanently all week. You could make an administrative case for that, forcing people to buy in person on Saturday mornings from 10am or online at any time and collecting on the day.
The main inefficiency in staffing the ticket office is people sitting around doing nothing during the week because it's impossible to match staffing exactly to peaks and troughs in demand, not just over days of the week but also according to fixtures. That's not the staff's fault.
It might make administrative sense to shut, but it would not make commercial sense, because people would get pissed off that they couldn't get a response from the club at a time that was reasonable in terms of their experience with other clubs and other industries.
That's my view, based on having overseen the management of the ticket office and therefore having some insight into it. But it's just an opinion.
You used to work at the club? Oh, you should have said
Interesting that Thursday is the slowest day of the week. Working in retail, Monday is usually the quietest day of the week - but then I guess you could have folk calling up to order tickets on a Monday in response to being at a game on the Saturday.
Not sure its something to get all het up over though. Have to say that if it's advertised that the ticket office will be closed at certain times, then you simply work around it and buy when it is open.
It does sound like The Valley is being run along a tighter budget and staffing establishment than before. I can understand there being a need to balance staffing costs against the availability of those facing Joe Public too. Would be interesting to know the percentage of online sales now compared to, say three years ago, as that could well have an affect on when the office is actually open.
Anyway, although it's my club (in that I follow CAFC) I don't own it or have the responsibility of running it, so to a certain degree unless I desperately want a ticket on a Thursday afternoon, it's not my problem.
Presumably a decision that can get temporarily reversed if, say, we got Chelsea at home FA Cup third round. Wish it wasn't the case but we are skint and savings need to be made everywhere. I have a Lloyds bank account and was thinking of moving it in reaction to the decision to put thousands on the dole by closing lots of branches - and then tried to remember the last time I went into a branch of Lloyds. I think it was 2 years ago in Blackheath to keep out of the rain while waiting for a lift.
My concern isn't that one or two tickets might not be sold here and there, but what happens if someone makes a trip to The Valley on spec, finds it's closed, thinks "joke club" and never returns.
Anyway, in a bid to become more efficient and effective at my job I've decided that I won't do my job on Thursday afternoon's anymore. I hope my boss is as understanding the Charlton dynasty.
When was the last time that anyone could not get a ticket for a game at The Valley? A long time ago. Massive games are away games and these are subject to Valley Gold and vouchers for other away games. When did we last sell out at home? Donkeys years ago. This thread is just irrelevant to the modern CAFC.
Although this may not be a cost cutting excercise it does feel that we are running both playing numbers/costs and non playing numbers down to bare minimum. Intresting when you think it was not that long ago we were at a level below now and had an MD, CEO and ASST CEO
Although this may not be a cost cutting excercise it does feel that we are running both playing numbers/costs and non playing numbers down to bare minimum. Intresting when you think it was not that long ago we were at a level below now and had an MD, CEO and ASST CEO
Exactly and thankfully we've cut our cloth accordingly.
Comments
My local Sainsburys opens at 7am so I don't go there before then.
The phrase mountains out of molehills springs to mind.
Anything the club changes is viewed negatively.
Seems bizarre that they wouldn't even pick up the phones on Thursday afternoons even if they couldn't be at the window. They used to sit at their desks and one person would look out if someone was at the window and they'd move over to serve them. If it's really quiet, don't know why they can't carry on doing the same? or even get a bell to ring for service!?
They should get an automated machine like a cash point installed for those personal callers with 24 hour access. (Although they'd probably have to pay someone to refill the machine with tickets... but only on a Tuesday.)
"up 1,2,3"
"through 1,2,3"
rifles come through the slots
"bang 2,3"
"feck off 2,3"
"were shut 2,3"
"close 2,3"
slot closes and your left standing there
Dand`s Army at the Valley
I don't care what conclusions people come to regarding my motives - but as it happens David Colgan is a good mate of mine, so barking up the wrong tree there. Ben Kensell resigned several weeks ago (to join Norwich) so I doubt if he's driving this decision either.
Of course, most supporters would cope even if the ticket office was closed permanently all week. You could make an administrative case for that, forcing people to buy in person on Saturday mornings from 10am or online at any time and collecting on the day.
The main inefficiency in staffing the ticket office is people sitting around doing nothing during the week because it's impossible to match staffing exactly to peaks and troughs in demand, not just over days of the week but also according to fixtures. That's not the staff's fault.
It might make administrative sense to shut, but it would not make commercial sense, because people would get pissed off that they couldn't get a response from the club at a time that was reasonable in terms of their experience with other clubs and other industries.
That's my view, based on having overseen the management of the ticket office and therefore having some insight into it. But it's just an opinion.
You used to work at the club? Oh, you should have said
Not sure its something to get all het up over though. Have to say that if it's advertised that the ticket office will be closed at certain times, then you simply work around it and buy when it is open.
It does sound like The Valley is being run along a tighter budget and staffing establishment than before. I can understand there being a need to balance staffing costs against the availability of those facing Joe Public too. Would be interesting to know the percentage of online sales now compared to, say three years ago, as that could well have an affect on when the office is actually open.
Anyway, although it's my club (in that I follow CAFC) I don't own it or have the responsibility of running it, so to a certain degree unless I desperately want a ticket on a Thursday afternoon, it's not my problem.
Anyway, in a bid to become more efficient and effective at my job I've decided that I won't do my job on Thursday afternoon's anymore. I hope my boss is as understanding the Charlton dynasty.
Massive games are away games and these are subject to Valley Gold and vouchers for other away games.
When did we last sell out at home? Donkeys years ago. This thread is just irrelevant to the modern CAFC.