NCFC Customer Service

[Cheeky Monkey 0]

I truly believe that Norwich City Football Club has one of the worst customer service records I can think of, except BT of course.

I went to buy some Coventry Away tickets the other day. I waited 15 minutes with one person in front of me. There was one person serving and 6 people on the phones. However they took 3 phone calls in the time I stood there. I wish I had my mobile on me, I could have booked them quicker.

Have they not heard of customer service?

This is only one time of many that I have received appalling service. I can''t be bothered to list them as there are too many times.

Is the club arrogant or ignorant. Or both?

Why do they never listen to their customers? For the record I think this years transfer activity has been shocking. Croft is fantastic, but we have a weak weak squad.

In our Premier year Worthington ranted on about how we had a weak squad in numbers. Every week he mentioned it on Radio Norfolk. Surely it''s worse now. I can''t be bothered to do the maths.

[nutty nigel 7,902]

Are you a memebr of NCISA by any chance?

[Syteanric 1]

you have obviously never had to go to City hall for the council Tenant Desk.

they do take the mick! sit there doing nothing whilst ur waiting (anything up to half an hour) for them to call u...

jas :)

[Cheeky Monkey 0]

Nope I''m not a member of NCISA. I working in Marketing though and think that NCFC Customer Care is dreadful.

[Maverick 0]

Its amazing how different people experience different things from the same organisation.

Whenever I have had to deal with the club for any reason I have always been impressed with the level of service that I receive.Particularly from the staff in the ticket office.I''ve been in there when there are queues etc and always see the staff manning phones leave their desks and come to the counter if a delay is building up.

The only aspect of the service that is less than impressive is having to hold too long on the phone for ticket office staff but that is nothing exceptional in this day and age - I cant think of any organisation that I deal with where I dont have to wait.At least the club have kept the jobs in Norwich - they haven''t resorted to employing a call centre in Calcutta or something.

[nutty nigel 7,902]

Wow.. the club did something right!! Good call Maverick!! Don''t expect an invite to the NCISA Xmas Party!!! [;)]

[gazzathegreat 0]

Well customer service is indeed a personal experience, one bad one and we can then justify having a rant about them, a few good ones and they can never do anything wrong.

My own experience of the NCFC ticket office is pretty good, in person.  Calling in person to the office at the ground is okay, usually don''t have to wait too long and there is always someone of authority there (ie office manager) to sort out tricky problems.  On the other hand, whilst living outside the area in former years and having to deal with them on the phone (in my case, this was before the internet and online facilities), it was painful.  Sometimes on hold for over an hour, and then someone who couldn''t deal with the request.

The shop (in my experience) isn''t quite as slick as the box office team, but is perfectly adequate.  You can always catch someone on a bad day, and as I have worked in shops and customer service organisations in the past, some customers could also benefit from some customer service training themselves. 

We only buy tickets from them, or shirts etc.  They are not there to solve the world''s problems.  I guess if you have a really bad experience, the best thing to do is contact someone higher up at the club to see if someone can solve the problems you have experienced. 

[South Norfolk Old Boy 0]

I agree that Customer Service is a personal thing and one bad experience can make all the difference.

Last season I booked hat-trick tickets for my 10 year old son. Someone from the box office called me and we went through the games available to ensure that he got the tickets next to my daughter and me. Brilliant service - can''t praise it enough - and I told them so.

This season, booked them again. No call this time and when the first ticket arrived it was not with us. I emailed to express my surprise and was told in no uncertain terms that they cannot guarantee specific tickets for hat-trick plans. I politely wrote to the Ticket Office Manager - no response.

What a difference a season makes! Poor results, poor quality football. Could it be that the attitude rubs off on the support staff? I''m only asking as the difference in 12 months is remarkable.

Result - We have seven hat trick matches booked and for five of them we are sitting apart.

Final result - none of us will go to those games. No hat trick plan will be booked for next season. Most importantly a 10-year old supporter is LOST to the club. Work out the cost of that to NCFC over the next fifty years! That''s why customer service is so important.

[Ramrod 258]

I think the box office should be staffed by ladies like Mrs. Marty, Mrs. Rossi and the new and improved Mrs. Rod, suitably dressed with lots of cuddly furry animals around the place. This would really add to my customer experience.

[Cheeky Monkey 0]

My in person experiences (plural), of the ticket office have all been bad. Hence the post. I was once told something by one guy, and when I brought it up, he told me quite confidently 

"Well I don''t know who told you that sir but they certainly never should have." said the arrogant weasely faced ticket office boy (with a fierce authoritarian type eyebrow squeeze).

"Um....." said the meek and mildly natured, not to mention really nice,  patriot of NCFC, "actually it was you!"

He denied all knowledge of aforesaid conversation and I had wasted yet another lunch time stroll to FCR. 

WEASEL.

 

[Carrow89 182]

" Why do they never listen to their customers? "

You should have marchhed up and down outside with a cardboard placard. They would certainly have listened to you .... or so I''ve been told !

[Maverick 0]

[quote user="South Norfolk Old Boy"]

I agree that Customer Service is a personal thing and one bad experience can make all the difference.

Last season I booked hat-trick tickets for my 10 year old son. Someone from the box office called me and we went through the games available to ensure that he got the tickets next to my daughter and me. Brilliant service - can''t praise it enough - and I told them so.

This season, booked them again. No call this time and when the first ticket arrived it was not with us. I emailed to express my surprise and was told in no uncertain terms that they cannot guarantee specific tickets for hat-trick plans. I politely wrote to the Ticket Office Manager - no response.

What a difference a season makes! Poor results, poor quality football. Could it be that the attitude rubs off on the support staff? I''m only asking as the difference in 12 months is remarkable.

Result - We have seven hat trick matches booked and for five of them we are sitting apart.

Final result - none of us will go to those games. No hat trick plan will be booked for next season. Most importantly a 10-year old supporter is LOST to the club. Work out the cost of that to NCFC over the next fifty years! That''s why customer service is so important.

[/quote]

Write to Doncaster about it or , even better , phone him up - guarantee he''ll sort it for you..

[Fat Barman 0]

[quote user="Ralph Wright"]" Why do they never listen to their customers? "

You should have marchhed up and down outside with a cardboard placard. They would certainly have listened to you .... or so I''ve been told ![/quote]Leave it out, Ralph. This is a perfectly legitimate complaint about poor service -  not some disguised rant about the management, or board. Please think about some of your posts, as you''re in danger of becoming a parody of yourself (if it''s not too late to prevent that). It is possible to have a moan about parts of the club, without being accused of wanting to sack everybody.

[Carrow89 182]

" without being accused of wanting to sack everybody "

Aha the old make it up and argue against that syndrom.

Nowhere did I suggest that those making genuine comments about their experience with the club over tickets etc were in anyway wanting anyone sacked.

It was a light hearted reflection on the zealots who are now trying to claim that the recent on field performances were directly attributable to their childish antics.

Perhaps it is not me who is so willing to see wrong where none exists.

You need to lighten up a bit FB (and that''s not dietary advice either in case you misconstrue the meaning)

[Fat Barman 0]

No offence taken Ralph, nor any intended previously.I''ve just got so used to seeing you slap down some other posters, that you seemed to be going OTT with Cheeky Monkey, who appears to have a real reason to gripe at the ticket office (as does South Norfolk Old Boy). You have seemed to indicate, in earlier posts, that any complaint against any part of the club is a disguised attack on Manager & Board. If this isn''t so, I apologise.Re-reading your post in the light of your reply to me, I can see it is more a jibe at the fake-petition-protesters and not at Cheeky Monkey, but I hope you can appreciate how easily it was originally read differently.On the side - my wife tells me I''m not cuddly enough around the midriff - got any tips that won''t involve drink-driving at the end of my shifts?

[Saint Canary 0]

[quote user="Fat Barman"]
On the side - my wife tells me I''m not cuddly enough around the midriff - got any tips that won''t involve drink-driving at the end of my shifts?
[/quote]

Walk home [:p]

[3canaries 0]

[quote user="Cheeky Monkey"]Nope I''m not a member of NCISA. I working in Marketing though and think that NCFC Customer Care is dreadful.[/quote]

Good job your not a copy writer then!, I working in Marketing too........ but I use a spell checker, so I actually work in Marketing.... what does that actually mean - do you have one of those sandwich boards - as your working in it.

....or are you one of the mascots on match day.....

[still holding out for new heroes 0]

so lots of people work in marketing here then...the expression money for old rope springs to mind....

[E I E I E I O 0]

My experience is a bad one, I have E-Mailed the club many times on this and guess what?  NO REPLY!!!

I am a seving member of the Armed Forces, based down in Dorset. I hold a season ticket and carry out a round trip of 500 miles to all home games. I also pay for a TV licence (This is not cheap and entitles me to watch or listen to BBC broadcasts!) When Norwich are playing away I wish to listen to the commentary on the game. As a paying member of the BBC,  Imagine how annoyed I get when trying to recieve Radio Norfolk through the internet? what you recieve is this " we cannot broadcast at this time due to contractual reasons". Contractual reasons!!! I am a paying member to both the club and to the BBC! This means that my only means of listening to away games is the club website, at a cost of another £40! 

My fury was enraged even more a year ago, while watching question time. A government minister was asked "why is a person wishing to  watch sky not the BBC forced to pay for this service?" The minister replied  "it is the service that you get from the Radio channels which endorses your payment".  Well I am a paying member and cant listen to BBC Radio Norfolk, when I want to!!!!

I have written to the club on many occasions reference this subject and have never recieved a reply to this day!!!! 

[nutty nigel 7,902]

[quote user="Snakepit boys"]

My experience is a bad one, I have E-Mailed the club many times on this and guess what?  NO REPLY!!!

I am a seving member of the Armed Forces, based down in Dorset. I hold a season ticket and carry out a round trip of 500 miles to all home games. I also pay for a TV licence (This is not cheap and entitles me to watch or listen to BBC broadcasts!) When Norwich are playing away I wish to listen to the commentary on the game. As a paying member of the BBC,  Imagine how annoyed I get when trying to recieve Radio Norfolk through the internet? what you recieve is this " we cannot broadcast at this time due to contractual reasons". Contractual reasons!!! I am a paying member to both the club and to the BBC! This means that my only means of listening to away games is the club website, at a cost of another £40! 

My fury was enraged even more a year ago, while watching question time. A government minister was asked "why is a person wishing to  watch sky not the BBC forced to pay for this service?" The minister replied  "it is the service that you get from the Radio channels which endorses your payment".  Well I am a paying member and cant listen to BBC Radio Norfolk, when I want to!!!!

I have written to the club on many occasions reference this subject and have never recieved a reply to this day!!!! 

[/quote]

I have often wondered about this. But did you ever try writing to the BBC cuz the way I see it you are paying them for a service, through your tv licence, that they are stopping you from recieving.

[top tackle 0]

Sorry Snakepit but i think you will find that club does not own rights to radio and tv - they are owned by the Premiership and Football League. So not really fault of club or BBC

[Cheeky Monkey 0]

Message to 3canaries. Sorry I don''t usually get into such childish banter, but it did amuse me that you corrected my grammar and accused me of not using a spellchecker, and then made a huge blunder yourself.

I presume YOU''RE not a copywriter or a proof reader either?

FYI customer service is paramount to successful marketing in the service business.