• Q&A with the ticket office

Posted: **Thu Feb 24, 2022 12:37 pm**

From the twitter feed:
https://twitter.com/BurnleyOfficial/sta ... 3252668419

Tonight we'll be hosting a live Q&A with our ticket office between 6-7pm

If you've got any questions regarding season tickets, ticket offers or anything else related to tickets, send in your questions between 6-7pm using the hashtag #BFCTickets

Posted: **Thu Feb 24, 2022 12:47 pm**

Shame it’s not Elaine running it: it’d probably the most efficient Q&A in the world….

Posted: **Thu Feb 24, 2022 1:01 pm**

Many season ticket holders couldn't get in last night - cards were rejecting. I'm hearibg that it happened last week too. My Mum was one of them and the staff stewards only advice was go to the ticket office.

She's disabled!!!! If my brother's card hadn't been rejected as he went through a different turnstile a minute earlier she'd have been stuck outside in that rain completely helpless.

Allegedly there were 40+ ppl in the same boat queuing when he got to the ticket office.

The fact this can happen is poor. The way it was handled was unforgivable. When did common sense cease to exist?

Don't even get me started on buying tickets in the first place.

I'd go on and tear strips off our ticketing operation if I had the energy to do it. Fact is they know it's a dogs dinner and they haven't taken any noticeable steps to address it except for letting go of the one member of staff that seemed willing and able to fix such issues.

Come on BFC!

Posted: **Thu Feb 24, 2022 1:06 pm**

I’ve been to away grounds and had this, went Man Utd and my ticket didn’t work, was told to go to the away ticket office which was shut, so went to the pub

Posted: **Thu Feb 24, 2022 1:08 pm**

what_no_pies wrote: ↑
Thu Feb 24, 2022 1:01 pm
Many season ticket holders couldn't get in last night - cards were rejecting. I'm hearibg that it happened last week too. My Mum was one of them and the staff stewards only advice was go to the ticket office.

She's disabled!!!! If my brother's card hadn't been rejected as he went through a different turnstile a minute earlier she'd have been stuck outside in that rain completely helpless.

Allegedly there were 40+ ppl in the same boat queuing when he got to the ticket office.

The fact this can happen is poor. The way it was handled was unforgivable. When did common sense cease to exist?

Don't even get me started on buying tickets in the first place.

I'd go on and tear strips off our ticketing operation if I had the energy to do it. Fact is they know it's a dogs dinner and they haven't taken any noticeable steps to address it except for letting go of the one member of staff that seemed willing and able to fix such issues.

Come on BFC!

Tear strips off but the strips need to be directed properly and definitely not the ticket office.

Posted: **Thu Feb 24, 2022 2:02 pm**

ClaretTony wrote: ↑
Thu Feb 24, 2022 1:08 pm
Tear strips off but the strips need to be directed properly and definitely not the ticket office.

100% agree. It often happens that people in the front line have to take the flak. It needs Pace and his tech people along his side to open up a q&a session about their in house issues (ticket office) or should I say “failures”. I know the new ticket office Manager is aware of numerous issues and is working hard to try and resolve matters but he needs help from his superiors.

Posted: **Thu Feb 24, 2022 2:06 pm**

You'd hope this Q&A would have more than just the ticket office staff answering questions so seems a good opportunity for those who want to clear things up.

Posted: **Thu Feb 24, 2022 2:30 pm**

Unread post by what_no_pies » Thu Feb 24, 2022 1:01 pm

Many season ticket holders couldn't get in last night - cards were rejecting. I'm hearibg that it happened last week too. My Mum was one of them and the staff stewards only advice was go to the ticket office.

Exactly what happened to me at the Watford game. I believe this is a fairly regular occurrence at every match, possibly being caused by the card/ticket being accidentally ‘doubled scanned’ at the turnstile. I’m now on pins every time my card is scanned!

Posted: **Thu Feb 24, 2022 9:52 pm**

Update on this.

My Mum called the ticket office about the experience.

Firstly they can't find her on the system. She's tried to update the name on her season ticket 3x now and they're still using the incorrect one.

After having relayed what happened she was told by the member of staff she spoke with that they had no idea of such an issue. 40+ season ticket holders had the same issue and needed assistance shortly before kick off, and it's evidently happened before. I'm extremely sceptical about their pleading ignorance.

Anyway, they would look into it and promised my Mum they'd call her before the end of the working day.

No phone call.

A screw up is an opportunity to put it right and turn a bad customer experience into a positive memory by making good. Instead they've made it worse by failing to follow through on their word.

I's a slap in the face for loyal customers.

Posted: **Thu Feb 24, 2022 10:05 pm**

Yeah, but no doubt that won't be the ticket offices fault what_no_pies. It will be someone else's fault.

I wonder who that might be???

Hopefully someone will be along real quick to let us know who that might be.

Posted: **Thu Feb 24, 2022 10:10 pm**

ClaretTony wrote: ↑
Thu Feb 24, 2022 1:08 pm
Tear strips off but the strips need to be directed properly and definitely not the ticket office.

Who might that be CT?

To be fair, he mentions the ticketing operation in this particular post, not specifically the ticket office personnel. That comes after, when they failed to carry out what they said they were going to do.

Posted: **Thu Feb 24, 2022 10:21 pm**

It’s ridiculous that there are entry issues and even more so that I have to hand my card to a bloke for him to scan it for me to gain entry.

Why we need to man each entry point is beyond me. Surely it’d save a bit of brass just to have a couple of people outside the stands to assist if any issues with scanning occur. Not that issues should occur, door entry systems have been out for decades and working well in many of different settings.

Posted: **Thu Feb 24, 2022 10:25 pm**

DCWat wrote: ↑
Thu Feb 24, 2022 10:21 pm
It’s ridiculous that there are entry issues and even more so that I have to hand my card to a bloke for him to scan it for me to gain entry.

The handing of cards to the turnstile operator was stopped for this season. You are supposed to do it yourself.

Posted: **Thu Feb 24, 2022 10:27 pm**

bobinho wrote: ↑
Thu Feb 24, 2022 10:10 pm
Who might that be CT?

To be fair, he mentions the ticketing operation in this particular post, not specifically the ticket office personnel. That comes after, when they failed to carry out what they said they were going to do.

Have to admit that I’m referring to the ticket office up to end of 2021 and don’t know how it’s being run now. But they are working at times with their hands behind their backs because of the tools they have to work with.

Posted: **Thu Feb 24, 2022 10:28 pm**

I can't for the life of me understand how difficult this part of the business has become. Since 1882 we have been in one line of business. One product that we sell tickets for. Everything else that we sell from shirts to hot-dogs is an `aside`.
Selling seats is what we have been doing for decades. There is a limited number of seats available, and the number (provided the ground isn't altered) remains the same. Season tickets are sold and the rest are available to buy for `walk-ons`.

Is there ANYTHING easier than this?

It has become an embarrassment and it needs sorting quickly. Maybe someone has been tasked with it, maybe they haven't, but I doubt very much this is being ignored. I'm normally quite reactive to things like this going very wrong, but even after my particular `episode` last nite, (trivial compared to the rest of you) I'm still prepared to believe this is currently 'in-hand' and will be brought into the 21st century before long.

Posted: **Thu Feb 24, 2022 10:42 pm**

I'm not sure if double scanning tickets or mishandling at the turnstile is the cause of the issue. Upon getting a paper ticket printed last night the member of staff (who offered no apologies for the trouble) told my Brother it had something to do with the fact the Spurs game was rearranged and his card (and others) thought they'd used that ticket already.

Begs the question if they understand there's such a problem and it's clearly fairly common why haven't they put some sort of proision in place to mitigate against the inevitable issues.

Posted: **Thu Feb 24, 2022 10:53 pm**

bobinho wrote: ↑
Thu Feb 24, 2022 10:28 pm
I can't for the life of me understand how difficult this part of the business has become. Since 1882 we have been in one line of business. One product that we sell tickets for. Everything else that we sell from shirts to hot-dogs is an `aside`.
Selling seats is what we have been doing for decades. There is a limited number of seats available, and the number (provided the ground isn't altered) remains the same. Season tickets are sold and the rest are available to buy for `walk-ons`.

Is there ANYTHING easier than this?

It has become an embarrassment and it needs sorting quickly. Maybe someone has been tasked with it, maybe they haven't, but I doubt very much this is being ignored. I'm normally quite reactive to things like this going very wrong, but even after my particular `episode` last nite, (trivial compared to the rest of you) I'm still prepared to believe this is currently 'in-hand' and will be brought into the 21st century before long.

Given the problem described, difficulties with entry into the ground before a match, surely this ultimately falls under the remit of Russell Ball who is Head of Match Day Operations at the club - always found it a strange sequence of roles that this bloke who went from being an Estate Agent, to analyst/advisor for ALK to this current role in a straight line progression.

Posted: **Thu Feb 24, 2022 11:05 pm**

ClaretTony wrote: ↑
Thu Feb 24, 2022 10:25 pm
The handing of cards to the turnstile operator was stopped for this season. You are supposed to do it yourself.

This has not happened for the turnstiles in the Jimmy Mac Upper - even if there wasn't someone to take your card, I'm not sure you could even reach the machine through the grill.

Posted: **Thu Feb 24, 2022 11:05 pm**

DCWat wrote: ↑
Thu Feb 24, 2022 10:21 pm
It’s ridiculous that there are entry issues and even more so that I have to hand my card to a bloke for him to scan it for me to gain entry.

Why we need to man each entry point is beyond me. Surely it’d save a bit of brass just to have a couple of people outside the stands to assist if any issues with scanning occur. Not that issues should occur, door entry systems have been out for decades and working well in many of different settings.

The turnstiles themselves aren’t electronic so there needs to be somebody on each gate to “press the peddle” so the turnstile will turn

Posted: **Thu Feb 24, 2022 11:38 pm**

ClaretTony wrote: ↑
Thu Feb 24, 2022 10:25 pm
The handing of cards to the turnstile operator was stopped for this season. You are supposed to do it yourself.

That’s not happened once in the Bob Lord

Posted: **Thu Feb 24, 2022 11:39 pm**

wilks_bfc wrote: ↑
Thu Feb 24, 2022 11:05 pm
The turnstiles themselves aren’t electronic so there needs to be somebody on each gate to “press the peddle” so the turnstile will turn

Bloody hell

I should have known!!

Posted: **Fri Feb 25, 2022 8:01 am**

Great to see the club being proactive and reaching out to fans.
Now to fix the issues that have been around for years.
Really good to see.

Posted: **Fri Feb 25, 2022 8:06 am**

Bordeauxclaret wrote: ↑
Fri Feb 25, 2022 8:01 am
Great to see the club being proactive and reaching out to fans.
Now to fix the issues that have been around for years.
Really good to see.

Agreed, I thought this was a good idea. I had a look last night after it finished here are 3 questions the tickets office were asked :-

Is Cornet fit
Please can you get some more Brentford tickets
What is your favourite cheese

it is a shame when the club tries they often end up in contact with the clown element

Posted: **Fri Feb 25, 2022 8:10 am**

daveisaclaret wrote: ↑
Thu Feb 24, 2022 11:05 pm
This has not happened for the turnstiles in the Jimmy Mac Upper - even if there wasn't someone to take your card, I'm not sure you could even reach the machine through the grill.

Was just going to say the same as a fellow JM Upper’er. I think I’d have to snap my wrist to do it myself

Posted: **Fri Feb 25, 2022 8:17 am**

jedi_master wrote: ↑
Fri Feb 25, 2022 8:10 am
Was just going to say the same as a fellow JM Upper’er. I think I’d have to snap my wrist to do it myself

Can’t you use some other method?

Like ‘the force’ for example? A wave of the hand, and you’re in.

Posted: **Fri Feb 25, 2022 8:36 am**

ClaretTony wrote: ↑
Thu Feb 24, 2022 10:25 pm
The handing of cards to the turnstile operator was stopped for this season. You are supposed to do it yourself.

Somebody needs to tell every operator in the Bob Lord stand, because they always take the card off you

Posted: **Fri Feb 25, 2022 8:40 am**

It would be interesting to find out if ticket office management have brought the various problems to the attention of those higher up, how many times, and what the response has been

Posted: **Fri Feb 25, 2022 8:45 am**

claretonthecoast1882 wrote: ↑
Fri Feb 25, 2022 8:06 am
Agreed, I thought this was a good idea. I had a look last night after it finished here are 3 questions the tickets office were asked :-

Is Cornet fit
Please can you get some more Brentford tickets
What is your favourite cheese

it is a shame when the club tries they often end up in contact with the clown element

And the club replied to the final question in your list, which just encourages more irrelevant questions being asked.

Posted: **Fri Feb 25, 2022 8:51 am**

ClaretTony wrote: ↑
Thu Feb 24, 2022 10:25 pm
The handing of cards to the turnstile operator was stopped for this season. You are supposed to do it yourself.

At no time have I ever scanned the card myself, nor have I been offered the opportunity to do so.

Longside Lower.

in 'proper' grounds the scan system is outside the turnstile cubbyhole. I imagine it will be practically difficult for some to reach inside and scan their card.

Posted: **Fri Feb 25, 2022 8:58 am**

In the longside upper and we scan our cards ourselves but the operator has to press the peddle as it isn’t automatic.

My dad is a 65+ and he scans his card himself and the person on the turnstile presses the green accept button to say he is 65+. Don’t know why they need that when the guy has to press the peddle anyway!

Posted: **Fri Feb 25, 2022 9:30 am**

dougcollins wrote: ↑
Fri Feb 25, 2022 8:51 am
At no time have I ever scanned the card myself, nor have I been offered the opportunity to do so.

Longside Lower.

in 'proper' grounds the scan system is outside the turnstile cubbyhole. I imagine it will be practically difficult for some to reach inside and scan their card.

Same here, Jimmy Mac Upper.

Posted: **Fri Feb 25, 2022 9:39 am**

CFS
Never once have I scanned the ticket myself or know of anyone who has.
UTC

Posted: **Fri Feb 25, 2022 9:59 am**

dougcollins wrote: ↑
Fri Feb 25, 2022 8:51 am
At no time have I ever scanned the card myself, nor have I been offered the opportunity to do so.

Longside Lower.

in 'proper' grounds the scan system is outside the turnstile cubbyhole. I imagine it will be practically difficult for some to reach inside and scan their card.

We were informed by the club that this should be happening from the Liverpool game last season. At that game I had my phone taken off me. I've not handed a card over since and have refused to.

We took the cheap option when the card system was first installed by not putting in automatic turnstiles, and amazingly, when we installed new turnstiles in the Bob Lord we didn't even put automatic turnstiles there. But on more than one occasion I've been in meetings where I've been told that you do not hand your card over.

Posted: **Fri Feb 25, 2022 10:25 am**

Another here in the Longside Lower. Often when we put the card forward to scan it doesn’t register so the operator without conversation takes it from us and scans it then hands it back. I’ve watched on several occasions how the operator scans it and I follow that same procedure, most times it works but occasionally it doesn’t. To be fair the operators are always helpful.

Posted: **Fri Feb 25, 2022 10:47 am**

The operaters are under pressure to get crowds in the ground. The probably get wound up how slow some people are at trying to scan. It's easier and quicker for them just to grab cards and scan.

Posted: **Fri Feb 25, 2022 10:53 am**

Quickenthetempo wrote: ↑
Fri Feb 25, 2022 10:47 am
The operaters are under pressure to get crowds in the ground. The probably get wound up how slow some people are at trying to scan. It's easier and quicker for them just to grab cards and scan.

I accept that, but the club needs to provide hand sanitizer for the turnstile operators.

In terms of match day covid 19 protocols, this practice presents a large risk of virus transmission.

Posted: **Fri Feb 25, 2022 10:59 am**

I love the Turf, and wouldn't want us to leave, but sometimes a visit there feels like we're still in 1999.

Although saying that, I was at San Siro a couple of weeks ago. Absolutely stunning stadium but the toilets in there were just holes in the ground, and especially for women that ain't good is it. Didn't see any exec boxes either. And AC and Inter are behemoths. But hey, plans for the new one look impressive. Same site which is nice.

Posted: **Fri Feb 25, 2022 11:52 am**

Vince Fontaine wrote: ↑
Fri Feb 25, 2022 9:39 am
CFS
Never once have I scanned the ticket myself or know of anyone who has.
UTC

I’ve don’t it myself every single game this season

Posted: **Fri Feb 25, 2022 12:00 pm**

I had to finally bite the bullet and go down to the ticket office to renew my 3 season tickets, my youngest was coming up as an adult when I added them to basket, took 2 minutes.

Posted: **Fri Feb 25, 2022 1:10 pm**

Vince Fontaine wrote: ↑
Fri Feb 25, 2022 9:39 am
CFS
Never once have I scanned the ticket myself or know of anyone who has.
UTC

I have. In the North Stand.

Posted: **Fri Feb 25, 2022 1:25 pm**

Why doesn't the club make a statement on the website about scanning cards then everyone would know one way or the other?
I'm in the Jimmy Mac upper and the turnstile operator always takes my card off me and scans it.

Posted: **Fri Feb 25, 2022 1:59 pm**

Targetman wrote: ↑
Fri Feb 25, 2022 1:25 pm
Why doesn't the club make a statement on the website about scanning cards then everyone would know one way or the other?
I'm in the Jimmy Mac upper and the turnstile operator always takes my card off me and scans it.

I'm also in the JMU and scan my own

Posted: **Fri Feb 25, 2022 3:27 pm**

wilks_bfc wrote: ↑
Fri Feb 25, 2022 1:59 pm
I'm also in the JMU and scan my own

Exactly my point, official clarification from the club would be good.

Posted: **Sat Feb 26, 2022 10:29 am**

claretonthecoast1882 wrote: ↑
Fri Feb 25, 2022 8:06 am
Agreed, I thought this was a good idea. I had a look last night after it finished here are 3 questions the tickets office were asked :-

Is Cornet fit
Please can you get some more Brentford tickets
What is your favourite cheese

it is a shame when the club tries they often end up in contact with the clown element

Always a few who ruin it but it’s good to see the new way of communicating with fans.
It’s put a few peoples noses out of joint for sure but trying to consult with the wider fan base is the way to go,

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