The next STAR/Club meeting

[Barry the bird boggler]

Dear STAR

At your next management meeting with the club can you thank them for the hard work they've put in over the summer behind the scenes to try and get things more organised and running more efficiently which, for the most part, has been achieved and is appreciated my most.

However, as we know, not all things run smoothly and as a result please can also you take up the following 'issues', 'complaints' and 'general bewilderment' and ask if the club can a) explain each just to give some peace of mind if nothing else, b) go some way in the future to improving communication with the supporters as these things seem to recur time and again with little explanation or apology and c) advise what plans the club hope to put in place to resolve these things in future.

I believe there were similar issues last year as well so saying its teething troubles and won't happen again will be difficult to believe....

- playing kit, what was the reason for the change in kit design this year and why the delay between home and away designs again
- some people paid to renew/get STAR membership via the ST renewal yet in some/all cases this did not happen
- ST installment payments not running efficiently
- discount vouchers for shirts and books not available until after the shirts were
- peculiar/unexplained entries on our Royalty Record online
- (its probably somewhere on the OS but) where on earth are details of the buy back policy!
- the perceived lack of response to emails
- the difficulties experienced by some supporters at the Open Day

anyone any more issues to add?

[STAR Liaison]

Dear STAR

- playing kit, what was the reason for the change in kit design this year and why the delay between home and away designs again
- some people paid to renew/get STAR membership via the ST renewal yet in some/all cases this did not happen
- ST installment payments not running efficiently
- discount vouchers for shirts and books not available until after the shirts were
- peculiar/unexplained entries on our Royalty Record online
- (its probably somewhere on the OS but) where on earth are details of the buy back policy!
- the perceived lack of response to emails
- the difficulties experienced by some supporters at the Open Day

anyone any more issues to add?

Some of those were already on the list, some not although we were aware of them but can ask. However, having not been there what was the trouble at the Open Day please?

[Barry the bird boggler]

See the missive from shaka's shorts on the Tonights Reserve Match thread in the BBC Berks Forum.

[TVPRoyal]

I'm sure it will be the case - but i hope we don't waste to much time on questions, such as those raised by Barry, which although have merit can probably be answered by the club via STAR's general communications.

We want good Team / Football related questions to make the most of Steves time - he's usually very honest and it's great to hear the inner working of the club from the main man.

[STAR Voice]

TVP - I think BtBB means at the meeting between STAR and the Club's management team, rather than the Fans' Forum.

Both are happening next week.

[TVPRoyal]

Apologies Barry - I didn't know there was a meeting as well - Brilliant Questions

[Barry the bird boggler]

TVP - I think BtBB means at the meeting between STAR and the Club's management team, rather than the Fans' Forum.

Both are happening next week.

Yep that's exactly what I meant! Wouldn't want them taking up Steve's precious time at the Forum either as there's just sooo much football stuff to get through with him........

Thanks STAR for taking them up, if you can post any feedback you get here that'd be even more wonderful.

[Scrappy]

Also, could you ask about the change in policy for the Sevens? Last season people got free tickets to a home League Fixture, this season however they only get tickets to a reserve game.

[Dirk Gently]

That's an easy one to answer - there aren't any spare, unsold tickets this season.

[RoyalBlue]

That's an easy one to answer - there aren't any spare, unsold tickets this season.

Only that's not strictly true at this point of the season is it?

A more honest answer would be that tickets to first team games are now too much in demand and therefore of too high a financial value to give away to kids.

[STAR Voice]

That's an easy one to answer - there aren't any spare, unsold tickets this season.

Only that's not strictly true at this point of the season is it?

A more honest answer would be that tickets to first team games are now too much in demand and therefore of too high a financial value to give away to kids.

You're right, of course, and I'm sure that the club would point out that if they were to use tickets for league matches for such a promotion then the loss of revenue would need to be recovered by putting up ST prices for everyone else.

And again, strictly speaking, "Sevens" is a Football League promotion, with financial assistance from by Coca Cola, and there isn't a corresponding FAPL promotion. They club are under no obligation to do anything, so it's good that they are, even if it's apparently scaled down from last year (where, ISTR, it was Crewe tickets that were given away).

[STAR Liaison]

Dear STAR


- playing kit, what was the reason for the change in kit design this year and why the delay between home and away designs again
- some people paid to renew/get STAR membership via the ST renewal yet in some/all cases this did not happen
- ST installment payments not running efficiently
- discount vouchers for shirts and books not available until after the shirts were
- peculiar/unexplained entries on our Royalty Record online
- (its probably somewhere on the OS but) where on earth are details of the buy back policy!
- the perceived lack of response to emails
- the difficulties experienced by some supporters at the Open Day

I brought up all these at the senior management meeting this week but as the meeting started with the news that Boyd Butler was leaving, it is obvious that there is an awareness of problems in the sales centre and solutions will now be the responsibility of whoever is appointed as sales and marketing manager and sales centre manager. However I did ask and the responses were:

playing kit - the design is the result of discussions between Puma and the Megastore manager and reflects this seasons fashion! It did have to be changed to remove the slogan on the back and so it was decided to go for a 2006-07 shirt. The delay in delivery was down to a manufacturing problem (necklines anyone?). Current delivery is supposed to be 'just in time'. It was also pointed out that free premiership badges are being put on all children's shirts - which is something I was unaware of.

STAR membership through ST sales - aware of this (as are STAR!!) and looking to ways of improving the system. However it is likely that next season STAR will just have an application form in the pack rather than a box on the RFC application form.

ST instalments - again aware and intending to improve, not aware of problems with the second month and will look into cases supplied by STAR.

discount vouchers - Because of the difficulty with the delay in the shirts there vouchers were delayed too, but the Megastore staff were flexible and the period of the voucher extended because of the difficulties.

Royalty record - The Talent system is not ‘test friendly’ and they are trying to get the system changed in this respect but any further changes should at least explain sufficiently so that supporters know what it means.

Buy back policy - There was never a date given and such a scheme needs to be thought through before implementing! There are issues that the Premier League have rules on that are very limiting, but the club is trying to get it set up to be a win/win situation

emails - noted and not excused

Open Day - Despite the good intentions it was organised chaos and should have been different. If it is done again it will be done differently.

Sorry for the delay but the fact it was the day after the Fans Forum and I had the notes of that to do while it was still fresh meant that this had to wait for the weekend.

[Barry the bird boggler]

Thanks for the feedback, its much appreciated.

Nice to know that Reading now change kit design based on fashion trends and following discussions with the MegaStore (isn't that a bit like letting Dracula have a blood bank?). Surely, therefore, all they needed to do was remove the print.fax.scan.... logo from the back rather than go to the trouble of a whole new kit? Still while people are so on a high about what the club have achieved then who can blame the club.

Glad to hear there'll be a separate form for the STAR renewal next year, let's hope they don't get lost!

They screwed up my 3rd monthly payment earlier this month and last year the same thing was also expereinced by some supporters I believe so can only get better.

With the buy back policy there were no expectations set as to when it should be up and running so logically supporters expected it to be up and running for the start of the season. Even before the Man City game I was told to check out the website for details even though there were none available at that point!

Overall the staff who work in the TO I have always found to be helpful, patient and polite to all my enquiries and the issues do seem to arise from system difficulties/limitations and a lack of communication of some policies leaving the staff with some tricky situations to handle.

We do seem to be slowly getting somewhere though and this time next season we will hopefully have these things well and truly sussed!

[Platypuss]

Buy back policy - There was never a date given and such a scheme needs to be thought through before implementing! There are issues that the Premier League have rules on that are very limiting, but the club is trying to get it set up to be a win/win situation.

They most definitely said that details would be out in "the Summer".

By most people's understanding of the term, that gives them about 12 more days.

Could you ask why the Customer Charter still says that entry to reserve games is free to ST holders?

I'd have thought that keeping the CC up-to-date should take precedence over quite a lot of other things that are maintained routinely.

The CC should also have the date of last revision shown prominently.

[Platypuss]

It was also pointed out that free premiership badges are being put on all children's shirts - which is something I was unaware of.

Can this be expanded-on a little more - I had to pay extra to have them put on my daughter's.

[TFF]

It was also pointed out that free premiership badges are being put on all children's shirts - which is something I was unaware of.

Can this be expanded-on a little more - I had to pay extra to have them put on my daughter's.

I have paid out for two away and two home shirts.

[STAR Liaison]

It was also pointed out that free premiership badges are being put on all children's shirts - which is something I was unaware of.

Can this be expanded-on a little more - I had to pay extra to have them put on my daughter's.

I expected this response I will ask more but maybe the Megastore was unaware too!

[Platypuss]

Buy back policy - There was never a date given and such a scheme needs to be thought through before implementing! There are issues that the Premier League have rules on that are very limiting, but the club is trying to get it set up to be a win/win situation.

They most definitely said that details would be out in "the Summer".

By most people's understanding of the term, that gives them about 12 more days.

Are the Club going to use the argument that Summer doesn't really end until the clocks go back?

[RoyalBlue]

I wonder how much overtime is being put into getting the buy back scheme sorted as soon as possible.

Good job that for all the claims that RFC is a business, they don't actually have to work in the real business world with real customers. They would have deservedly gone to the wall ages ago.

[Royalphil]

.... playing kit.... It did have to be changed to remove the slogan on the back....

This is interesting as I bought a "second order" last season's shirt around April this year (.. don't ask..!!) and, guess what, it doesn't have the slogan on the back... this was obviously too easy.... and wouldn't bring in the (obvious) revenue from a totally new shirt... or am I being too cynical?