New Season Ticket Cards

[Hoop Blah]

that said- i do wonder how much this redesign cost

Probably bugger all - they're putting in a new ticketing system so need to reissue the cards, so why not put a new design on them?

Everything has a cost though, either the agency that did it or, if internal, the time of the person who's job it was.

More seriously though, +1 to the complaints. It's a pretty gawdy design but seeing as you don't really wave it around does it matter? Not really.

I echo RLs thoughts on the new system though. I'm all for keeping up with modern technology and all that but how many times have we been told they've revamped or replaced the ticketing system? Sounds like a bit of a waste really, especially when they don't seem to use the one they have to best distribute the tickets when get them.

I wonder if this is being replaced because of the issues they had with the member cards working/not-working for the play-off tickets (not in reaction to that event but a reaction to a know problem they had with the system before hand).

I'd imagine that any half decent and sophisticated system will cost a reasonable six figure sum.

[muddyfeet]

every evening when I get home from work, I go hopefully to the letter box and there is no season ticket its like valentines day circa 1999-2009

family friendly humour eh

[Svlad Cjelli]

that said- i do wonder how much this redesign cost

Probably bugger all - they're putting in a new ticketing system so need to reissue the cards, so why not put a new design on them?

Everything has a cost though, either the agency that did it or, if internal, the time of the person who's job it was.

More seriously though, +1 to the complaints. It's a pretty gawdy design but seeing as you don't really wave it around does it matter? Not really.

I echo RLs thoughts on the new system though. I'm all for keeping up with modern technology and all that but how many times have we been told they've revamped or replaced the ticketing system? Sounds like a bit of a waste really, especially when they don't seem to use the one they have to best distribute the tickets when get them.

I wonder if this is being replaced because of the issues they had with the member cards working/not-working for the play-off tickets (not in reaction to that event but a reaction to a know problem they had with the system before hand).

I'd imagine that any half decent and sophisticated system will cost a reasonable six figure sum.

I think when they bought the previous system (9 or 10 years ago?) there were lots on the market, but since then there's been consolidation and merger, and the one they bought then may not still even exist or be getting upgrades. It's the same with any new technology - if you're an early adopter you may back the wrong horse initially.

[STAR Liaison]

I wonder if this is being replaced because of the issues they had with the member cards working/not-working for the play-off tickets (not in reaction to that event but a reaction to a know problem they had with the system before hand).

I know it was under discussion well before the play-off games. If anything it may be influenced by the Man City game where they could not differentiate between ST holders and non-ST holders and could only regulate sales on Royalty Points. There was a feeling that using both would be best. Doubt if that is the reason for the change but a by-product.

[Hoop Blah]

I wonder if this is being replaced because of the issues they had with the member cards working/not-working for the play-off tickets (not in reaction to that event but a reaction to a know problem they had with the system before hand).

I know it was under discussion well before the play-off games. If anything it may be influenced by the Man City game where they could not differentiate between ST holders and non-ST holders and could only regulate sales on Royalty Points. There was a feeling that using both would be best. Doubt if that is the reason for the change but a by-product.

I'm sure I'd heard of the new ST/system before the play-offs, what I meant was they were aware of the limitations of the system that then manifested itself in the play off ticket allocations and that's why they were upgrading.

How can it be true that they couldn't differentiate between ST and non-ST when they do it at all times throughout the rest of the season though?

Dirk, I thought they'd implemented new software more recently than 9-10 years ago but I'm sure I'm imagining that then. Might just've been upgrades or something, or a total figment of my imagination. If it's genuienly 10 years old then yeah, understandable they review it and replace it now.

Are they replacing all member cards? If not then I can't see the change of system as being a reason for the new design or a way of absorbing any cost.

[Svlad Cjelli]

I'm sure I'd heard of the new ST/system before the play-offs, what I meant was they were aware of the limitations of the system that then manifested itself in the play off ticket allocations and that's why they were upgrading.

How can it be true that they couldn't differentiate between ST and non-ST when they do it at all times throughout the rest of the season though?

Dirk, I thought they'd implemented new software more recently than 9-10 years ago but I'm sure I'm imagining that then. Might just've been upgrades or something, or a total figment of my imagination. If it's genuienly 10 years old then yeah, understandable they review it and replace it now.

Are they replacing all member cards? If not then I can't see the change of system as being a reason for the new design or a way of absorbing any cost.

I think what was implemented about 5-6 years ago was a CRM system - I forget is that was additioanl to teh tciketing system or a key part of it.

To answer the "How can it be true that they couldn't differentiate between ST and non-ST when they do it at all times throughout the rest of the season though?" question, don't forget that the ticketing was done externally, by TicketZone <spit> and so it's all about the quality of the data export and what their systems could recognise.

[Hoop Blah]

....don't forget that the ticketing was done externally, by TicketZone <spit> and so it's all about the quality of the data export and what their systems could recognise.

If it was for the Play-Off final then I might agree, I was just talking about the Man City game reference that starliaison made. I thought the lack of distinction between ST and non-ST for that game was a policy decision not a technical limitation as it doesn't seem to have affected sales for any other game.

I know it was under discussion well before the play-off games. If anything it may be influenced by the Man City game where they could not differentiate between ST holders and non-ST holders and could only regulate sales on Royalty Points.

That seems really odd if that was a genuine reason given by the club and not just a bit of a typo by starliaison.

[STAR Liaison]

I'm sure I'd heard of the new ST/system before the play-offs, what I meant was they were aware of the limitations of the system that then manifested itself in the play off ticket allocations and that's why they were upgrading.

How can it be true that they couldn't differentiate between ST and non-ST when they do it at all times throughout the rest of the season though?

I don't know why you are sure you would have heard of it, but the discussion I recall was just after the early season ticket renewal announcement but that was in a management meeting where they had it on the agenda of the March meeting.

As far as the ST/nonST is concerned I think the old system was able to tell you all this but only by looking at an individual membership record, whereas now they will be able to differentiate by looking at the database in total without drilling down into the individual record.

It is noticeable that the new record shows how long you have had an ST - something they often regretted not being able to find out easily.

[Hoop Blah]

I don't know why you are sure you would have heard of it

Because I'm sure (and I might be wrong) that the new exclusive design of card was one of the selling points of renewing your season ticket. As I posted, I was pretty sure I'd heard of the ST/system, in other words the card and perhaps the system too (not sure on the system though).

As far as the ST/nonST is concerned I think the old system was able to tell you all this but only by looking at an individual membership record, whereas now they will be able to differentiate by looking at the database in total without drilling down into the individual record.

Sorry, not your argument here as I'm sure you're just passing on what you've been privy to, but how did they segment the membership base when previously did a mailing to ST holders for renewals etc then? I can't imagine any membership/ticketing database that couldn't tell them who was a ST holder and who wasn't and they have certainly used Season Tickets as a differentiator for ticketing since they installed this system, the Man City game couldn't be a one off where they couldn't. They even prioritised STHs for the Play Offs didn't they?

[STAR Liaison]

I know it was under discussion well before the play-off games. If anything it may be influenced by the Man City game where they could not differentiate between ST holders and non-ST holders and could only regulate sales on Royalty Points.

That seems really odd if that was a genuine reason given by the club and not just a bit of a typo by starliaison.

The discussion I recall is in the context of ST renewals as the club is aware that the online booking and Royalty points system can easily lead people to buy tickets as and when rather than buying an ST as they if they have enough points they can be sure of being high enough up in the queue to get any ticket they want. The club wants to sell STs not just to get the money now but also as it gives them a more secure base to budget from. So they were looking for ways to make an ST more valuable and it was in this context that the discussion occurred that the then system would not allow it and it was on the agenda for that meeting.

I would also be very surprised if a decision to change it post play-offs could be implemented and tested by now, and also the club do not have the view of ticketzone that is prevelant on here - they think ticketzone did a good job.

[STAR Liaison]

[

As far as the ST/nonST is concerned I think the old system was able to tell you all this but only by looking at an individual membership record, whereas now they will be able to differentiate by looking at the database in total without drilling down into the individual record.

Sorry, not your argument here as I'm sure you're just passing on what you've been privy to, but how did they segment the membership base when previously did a mailing to ST holders for renewals etc then? I can't imagine any membership/ticketing database that couldn't tell them who was a ST holder and who wasn't and they have certainly used Season Tickets as a differentiator for ticketing since they installed this system, the Man City game couldn't be a one off where they couldn't. They even prioritised STHs for the Play Offs didn't they?

You are right I haven't tried to implement anything using the old system but I do know I was told the old system was not as versatile as they would want and that every time they asked for modifications they had real trouble getting it changed and that they had great trouble differentiating as they wanted.

[Hoop Blah]

I'm not suggesting it was a post-playoff decision. I've said that it might've been a decision made based on the flaws in the system that contributed to the issues we saw with play off ticket sales (ie some cards not recognised, points not taken into account etc etc).

I totally appreciate the benefits to the club in having STHs over match by match ticket buyers. They need to give STHs greater priority at times too, which IIRC they didn't for the Man City game but did for the Play Offs. It seems to me it's a policy issue rather than a systematic one.

I'm sure the new system will be better and it's more than likely a cost effective investment, I was just querying your comment that they couldn't identify STHs for the City game when they have at other times in the last 9/10 years.

[Wizard]

every evening when I get home from work, I go hopefully to the letter box and there is no season ticket its like valentines day circa 1999

Mine came today

I'll send you a Valentine's card next year.

[urz13]

*jizz*

[RoyalBlue]

I know it was under discussion well before the play-off games. If anything it may be influenced by the Man City game where they could not differentiate between ST holders and non-ST holders and could only regulate sales on Royalty Points.

That seems really odd if that was a genuine reason given by the club and not just a bit of a typo by starliaison.

The discussion I recall is in the context of ST renewals as the club is aware that the online booking and Royalty points system can easily lead people to buy tickets as and when rather than buying an ST as they if they have enough points they can be sure of being high enough up in the queue to get any ticket they want. The club wants to sell STs not just to get the money now but also as it gives them a more secure base to budget from. So they were looking for ways to make an ST more valuable and it was in this context that the discussion occurred that the then system would not allow it and it was on the agenda for that meeting.

I would also be very surprised if a decision to change it post play-offs could be implemented and tested by now, and also the club do not have the view of ticketzone that is prevelant on here - they think ticketzone did a good job.

That last bit is absolutely staggering and extremely worrying. Just how the hell can they have arrived at that conclusion given all the negative (and fully justified) feedback that they got at the time from supporters who were trying to use TicketZone's appalling on-line ticketing service (have they asked Tilehurst End not to publish their findings on that? )? I cannot believe that Craig Mortimer sat through two days of on-line chat and them promptly ignored everything that he had heard and responded to.

[SWLR]

Got mine. The Kids still haven't.... they are getting worried.

[Chuckle Brother]

Same as. Are concessions being done separately (even if ordered at the same time)?

[T.R.O.L.I.]

+1.

However, don't Child STH's get free Young Royals membership this year? If so, that might have something to do with the delay.

[Turns8]

^^
I've added John Smith to my friends and family and was amazed to find he has 9999 Royalty Points ...should come in handy when I need to get hold of those tricky away cup tickets later on in the season

....used the stadium postcode for any doubters out there...

[muddyfeet]

mine came in the post at the wkend

can you use two £20 vouchers at the same time?