Is the club cutting back?

[since-1969]

Just received the leaflet inviting me to renew my Silver Plus season ticket.
 
Looks like there's no more match day program included, and no replica shirt!
 
Doesn't look to be as good a deal it used to be!

As we only ever get to read between the lines ( no pun intended) when it comes to budgets etc , the club has its per annual hat out with it’s early bird Season Ticket offer . It can only be seen on face value that there was no benefit to the over all sales numbers or they would have continued or even taken it up a level. I would sooner buy a 2 or 3 year season ticket if the extra cash would grow the budget in the short term as clearly the lack of the ‘give aways ‘ says that they are going back to basics by only asking for what you will to pay for .

[silent majority]

SM.  Your description of all the complicated tickets is too important to just be lost in this thread.  It ought to be more prominent. Just my opinion.

To be fair, if people read the literature they have been sent it would be a start.

That's a little disingenuous SM, It's clear from my OP, from my subsequent posts and those of others that we did read the flier!
 
IMO the club are not helping themselves in retaining existing customers and attracting new ones.  For my part, I need the car parking facility due to mobility issues following my knee replacement surgery, and can't guarantee paying on the day will get me into Car Park 3, (I've asked to be put on the list for Car Park2 if space becomes available), as there have been times when people were being turned away as Car Park 3 was full - doesn't help that Car Park 3 is also used by the athletics set and users of the outside football pitches on a matchday - though they were allowing people with passes in to park on the end of rows, fortunately for me.
 
I notice that someone else has been charged for the Purple Book that's supposed to be free too!
 
Not the best way to run a business IMO.

I wasn't referring to you in particular. And I was talking generally.
For example, we had the initial IRWT survey, which as everybody knows is our way of asking what it is that supporters want from the club, what's important to the supporters, what's working and what isn't. From that the comments came back that the Silver + membership wasn't working for a number of people.

So, the club then contacted everyone on their list, about 300 in total and about 100 responded. Those100 suggested the changes be made to the offering, which the club duly obliged.

Yet now they're being criticised for doing so. Surely this is something that the club can't win?

As for the Purple book, nobody is being charged for it, its free, but there is a charge of £25 shown as that's its current value/selling price.

SM I don’t know you personally but you never come across as a fool. So surely you’re not naive enough to think we believe that the Rovers pricing structure is based on a survey response of 100 people? Because we don’t. At all.

Are you reading what I've actually written? I didn't say they'd based their pricing structure on a survey that was responded to by 100 people.

Please read it again.

Oh, and the last thing people would describe me as would be naive.

[silent majority]

RTID75,
I'll have to take your word on this as I wasn't a Silver Plus member so didn't see the communication. The responses in the IRWT survey did suggest that those members wanted to see changes.

[Filo]

RTID75,
I'll have to take your word on this as I wasn't a Silver Plus member so didn't see the communication. The responses in the IRWT survey did suggest that those members wanted to see changes.

As far as I can remember we were asked to prioritise the benefits, there was n’t any option to suggest anything

[RTID75]

RTID75,
I'll have to take your word on this as I wasn't a Silver Plus member so didn't see the communication. The responses in the IRWT survey did suggest that those members wanted to see changes.

The way you wrote it made Plus sound like people thought it was an expensive car park pass. I'm assuming they exist (as I've never had a car park pass outside of Plus membership), but surely you'd buy a standalone car park pass if that's all you want, not Plus then complain you're getting too many other things.

I bought Plus for the sum of its parts, not as a tarted up car park pass, which is basically what it's now become.

[Not Now Kato]

SM.  Your description of all the complicated tickets is too important to just be lost in this thread.  It ought to be more prominent. Just my opinion.

To be fair, if people read the literature they have been sent it would be a start.

That's a little disingenuous SM, It's clear from my OP, from my subsequent posts and those of others that we did read the flier!
 
IMO the club are not helping themselves in retaining existing customers and attracting new ones.  For my part, I need the car parking facility due to mobility issues following my knee replacement surgery, and can't guarantee paying on the day will get me into Car Park 3, (I've asked to be put on the list for Car Park2 if space becomes available), as there have been times when people were being turned away as Car Park 3 was full - doesn't help that Car Park 3 is also used by the athletics set and users of the outside football pitches on a matchday - though they were allowing people with passes in to park on the end of rows, fortunately for me.
 
I notice that someone else has been charged for the Purple Book that's supposed to be free too!
 
Not the best way to run a business IMO.

I wasn't referring to you in particular. And I was talking generally.
For example, we had the initial IRWT survey, which as everybody knows is our way of asking what it is that supporters want from the club, what's important to the supporters, what's working and what isn't. From that the comments came back that the Silver + membership wasn't working for a number of people.

So, the club then contacted everyone on their list, about 300 in total and about 100 responded. Those100 suggested the changes be made to the offering, which the club duly obliged.

Yet now they're being criticised for doing so. Surely this is something that the club can't win?

As for the Purple book, nobody is being charged for it, its free, but there is a charge of £25 shown as that's its current value/selling price.

I really don't understand what you're saying here SM, you seem to be contradicting yourself on a number of levels!
 
You/others said that the survey asked people to rank the items in the then current plus package in order of preference.  But in the above quote you now say 100 people suggested changes!  It can't be both SM; and, as others have said it was a ranking system, I fail to see how you or the club could interpret that as a requirement for changes to be made!  But if you think about it for a second, it would seem reasonable to assume that the 200 who didn't respond were happy with the package as it currently was!  It seems strange to me to make a decision based on only one third of the current membership, especially as it seems clear that the question of dropping any of the benefits wasn't actually asked!
 
As for the £25 Purple Book, I draw your attention once again to the receipt I received from the club.  It is perfectly clear that I have been charged £25 for a book that is supposed to be free.  At least one other poster has confirmed that he has also been charged the same £25!
 
I love Rovers, I'm proud to support them, but when they make a cock-up, (IMO), I reserve the right to be critical of it - neither more nor less.  This is a cock-up pure and simple, it has clearly cost them a number of Silver Plus memberships already based on comments on this thread.  It's time to stop defending the indefensible and accept that, in this instance, the club have made a mistake.

[silent majority]

NNK,

You really need to go back and re-read what I've already written as this topic has been covered. I'm certainly not contradicting myself and I'm just repeating myself here.

The IRWT survey (its not specific to Silver Plus!) was carried out and we had numerous responses across all levels and areas, (atmosphere, catering, etc etc.) However some of those responses said that they were unhappy with the Silver Plus membership and asked for changes.

So, the club then carried out a separate communication with the Silver Plus membership. That membership, which numbers about 300 were asked (and I'm going on others here) what they valued most in the package. Over a hundred responded, which is a significant percentage in terms of surveys etc. From that the club then altered the package, reducing it in price and including various items, many of which I've already listed. You certainly cant assume that those who didn't respond were happy, that would be impossible.

The Purple book is a separate issue, every ST holder will be getting one, whether Silver Plus or not. There is no charge!! As I've already said a figure of £25 is listed as it has a value, but you'll notice your ST price will have been reduced by £25 as well, therefore nil charge! You'll; also get a DNA card, but this has no retail value as such therefore no cost is associated with it.

I'm not defending the indefensible, I'm giving up my time to try and explain some of the decisions that the club have made and why they've made them. If you wish to go back to the old Silver Plus I'm more than happy to recommend this to the club.

I'm a member of the Supporters Board, I'm there to represent the fan base and to offer my opinion which I'm sure you'd want me to do, its just a pity that it only ever seems to be me who does this.

[RTID75]

I'd love to go back to the old Silver Plus. I'm ready and waiting to give the club nearly £550. They should have consulted us first, or had a sliding scale of Plus membership.

I'd like to think they can sort this for next season, but fear it's too late.

I'd complain, but as a single supporter they're not going to change their mind due to me. Can you put this to them?

[silent majority]

I'd love to go back to the old Silver Plus. I'm ready and waiting to give the club nearly £550. They should have consulted us first, or had a sliding scale of Plus membership.

I'd like to think they can sort this for next season, but fear it's too late.

I'd complain, but as a single supporter they're not going to change their mind due to me. Can you put this to them?

Of course I'll put this to them.

[Not Now Kato]

NNK,

You really need to go back and re-read what I've already written as this topic has been covered. I'm certainly not contradicting myself and I'm just repeating myself here.

The IRWT survey (its not specific to Silver Plus!) was carried out and we had numerous responses across all levels and areas, (atmosphere, catering, etc etc.) However some of those responses said that they were unhappy with the Silver Plus membership and asked for changes.

So, the club then carried out a separate communication with the Silver Plus membership. That membership, which numbers about 300 were asked (and I'm going on others here) what they valued most in the package. Over a hundred responded, which is a significant percentage in terms of surveys etc. From that the club then altered the package, reducing it in price and including various items, many of which I've already listed. You certainly cant assume that those who didn't respond were happy, that would be impossible.

The Purple book is a separate issue, every ST holder will be getting one, whether Silver Plus or not. There is no charge!! As I've already said a figure of £25 is listed as it has a value, but you'll notice your ST price will have been reduced by £25 as well, therefore nil charge! You'll; also get a DNA card, but this has no retail value as such therefore no cost is associated with it.

I'm not defending the indefensible, I'm giving up my time to try and explain some of the decisions that the club have made and why they've made them. If you wish to go back to the old Silver Plus I'm more than happy to recommend this to the club.

I'm a member of the Supporters Board, I'm there to represent the fan base and to offer my opinion which I'm sure you'd want me to do, its just a pity that it only ever seems to be me who does this.

SM, thank you for the further clarification.  Let me get this straight.  So, there were two surveys run by the club.  The first covering what, all season ticket holders?  Or anyone supporting DRFC?  And some respondents said they were unhappy with the Silver Plus offering?  How many?  Has the results of this survey been published?  I certainly haven't seen them.
 
Then a second survey was held covering Silver Plus members only of which 100 out of 300 responded, yes?  Other posters here, (I certainly don't remember being asked to participate in the survey), have indicated that is was a request to prioritise the current offerings; is that correct? or was the question raised as to which benefits of membership should be dropped?  Whichever, and it is important, it seems strange that the club would take action based on a portion of the 100 out of the 300 that responded when the effects of their decision, (unpublicised until the flier), affected all 300 members without advising all 300 in advance of its intentions.
 
As to the Purple Book.  I can't put it any clearer, I HAVE been charged £25 as you can see from the invoice I posted.  But perhaps if I detail exactly how my charge was calculated it will become clear to you that I HAVE been charged £25....
 
The flier and the clubs web site are very clear that prices have been held until the end of February, and the price of my Senior Category A season ticket is £295.  This, according to the flier and the clubs web site is reduced by £10 as an early bird incentive; so the price now is £285.  This is further reduced by £2 for an unused ticket from earlier this season making it £283.  But being a Rovers Alliance member I get a further 5% discount making the total before Plus Membership £268.85.  Add the £120 for this and we get a total of £388.85.  But I was charged £413.35, (yes, there's a 50p discrepancy somewhere - maybe the 5% discount didn't apply to the £2 unused ticket reduction?), so £288.85 + £25 = the £413.35, (let's ignore the 50p eh?), that I was charged.
 
Or are you saying that the £295 initial price didn't include the £25 and that it should have been £320?  If so, and I assume this is possible, it's a cock-eyed way of doing this and isn't at all clear either in the flier or the clubs web site!  And I'm sure that if the club have got it wrong they will quickly put it right.
 
Oh, and I do appreciate what you do for us fans, both locally with DRFC and nationally, but you can seem somewhat overprotective of the club at times.  They've made a mess of this, it could have been done so much better, please accept it.

[roversdude]

got an e mail from ticket office this afternoon with a -£25 for purple voucher book
Thank you whoever is reading this

[RTID75]

I'd love to go back to the old Silver Plus. I'm ready and waiting to give the club nearly £550. They should have consulted us first, or had a sliding scale of Plus membership.

I'd like to think they can sort this for next season, but fear it's too late.

I'd complain, but as a single supporter they're not going to change their mind due to me. Can you put this to them?

Of course I'll put this to them.

Thank you.

I'd have renewed already if things hadn't been changed.

I'd love to hear if it'll make any difference before the 29th.

[Not Now Kato]

got an e mail from ticket office this afternoon with a -£25 for purple voucher book
Thank you whoever is reading this

So they charged you £25 for the Purple Book but have credited your card when they realised they shouldn't have.  Sounds good.  Hopefully they'll sort mine out when I call them tomorrow.

[Magicman]

I got a survey as a Silver plus asking what was important to me, this included programmes, free half time draw tickets replica shirt car parking amongst others and to rank them. I assume all silver plus did?

I did not get asked anything never have

[dijit8]

As a few others have said on here the survey was prioritizing what was important to you on the silver plus. It would have better for the club to review those results and put three or four options to the silver plus holders for comment  / feedback before introducing this deal. Even at £150  it gave far more value than the current offer. The DNA magazine is reduced in cost if you subscribe so the prices quoted earlier at £4 an issue make the silver plus deal slightly worse as a saving.

[5 on Tour]

SM.  Your description of all the complicated tickets is too important to just be lost in this thread.  It ought to be more prominent. Just my opinion.

To be fair, if people read the literature they have been sent it would be a start.

That's a little disingenuous SM, It's clear from my OP, from my subsequent posts and those of others that we did read the flier!
 
IMO the club are not helping themselves in retaining existing customers and attracting new ones.  For my part, I need the car parking facility due to mobility issues following my knee replacement surgery, and can't guarantee paying on the day will get me into Car Park 3, (I've asked to be put on the list for Car Park2 if space becomes available), as there have been times when people were being turned away as Car Park 3 was full - doesn't help that Car Park 3 is also used by the athletics set and users of the outside football pitches on a matchday - though they were allowing people with passes in to park on the end of rows, fortunately for me.
 
I notice that someone else has been charged for the Purple Book that's supposed to be free too!
 
Not the best way to run a business IMO.

I wasn't referring to you in particular. And I was talking generally.
For example, we had the initial IRWT survey, which as everybody knows is our way of asking what it is that supporters want from the club, what's important to the supporters, what's working and what isn't. From that the comments came back that the Silver + membership wasn't working for a number of people.

So, the club then contacted everyone on their list, about 300 in total and about 100 responded. Those100 suggested the changes be made to the offering, which the club duly obliged.

Yet now they're being criticised for doing so. Surely this is something that the club can't win?

As for the Purple book, nobody is being charged for it, its free, but there is a charge of £25 shown as that's its current value/selling price.

SM I don’t know you personally but you never come across as a fool. So surely you’re not naive enough to think we believe that the Rovers pricing structure is based on a survey response of 100 people? Because we don’t. At all.

Are you reading what I've actually written? I didn't say they'd based their pricing structure on a survey that was responded to by 100 people.

Please read it again.

Oh, and the last thing people would describe me as would be naive.

Yes SM I have read what you’ve written. You clearly stated that the response of the 100 people(out of 300) who had Silver Plus influenced how the Silver Plus was changed for this season.

I responded and my view has been disregarded so we are down to the Silver Plus being based on 99 people.

So if I’m not understanding what you are saying based on what I’ve read here then I would politely suggest the issue is with your explanation and not my ability to read.

I would also politely suggest that you change your standard response from “can’t you read moron????” to something slightly more constructive.

I, like many others, fully appreciate what you do for the club and the fans but your responses of late are coming across as overly defensive. If we lack understanding of a situation it isn’t particularly helpful to ask us if we can read is it? I might suggest that some of us are possibly quite intelligent and don’t appreciate being spoken to like children. 👍

[ravenrover]

Why didn't the other 200 bother to reply to the survey? My guess is couldn't be ars#d! Now up in arms because "things have changed"
I wonder how many would buy either a shirt or a programme if they didn't get a free one? I know I wouldn't, the most important thing to me living in Nottingham is a guaranteed parking spot which was at No1 on my survey return as it seems to have been on others

[Not Now Kato]

Why didn't the other 200 bother to reply to the survey? My guess is couldn't be ars#d! Now up in arms because things have changed ..........now that's a good title for a song

Maybe we weren't asked.  I certainly don't remember being!
 
Either way, it doesn't change the way the club handled this!

[ravenrover]

So you weren't part of the 300

[Not Now Kato]

So you weren't part of the 300

As I said, I don't remember being!
 
But that is irrelevant as, from what other posters who remember the survey have said, people were only asked to rate the current offerings; not to pick which ones they wanted and which ones they didn't.
 
I assume you completed the survey?  So was there any indication on it that the purpose was to determine which items should be retained and which items should be dropped?
 
And what if I did complete the survey and rated,say, the shirt as most important to me?  Do I then not have the right to complain?

[Rovers Return]

SM.  Your description of all the complicated tickets is too important to just be lost in this thread.  It ought to be more prominent. Just my opinion.

To be fair, if people read the literature they have been sent it would be a start.

That's a little disingenuous SM, It's clear from my OP, from my subsequent posts and those of others that we did read the flier!
 
IMO the club are not helping themselves in retaining existing customers and attracting new ones.  For my part, I need the car parking facility due to mobility issues following my knee replacement surgery, and can't guarantee paying on the day will get me into Car Park 3, (I've asked to be put on the list for Car Park2 if space becomes available), as there have been times when people were being turned away as Car Park 3 was full - doesn't help that Car Park 3 is also used by the athletics set and users of the outside football pitches on a matchday - though they were allowing people with passes in to park on the end of rows, fortunately for me.
 
I notice that someone else has been charged for the Purple Book that's supposed to be free too!
 
Not the best way to run a business IMO.

I wasn't referring to you in particular. And I was talking generally.
For example, we had the initial IRWT survey, which as everybody knows is our way of asking what it is that supporters want from the club, what's important to the supporters, what's working and what isn't. From that the comments came back that the Silver + membership wasn't working for a number of people.

So, the club then contacted everyone on their list, about 300 in total and about 100 responded. Those100 suggested the changes be made to the offering, which the club duly obliged.

Yet now they're being criticised for doing so. Surely this is something that the club can't win?

As for the Purple book, nobody is being charged for it, its free, but there is a charge of £25 shown as that's its current value/selling price.

SM I don’t know you personally but you never come across as a fool. So surely you’re not naive enough to think we believe that the Rovers pricing structure is based on a survey response of 100 people? Because we don’t. At all.

Are you reading what I've actually written? I didn't say they'd based their pricing structure on a survey that was responded to by 100 people.

Please read it again.

Oh, and the last thing people would describe me as would be naive.

Yes SM I have read what you’ve written. You clearly stated that the response of the 100 people(out of 300) who had Silver Plus influenced how the Silver Plus was changed for this season.

I responded and my view has been disregarded so we are down to the Silver Plus being based on 99 people.

So if I’m not understanding what you are saying based on what I’ve read here then I would politely suggest the issue is with your explanation and not my ability to read.

I would also politely suggest that you change your standard response from “can’t you read moron????” to something slightly more constructive.

I, like many others, fully appreciate what you do for the club and the fans but your responses of late are coming across as overly defensive. If we lack understanding of a situation it isn’t particularly helpful to ask us if we can read is it? I might suggest that some of us are possibly quite intelligent and don’t appreciate being spoken to like children. 👍

Kettle calling pot black.

Maybe if you wasn’t so aggressive and rude yourself it may stimulate a more respectable thread.

You are twisting and turning SM’s responses. He didn’t call you a moron and you should temper your reactions and stop playing the defensive card.

[Not Now Kato]

Update on the Purple Book £25 charge.
 
I contacted the club this morning and the confirmed that I had indeed been charged £25 for the Purple Book on top of my Silver Plus , and that it had happened to a number of other people who they are trying to contact.
 
If I go back to the Box Office with my card they'll credit me the £25.  Sorted.   

[silent majority]

I've also been in touch with the club this morning, and they are perfectly happy to discuss this with those on here who appear to be upset about any changes. I'll DM those people.

[5 on Tour]

SM.  Your description of all the complicated tickets is too important to just be lost in this thread.  It ought to be more prominent. Just my opinion.

To be fair, if people read the literature they have been sent it would be a start.

That's a little disingenuous SM, It's clear from my OP, from my subsequent posts and those of others that we did read the flier!
 
IMO the club are not helping themselves in retaining existing customers and attracting new ones.  For my part, I need the car parking facility due to mobility issues following my knee replacement surgery, and can't guarantee paying on the day will get me into Car Park 3, (I've asked to be put on the list for Car Park2 if space becomes available), as there have been times when people were being turned away as Car Park 3 was full - doesn't help that Car Park 3 is also used by the athletics set and users of the outside football pitches on a matchday - though they were allowing people with passes in to park on the end of rows, fortunately for me.
 
I notice that someone else has been charged for the Purple Book that's supposed to be free too!
 
Not the best way to run a business IMO.

I wasn't referring to you in particular. And I was talking generally.
For example, we had the initial IRWT survey, which as everybody knows is our way of asking what it is that supporters want from the club, what's important to the supporters, what's working and what isn't. From that the comments came back that the Silver + membership wasn't working for a number of people.

So, the club then contacted everyone on their list, about 300 in total and about 100 responded. Those100 suggested the changes be made to the offering, which the club duly obliged.

Yet now they're being criticised for doing so. Surely this is something that the club can't win?

As for the Purple book, nobody is being charged for it, its free, but there is a charge of £25 shown as that's its current value/selling price.

SM I don’t know you personally but you never come across as a fool. So surely you’re not naive enough to think we believe that the Rovers pricing structure is based on a survey response of 100 people? Because we don’t. At all.

Are you reading what I've actually written? I didn't say they'd based their pricing structure on a survey that was responded to by 100 people.

Please read it again.

Oh, and the last thing people would describe me as would be naive.

Yes SM I have read what you’ve written. You clearly stated that the response of the 100 people(out of 300) who had Silver Plus influenced how the Silver Plus was changed for this season.

I responded and my view has been disregarded so we are down to the Silver Plus being based on 99 people.

So if I’m not understanding what you are saying based on what I’ve read here then I would politely suggest the issue is with your explanation and not my ability to read.

I would also politely suggest that you change your standard response from “can’t you read moron????” to something slightly more constructive.

I, like many others, fully appreciate what you do for the club and the fans but your responses of late are coming across as overly defensive. If we lack understanding of a situation it isn’t particularly helpful to ask us if we can read is it? I might suggest that some of us are possibly quite intelligent and don’t appreciate being spoken to like children. 👍

Kettle calling pot black.

Maybe if you wasn’t so aggressive and rude yourself it may stimulate a more respectable thread.

You are twisting and turning SM’s responses. He didn’t call you a moron and you should temper your reactions and stop playing the defensive card.

I’m always up for a respectable chat mate. During such chat I wouldn’t question your ability to read. Likewise I’m sure you wouldn’t go on the offensive with someone who hasn’t spoken to you? Or do you also try to pick fights in empty rooms?

“I should temper my reactions and stop playing the defensive card”... “pot calling kettle black”...

I assume you can see where your argument has fallen down somewhat?

[RTID75]

Spoke to the club, and I really appreciate the opportunity to do so (we were taking for nearly half an hour) and can now understand the reasons this happened, although there should have been more communication before policy was changed.

It appears that a solely parking pass didn't exist before, and this had helped muddy the waters. Some people wanted parking first and foremost and had no other choice in what they had to buy to get this. Some of us had never had parking previously and bought the Plus membership when offered due to the sum of its parts.

IMHO the confusion at the club over what ought to have been two different products has caused the situation we're in now.

It's a shame for those of us who bought the Plus membership for what it was, rather than just a fancy parking pass.

It's a shame that poor/not enough communication with previous buyers has meant this has happened, and I'm still disappointed that I won't be buying Plus for the forthcoming season.

Not the end of the world though. Back to parking and walking in and avoiding the aforementioned free for all trying to get out of the car park! I may get away quicker! 

Maybe a better review will happen for 21/22 season.

[elmsallrover]

I got a car park pass a few years ago it was £50 then when I went to renew it with my season ticket I was told it would be £150 with silver plus and was not available as a single item thanks but no thanks

[hamiltonrover]

I was considering the silver plus for next season, more for the programmes and shirt than anything else, guess I won’t be now. The parking is a nice to have but not essential for me.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[ravenrover]

And that is it exactly, it's your decision so will you now buy a shirt and a programme now?

[Draytonian III]

How many on here are like me in the Copps 600 scheme , I’m paying my £300 on Saturday for next season

[Not Now Kato]

And that is it exactly, it's your decision so will you now buy a shirt and a programme now?

So, not answering my questions rr?