Paul Barber on "Customers" vs "Fans"

dejavuatbtn · Nov 14, 2014

Goldstone1976 said:
- finally, I'm old enough to remember the time football clubs were NOT required or expected to think or treat supporters as customers - and, indeed, didn't: stadium conditions were terrible, letters went unanswered, phone calls went unreturned etc.

Ah, kids today .................

Eeyore · Nov 14, 2014

Tom Hark said:
- ironically, I re-named Albion's " customer service department" as " supporter services" as it covers a broader remit and I think it better describes what our team does in this area and the title of the department resonates more with fans.

Is it just me that finds this downright odd? Just about every company in the land has a customer services department. It's about the sole aspect of the club where you would expect them to use the word 'customer'.

The term 'Supporter Services' is widely used in the charitable sector, and with 'not for profit'/community interest groups, who's main form of income is donations and subscriptions from people who want to support their work. I think Paul Barber is right to make use of this term.

Tim Over Whelmed · Nov 14, 2014

Why do people have to constantly chip away about PB and waste his time and the clubs money with pointless drivel. I for one don't care what the club think I am, within reason, so long as they spend their valuable time getting the club on a firm footing and moving us closer and into The Premier League.

Goldstone1976 · Nov 14, 2014

spanish flair said:
How about he has his own account on here, one that all fans recognise and stop getting mods to post his messages for him,

I'm actually not sure that he knows I'm a mod; it's not something that's ever come up. I guess he will know if he reads the whole of this thread though!

Bladders · Nov 14, 2014

Barber must be in a state of perpetual face palm with some of the crap he receives in his mail box. :facepalm:

Diego Napier · Nov 14, 2014

drew said:
It's all a load of nonsense that is continually dredged up by over sensitive NSC posters! Especially, those that don't like PB and will use anything that he says to twist the knife. Perhaps life would still be a lot simpler if we had remained a tinpot club at an athletics track with no new ground on the horizon and, ergo, no future.

I agree but you've only partially hit the nail on the head. Add unreasonable, obsessive, misplaced sense of entitlement, hair-splitting and limited and you'd've driven it home.

portslade seagull · Nov 14, 2014

Must admit what a load of twaddle this is fan or customer who really cares

Publius Ovidius · Nov 14, 2014

Moshe Gariani said:
Typically reasonable and well explained stuff from Paul Barber.

Utterly disingenuous (to use the word of the moment) of NSC to collectively try and pretend nobody has been bothered about the "customers" v "fans" issue. It is potentially symbolic of something important and those looking to beat the club have been quick to use it as a stick.

Blimey.

I made the point on the seagulls over London thread to see if anyone asked the question.

To be fair, I personally think that the customer comment is symptomatic of how I view the club at the moment. I really do feel so much disconnect with them.

Still that is my opinion and doubtless there are many people who are happy as Larry, and good luck to everyone.

Moshe Gariani · Nov 14, 2014

granny weatherwax said:
Blimey.

I made the point on the seagulls over London thread to see if anyone asked the question.

To be fair, I personally think that the customer comment is symptomatic of how I view the club at the moment. I really do feel so much disconnect with them.

Still that is my opinion and doubtless there are many people who are happy as Larry, and good luck to everyone.

So you agree with me that PB was probably right to at least try and address people's concern...

Publius Ovidius · Nov 14, 2014

Moshe Gariani said:
So you agree with me that PB was probably right to at least try and address people's concern...

I neither agree nor disagree with you

glasfryn · Nov 14, 2014

Return of the Rev said:
I like to think of myself as a stake holder

now theres no need to start bringing vampires in to this :lolol:

seagullsovergrimsby · Nov 14, 2014

spanish flair said:
Could he not just take over the ask the club section, he does like to type.

PB maybe classier but I wouldn't mind him getting the same result for us, that Parish has for his club .

Prince Charming doesn't like criticism , upset him and he'll threaten legal action. :lol:

Giraffe · Nov 14, 2014

El Presidente said:
You mean...........behave in the same manner as Steve Parish does at Palace?

PB is far too classy for that.

I don't think classy or not has anything to do with it.

Clever though. Like him or not he is clearly a very clever man.

AlastairWatts · Nov 15, 2014

Goldstone1976 said:
....- it's worth noting that the Albion's customer service department, led superbly by Sally Townsend, who retired last year, was in place well before I arrived at the club - and I think dates back to Withdean years....- "

Wasn't she once sacked or demoted by the evil Bellotti?

Justice · Nov 15, 2014

Goldstone1976 said:
I have received an unsolicited email from PB following an email from a fan making him aware of the recent discussion on a NSC thread about him using the term "customer" to describe us. I reproduce it below unedited:

"I'm out of the office today but I've just been e-mailed by a fan who asked me to clarify why I describe Albion fans as "customers".

Apparently this came up at the chairman's fans forum in London last night, which unfortunately I was not at, and according to the email is now a debate on North Stand Chat too, so, through you if I may, I'm happy to clarify for everyone's benefit:

- firstly, I've never described Albion fans as "customers" (instead of fans/supporters). This seems to be something of a myth that one or two people like to perpetuate for whatever reason!

- from memory, my exact words were that "it's very important for football clubs to treat and think of their fans/supporters as customers...". And we absolutely should when it comes to service and communication.

- secondly, the reason/context this point was ever made was, I think, in response to a question I answered at an early fans forum about why the club had a " customer service department".

- it's worth noting that the Albion's customer service department, led superbly by Sally Townsend, who retired last year, was in place well before I arrived at the club - and I think dates back to Withdean years.

- I suspect the Albion would have originally established this department as part of a Football League mandate for ALL club's to publish a customer charter and to establish such a department (the Premier League has a similar charter and requirements for clubs).

- ironically, I re-named Albion's " customer service department" as " supporter services" as it covers a broader remit and I think it better describes what our team does in this area and the title of the department resonates more with fans.

- finally, I'm old enough to remember the time football clubs were NOT required or expected to think or treat supporters as customers - and, indeed, didn't: stadium conditions were terrible, letters went unanswered, phone calls went unreturned etc.

I therefore think the change in football club mindset towards its supporters is a good thing not a bad thing. I hope this helps."

Anyone else find this a bit cringe? And as for the supporter who sent the email to Barber in the first place don't you know your own mind? Are you confused? I'm a fan of BHAFC and will be until the day I take my last breath, Barber or someone else might label me a customer so what I couldn't care less.

Dan Aitch · Nov 15, 2014

It's a pity he had to respond to something that wasn't raised at SoL - as stated by [MENTION=20]granny weatherwax[/MENTION] - it was made in the SoL thread.

Has no relevance to anything but I thought I'd bore you all with it anyway.

Moshe Gariani · Nov 15, 2014

granny weatherwax said:
I neither agree nor disagree with you

You cared enough to comment on my original post and then again on my follow-up.

I'm no Professor of Logic but am not sure you can "neither agree nor disagree" with me under those circumstances...?

Publius Ovidius · Nov 15, 2014

Moshe Gariani said:
You cared enough to comment on my original post and then again on my follow-up.

I'm no Professor of Logic but am not sure you can "neither agree nor disagree" with me under those circumstances...?

Anything you say.

Machiavelli · Nov 15, 2014

Deadly Danson said:
The fact that our CEO has to spend even a second writing about this sort of thing is one of the reasons why I despair of some of our idiotic fans.

But it doesn't show how idiotic so many of our fans are. It also shows that Barber is a decent guy, doing a good job. I've said this before, I come from the Bill Hicks school of marketing (look it up if you don't understand), but Barber is a good man, doing a great job.

Machiavelli · Nov 15, 2014

spanish flair said:
Could he not just take over the ask the club section, he does like to type.

PB maybe classier but I wouldn't mind him getting the same result for us, that Parish has for his club .

Does anyone want to have a public debate with me on this? I will be arguing the case that he does indeed like to type. And perhaps even that he shouldn't type so much. And that those he types to, on the whole, 'just aren't worth it'.

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