Membership scheme announced...

[clapham_gull]

I think the statement is 'testing the water'. There is no mention of a cost now which will mean there will be one when the details are finalised. Very clever, when it opens there will be no 'shock / horror' as it has been fully aired on this site.

With an invisible stick in a dry lake.

Looks like a desperate attempt to get some news out. Absolutely no need to say anything now, even less reason to poll the fans for something that doesn't exist.

Weird.

 

[Beach Hut]

Why isn't there an option to vote against it if a democratic poll ?

 

[GoingUp]

Oh so is this scheme for people who ARE NOT season ticket holders, I only skimmed thru it as I'm watching something ATM...

 

[Lincoln Imp]

As the club has owed my company thousands of pounds for several months and still shows no sign of paying up (the latest tactic is to claim that it has lost all the invoices) I can only assume that the whole place is starting to be so overrun with small time spivs that dodgy fund-raising schemes are only to be expected. Having said that, Bozza is right: we don't actually know what this latest wheeze is. Let's wait and see. The three noxious names suggested for it hardly fill me with confidence though.

 

[Stu1]

I'm starting to fall out of Love with football and more worryingly my football club, since I've moved up here, I gave up my season ticket because after the first season the travel became impossible and now I go to the occasional home game and most the northern away games, after years of season tickets and loyalty it appears that I will only be judged on if I'm going to be knocking out 30 quid is more important, this is a step too far

I'm going to use that 30 quid on having a damn good day out

 

[Man of Harveys]

Exactly, whatever this turns out to be, this IS NOT A MONEY MAKING EXERCISE, and unless they charge £100+ it never will be. They might, however, want to actually cover costs of a scheme for once, which is a novel idea in light of the way the club has historically failed to keep tabs on costs.

Well, that's one signed up then. Anyone else?

 

[KNC]

Having just gone through a similar exercise ( for an internal employee brand) that touches 200k people, we provided the focus groups with an overview of the product, the service proposition, the channels, the audience, the benefits and the key changes from what we had currently. This release does some of this but not all. I will reserve judgement until we hear the details.

I'm sure, being a good robust business now rather than a 'cottage industry' or 'vicar of dibley style parish council' that the club are undertaking focus groups as we speak in order to understand what the problem is they're trying to solve with this new product and ensuring it is anchored with the customer experience at the forefront of their solution.

ROSM, you've just given me a headache. And I'm a little scared.

 

[Tom Hark Preston Park]

How about The Gullibles? Nice seagull related name

 

[Giraffe]

This is classic Barber, classic spin. The man should have gone into politics.

I will tell you what will happen...

He has released half the details of a membership scheme. Why? On the face of it it makes no sense, why not release all the details at once. Simple, he knows it will be unpopular. By releasing half the details now, human nature is to assume the worst, especially on here! So we all run around going how terrible it is and then he announces the actual details and it's marginally better than we all feared and perhaps some then will feel happy about it.

Whereas if he had announced the lot in one go we would all be up in arms. He thinks he is being clever. He is not. It's very transparent.

Eventually fans will give up on this screw me for every penny attitude, this treating us like customers not fans, and if that coincides with a bad run on the pitch they will suddenly have trouble filling the ground again.

Await details, which won't be as bad as feared.

Oh and crap names by the way.

Expect Palace fans to vote for the crappest one. It's what we would do!

 

[Goldstone Rapper]

Rather than sell 'The Withdean Years' DVD and 'We Want Falmer' book for a quid each, Barber should have said: 'We want all home supporters to be true fans who appreciate what we have at Falmer. To this end, from now on, all non-season ticket holding supporters need to have bought the book or DVD before we allow you through the gates. It will cost you £30.'

I think he would have kept more people on board with this.

 

[clapham_gull]

This doesn't look promising but I agree about not complaining until we have the details. Instead, I'm having a bloody big moan about the language used. How did we get to the point where people think its acceptable to use such impersonal, vague jargon? Is it because there are now too many people who've done Business Studies? Here are some examples:

the growth of the supporter base = because we have more supporters now

going forward = (redundant)

a more holistic view of ... = understand ...

... how supporters interact with the club = ... our relationship with you

The existing loyalty points system will be retained = we will keep the existing loyalty points system ...

and will be incorporated within the scheme = ... as part of the scheme.

Blah, blah, blah.

Bit harsh it was only a "heads up", nothing's been "actioned" yet.

 

[Brighton Breezy]

Done a piece on this HERE

Turkeys voting on what to call Christmas...

 

[Lincoln Imp]

Having just gone through a similar exercise ( for an internal employee brand) that touches 200k people, we provided the focus groups with an overview of the product, the service proposition, the channels, the audience, the benefits and the key changes from what we had currently. This release does some of this but not all. I will reserve judgement until we hear the details.

I'm sure, being a good robust business now rather than a 'cottage industry' or 'vicar of dibley style parish council' that the club are undertaking focus groups as we speak in order to understand what the problem is they're trying to solve with this new product and ensuring it is anchored with the customer experience at the forefront of their solution.

Sorry if anyone else has mentioned the fact, but the second paragraph does have the sweet smell of subtle irony about it.

 

[Giraffe]

Why isn't there an option to vote against it if a democratic poll ?

NSC likes democracy... http://www.northstandchat.com/showthread.php?280471-Membership-Scheme-Poll

 

[Man of Harveys]

I'm wondering, would the club ever consider charging people for use of the toilets at half-time? I reckon a payment scheme of two quid for a slash, five quid for a number twos, three quid for whatever ladies do in there. Plus there'd be "Golden Stream", a membership scheme which lets you queue jump for an extra 30 quid a year.

 

[catfish]

Welcome to the corporate world.

 

[Giraffe]

I'm wondering, would the club ever consider charging people for use of the toilets at half-time? I reckon a payment scheme of two quid for a slash, five quid for a number twos, three quid for whatever ladies do in there. Plus there'd be "Golden Stream", a membership scheme which lets you queue jump for an extra 30 quid a year.

You could get cashback if you actually drop one in the pan, rather than leave it on the floor or smear it around the cubicle......

 

[HawkTheSeagull]

Since I can't be asked to read through loads of pages - is this for season ticket holders or non-STHs ?

 

[BuddyBoy]

This looks like a cash drive. Could there possibly be any other reason they'd want to effectively streamline membership beyond the points and season ticket system, and how/why? What on earth would be the point? Sure, they want to identify loyal fans, but that's done already. I cannot see another point here. I'm trying but I can't.

 

[clapham_gull]

I'd be amazed if it included season ticket holders. Imagine, if you didn't agree with it you have to pay the fine to cancel the direct debit.

But remember we don't know the finer details, only the chance to give it a name.

An approach pioneered by Blue Peter in relation to their pets so hardly new.