Stellar customer service!

[SelectionSunday]

After being given two different and incorrect dates (time frames) of when Big Ten Tournament tickets would go on sale to Gopher basketball season-ticket holders, and then neither time was the order form made available, this is the response I received from Gopher ticket office upon my third request for said information.

Anyone else sensing a serious case of a smart-a*s vibe that I took from their return email?

". .... We apologize for the delay in setting a date, with the volleyball post season games, football bowl games, big ten wrestling, and renewals all occurring over the last couple of weeks, we pushed this on-sale date back a bit."

Nice tone to use with one of your customers!

My first inclination and the smart-a*s in me wanted to reply with something along the lines of, "Yes, I bet those ticket sales for the Motor City Bowl are selling like hot cakes, really keeping you busy," but I decided to take the high road, not even bother with a response to that email.

Many frustrations with this department over the years, and obviously I've finally let it boil over.

Merry Christmas, Mr. Potter!

 

[TNGophfan]

After being given two different and incorrect dates (time frames) of when Big Ten Tournament tickets would go on sale to Gopher basketball season-ticket holders, and then neither time was the order form made available, this is the response I received from Gopher ticket office upon my third request for said information.

Anyone else sensing a serious case of a smart-a*s vibe that I took from their return email?

". .... We apologize for the delay in setting a date, with the volleyball post season games, football bowl games, big ten wrestling, and renewals all occurring over the last couple of weeks, we pushed this on-sale date back a bit."

Nice tone to use with one of your customers!

My first inclination and the smart-a*s in me wanted to reply with something along the lines of, "Yes, I bet those ticket sales for the Motor City Bowl are selling like hot cakes, really keeping you busy," but I decided to take the high road, not even bother with a response to that email.

Many frustrations with this department over the years, and obviously I've finally let it boil over.

Merry Christmas, Mr. Potter!

Maybe, but I took it as more of incompetence CYA. I understand your frustration though, as so typical of the U's customer relations/marketing/ticketing, etc. As you know, what customers hate more than anything is not knowing what's going on or when something is going to happen. You know, your basic setting expectations.

I retired from a business that required servicing products we sold. Stuff would break at some point. Customers where OK with that as long as they knew when service/parts where going to arrive on site so they could plan around. If a service engineer was going to be 2 hours late or the part didn't make it on the plane, they might be upset, but as long as you kept them up to date on status, they where generally OK. Anyway, long winded rant about your issue. You'd think a leading institution of higher learning could get someone to run these departments that understood customer relations.

 

[Go4]

i find the u ticket office to be brutal at customer service. they always seem like you are inconveniencing them with questions and if you ask 3 people the same question you get 5 different answers.

 

[SelectionSunday]

i find the u ticket office to be brutal at customer service. they always seem like you are inconveniencing them with questions and if you ask 3 people the same question you get 5 different answers.

Perfect summation. No consistency of message.

 

[bleedsmaroonandgold]

And we wonder why we have trouble selling tickets. Being courteous and helpful costs nothing, but somehow we aren't able to consistently accomplish that.

 

[UpAndUnder43]

My experiences are either a 10/10 or a 1/10 which I think is troubling.

Volleyball tickets this year were awful. Sold me obstructed view seats. Called to complain once I found out and they fixed it in 30 seconds. Different people obviously

 

[die hard gopher]

The customer service representatives are all students so that is probably part of the reason.

 

[UpAndUnder43]

The customer service representatives are all students so that is probably part of the reason.

I don't think. The ticket sales people are most likely not students. That is what I was referring to at least.

 

[die hard gopher]

I don't think. The ticket sales people are most likely not students. That is what I was referring to at least.

If you call in and press option #2, that will bring you to the sales team who are full time employees. They sell new to new season ticket holders and sell mini plans.

If you press option #1, that brings you to fan relations representatives who are all students. They sell single game tickets and handle season ticket renewals, seat transfers and general customer service.

 

[UpAndUnder43]

If you call in and press option #2, that will bring you to the sales team who are full time employees. They sell new to new season ticket holders and sell mini plans.

If you press option #1, that brings you to fan relations representatives who are all students. They sell single game tickets and handle season ticket renewals, seat transfers and general customer service.

I've only ever hit #2 or renewed online.

 

[howeda7]

At what point do they just outsource their entire ticketing and marketing department?

 

[Holy Man]

At what point do they just outsource their entire ticketing and marketing department?

I think they did a couple of years ago, not sure if it was under Teague or not, but there was a firm who sells tickets for a number of college and I think some pros who was doing it for a while. It may have just been season ticket packages, though, not the whole operation.

If we're looking for another terrible talking point question, I called yesterday late afternoon, and was told I could call today and purchase BTT tickets today. When I asked how much they were, she said the price had not been set. When I asked if the tickets would be sold first come first serve, she wasn't sure and said it would depend on how many orders there were. I felt terrible for the employee. She was kind and wanted to help, but was not equipped with any real information to help.

 

[SelectionSunday]

If we're looking for another terrible talking point question, I called yesterday late afternoon, and was told I could call today and purchase BTT tickets today. When I asked how much they were, she said the price had not been set.

$400 lower level
$290 middle level
$210 upper level

is what they told me today.

 

[Madman]

SS.... I've been reading your level headed posts for years on this fan board. This must've really pissed you off as this is totally out of character for you. This is as close to an F-bomb dropped by a pastor from the pulpit.... Really grabs your attention.

Sent from my VS501 using Tapatalk

 

[GoodasGold]

At what point do they just outsource their entire ticketing and marketing department?

Those guys on 4th street asking me about my ticket needs, are they employees of ticketing and marketing

 

[SelectionSunday]

SS.... I've been reading your level headed posts for years on this fan board. This must've really pissed you off as this is totally out of character for you. This is as close to an F-bomb dropped by a pastor from the pulpit.... Really grabs your attention.

Sent from my VS501 using Tapatalk

I was ticked off for a bit, but I’ve moved on. That said, if they assign me upper level seats in Chicago, I’m going to blow a gasket!

 

[Holy Man]

I was ticked off for a bit, but I’ve moved on. That said, if they assign me upper level seats in Chicago, I’m going to blow a gasket!

We bought on Wednesday night on-line through someone with a Gopher Score around 700. That should get us lower bowl. Glad the ordeal is almost over, but can't rest easy until the tickets are in hand.

 

[SelectionSunday]

We bought on Wednesday night on-line through someone with a Gopher Score around 700. That should get us lower bowl. Glad the ordeal is almost over, but can't rest easy until the tickets are in hand.

I'm at about 480, and I'm expecting the same. I don't expect the big rollers to flock to Chicago after last season.

 

[howeda7]

Those guys on 4th street asking me about my ticket needs, are they employees of ticketing and marketing

Ask them to comment on the suspended football players. If they run away and hide, they're U employees.

 

[dlw4gophers]

I have never had a problem with the ticket office that one phone call did not fix.

 

[Holy Man]

I have never had a problem with the ticket office that one phone call did not fix.

You are fortunate. Not the case for a lot of us, especially with "specials" like the BTT. Almost every year it is a comedy of ill-informed staff giving information unverified, etc. I suspect it's because in the overall scheme of things, it is small potatoes for them. On the purchasers end, though, it isn't. It's s chunk of money, it means scheduling time away from work, making travel arrangements, and coordinating schedules with others in the group. It's a reasonably big deal, and I for one have never believed they take that seriously. Most schools in the conference have a system of allocating tickets or at least taking requests at the time of season ticket renewals, usually in the summer. I've never figured why the U can't do that.

 

[bleedsmaroonandgold]

You are fortunate. Not the case for a lot of us, especially with "specials" like the BTT. Almost every year it is a comedy of ill-informed staff giving information unverified, etc. I suspect it's because in the overall scheme of things, it is small potatoes for them. On the purchasers end, though, it isn't. It's s chunk of money, it means scheduling time away from work, making travel arrangements, and coordinating schedules with others in the group. It's a reasonably big deal, and I for one have never believed they take that seriously. Most schools in the conference have a system of allocating tickets or at least taking requests at the time of season ticket renewals, usually in the summer. I've never figured why the U can't do that.

The U cant do that because it would require them demonstrating concern for general fan happiness and loyalty without being able to see a short term revenue upside.