Customer Service

[Tomobz]

So, put aside whether you agree with Matt or Nicola in this feud and put aside whether you think Mr Cortese is a good chairman or not as so far he has been incredibly successful. The one thing that jumps out to me is the issue of customer service at the club. As everyone keeps saying ''Nicola is a great businessman and is taking us to the top'', well surely the first rule of business is to keep your customers happy? That's all of them not just a few. Why is it always so hard for us customers to find out any information about the club? Why is it so hard for the chairmen to just acknowledge the work of past heroes and be respectful to them? Why can't this stupid situation be dealt with in a professional, business manner without all the pettiness involved. I know one thing, it would make me more proud to be a saint rather than all this squabbling.

 

Surely it's a damn sight easier to just come out and say ''We have to thank Nigel for his work at the club, he did a brilliant job and we respect him for that but the time has come for a change in management and a new, exciting direction for SFC''? Wouldn't that simple statement make a lot of the upset supporters happy?

 

And surely it's easier for Cortese to say ''Matthew is a great ambassador for the club, he had many successful years at SFC and is a hero to the supporters. We respect what Matt has done for SFC in the past and present and he has always had the club at heart. I'm going to invite Matt to dinner so we can discuss our differences and clear the air.'' Wouldn't this simple statement make the past legends happy and get them back on side?

 

Is it really such elaborate thinking? Why does everything always need to be so petty and pathetic?

 

If, as Nicola said in his interview, he wants the club to be as one. Then surely he needs to start being pro-active in getting these people on side? It wouldn't take much for all supporters and past players to get behind him and surely that would do no end of good in helping him achieve his goals.

[RobM]

What has that got to do with customer service? That's PR at most.

[WokingSaint]

Hear, Hear to that! Makes complete sense.

[Saint Fan CaM]

What has that got to do with customer service? That's PR at most.

 

Agreed. And anyway, it would not serve to placate certain ex-celebs and actually do nothing to enhance 'customer service'. There are clear personal agendas at work here against Cortese.

[Mr X]

Agreed. And anyway, it would not serve to placate certain ex-celebs and actually do nothing to enhance 'customer service'. There are clear personal agendas at work here against Cortese.

 

What agendas against Cortese? It's one thing to hear he's an arrogant controlling idiot from ex players and celebritys butwhen your hearing it from the man on the street and employees too it can't all be an agenda

[swannymere]

Seems to me most people reacted against Cortese in the moment and have now come round to his way of thinking, and you're argument of bad PR for the club works both ways, all the ex-pro's could conduct themselves better as well.

[Graffito]

On the point about customer service the club seems to have problems where services that are outsourced. I've had issues in recent months with Saintsplayer (seems to be a contact centre abroad that I'm dealing with) and ordering goods online from the club shop. No doubt get them resolved eventually but it's painful. Btw if any one out there got for Christmas a mug with a picture on it of Rickie Lambert being held aloft by Saints fans after promotion with "Albert" on it, it's what I ordered for my nephew for Christmas. He got "Dave. Keep calm and follow Saints". If you're out there Dave, get in touch and we can do a swap.

[Saint Charlie]

As a Customer of Saints for 25 years, the Cortese reign has been the most enjoyable time.

 

The product he has delivered for customers has been generally excellent.

[Mr X]

As a Customer of Saints for 25 years, the Cortese reign has been the most enjoyable time.

 

The product he has delivered for customers has been generally excellent.

 

The remainder of the season will decide wether that product remains as tasty

[Saint Charlie]

The remainder of the season will decide wether that product remains as tasty

 

Of course.

[yorkie]

Dinner with Cortese will not solve the issues MLT has - it goes much deeper than that.

MLT does not expect free tickets, I'm sure he can do without having to attend Corporate hospitality too! He meets the fans - he sits amongst them with his season tickets.

The issue is nothing to do with the club - but it's the club that gets the brunt of the bad publicity.

MLT will always be a legend and as far as I concerned one the most talented footballers of his generation - and his loyalty should never be questioned, but the publicity this spat is attracting isn't doing the club any favours.

People can describe themselves as perfectionists but what does that mean?

I don't know Cortese - not sure that I would want to! He has charmed many at his invitation to dinner with season ticket holders, he's a successful businessman who doesn't suffer fools lightly. Probably thinks he is better than most professional footballers - and treats ex-pros with contempt. I think herein lies the issue - ex-players have no value in the busines plan. Like all paying customers we are entitled to expresss our views - some of us get closer to the truth than others!

[SaintBobby]

I think this sort of stuff is customer service and the club does it very badly. The mishandling of relations with ex-pros sits hand-in-hand with a slapdash approach to public/customer relations.

 

I remember one thing which truly irked me was when they did away with the senior citizens discount in the Kingsland stand. My mum is a STH and in her early 60s. She can easily afford the standard adult price. But the fact that her season ticket was going up by some huge % was simply tucked away in some mall print in some tiny little sub-clause, not set out and explained in a sensible, sensitive fashion.

 

Sure, people can respond "Tough"...."If you don't like the price, don't renew your season ticket"..."Why's your mum so damned special, I'm in my 30s and struggling financially, but I pay the full adult price"..."So what, the football has improved by much more than 50%, she should count herself lucky her ticket isn't even pricier" etc etc etc.

 

But - for the sake of a simple, straightforwardly honest and transparent piece of communication, people in my mother's situation would have simply felt a lot better about being a Saints STH. These sort of things should matter to a club/company. It seems they don't.

[Saint Fan CaM]

What agendas against Cortese? It's one thing to hear he's an arrogant controlling idiot from ex players and celebritys butwhen your hearing it from the man on the street and employees too it can't all be an agenda

 

I'm not hearing anything from 'man on the street' or indeed employees. Please be so kind as to post actual quotes from real people on here - no pseudonyms or fantasy ravings please as that means the square root of nothing - and then I'll start to listen. Fact is most who post on here read what they want to see and believe what they want to believe because that's what floats their boat - you seem to think 'hearing' something on a fans forum website where 99% of the posters don't use their real names is a perfectly reliable way to form an opinion!!! FFS, you need to get out a bit.

 

MLT - great player and servant for Saints in the past - but I question his judgement especially when it comes to spouting on about Cortese in public to meet his/his friends needs (i.e. that's an agenda), when he knows it could harm the club given his 'celeb' status and exposure via Sky.

[SaintBobby]

I'm not hearing anything from 'man on the street' or indeed employees. Please be so kind as to post actual quotes from real people on here - no pseudonyms or fantasy ravings please as that means the square root of nothing - and then I'll start to listen. Fact is most who post on here read what they want to see and believe what they want to believe because that's what floats their boat - you seem to think 'hearing' something on a fans forum website where 99% of the posters don't use their real names is a perfectly reliable way to form an opinion!!! FFS, you need to get out a bit.

 

MLT - great player and servant for Saints in the past - but I question his judgement especially when it comes to spouting on about Cortese in public to meet his/his friends needs (i.e. that's an agenda), when he knows it could harm the club given his 'celeb' status and exposure via Sky.

 

Here's what I've heard from the man on the street/employees.

 

Quite a few of the staff in the club lounge have passed less than flattering comments about the chairman. I must admit I don't write them all down and I tend to recognise the staff by face, not name.

 

But a typical conversation this season:

 

Me: "X or Y or Z seems pretty daft"; Them: "Yeah, well, we all know why that is and who insisted on it"; Me:"Nicola Cortese?"; Them: "Yep" (whispered, combined with a sigh, a shrug and a rolling of the eyes).

 

Specifically,I've been told either directly or second hand (another club lounge member relaying a conversation to me) that:

 

The absence of proper cooked food for sale in the club lounge is because Cortese banned it because it was "too messy" (even though I've never seem him set foot in the lounge)

 

The absence of sufficient seating in the club lounge is because any tiny change to the original design and layout has to be personally approved by the Cortese

 

The creation of a bizarre, tiny, almost laughable, ring-fenced area in the club lounge (essentially one table ostentatiously roped off) was because Cortese demanded a separate distinct area and an accompanying, ludicrous email to be sent to all club lounge members saying they needed to pay more if they wanted a guaranteed seat and table service (the email was impenetrable and deeply confusing and the take-up of the ring-fenced area has been nearly zero)

 

A substantial number of staff have left or are looking to leave - because it's a nearly impossible place to work, with virtually zero professional discretion for staff and a requirement to comply with sudden, contradictory bizarre orders or "ideas" (in stark comparison to some other Premier League clubs, where some staff have now secured alternative employment and others are actively looking to follow them)

 

The rather odd (and even slightly offensive) email sent to all club lounge members essentially telling us we should "dress more smartly in order not to embarrass ourselves" was sent out on the direct instructions of Cortese to the considerable embarrassment of many of the hospitality staff (who had previously been instructed to explain the rather ramshackle state of the affairs in the lounge was an attempt to create a "pub atmosphere" and were now having to write to us saying this wasn't the intended atmosphere at all, but was instead an upmarket, corporate facility).

 

The reason that the volume had been turned off on the TV screens showing Sky Sports News in the lounge was because Cortese specifically insisted that no words from MLT should be audible.

 

This actually represented a softening of his original stance which was that no pictures of MLT should be visible in the lounge - which led to the extraordinary situation in an earlier game this season, upon returning to the lounge at half-time, the TV screens were all on Sky Sports 3, showing some preview of an upcoming boxing match. When asked to switch the channels, staff were instructed to say "That is not possible at this stage" but were specifically prohibited from giving the reason.

 

Now, I'm happy to accept that some of these things may have grown in the telling a little. Some may even be wholly untrue. But there is such a continual pattern of such issues being raised, and so many different staff raising such issues (with me or other club lounge members) that it's just impossible to believe that everything is going smoothly!

[Roger]

Here's what I've heard from the man on the street/employees.

 

Quite a few of the staff in the club lounge have passed less than flattering comments about the chairman. I must admit I don't write them all down and I tend to recognise the staff by face, not name.

 

But a typical conversation this season:

 

Me: "X or Y or Z seems pretty daft"; Them: "Yeah, well, we all know why that is and who insisted on it"; Me:"Nicola Cortese?"; Them: "Yep" (whispered, combined with a sigh, a shrug and a rolling of the eyes).

 

Specifically,I've been told either directly or second hand (another club lounge member relaying a conversation to me) that:

 

The absence of proper cooked food for sale in the club lounge is because Cortese banned it because it was "too messy" (even though I've never seem him set foot in the lounge)

 

The absence of sufficient seating in the club lounge is because any tiny change to the original design and layout has to be personally approved by the Cortese

 

The creation of a bizarre, tiny, almost laughable, ring-fenced area in the club lounge (essentially one table ostentatiously roped off) was because Cortese demanded a separate distinct area and an accompanying, ludicrous email to be sent to all club lounge members saying they needed to pay more if they wanted a guaranteed seat and table service (the email was impenetrable and deeply confusing and the take-up of the ring-fenced area has been nearly zero)

 

A substantial number of staff have left or are looking to leave - because it's a nearly impossible place to work, with virtually zero professional discretion for staff and a requirement to comply with sudden, contradictory bizarre orders or "ideas" (in stark comparison to some other Premier League clubs, where some staff have now secured alternative employment and others are actively looking to follow them)

 

The rather odd (and even slightly offensive) email sent to all club lounge members essentially telling us we should "dress more smartly in order not to embarrass ourselves" was sent out on the direct instructions of Cortese to the considerable embarrassment of many of the hospitality staff (who had previously been instructed to explain the rather ramshackle state of the affairs in the lounge was an attempt to create a "pub atmosphere" and were now having to write to us saying this wasn't the intended atmosphere at all, but was instead an upmarket, corporate facility).

 

The reason that the volume had been turned off on the TV screens showing Sky Sports News in the lounge was because Cortese specifically insisted that no words from MLT should be audible.

 

This actually represented a softening of his original stance which was that no pictures of MLT should be visible in the lounge - which led to the extraordinary situation in an earlier game this season, upon returning to the lounge at half-time, the TV screens were all on Sky Sports 3, showing some preview of an upcoming boxing match. When asked to switch the channels, staff were instructed to say "That is not possible at this stage" but were specifically prohibited from giving the reason.

 

Now, I'm happy to accept that some of these things may have grown in the telling a little. Some may even be wholly untrue. But there is such a continual pattern of such issues being raised, and so many different staff raising such issues (with me or other club lounge members) that it's just impossible to believe that everything is going smoothly!

 

Jesus cortese sounds like a idiot of the highest order.

[SaintBobby]

Jesus cortese sounds like a idiot of the highest order.

 

I don't think he's an idiot. He's clearly an incredibly intelligent man.

 

But it does almost seem like some sort of Obsessive Compulsive Disorder - or at least a total addiction to micro-management.

[sotonjoe]

Cortese banned the selling of Twixes at Sms because they were deemed too common.

[Gambol2K9]

I don't understand what this has to do with customer service

[Saint Fan CaM]

Here's what I've heard from the man respectstreet/employees.

 

Quite a few of the staff in the club lounge have passed less than flattering comments about the chairman. I must admit I don't write them all down and I tend to recognise the staff by face, not name.

 

But a typical conversation this season:

 

Me: "X or Y or Z seems pretty daft"; Them: "Yeah, well, we all know why that is and who insisted on it"; Me:"Nicola Cortese?"; Them: "Yep" (whispered, combined with a sigh, a shrug and a rolling of the eyes).

 

Specifically,I've been told either directly or second hand (another club lounge member relaying a conversation to me) that:

 

The absence of proper cooked food for sale in the club lounge is because Cortese banned it because it was "too messy" (even though I've never seem him set foot in the lounge)

 

The absence of sufficient seating in the club lounge is because any tiny change to the original design and layout has to be personally approved by the Cortese

 

The creation of a bizarre, tiny, almost laughable, ring-fenced area in the club lounge (essentially one table ostentatiously roped off) was because Cortese demanded a separate distinct area and an accompanying, ludicrous email to be sent to all club lounge members saying they needed to pay more if they wanted a guaranteed seat and table service (the email was impenetrable and deeply confusing and the take-up of the ring-fenced area has been nearly zero)

 

A substantial number of staff have left or are looking to leave - because it's a nearly impossible place to work, with virtually zero professional discretion for staff and a requirement to comply with sudden, contradictory bizarre orders or "ideas" (in stark comparison to some other Premier League clubs, where some staff have now secured alternative employment and others are actively looking to follow them)

 

The rather odd (and even slightly offensive) email sent to all club lounge members essentially telling us we should "dress more smartly in order not to embarrass ourselves" was sent out on the direct instructions of Cortese to the considerable embarrassment of many of the hospitality staff (who had previously been instructed to explain the rather ramshackle state of the affairs in the lounge was an attempt to create a "pub atmosphere" and were now having to write to us saying this wasn't the intended atmosphere at all, but was instead an upmarket, corporate facility).

 

The reason that the volume had been turned off on the TV screens showing Sky Sports News in the lounge was because Cortese specifically insisted that no words from MLT should be audible.

 

This actually represented a softening of his original stance which was that no pictures of MLT should be visible in the lounge - which led to the extraordinary situation in an earlier game this season, upon returning to the lounge at half-time, the TV screens were all on Sky Sports 3, showing some preview of an upcoming boxing match. When asked to switch the channels, staff were instructed to say "That is not possible at this stage" but were specifically prohibited from giving the reason.

 

Now, I'm happy to accept that some of these things may have grown in the telling a little. Some may even be wholly untrue. But there is such a continual pattern of such issues being raised, and so many different staff raising such issues (with me or other club lounge members) that it's just impossible to believe that everything is going smoothly!

 

As you are clearly closer to matters involving 'the lounge' than I am, I respect your comments, however to be fair you have provided no real evidence - I.e. something you personally have experienced. You follow up a little information with much more conjecture which is all too common with so many posting on here. The trouble is indirectly told stories are often full of inaccuracies and innuendo and almost certainly the context of the information is lost in the telling. Sorry, but for that reason, I'm out!

[CHAPEL END CHARLIE]

Dinner with Cortese will not solve the issues MLT has - it goes much deeper than that.

MLT does not expect free tickets, I'm sure he can do without having to attend Corporate hospitality too! He meets the fans - he sits amongst them with his season tickets ...

 

http://www.dailyecho.co.uk/sport/saints/news/10188147.FA_Cup_hero_Steele_shown_the_door_at_St_Mary_s/

[SaintBobby]

As you are clearly closer to matters involving 'the lounge' than I am, I respect your comments, however to be fair you have provided no real evidence - I.e. something you personally have experienced. You follow up a little information with much more conjecture which is all too common with so many posting on here. The trouble is indirectly told stories are often full of inaccuracies and innuendo and almost certainly the context of the information is lost in the telling. Sorry, but for that reason, I'm out!

 

What a strange stance.

 

Of the seven points list, item 1 (messy food) was directly reported to me by a staff member as was item 4 (staff departures). I received the email (or was it a letter? or both? can't remember) on dress code and was told directly this was at Cortese's insistence (item 5). Was told by a staff member about the volume being off on SSN - item 6 - (and can confirm directly the volume was indeed off). I asked specifically about the boxing (item 7) and was told the reason the next week by a staff member - at the time I was told "It wasn't possible at this stage" to switch channels.

 

Items 2,3 and 4 have all been relayed to me secondhand by a trusted friend (who claims senior staff as his direct source).

 

I'm really not sure how much more "direct" my evidence could possibly be!

 

As I said, it's not any particular single issue that troubles me - it's the plethora of them, the real deluge of a whole continuing string of these sorts of things. It's systemic.

[Leicestersaint]

Here's what I've heard from the man on the street/employees.

 

Quite a few of the staff in the club lounge have passed less than flattering comments about the chairman. I must admit I don't write them all down and I tend to recognise the staff by face, not name.

 

But a typical conversation this season:

 

Me: "X or Y or Z seems pretty daft"; Them: "Yeah, well, we all know why that is and who insisted on it"; Me:"Nicola Cortese?"; Them: "Yep" (whispered, combined with a sigh, a shrug and a rolling of the eyes).

 

Specifically,I've been told either directly or second hand (another club lounge member relaying a conversation to me) that:

 

The absence of proper cooked food for sale in the club lounge is because Cortese banned it because it was "too messy" (even though I've never seem him set foot in the lounge)

 

The absence of sufficient seating in the club lounge is because any tiny change to the original design and layout has to be personally approved by the Cortese

 

The creation of a bizarre, tiny, almost laughable, ring-fenced area in the club lounge (essentially one table ostentatiously roped off) was because Cortese demanded a separate distinct area and an accompanying, ludicrous email to be sent to all club lounge members saying they needed to pay more if they wanted a guaranteed seat and table service (the email was impenetrable and deeply confusing and the take-up of the ring-fenced area has been nearly zero)

 

A substantial number of staff have left or are looking to leave - because it's a nearly impossible place to work, with virtually zero professional discretion for staff and a requirement to comply with sudden, contradictory bizarre orders or "ideas" (in stark comparison to some other Premier League clubs, where some staff have now secured alternative employment and others are actively looking to follow them)

 

The rather odd (and even slightly offensive) email sent to all club lounge members essentially telling us we should "dress more smartly in order not to embarrass ourselves" was sent out on the direct instructions of Cortese to the considerable embarrassment of many of the hospitality staff (who had previously been instructed to explain the rather ramshackle state of the affairs in the lounge was an attempt to create a "pub atmosphere" and were now having to write to us saying this wasn't the intended atmosphere at all, but was instead an upmarket, corporate facility).

 

The reason that the volume had been turned off on the TV screens showing Sky Sports News in the lounge was because Cortese specifically insisted that no words from MLT should be audible.

 

This actually represented a softening of his original stance which was that no pictures of MLT should be visible in the lounge - which led to the extraordinary situation in an earlier game this season, upon returning to the lounge at half-time, the TV screens were all on Sky Sports 3, showing some preview of an upcoming boxing match. When asked to switch the channels, staff were instructed to say "That is not possible at this stage" but were specifically prohibited from giving the reason.

 

Now, I'm happy to accept that some of these things may have grown in the telling a little. Some may even be wholly untrue. But there is such a continual pattern of such issues being raised, and so many different staff raising such issues (with me or other club lounge members) that it's just impossible to believe that everything is going smoothly!

 

I have heard very similar comments. Cortese is a control freak of the highest order and seems to treat people as means to an end rather than observing usual courtesies. No doubt this helps to explain why he got rid of Adkins who had a mind of his own. I have heard he treats staff at the club in a highly condescending way.