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The club really needs a CEO. Time to up the game properly off the pitch.
Concerns and questions
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RegencyCheltenhamSpa
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Good explanations in my view. Looking forward to seeing future developments as described.
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Jerry St Clair
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- Joined: 15 Aug 2011, 16:40
A convincing explanation. A perfect storm of Covid, promotion to a new league and staff losses. I can understand how all of that has made life difficult at a club running on limited resources and wafer thin financial margins.
It didn't explain why we have needed to go cashless instead of just offering cash and card payments. Not that it affects me at all, but why can't they take cash as well? Is it just Covid precautions, money changing infected hands?
Most clubs now have cashless turnstiles. What we are lacking is the bar code readers (so still require turnstyle operators) and the ability to scan tickets to your phone (which is something Crewe offered). Could these be potential options the 500 club could help fund?
I know most clubs now have cashless turnstiles. My question is why? If most people want to pay by card, then fine, by why stop taking cash from the few that still want to pay with cash? You don't need any special equipment to take cash, like a card reader and online connection.
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RegencyCheltenhamSpa
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Paying in cash incurs bank fees which are not insubstantial.Shade wrote:I know most clubs now have cashless turnstiles. My question is why? If most people want to pay by card, then fine, by why stop taking cash from the few that still want to pay with cash? You don't need any special equipment to take cash, like a card reader and online connection.
There are also staff cost of carrying cash from each turnstile to a central location and counting it and double checking.
Running a float at each turnstile is a pain.
Plus, as per the latest job ads, it is easier to recruit casual turnstile operators if there are people who are not confident or competent at handling cash, counting change, dealing with people asking for a concession when not eligible etc.
Cash can still be used at the ticket office etc. As the article suggests, ‘cashless turnstiles’ is a misnomer. Really it should be ‘ticket only turnstiles’.
Ultimately, when we get barcode scanners on each turnstile it doesn’t matter if people use a phone, print at home, or a ticket they bought in cash at the ticket office.
I imagine it's a logistics thing - if you only pay by card then you'd have to buy at the ticket office, if you only pay by cash then you pay at the turnstile. The issue then is splitting the tickets on matchday for the certain blocks, etc... between the ticket office and the turnstile.
The only other suggestion I would propose is where they are putting the ticket collection area in the Colin Farmer, they put a small ticket office for that stand for anyone to pay by card or cash. That way there are only two largish queues, those collecting tickets and those purchasing. Anyone who already has a ticket (season tickets/pre-bought and collected) can then go straight through at the turnstile.
The only other suggestion I would propose is where they are putting the ticket collection area in the Colin Farmer, they put a small ticket office for that stand for anyone to pay by card or cash. That way there are only two largish queues, those collecting tickets and those purchasing. Anyone who already has a ticket (season tickets/pre-bought and collected) can then go straight through at the turnstile.
That article makes it clear that the club is not cashless - they still take cash. But at the turnstiles its pre-bought tickets only. Buy a ticket using cash or card at the ticket office, or on-line using a card.
The one major improvement they could make would be automated turnstile entry using a QR or bar code reader on the ticket. Then we'd have the option of print at home tickets with card payments. Those that wanted to pay by cash could still do so at the ticket office.
Plenty of benefits - fewer turnstile operators, reduced printing costs, easier ticket distribution.
And as RCS points out, cash incurs bank costs and time taking it to the bank, is also open to errors in handling the cash and change, and of course theft.
But of course, it needs financing. And someone's time to manage the installation.
The one major improvement they could make would be automated turnstile entry using a QR or bar code reader on the ticket. Then we'd have the option of print at home tickets with card payments. Those that wanted to pay by cash could still do so at the ticket office.
Plenty of benefits - fewer turnstile operators, reduced printing costs, easier ticket distribution.
And as RCS points out, cash incurs bank costs and time taking it to the bank, is also open to errors in handling the cash and change, and of course theft.
But of course, it needs financing. And someone's time to manage the installation.
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RegencyCheltenhamSpa
- Posts: 29824
- Joined: 21 Nov 2009, 03:27
One would hope that the fanzone at least is up to date in terms of tech.
Many will be familiar with the ‘order and pay from the table’ apps which have proliferated during lockdown.
I would hope to see something like that at the fanzone, even if from a third party operator if not the club shop. This makes it much easier if their are multiple food and drink stalls to choose from.
If I meet a friend or relative then we want to spend the time together at our table. We don’t to have one sat and one queuing the whole time as it defeats the point. An app where we can order from different stalls from the table helps with this, even if we have to quickly nip up and collect from the stall.
Many will be familiar with the ‘order and pay from the table’ apps which have proliferated during lockdown.
I would hope to see something like that at the fanzone, even if from a third party operator if not the club shop. This makes it much easier if their are multiple food and drink stalls to choose from.
If I meet a friend or relative then we want to spend the time together at our table. We don’t to have one sat and one queuing the whole time as it defeats the point. An app where we can order from different stalls from the table helps with this, even if we have to quickly nip up and collect from the stall.