Ticket Office

[couch 'em]

Sad.....sad. I just got back from Moody, where I stopped by at 6:30 with some friends who needed tickets for tonight's game.....but I guess our ticket office just sucks. Now, you might be saying "you don't need a ticket, your in the band" and "why would your friends need tickets, they are students" this is true... but there were several non-students there who wanted to buy tickets for tonights game, but were very upset that they couldn't. Not only were the ticket booths closed, but when we knocked on the door someone came, and was a complete [deleted] to us students, and to the few fans that actually wanted to PAY for tickets. He couldn't have one person sell them tickets so they could help FUND THIER JOBS. It is sad. How hard would it be to have one person sit there at minimum wage and sell tickets so people can get good seats ahead of time and go out to eat before the game. You could even make it a work-study position and help someone pay for school. It is unexcusable. The people there who wanted to pay were considering not going because of the way they were treated by the person who rudely answered the door....it wouldn't surprise me if they didn't leave - I wouldn't blame them.

No wonder we can't get attendance...even when someone does want to attend, they get the runaround by the ticket office.

[Bergermeister]

I thought I was the only one who complained about this mess. There must be zero funding for a ticket office because this would not happen if the employees were paid more than minimum wage. Try buying a ticket from one of the waterheads in the outdoor booths. It is easier to just sneak in.

[Ringer]

What's the deal with the ticket office? This just does not sound right to me. To be closed and hour and a half before the game is bad enough but to be rude to the customer is just down right stupid. Boy we could use some experienced people running the ticket office like Mr. and Mrs. Phillips. Back in their day, they ran that SMU ticket office like a fine tuned machine. It was not unusual to see the ticket office open at noon for an evening game. The Phillips took pride in running the ticket office and it showed. Let's get that pride back in the SMU ticket office.


[This message has been edited by Ringer (edited 02-09-2003).]

[Pony_Fan]

The only way they will know if you write a letter or complain to the manager. Let it be known.

[JasonB]

Yeah, I had the same problem going to the Boise St. game two weeks ago. I went by to try and get tickets, but was told the office didn't open until 6 (game started at 7).

What also really sucks is that you can't buy tickets through Ticketmaster!

[SoCal_Pony]

My issue with the ticket office was trying to purchase tickets out of state for a game at Moody.

I was told I could NOT take advantage of the coupon offer unless I physically showed up at the ticket office with coupon in hand. I told them this would be difficult since I was calling from California at the time. I offered to fax them the coupon. I asked them what was so special about this coupon, after all, it was on the internet for millions of people to download. Response was no coupon, no discount.

It was only after I placed a second call to Copeland’s office that this was resolved. The compromise was that I would purchase the tickets from California, the tickets would be left at Will Call, but unless the coupon was presented once someone went to Will Call, the ticket office would charge the full amount. WHAT A HASSLE!!!!!

End of story was that when person went to Will Call with coupon in hand, you guessed it, the ticket office made NO mention of coupon and it was never presented.

While this bothered me, it would never prevent me from attending an SMU athletic event. My concern is for the casual or first-time fan, how will they react?

[Nacho]

Why is there no one in the ticket office to answer the phone on a Saturday game day? Same as it ever was. All we ever hear about is poor attendance yet...

[Ringer]

Hey SoCal I am sorry you hassled. That is just not right. Heck if I had been the one at the ticket office handling your call and new you were calling from California trying to arrange things, I would have gone out of my way to try to accomodate you. That is how good quality customer servie is handled. You don't quickly dismiss a customer simply based on the fact that a procedure might be broken if you make an exception for someone. Good customer service takes only an iota of common sense but a whole lot of passion. Passion to do a good job. Passion to sell your product. Passion to get the customer what they need. Passion to get the customer to return. Geez, come on ticket office, SMU basketball is good entertainment. Let's get the people to the games by making it easy to get to the games. Not a hassle. The ticket office job is to sell ticket. How can ticket buyers buy tickets whey the office is not open? Open at least two hours before and at least a .5 hour prefereably 1 hour after the game. If no ticket salesperson wants to stay after the game, at least be available during the game. This is not criticism. Believe me, I know your job can be frustrating. Please just take honest suggestions.

[Chavo]

Not just two hours before a game, they need to be open all day on game days. It's a business, I suggest they run it like one for once.

[Ponymon]

I had a friend at work who tried to purchase tickets over the internet a couple of weeks ago, but couldn't! He is from Minnesota, didn't go to SMU, but likes the college game. He called SMU to tell them that about the problem purchasing tickets over the internet and found out that they didn't have a clue that the site wasn't working. I have no idea whether this problem has, in fact, been fixed! Who knows how many ticket sales this error has cost SMU this season???? Obviously, there is some incompetence in the sports administration department that needs to be addressed by the university.

[MSStang]

I understand, but how are any of those people at SMU suppose to know its not working without feedback.

I used it last time I came into town to get my tickets and it worked great, last week.

[Chavo]

1st post? You're just some bum from the ticket office trying to cover your [deleted]. Don't try and hide it. Y'all do a craptacular job.