'High Profile' Enthusiasts: A discussion

[Danny]

Does anyone know where the Alton Towers Social Media team is based? I'd put very good money on it not being in Staffordshire - quite possibly not even in the UK. If the latter, this would explain some of the responses from "Mr Tut-Tut" and the general curt responses / poor English used at times.

All the attraction's social media teams are based at the respective attractions, including Towers. The curt responses (whilst completely not necessary) are inevitably attracted by some of the utter drivel they have to deal with online.

 

[DiogoJ42]

Wouldn't surprise me if they just asked some manager's kids to tweet stuff during playtime in exchange for a magic pass.

 

[Prophecy]

All the attraction's social media teams are based at the respective attractions, including Towers. The curt responses (whilst completely not necessary) are inevitably attracted by some of the utter drivel they have to deal with online.

Regardless of what rubbish they have to put up with, their curt responses aren't an inevitability. They are a result of staff being trained badly and not understanding just how much their responses negatively reflect upon the park.

Social media is critical for businesses these days, and getting the time of voice right is pretty much all they have to go on. Get that wrong and it all goes wrong. If their tweets come across as a tired staff member sick of seeing stupid questions, that'll make it seem like the park have no patience for guests and their concerns.

 

[speedy]

Am looking through their Twitter now and I don't think they seem rude at all. Brief maybe but not rude.

I think we need to remember only a few years ago we had to email or phone a company. Being able to tweet and expect a quick response is a relatively new luxury

 

[Prophecy]

There have been rude / blunt / poor responses in the past. And as with most things customer service related, it only takes one or two bad responses before they get a bad reputation.

The fact that social media is still a relatively new platform is no excuse. The fact of the matter is that it's a huge medium for companies to interact with customers and potential customers, and there's not much room for error.

 

[DiogoJ42]

Without going in to details publicly, I have it on good authority (IE, heard an industry leader say this in person, not some wild online conspiracy) that the days of real human beings staffing customer service / tech support / complaints etc are numbered. Within a couple of years they will all be fired and replaced with "AI chatbots".

Apparently the biggest problem at the moment is that AIs don't understand sarcasm, and think most complaints are compliments.

 

[Robert.W]

Without going in to details publicly, I have it on good authority (IE, heard an industry leader say this in person, not some wild online conspiracy) that the days of real human beings staffing customer service / tech support / complaints etc are numbered. Within a couple of years they will all be fired and replaced with "AI chatbots".

Apparently the biggest problem at the moment is that AIs don't understand sarcasm, and think most complaints are compliments.

I once tried to make a complaint about something, and was dealt with by a hopeless AI chat bot... absolutely useless. Even worse than Alton's customer service at present!

 

[VerticalLoop123]

I do think the resort’s social media team has gone down hill the last year or so. Personally, I enjoy having a bit of banter on twitter with companies, especially Alton towers. A couple of years ago Alton Towers twitter would happily engage in a bit of banter, however, now with budget cuts I feel quite lucky to get the odd tweet back, ,let alone a full conversation! I think if companies come across as being more ‘human’ on social media it increases engagement by the public. Personally having conversations and a bit of laugh with companies of twitter will make me what go, or buy their product. Just my personal opinion.

In regards to the filming on rides, I do feel we need a Francis Jackson video to clear things up. He is truly the best man for the job!

 

[RoyJess]

Does anyone know where the Alton Towers Social Media team is based? I'd put very good money on it not being in Staffordshire - quite possibly not even in the UK. If the latter, this would explain some of the responses from "Mr Tut-Tut" and the general curt responses / poor English used at times.

As far as I'm aware, its from the offices at the Box Office in the resort. I know one of the staff members who is responsible for posting replies on the social media. I just hope that it's not this person that has been responsible for all the resent media controversy

I have been thinking about getting some T'shirts printed to wear at Alton with the following quotes

# "tut tut"
# "it's better than nothing"

 

[Rick]

Merlin have cut everything... even the banter.

(didn't realise 'banter' was still a thing).

 

[bluesonichd]

I miss the banter too
the only time I tweet them now is to complain


Maybe Towers don’t realise banter is still a thing either

Merlin have cut everything... even the banter.

(didn't realise 'banter' was still a thing).

 

[Danny]

If their tweets come across as a tired staff member sick of seeing stupid questions, that'll make it seem like the park have no patience for guests and their concerns.

It would help if the powers that be were able to demonstrate a general consensus for care in the first place.

 

[delta79]

In regards to the filming on rides, I do feel we need a Francis Jackson video to clear things up. He is truly the best man for the job!

I think he should do the video on congo river rapids.

I think the T&Cs should have the line "except where stated otherwise" for photography

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[Ash84]

It really grinds my gears that as a community, everyone can't just get alone. It stinks of desperation to make jibes at one and other via social media, and I detest how two-faced people are these days. I am sure the majority of people are aware that a hidden Facebook group exist's which is dedicated to mocking TPWW, the primary contributions seem to come from people linked to various other groups / pages some of which like to come across as squeaky clean, while other are absolute morons (and seem to get off on the attention they get)

And this comes from me, ex mod on PBE, known for all the wrong reasons, rant videos and slinging mud, (usually at Towers) and generally being a pillock...the difference being it was all a big joke back then. I'd have gone to the bar and bought anyone a pint and openly debated anything, and made sure no one left the table without a smile on their face, regardless of which forum you were a member of. Nowadays however it's a totally different feel, which is why I have very little to do with the community.

We all pee in the same pot, why we can't all just get along I really don't get.

 

[MakoMania]

I think its just a toxic mix of self entitlement on one side and jealousy on the other.

 

[imanautie]

I think he should do the video on congo river rapids.

I think the T&Cs should have the line "except where stated otherwise" for photography

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Then people would be saying they thought it said it was ok in reference to ride signage saying it's not....

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[Danny]

Whilst I get a chuckle out of others often ill-fated optimism on here and from the annual pass community, the MAP Facebook group demonstrates that not all the enthusiast community is toxic and petty.

At the end of the day, it's just a true reflection of the world we live in except applied to a niche community. Not everyone does nor ever will get along.

 

[Ash84]

Whilst I get a chuckle out of others often ill-fated optimism on here and from the annual pass community, the MAP Facebook group demonstrates that not all the enthusiast community is toxic and petty.

At the end of the day, it's just a true reflection of the world we live in except applied to a niche community. Not everyone does nor ever will get along.

OK get along my be asking a bit much, but to dedicate time and effort to making someone's group fail or just to leg them up at every opportunity, it's bordering on cyber bullying and every member of that group would have blood on their hands if anything were to happen to the target (not that I suspect for a minute it would) but the sad thing is, some of those people would actually find that funny.

 

[Error]

10 pages long of this....

Should of ended on page 1 because the main thing (in my eyes) was that he was sitting down whilst taking the photo.
If he dropped his phone/camera in the water, that's his loss and he would know this. This is also the case with the pictures with the children, they were all sitting down and was as safe as any other rider would of been.

Pettiness and a hint of jealousy nothing more.

 

[speedy]

The way people have gone about this is totally petty. If you have a problem with someone else's behaviour I think you should email the park before publicly shaming them on Twitter, especially since nobody seems to know the rules (not even Towers).

And I wasn't aware that such a Facebook group exists. If that's how people like to spend their time that's just sad. There are certain forums I avoid posting on because some people are just unnecessarily nasty.