Opening Weekend: The Inquest Begins

[Rob]

Towers really let themselves down with some of their social media responses over the weekend. Staff were clearly frustrated, but they came across really badly. I do hope that a manager has addressed this going forward and individuals have been spoken to.

 

[DW_0505]

I think whoever was manning the Twitter account on the weekend was getting a bit fed up.

They seem to have deleted the post where they simply replied “yep” to someone asking if rides still closed at 5pm.

 

[IanSR]

Towers really let themselves down with some of their social media responses over the weekend. Staff were clearly frustrated, but they came across really badly. I do hope that a manager has addressed this going forward and individuals have been spoken to.

They shouldn't be spoken to, they should be sacked.
After all they can do that now, and there's several other million people out there available to do the job properly, they're on the other end of a computer, it's not like you're actually facing down a screaming upset customer like the poor souls in client services are.

 

[Benzin]

Should get the Southern Rail team to train them up in how to deal with customers who are annoyed with paying premium money for awful services...

 

[IanSR]

What train them to go on strike every five minutes? That'll work out well lol

 

[Marcus]

hopefully they have the worst of their problems ironed out before the easter holiday as with all the wickerman advertisement and the kids off it could course them serious problems if they are struggle with smaller crowds.

Can anyone point me in the direction of the current ride opening times, all I seem to find is the previously planned opening times, as I'm trying to find out what is actually open at 10am.

 

[AT86]

9.30am - Wickerman, Spinball and half of CBeebies​

10am - the rest of CBeebies, X-Sector and Mutiny Bay (except Battle Galleons)

11am - Katanga Canyon, Gloomy Wood, Forbidden Valley, Dark Forest, Cloud Cuckoo Land, Battle Galleons and Skyride.

 

[neil.r.benson]

A question for anyone who understands the ride operating procedures.... Why can't they start running and testing the rides at 8:30, so when they open the gates/queues, the rides are up and running, warmed up and working for the paying customers?

<old timer rant>
Like they used to do back in 1986 !
</old timer rant>

 

[Matt.GC]

I don't find the responses rude myself and I think people are too easily offended by perceived "tone". Working with customers, there's no general rule of what customers do and do not find offensive.

Look at it this way, if you're actually ONSITE with staff all around you, why the hell do you get your phone out and start tweeting or messaging someone? If my Mrs is sat in the living room with me on the other sofa and I want to talk to her, I don't get my phone and start tweeting her do I?

What do they expect the social media team to do about it? What CAN the social media team do about it? Do they expect them to somehow make things better with some magic wand from behind a keyboard in an office? If you don't have time to see someone at guest services (at the end of the day I might add) then you can always email a complaint and have it dealt with properly. Whipping out your phone because you're angry and tweeting "Alton Towers is shit today innit PMSL FFS LOL poo emoji" is (justified) venting but I don't understand what kind of response people are looking for?

 

[themeparkfan]

But this is the wonder of technology we are told. If you can't wait in a queue to complain why not use social media to "put it out there" they want to increase the use of technology to improve efficiency eg buy entrance tickets or buy fast track and for queue times and cheap publicity instead of advertising spend. Yet when it comes to negativity and complaining they can't cope with it and want to use good old fashioned customer service person to person. I guess it's to try and keep a cover on it. Oh the double edged sword of social media!

Sent from my SM-J320FN using Tapatalk

 

[Rose Of Dawn]

We stayed in Splash Landings for 2 nights as well, something I was worried about given the hotel has been closed for some time, but overall we had a great experience there too.

Splash was certainly a positive for me last weekend. I didn't spend much time there due to the late ride on Wicker Man, and leaving early to attempt ERT the next day, but overall the hotel seemed clean and pleasant. I also noticed they'd added some tropical smells to the corridors which was lovely

Staff were fairly clueless at times, though, but I found that more confusing than an inconvenience.

 

[Sauron97]

As all of us who deal/have dealt with annoying customers know, its so very tempting to give in and let your frustration out. But you should be able to control yourself and be both rational and helpful. By behaving like this, they are giving a bad impression on every worker at the resort. That's why it isn't good. It doesn't really matter how easily offended or annoying they actually are (and yes, I know they all get offended at everything these days ), as you've always got to maintain the professional persona.

 

[Robert.W]

Having just had a quick look at Alton Towers Twitter, things seem to be improving since the weekend. Hopefully that was just a blip, and they have now addressed the issue.

 

[IanSR]

Resists temptation to wonder if the time of month had anything to do with it (that's not sexist either, since those issues affect both sexes).

 

[Error]

Resists temptation to wonder if the time of month had anything to do with it (that's not sexist either, since those issues affect both sexes).

Its like when the wife texts "Just wait till you get home!..."

How am I spose to perceive that!? Have I done something wrong!? OR..... Have I got a surpise waiting!?

Its never the latter.

 

[rob666]

No.
It is always "I have done something wrong."
Or possibly "What has she found?."

We visited Friday, because we could, knowing the weekend would be hell, which it was.

 

[IanSR]

I find it depends whether the text is ended with a ! or an X is the deciding factor....

 

[venny]

I have absolutely no sympathy with AT for these abrupt responses. The park at the weekend was a joke, their customers who gave them money (in this case even more for Fastrack) had a terrible experience, they don’t want to hike back to Guest Services to then stand in a massive queue, so they use an alternative medium to complain. The response from AT is just terrible. Inexcusable.

That tweet neatly sums up Merlin’s wider attitude to their paying customers and the disdain they appear to hold them in.

 

[Dogdangling]

Why don't they open the gates early and then hold guuests on towers street with a few barriers at the bottom.

Have the shops and appropriate food stands open serving coffee and food. Come time to open then most of the queue are in and have had their bags checked . Europa do it.

 

[WickerManiac]

As of tomorrow, Annual Passes can be scanned at any turnstile.

There will, however, be random checks in operation.