Basic customer service at exhibitions

[royaloak]

4/   Some of the replies do show up traits of jobsworth, their way or no way, clipboard dictators what ever we call it does a disservice to our hobby, we are not talking about the Mongol hordes attending, on the whole they a bunch of very nice and considerate customers. To all the jobsworth's this comes to mind  "rules are for the guidance of wise men and obedience of fools"

Until it goes wrong and the person you were bending the rules for injures themselves or something and decides to sue you, guess what happens when the injured party proves in Court you didnt stick to the rules?

 

Guess what happens when the insurance company find out the incident happened at 09:55 when the insurance cover has only been paid for from 10:00?

 

You call it being a Jobsworth, I call it covering your arse!

Edited November 14, 2018 by royaloak

[PaulRhB]

I've been that person managing the crowd. Trust me, it looks very different when you are responsible for the safety of people you'd happily let drown/burn/be eaten by a lion.

Yes I’ve been in the receiving end of these twits in a previous career Like I said we can’t stop them and by moving the goalposts once they just keep pushing for more.

The current situation is fine for the vast majority, we spend to much time pandering to a vocal impatient minority when there are far more important and deserving minority groups I’d let in first and they don’t ask for priority in the queue!

[Colin_McLeod]

To really cover your ar#e arrange insurance to start at 09:30 then if someone gets injured at 09:50 you are covered. Anything can be insured if you pay the premium. One of my pet hates is people using insurance as an excuse.

[chris p bacon]

To really cover your ar#e arrange insurance to start at 09:30 then if someone gets injured at 09:50 you are covered. Anything can be insured if you pay the premium. One of my pet hates is people using insurance as an excuse.

 

The insurance is for the advertised show times, outside of those times it's a working site without the general public.

 

Also if like us the exhibition is in a school building then the public aren't allowd in before or after the advertised times.

[Edge]

At Warley last year I thought that the Bachman bargains stand had stopped completely. Only stumbled across it at 3pm on Sunday afternoon and I still got what I wanted

 

I’d made sure to queue up at 9:30 in the morning as well

Edited November 15, 2018 by Edge

[Colin_McLeod]

The insurance is for the advertised show times, outside of those times it's a working site without the general public.

 

Also if like us the exhibition is in a school building then the public aren't allowd in before or after the advertised times.

Only because that was what was arranged with the insurance company. It is also possible to arrange something different and pay the appropriate premium.

[chris p bacon]

Only because that was what was arranged with the insurance company. It is also possible to arrange something different and pay the appropriate premium.

 

While that is true Colin, most small shows are run on a shoestring. the premium constitutes a large part of the outgoings for a show and could easily turn a small profit into a loss.

[Andy Y]

One of my pet hates is people using insurance as an excuse.

 

It's not necessarily an excuse but it can be a problem; although cover is provided for set day(s) and may not define times there would be a problem if there were to be a claim, say for a loss from an exhibit, if the stand/layout was not manned and a theft took place (by a visitor) outside of the opening hours. The insurer could then argue that due care had not been exercised (by the insurer) if the public had been admitted early, or allowed to stay late.

[hayfield]

Until it goes wrong and the person you were bending the rules for injures themselves or something and decides to sue you, guess what happens when the injured party proves in Court you didnt stick to the rules?

 

Guess what happens when the insurance company find out the incident happened at 09:55 when the insurance cover has only been paid for from 10:00?

 

You call it being a Jobsworth, I call it covering your arse!

 

Royal Oak

 

Thanks for quoting me but please do not take things out of context, I wrote

 

4/   Some of the replies do show up traits of jobsworth, their way or no way, clipboard dictators what ever we call it does a disservice to our hobby, we are not talking about the Mongol hordes attending, on the whole they a bunch of very nice and considerate customers. To all the jobsworth's this comes to mind  "rules are for the guidance of wise men and obedience of fools"

 

5/    Whilst health and safety and insurance requirements must be observed, the extension of incorrectly using these two areas as an excuse not to do something is wrong.

 

No where have I suggested in bending rules !! my argument is against the jobsworth who take take the rules totally out of context and use said rules as an excuse not to do something these rules do not cover. Look for reasons to do something, whilst still complying with H&S and insurance requirements. There are many excellent show managers, organisers and stewards out there doing a great job, but like all organisations there are the odd anchor's

 

What's wrong with giving a good service !!, nothing. if you feel its below you then let a more able person do the job. But a big thanks to all those who try their best to make these events so enjoyable

[ThaneofFife]

The entry time rule might be strictly adhered to as a result of the exhibition/event insurance in force as some policies do state in the conditions that the insured "......shall take all reasonable precautions to prevent any claim.....".    

 

One of the exhibitors might not have unpacked fully prior to the official opening time and if he leaves a cable or a box where it might cause a member of the public a trip hazard and if they are injured then that member of the public is likely to make his or her claim against the event holder in the first instance (if the stall holder or layout exhibitor was found in some way negligent then maybe there would be further involvement there in terms of subrogation but then youre into potentially muddy waters depending on whether a claim is to be reduced or even repudiated).  You could argue that another exhibitor could be injured but that would fall outside of the insurers condition above to a large extent.   Letting in a member of the public before the allotted time increases the risk if the exhibitors are still setting up and I would venture to suggest that an insurer would jump on that as a way of avoiding a claim.

 

I know the OP has since said he was not suggesting being let in early but that more efficient ticket sales is considered however the above may add to the discussion for anybody who was wanting to be let in earlier than the advertised times.

 

Personally I love to arrive about 30mins to an hour after the early crush - its so much more relaxing and sets you up for the day.  You've usually got 5 or 6 hours so that's plenty being on your feet all day walking or standing around.

[Hobby]

What's wrong with giving a good service !!, 

 

Nothing as you say... But as this discussion proves it depends on what your definition of what "good customer service" is, and I feel that people's "expectations" (note: NOT CS) these days are now exceeding what should be considered reasonable. The trouble is that many people now confuse "good customer service" with what they think they should get, the two are not always the same.

Edited November 15, 2018 by Hobby

[hayfield]

Hobby

 

Each show will be different, some use venues where the venue dictates what happens, so to a certain extent its out of the clubs hands

 

Others do struggle for stewards, and or the topography restricts what happens. On the whole many shows have enough stewards and if they have catering facilities take the opportunity to earn a few extra £'s 

 

Peoples expectations are higher these days and whilst not pandering to the self centred brigade, look to improve things for everyone where possible. Thanks to the recent television show as a hobby we do have a great opportunity to take advantage of the interest that has been generated, lets welcome them with open arms 

[Hobby]

I agree but the point I was making was that there's what people have a right to expect and then there's what people actually expect which us often more than their rights, as in this case, but disguised by them as "good customer service" as if that makes it ok to demand for over and above.

 

You may agree it not with that (based on my personal experiences) but that's it from me.

[Colin_McLeod]

While that is true Colin, most small shows are run on a shoestring. the premium constitutes a large part of the outgoings for a show and could easily turn a small profit into a loss.

So why blame insurance when the problem is finance?

[Colin_McLeod]

It's not necessarily an excuse but it can be a problem; although cover is provided for set day(s) and may not define times there would be a problem if there were to be a claim, say for a loss from an exhibit, if the stand/layout was not manned and a theft took place (by a visitor) outside of the opening hours. The insurer could then argue that due care had not been exercised (by the insurer) if the public had been admitted early, or allowed to stay late.

Fair point. The organiser should provide due care and provide suitable security at all times when the public are admitted. This may have financial implications. If the reason for not letting people in is security and/or the cost thereof then say so instead of blaming insurance.

[chris p bacon]

So why blame insurance when the problem is finance?

 

eeeer I didn't........It was just an answer to a question about the limitation and costs of insurance.

 

I'm beginning to wonder why I've bothered doing the door all these years.   

[Clive Mortimore]

The OP suggest that tickets are sold before the doors open, not to be allowed in earlier. OK what does that save, a few minutes to get to the secondhand stand but he has also suggested all the good bargains have been sold to the exhibitors while he was waiting outside. So what is the point of selling tickets early. 

[Mike Bellamy]

The OP suggest that tickets are sold before the doors open, not to be allowed in earlier. OK what does that save, a few minutes to get to the secondhand stand but he has also suggested all the good bargains have been sold to the exhibitors while he was waiting outside. So what is the point of selling tickets early. 

 

 

The reason we sell to the queue is so that those who do arrive at opening time (and are at the back of the queue) are able to get in more quickly. I'm sure there would be lots of complaints on here if someone arrived at 10.00am for a show that was due to open at that time but couldn't get in until 10.30 . . . . . 

 

.

[Phil Parker]

The reason we sell to the queue is so that those who do arrive at opening time (and are at the back of the queue) are able to get in more quickly. I'm sure there would be lots of complaints on here if someone arrived at 10.00am for a show that was due to open at that time but couldn't get in until 10.30 . . . . . 

 

.

 

They already do complain about that. And that the show opened too early, or too late, closed too early, there weren't enough bargains, or too many second-hand stalls, or the wrong sort of layouts, or too many layouts, or not enough layouts, or it was too far from their house, or on a weekend they couldn't make it, or too far up a hill... 

 

Basically, you can't please all of the people all of the time. You do your best and try to remember these are generally supposed to be grown-ups who are moaning about nothing more important than the chance to see toy trains. #firstworldproblems

[Clive Mortimore]

The reason we sell to the queue is so that those who do arrive at opening time (and are at the back of the queue) are able to get in more quickly. I'm sure there would be lots of complaints on here if someone arrived at 10.00am for a show that was due to open at that time but couldn't get in until 10.30 . . . . . 

 

.

Might as well let them in while we are setting up, in fact they can do that for me and I will go and find something for breakfast.

 

Typical show is open from 10 am to 5 pm so why oh why does everyone need to be first in?

 

 

Gotta get a bargain. 

Gotta get a bargain.  

Gotta get a bargain.  

Gotta get a bargain.  

Gotta get a bargain.  

Edited November 15, 2018 by Clive Mortimore

[Pacific231G]

Might as well let them in while we are setting up, in fact they can do that for me and I will go and find something for breakfast.

 

Typical show is open from 10 am to 5 pm so why oh why does everyone need to be first in?

 

 

Gotta get a bargain. 

Gotta get a bargain.  

Gotta get a bargain.  

Gotta get a bargain.  

Gotta get a bargain.  

Hi Clive

Is the desire for "bargains" really the main reason for queuing outside exhibitions? Fortunately, modelling non-British prototypes in H0 means that there are rarely any bargains to be had at most shows, and if there are they tend not to get sold very quickly, so I don't have to bother.

 

I suppose people who want to spend the whole day at a large show may simply aim to arrive on time and end up arriving early so, if possible, it's more civilised to let the queue form inside than out in the cold/wet/snow/wind/heat. That seems to work well at ExponNG and at Ally Pally so it probably is something for organisers to think about. I've been to several shows as an exhibitor where the queue outside could, with a litle thought, have been accomodated inside  

Edited November 15, 2018 by Pacific231G

[LNERandBR]

I don't get the whole 'must get a bargin' thing. Show prices tend to be not much different from online prices.

 

In fact the last time I got something that I thought was a bargin I bought it at the end of the day.

 

The first thing I do at any show is look round the layouts.

[Clive Mortimore]

I don't get the whole 'must get a bargin' thing. Show prices tend to be not much different from online prices.

 

In fact the last time I got something that I thought was a bargin I bought it at the end of the day.

 

The first thing I do at any show is look round the layouts.

Hi Stephen

 

Thank you. You must be the geezer who makes those first few minutes worth while when exhibiting a layout. Having exhibited layouts, demonstrated my muddling skills, manned the door and worked on a trade stand I know what a large number of the early birds are prepared to queue for, very rarely to get a front seat at so and so layout.

 

I cannot understand the need to be first. It happens in all walks of life there appears to be this desire to be first. My dad in the days when he collected his pension form the post office would be queuing outside before it opened, irrespective of the weather. He wouldn't listen or believe my mum that the post office wouldn't run out of money so he could go a little later. No his aim was to be first and to beat the Polish lady even if just once.

[ThaneofFife]

I don't get the whole 'must get a bargin' thing. Show prices tend to be not much different from online prices.

 

In fact the last time I got something that I thought was a bargin I bought it at the end of the day.

 

The first thing I do at any show is look round the layouts.

 

for me its layouts first quickly moving to another if one is rammed

then the big ticket manufacturer stands Hornby Bachmann and Farish (not the returns sales side) PECO Dapol Heljan Rapido etc see whats arrived and whats on the way 

then I do the stalls.  not fussed about saving a pound or two on purchases.

this year I might a blue and grey POT and a Mk2f BSO also blue and grey but that's about it.

[BoD]

So, I go to a model railway exhibition, somewhere I really want to go to, and I might occasionally have to queue to get in.

Ain't life a bitch.