Cashless turnstiles

[i961pie]

I know this as been discussed on here before the season started but what do fans think 7 games in?
The reason I am asking is that last night 10 mins before kick off the queue for a ticket stretched from the office past the MLSB bar, many of those fans would probably have missed the first ten minutes. Luckily the rain hadn't started then.
I know of 2 people who have stopped coming to home games because of this because they live/work away and struggle to get there early or in the week.
This is not a moan by me because I have a season ticket but wondered what is the feeling among the fans.

[Wedgie_pie]

We're British we like queuing :)

[jacobncfc]

I know this as been discussed on here before the season started but what do fans think 7 games in?
The reason I am asking is that last night 10 mins before kick off the queue for a ticket stretched from the office past the MLSB bar, many of those fans would probably have missed the first ten minutes. Luckily the rain hadn't started then.
I know of 2 people who have stopped coming to home games because of this because they live/work away and struggle to get there early or in the week.
This is not a moan by me because I have a season ticket but wondered what is the feeling among the fans.

I understand the logic behind it but think it's a bit much for a club with four million empty seats.

Do your mates know that they can buy a ticket online and either print it or off or scan the barcode from their phone? A pal of mine does that and it always works fine.

There's never a queue at the little ticket shed for the Kop, either, if they sit in there.

[Iwantmypieback]

I know this as been discussed on here before the season started but what do fans think 7 games in?
The reason I am asking is that last night 10 mins before kick off the queue for a ticket stretched from the office past the MLSB bar, many of those fans would probably have missed the first ten minutes. Luckily the rain hadn't started then.
I know of 2 people who have stopped coming to home games because of this because they live/work away and struggle to get there early or in the week.
This is not a moan by me because I have a season ticket but wondered what is the feeling among the fans.

So they can't jump online and buy the tickets that way at any point then? All they have to do is print or show the bar code on their phone at the turnstile? It's really not an issue but people just like to moan I suppose

[i961pie]

I understand the logic behind it but think it's a bit much for a club with four million empty seats.

Do your mates know that they can buy a ticket online and either print it or off or scan the barcode from their phone? A pal of mine does that and it always works fine.

There's never a queue at the little ticket shed for the Kop, either, if they sit in there.

Funny that Jacob I met up with a mate who I persuaded to go down and when he saw the queue we parted and he went and sat in the kop.

[i961pie]

So they can't jump online and buy the tickets that way at any point then? All they have to do is print or show the bar code on their phone at the turnstile? It's really not an issue but people just like to moan I suppose

I don't know, maybe the don't have access to a computer etc. and who is moaning?
If I go somewhere and don't like the service I just don't back again.

[TheProphet]

I think the queue last night would have been people swapping their voucher for a free ticket rather than people just buying tickets.

The queue at the Kop kiosk didn't seem too bad at any point last night when I was walking past.

I would consider cashless as an annoyance but I can cope, I wouldn't have been happy if I had to trek to the ticket office every match though so the Kop kiosk is a life saver.

[arnapie]

It works fine at nearly all other clubs in L2. I can't think of any other ground that isn't now cashless. Just Notts fans still reluctant to arrive 10 minutes before their usual time.

[BigFatPie]

Going online and printing off a ticket is far easier than messing about with cash at the turnstile. Being able to choose your seat is nice as well, though some of our more challenged fans in the kop are still struggling with allocated seating.

Just like garlic bread, it's the future.

[HAPPYMAGPIEHAPPY]

Don't forget Notts sold over 500+ tickets for Mansfield last night so that heavily contributed to the queues

[crazyfists]

I don't like not being able to pay on the turnstile with cash but then again I'm a grumpy sod who's stuck in the past ha ha. At least we'll all be used to the system when it comes to those sell-out games in the champions league.

[OP67]

Buy online and get it cheaper afterall it is the 21st century ;D Then use your phone for them to scan the bar code off, works a treat. You don't even need a printer.

What would be good would be contactless payment at the turnstyles. I understand the security reasons to have cashless turnstyles.

[SmiffyPie]

Going online and printing off a ticket is far easier than messing about with cash at the turnstile.....Stop talking empty! How the hell can starting your PC, logging on, opening your browser, logging on to the OS, picking your seat, check out, card entry, starting your printer etc etc...... be easier than handing over £xx at the turnstile?

[JoePass]

Stop talking empty! How the hell can starting your PC, logging on, opening your browser, logging on to the OS, picking your seat, check out, card entry, starting your printer etc etc...... be easier than handing over £xx at the turnstile?


Whats this internet thingy ?

[SmiffyPie]

Whats this internet thingy ?Exactly!!

[JoePass]

Exactly!!

is it like getting Radio Luxembourg with a metal coat hanger in the back of your transistor radio ?

[The_Don_ORiordan]

I was pretty critical of this at the time. Mostly because the website purchasing was diabolical. That has improved.

It's still a pain, and definitely means you have to take your decision to attend much earlier (I don't have a printer at home) which does put off some of our party.

So in short, is it the end of the world, no.

Have to say though, if the dross we've been used to was still being served up I suspect the greater aggravation (it is more of a pain, that's indisputable) would have more of an effect.

I don't think anyone should consider valid criticism of the system to be moaning though.

Has only stopped me going on one occasion thus far (ability to go was known too late).

But on the flip side, on another occasion it meant I bought a ticket for a game which I ended up not being able to attend...

[The_Don_ORiordan]

There should probably be a ticket purchase kiosk, separate from the "freebies" queue though.

[ancientpie]

Judging by this thread the vast majority see this as no inconvenience(although I cannot see how it can be "easier" than paying cash) & most of us have STs anyway, but for some, the last minute deciders, the should I shouldn't I bother? & potential new fans who turn up with cash it obviously is. I don't mind myself but still cannot understand the advantage of having a Kiosk where you can pay cash for a ticket that you then have to produce at the turnstile, why not just open one cash turnstile for each stand & do away with the middle man?

[Mapperleypie]

I get the idea of cashless turnstiles and I have no issue with buying my ticket beforehand etc. However I can see how this could put off someone who having heard that Hollis is back at CB decides they fancy it at 2.30pm on a Saturday.

As someone further up the thread has mentioned a massive improvement of the current system would be contactless payment at the turnstile, SORT IT OUT NOTTS.

[BigFatPie]

Stop talking empty! How the hell can starting your PC, logging on, opening your browser, logging on to the OS, picking your seat, check out, card entry, starting your printer etc etc...... be easier than handing over £xx at the turnstile?

Kin ell is your PC steam powered and you've got to get it up to working temperature?

To be fair, I've not used a PC at home for about 5 years, I buy tickets on my phone or iPad and the whole thing takes literally about a minute. I rarely carry cash on me so that is indeed easier than having to go to the cash machine.

Think maybe there's a bit of a generational issue here, so the club do need to make sure all ages are catered for.

[SwalePie]

Kin ell is your PC steam powered and you've got to get it up to working temperature?

To be fair, I've not used a PC at home for about 5 years, I buy tickets on my phone or iPad and the whole thing takes literally about a minute. I rarely carry cash on me so that is indeed easier than having to go to the cash machine.

Think maybe there's a bit of a generational issue here, so the club do need to make sure all ages are catered for.

I very rarely use cash these days and, to be honest, find it much more convenient to buy on the phone and have the barcode scanned at Meadow Lane than mess about looking for cash machines and trying to park to use them etc. Just my 2p worth! I reckon contactless payment at the turnstile would be a great facility too. I also no longer have a printer as I don't ever seem to need one these days.

I must start keeping some cash at home though, as several times recently I've fancied a trip to our local here in the village where I live for a couple of pints and a game of darts... then remembered it is cash only. I therefore have to drive 4 miles each way to use a cash machine in order to nip out for a pint 500 yards away. Cash is still needed for some things it seems :)

[metrocab]

I was pretty critical of this at the time. Mostly because the website purchasing was diabolical. That has improved.

It's still a pain, and definitely means you have to take your decision to attend much earlier (I don't have a printer at home) which does put off some of our party.

So in short, is it the end of the world, no.

Have to say though, if the dross we've been used to was still being served up I suspect the greater aggravation (it is more of a pain, that's indisputable) would have more of an effect.

I don't think anyone should consider valid criticism of the system to be moaning though.

Has only stopped me going on one occasion thus far (ability to go was known too late).

But on the flip side, on another occasion it meant I bought a ticket for a game which I ended up not being able to attend...

You don't need a printer just click & collect at the collection point by the shop.

Its made getting into the ground much quicker than it was with cash and you can now enter through any turnstile.

[Bohinen]

I very rarely use cash these days and, to be honest, find it much more convenient to buy on the phone and have the barcode scanned at Meadow Lane than mess about looking for cash machines and trying to park to use them etc. Just my 2p worth! I reckon contactless payment at the turnstile would be a great facility too. I also no longer have a printer as I don't ever seem to need one these days.

It's a massive assumption that everyone has a smart phone though. Given the age of our fanbase, I doubt if more than half have. And I don't, but I do have a printer, which may or may not have ink in it.

The best solution by far is contactless payment, which is the norm pretty much everywhere these days.

[The_Don_ORiordan]

You still have to take your decision to attend earlier chap. Didn't know about the collection point though. Thanks.

[tripie]

You still have to take your decision to attend earlier chap. Didn't know about the collection point though. Thanks.

Almost every club in the northwest I have visited has had cashless turnstiles for many years. Blackpool have had it since at least 2005 and Fleetwood had it when they were non-league. Change always takes a bit of getting used to but Notts have been well behind the times.

[i961pie]

Judging by this thread the vast majority see this as no inconvenience(although I cannot see how it can be "easier" than paying cash) & most of us have STs anyway, but for some, the last minute deciders, the should I shouldn't I bother? & potential new fans who turn up with cash it obviously is. I don't mind myself but still cannot understand the advantage of having a Kiosk where you can pay cash for a ticket that you then have to produce at the turnstile, why not just open one cash turnstile for each stand & do away with the middle man?

Exactly, you have to queue and then hand over cash.

[tripie]

Exactly, you have to queue and then hand over cash.

I expect the cash kiosk is an interim measure on the way to going fully cashless with electronic turnstiles, which is becoming the norm. The advantages of which are reduced fraud risk, reduced bank charges and reduced wage bill.

[Elite_Pie]

Change always takes a bit of getting used to but Notts have been well behind the times.

Not compared to Mansfield, many Stags fans still regularly pay with 10 bob notes.

[ancientpie]

I expect the cash kiosk is an interim measure on the way to going fully cashless with electronic turnstiles, which is becoming the norm. The advantages of which are reduced fraud risk, reduced bank charges and reduced wage bill.

You are probably correct but until it happens why not retain a cash turnstile? I am not at all sure about the "reduced fraud risk" as I don't know of anyone who pays full price at Mansfield & if you are going to employ enough staff to check every ticket there will be very little in the way of a "reduced wage bill", any business can set up an account that doesn't charge for cash deposits & unless we go completely cash free at our catering outlets I would be very surprised if we haven't got this facility.

[tripie]

You are probably correct but until it happens why not retain a cash turnstile? I am not at all sure about the "reduced fraud risk" as I don't know of anyone who pays full price at Mansfield & if you are going to employ enough staff to check every ticket there will be very little in the way of a "reduced wage bill", any business can set up an account that doesn't charge for cash deposits & unless we go completely cash free at our catering outlets I would be very surprised if we haven't got this facility.

Staff don't check the tickets, the machine does. It shows a green light for a full price ticket, an orange light for a concession and a red light if it's a dodgy ticket. You just need one steward for every four turnstiles which are already there anyway.

Bank charges for cash deposits are very high. Which bank offers them free, I think you are wrong about that? Plus I expect we have to have cash counting machines or pay staff to count, put money into bags and reconcile to gate counts and then pay someone like G4S to collect and bank the takings. It's an expensive business dealing with cash.

[i961pie]

Almost every club in the northwest I have visited has had cashless turnstiles for many years. Blackpool have had it since at least 2005 and Fleetwood had it when they were non-league. Change always takes a bit of getting used to but Notts have been well behind the times.

I wonder if that as anything to do with their attendances?

[ancientpie]

Staff don't check the tickets, the machine does. It shows a green light for a full price ticket, an orange light for a concession and a red light if it's a dodgy ticket. You just need one steward for every four turnstiles which are already there anyway.

Bank charges for cash deposits are very high. Which bank offers them free, I think you are wrong about that? Plus I expect we have to have cash counting machines or pay staff to count, put money into bags and reconcile to gate counts and then pay someone like G4S to collect and bank the takings. It's an expensive business dealing with cash.

One Steward for four turnstiles at Stags must cost them a fortune as I know "youngish" fans that get in with juvenile tickets & "oldish" fans that get in with seniors! I'm not certain if it is still the same but 7 years ago when I was in business the Nat West charged for cash deposits unless you agreed otherwise,most businesses that dealt mainly in cash negotiated a deal. I would think that with the cash taken on Programmes, food, drink, club shop etc we already pay someone like G45, please don't underestimate the cost of extra staff in the ticket office, the kiosks, the potential loss of even 10 or 20 fans & we are still employing turnstile staff. As I have posted before, if & when I can see logic & savings I will see the point in this but until then why not make it as easy as possible for all fans to attend?

[tripie]

I wonder if that as anything to do with their attendances?

No. Fleetwood has a population of 20,000 so 2,500 home fans isn't too bad in that context. Blackpool has an ongoing fans boycott due to the owners suing fans and allegedly extracting large amounts of money from the club to prop up their other failing businesses.

[tripie]

One Steward for four turnstiles at Stags must cost them a fortune as I know "youngish" fans that get in with juvenile tickets & "oldish" fans that get in with seniors! I'm not certain if it is still the same but 7 years ago when I was in business the Nat West charged for cash deposits unless you agreed otherwise,most businesses that dealt mainly in cash negotiated a deal. I would think that with the cash taken on Programmes, food, drink, club shop etc we already pay someone like G45, please don't underestimate the cost of extra staff in the ticket office, the kiosks, the potential loss of even 10 or 20 fans & we are still employing turnstile staff. As I have posted before, if & when I can see logic & savings I will see the point in this but until then why not make it as easy as possible for all fans to attend?

Believe me, I work for a business that has a lot of cash takings. It costs a fortune to administer hence we are doing everything we can to move as many income streams onto cashless systems as quickly as we can. I haven't even got onto forgery and the relatively excessive administration costs of employing people to work for two hours a fortnight for 38 weeks of the year.