Jamie Pollard statement regarding ticket scanning process during home opener

jcordova8

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Full statement from JP here:
 
This is why I think we are lucky to have JP as our AD.

He listens to the fans. He is not afraid to try new things. If they don't work out, he owns it. Offers a sincere explanation and apology. Then moves quickly to resolve the situation.

I don't always agree with his decisions but I know they are always done in good faith. What he has done to improve all aspects of our athletic programs, with limited resources, is amazing.

Thank you JP.
 
"Unfortunately, the combination of many fans arriving closer to kickoff, our staff’s inability to help fans understand the technology, and the excessive heat, came together to create a perfect storm of poor customer service."

So the reasons things didn't go well according to the AD are:

1. Fans arrived too late
2. Fans didnt understand our instructions
3. It was hot

This shows a lack of awareness of what the real problems were and doesn't give me much hope of improvement next week.
 
"Unfortunately, the combination of many fans arriving closer to kickoff, our staff’s inability to help fans understand the technology, and the excessive heat, came together to create a perfect storm of poor customer service."

So the reasons things didn't go well according to the AD are:

1. Fans arrived too late
2. Fans didnt understand our instructions
3. It was hot

This shows a lack of awareness of what the real problems were and doesn't give me much hope of improvement next week.
Jamie’s statement seems underwhelming to me as well. No mention of the purpose or benefit of the new scanners nor what’s going to happen next week for an even bigger crowd in similar heat. Maybe he’ll come out with more as the week goes on.
 
Jamie’s statement seems underwhelming to me as well. No mention of the purpose or benefit of the new scanners nor what’s going to happen next week for an even bigger crowd in similar heat. Maybe he’ll come out with more as the week goes on.
He apologizes and pays lip service to "poor customer service", but if you look at the specific examples ge gives he is pretty much blaming it on the fans and the weather. I love JP and think he is on the mount rushmore of ISU athletics, but owning up to failure is not a strong suit of his.
 
"Unfortunately, the combination of many fans arriving closer to kickoff, our staff’s inability to help fans understand the technology, and the excessive heat, came together to create a perfect storm of poor customer service."

So the reasons things didn't go well according to the AD are:

1. Fans arrived too late
2. Fans didnt understand our instructions
3. It was hot

This shows a lack of awareness of what the real problems were and doesn't give me much hope of improvement next week.

In a nutshell what was the real problem according to those there?

Not being a jerk, genuinely curious.
 
In a nutshell what was the real problem according to those there?

Not being a jerk, genuinely curious.
In a nutshell my electronics device was supposed to talk to the Universities electronic device and then give me credit for having purchased a ticket. For whatever reason that failed to happen in several instances yesterday. Worked some times but not nearly often enough. Did not work in my case. Why was that? Most people have taken the stance blame the university, or blame the folks with the phones that do not know how to use them.

I am an old guy and do not know nearly enough about how all this stuff works. I used electronic tickets last year and had absolutely no trouble with my tickets. Tried to do everything exactly the same this year but it did not work. Why?

Today I asked someone that knows a lot about this stuff as it’s his every day job. His response surprised in one way, but probably not in another. He said it was probably my fault my phone did not “talk“to the scanner. You see this is a different process than last year. What worked last year is not enough for things to work this year. More than likely the reason my phone could not work with the scanner is because I did not have blue tooth turned on. News to me, didn’t have to do that last year. So that is the change I intend to make for this coming game. I’ll bet it solves my problem. My guy knows more than me. JMO
 
In a nutshell what was the real problem according to those there?

Not being a jerk, genuinely curious.
IMO they just didn't have enough scanners. In the past they had 2 or 3 people per lane with handheld scanners. Yesterday they had one kiosk per lane and it seems like they had the same number of lanes, plus they added some stupid turnstiles on top of it which are completely unnecessary. Was some of it due to people not understanding the technology? Sure. But that was a problem in the past as well. I saw people have trouble scanning digital tickets all of the time in the past, but last year when that happened the person with the handheld scanner could take that person to the side and figure out the problem and people behind them could keep moving through the lane. With the new setup if someone has a problem at the kiosk the lane is shut down and no one is getting through. Poor planning all around IMO.
 
In a nutshell my electronics device was supposed to talk to the Universities electronic device and then give me credit for having purchased a ticket. For whatever reason that failed to happen in several instances yesterday. Worked some times but not nearly often enough. Did not work in my case. Why was that? Most people have taken the stance blame the university, or blame the folks with the phones that do not know how to use them.

I am an old guy and do not know nearly enough about how all this stuff works. I used electronic tickets last year and had absolutely no trouble with my tickets. Tried to do everything exactly the same this year but it did not work. Why?

Today I asked someone that knows a lot about this stuff as it’s his every day job. His response surprised in one way, but probably not in another. He said it was probably my fault my phone did not “talk“to the scanner. You see this is a different process than last year. What worked last year is not enough for things to work this year. More than likely the reason my phone could not work with the scanner is because I did not have blue tooth turned on. News to me, didn’t have to do that last year. So that is the change I intend to make for this coming game. I’ll bet it solves my problem. My guy knows more than me. JMO
I always have Bluetooth on due to my job and other needs.
 
Jamie’s statement seems underwhelming to me as well. No mention of the purpose or benefit of the new scanners nor what’s going to happen next week for an even bigger crowd in similar heat. Maybe he’ll come out with more as the week goes on.
I believe UNI was a sell out. Are you informing me it wasn’t?
 
Is it a math problem? 25 ‘scanners’ taking 10-15 sec per scan, you are clearing 150 people per minute at best? In ten minutes, only 1500 scanned.
The one I was in, outside of a few struggle bus people, the scanner I went through was like 3 seconds per person. I had four people and mine together was 10-15 seconds.
 
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I believe UNI was a sell out. Are you informing me it wasn’t?
Not quite but close enough. I don't think people will be as forgiving next week if they are forced to stand in a line that barely moves and miss the kickoff for a big game. The scanners worked fine...that was not the problem imo
 

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