Copmplete lack of customer service at Ashtons

[dave the scaffolder]

Trouble and I went to Ashtons last night and as usuall the Ceroc staff there lived up to their reputation of " I dont care, it is not my problem, sort it out yourself."

Let me explain...About halfway through the night the radiators were on full blast and pumping out loads of heat into an allready hot room.

I went to the front desk and asked the [edited by request of DTS] if the heating could be turned off.

Her response was " I cant do anything if you want it turned off you go and ask the venue owner as it is nothing to do with me."

Now i may be missinformed here, but i was of the opinion that if you had an issue to discuss you went to the Ceroc person that took your money off you, seems like basic customer service to me.

Lets discuss customer service here for a moment, ******* if you want to learn any customer service skills try going to Stevenage and see how a venue is run by professional staff who would make an effort to adress the problem.

I mean what is wrong with the staff at Ashtons [edited by request of DTS]

Apart from [edited by request of DTS] the music was good and the standard of dancers was good.

All in all a decent night soiled by poor and indifferent customer service.

This is of course my own opinion based on the customer service that i did not receive on the night.

XXX XXX DTS Dave

[Andy McGregor]

Trouble and I went to Ashtons last night and as usuall the Ceroc staff there lived up to their reputation of " I dont care, it is not my problem, sort it out yourself."

Let me explain...About halfway through the night the radiators were on full blast and pumping out loads of heat into an allready hot room.

I went to the front desk and asked the socially inept ******* if the heating could be turned off.

Her response was " I cant do anything if you want it turned off you go and ask the venue owner as it is nothing to do with me."

Now i may be missinformed here, but i was of the opinion that if you had an issue to discuss you went to the Ceroc person that took your money off you, seems like basic customer service to me.

Lets discuss customer service here for a moment, ******* if you want to learn any customer service skills try going to Stevenage and see how a venue is run by professional staff who would make an effort to adress the problem.

I mean what is wrong with the staff at Ashtons is Ceroc using this venue as a training ground for care in the community patients, or is it that these scrappings off the bottom of the barrel is the best that they can get.

Apart from the care in the community experience the music was good and the standard of dancers was good.

All in all a decent night soiled by poor and indifferent customer service.

This is of course my own opinion based on the customer service that i did not receive on the night.

XXX XXX DTS Dave

The last time I went to Ashtons I paid £30 to get in. Was given a glass of something sweet that came out of a Champagne bottle and had a couple of canapes. The venue was absolutely packed. So busy it was hard to walk down the sides of the dance floor. The dance floor was packed too. That was my LAST trip to Ashtons

However, all the time people are packing in to Ashtons they will not change. Why should they?

[Double Trouble]

The last time I went to Ashtons I paid £30 to get in. Was given a glass of something sweet that came out of a Champagne bottle and had a couple of canapes. The venue was absolutely packed. So busy it was hard to walk down the sides of the dance floor. The dance floor was packed too.

It was like that at the Black & White ball last year...I can't stand it when it's so packed, hot & there is nowhere to sit/dance/put your drinks.

As you say though, as long as people keep going and packing the joint out, the organisers will be too busy counting the profits to worry about complaints...which is why I'm not going to the Black and White ball this year.

[David Bailey]

The last time I went to Ashtons I paid £30 to get in.

Of course, you realise that everyone else paid a tenner...

It was like that at the Black & White ball last year...I can't stand it when it's so packed, hot & there is nowhere to sit/dance/put your drinks.

And yet, people still book tickets for it - lots of people last night were going.

As for the topic, I've not noticed any particular problems with service at Ashtons recently - even the bar staff look a bit more human, perhaps that's Missy D's influence.

Historically, when there are problems, in my experience, Ashtons Management are usually far more at fault than Ceroc management. I sometimes think Ashtons management just don't want Cerocers there, they've been very bad in the past.

[Astro]

I find the bar staff great, and always have.

I agree with DTS that the ceroc door staff can be a bit dismissive.

I like Ashtons, but a couple of years ago, on a Wednesday the DJ had the sound really low.

I asked him to turn it up, but couldn't detect any difference so I danced all the time with a friend who sang the music to me.

Then the DJ had the cheek to announce that ladies should move on and not hog the men - I know it was aimed at me.

One night I went because Eric said he was going, but when I got there the desk said he couldn't make it.

I asked how loud the music would be (classes were on at the time) and they didn't know, so I went home. I explained I am partially deaf. What they could have done is said try it and see, then if you can't hear and the DJ won't turn it up, have your money back.

Because there's nothing wrong with the sound system. I used to go on the Friday freestyles because the volume was fine on Fridays, but not on Wednesdays.

Now of course Annette is DJ and the sound level is great. That's why it's popular again.

Before it was all gloomy.

[dave the scaffolder]

So we have posts all with some comment about how bad the customer service at Ashtons is.....

Would the Ceroc organisers of Ashtons like to respond to any, or all of these comments?

Or shall we accept the standard issue reply that all of us fee paying customers are used to of...

IT IS NOT MY PROBLEM SORT IT OUT YOURSELF!!!!!!!!


Hello hello this is your customer base calling.

Why dont you try a little bit of CUSTOMER SERVICE.

Do you know how difficult it is to dance in a heat filled room?

XXX XXX DTS Dave

[Astro]

One night I went because Eric said he was going, but when I got there the desk said he couldn't make it.

Erick the DJ.

Sorry spelt his name wrong.

[Andy McGregor]

So we have posts all with some comment about how bad the customer service at Ashtons is.....

Would the Ceroc organisers of Ashtons like to respond to any, or all of these comments?

Or shall we accept the standard issue reply that all of us fee paying customers are used to of...

IT IS NOT MY PROBLEM SORT IT OUT YOURSELF!!!!!!!!


Hello hello this is your customer base calling.

Why dont you try a little bit of CUSTOMER SERVICE.

Do you know how difficult it is to dance in a heat filled room?

XXX XXX DTS Dave

My advice would be to find your own venue where you can deliver a better standard of service. If a venue is so weak on customer service it's asking for a competitor to out-class it on customer service

[dave the scaffolder]

Just to let you moaning lot know that we are selling less tickets than last year and because of gender balancing there will be equal numbers and less people there than.
Plus we are laying extra floor.

So this is how you respond to your customer base and its constructive criticism is it?


By calling your customers " you moaning lot".

Have you considered a career change?

Maybe selling the big issue.

XXX XXX DTS Dave

[Andy McGregor]

Just to let you moaning lot know that we are selling less tickets than last year and because of gender balancing there will be equal numbers and less people there than.
Plus we are laying extra floor.

I hope you lot have a great time at the salsa events because I know we are all going to have one of the best & most glamorous nights in the dance calendar, oh and yes with the last Utopia hour until 3am things can't get any better.

Could you turn off the radiators - or would you like me to talk to the venue directly - coz that's what DTS was told by your own, dismissive, staff

[Andy McGregor]

So this is how you respond to your customer base and its constructive criticism is it?


By calling your customers " you moaning lot".

Have you considered a career change?

Maybe selling the big issue.

XXX XXX DTS Dave

As I said, while people are turning up in their droves there will be a certain arrogance in the level of customer service ....

[dave the scaffolder]

As I said, while people are turning up in their droves there will be a certain arrogance in the level of customer service ....

To be perfectly fair Andy I think this is ignorance combined with arrogance.

A good combination in business.

XXX XXX DTS Dave

[Andy McGregor]

To be perfectly fair Andy I think this is ignorance combined with arrogance.

A good combination in business.

XXX XXX DTS Dave

I really don't think there is any ignorance of the level of complaint. With people like DTS complaining on a national forum you can't really say "I didn't know" - so the message I received it "I didn't care" or even "if you don't like it you know what you can do. There's plenty of people who do like what I'm offering, sling your hook!".

[dave the scaffolder]

I really don't think there is any ignorance of the level of complaint. With people like DTS complaining on a national forum you can't really say "I didn't know" - so the message I received it "I didn't care" or even "if you don't like it you know what you can do. There's plenty of people who do like what I'm offering, sling your hook!".

This seems to be the level of customer service offered by this venue.

I suppose the next step will be to ban me from this event for daring to raise a complaint about the poor level of staff at this event.
XXX XXX DTS Dave

[Andy McGregor]

This seems to be the level of customer service offered by this venue.

I suppose the next step will be to ban me from this event for daring to raise a complaint about the poor level of staff at this event.
XXX XXX DTS Dave

I don't think that will happen. I think the attitude is "come if you like, you know what we offer" and even "complain if you like, you're just one of the 'moaning lot' and we're here to take your money, 'moaning' or not."

[David Bailey]

Well, actually, I think you're being a bit hard on Linda - and I'll freely confess to being a moaning lot (is there a singular of that by the way?). She's given information, i.e. that there will be less tickets sold due to gender balancing, which is welcome, if a little tardy.

I heard gossip that they'd be having 350 this year instead of 400 (like last year) - I have no idea whether this is an accurate figure, I'd like to know the real numbers though?

But if those numbers are correct, to be honest, 350 is still way too many in my view - 300 at very most in Ashtons, and I'd prefer 250 if I'm going to get anything like a good dance.

On the other hand, like I said - it's more of a social scene than a dance one, so if you go with that in mind, it could be a great night. Especially after 1am, when it'll clear out a lot I'm sure.

So - and yes, this is me saying it - let's stop having quite such a go at people who provide information, huh?

[Double Trouble]

like I said - it's more of a social scene than a dance one,

You keep saying that, but it's not relevant. I should be able to expect both dancing and a social gathering. It's pure greed from the organisers and reducing the numbers by 50 is an empty gesture that will make no difference to the space available.

[Dreadful Scathe]

Historically, when there are problems, in my experience, Ashtons Management are usually far more at fault than Ceroc management in my experience, I sometimes think Ashtons management just don't want Cerocers there, they've been very bad in the past.

That may be true but it's a Ceroc run event, so palming customers off to the venue management is atrocious. Maybe the venue management will do the same and blame the local council who will in turn blame the labour government

last time I was at Ashtons they insisted on drawing a green line over my Ceroc card in marker pen - which I, of course, immediately rubbed off. Didn't care for the colour

[bigdjiver]

If the venue is too hot the customers drink more.

At Ashtons drink prices and witha full house bitch away.

This has been discussed before. Did anyone ever come up with the actual licensing laws about free tap-water being available?

[David Bailey]

That may be true but it's a Ceroc run event, so palming customers off to the venue management is atrocious.

Well, Ashtons is kind of unique, it's one of the few actual dance halls in London prepared to run Ceroc events, so the venue management have much more leverage over Ceroc. And the venue management, historically (when I was taxi-ing there, 10 years ago) were just plain nasty sometimes.

Don't get me wrong, I agree that it's not a good response, but if it is the venue management's fault, what else can you do? At least she explained the situation.

This has been discussed before. Did anyone ever come up with the actual licensing laws about free tap-water being available?

As I recall, the consensus was that in England and Wales, you didn't have to offer free tap water, but that many / most venues did. I dimly recall that Scottish law was different. Dunno about NI either.