Pleased to see this morning’s initiative by Celtic to provide people with a more visible and accessible complaints procedure, including an “Our commitment to you” section. I know it’s almost blasphemous to use the word ‘customer’ in a football context, but when it comes to levels of service, it is useful to benchmark the ‘customer experience’ at Celtic Park, which is patchy and often disappointing.
I’ve been meaning to pick up this topic for a while but there is a Supporters’ Forum coming up next month, where various supporters’ groups will be given a chance to put issues of concern to the club, and I planned to raise it directly with the club before writing about it here.
Celtic have a great brand (if you indulge me with another blasphemous but useful term), born to feed the hungry, champion of the underdog, fundraiser for the poor and needy in Scotland and across the globe. We still have the unique Seville legacy – which is 11 years old today – and on Saturday, 47 years after their own crowning moment, the remaining Lisbon Lions will cast their considerable shadow over European football, but a great deal of the ‘customer contact’ reflects a club weary from more recent skirmishes. It needed be this way.
We are one of the world’s unique brand properties, like Disney, but a lot smaller, of course. Every customer contact, every public-facing decision, should reflect this. Disney understand this. They make you pay ridiculous amounts for their tat, but you pay willingly, because every customer contact reflects the highest service levels achievable. None of this comes on minimum wage, you need to select, train and retain good staff, who remain in place irrespective of available alternatives.
Legendary customer service is expensive, but if you own a uniquely ethical brand, paying that expense can be profitable.
Look around at brand management elsewhere. BP throw an environmentally responsible ‘better use of energy’ message at you straight from their home page, and they are one of the world’s most notorious polluters. Barcelona give their ‘More than a club’ message the prime spot (top left) on their home page, without a notion of irony around their tax or Qatar cash transactions. Apple have “Apple and the environment” prominently on their home page. They have little to do with the environmental movement, but they know how important to their business it is to maintain their unique brand.
Ethically, Celtic are miles ahead of any of these outfits but you need to go hunt for our considerable ethical works on the club website.
What should Celtic do when training, match day stewards, or kiosk staff (don’t start me)? What should we do when faced with an expensive business decision? Consult the brand values. Brand values are absolutely sacrosanct and the cost of maintaining them should be looked on as an opportunity to invest in them. At the moment lots of areas are under-invested in, reflecting completely different values to those who rush into the ground on match day.
Our values are to build a great football club which improves Health, promotes Equality, encourages Learning and tackles Poverty. Celtic do this through the very real help they give to thousands of people through Celtic FC Foundation. This is where we are today but all of this should have a higher profile.
When you visit the Celtic web site two days before season ticket renewal deadline day (today), you should be smacked around the senses with our work on Health, Equality, Learning and Poverty. Do that and the drag-through to renewals or merchandise sales will follow, ask Apple or Disney.
We need confidence in this strategy. I know it’s expensive, things are tight and demands enormous, but these values, this unique brand, is why we will flourish for another century.
If you want to raise a question at the Supporters’ Forum leave a note below.
Order your signed copy of Tommy Gemmell’s All the Best below.
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Phyllis,
Well….I’m not one to start rumours but….
Luca Brasi…..that all I’m saying.
how many logical fallacies’ are there?
Always, always, one more than you’ll ever know.
SFTB 15.26
Good post. Which is why it is a good thing that Bawsman addressed the question to The Supporters Forum as that provides Celtic (not those who got them to treat the subject matter of Res12 seriously) the opportunity to provide answers that will indicate where it is all going.
Given the SF is just over 2 weeks away there is no point anything being said by those who convinced Celtic there was a case to answer saying anything at this stage other than whilst it has been a slow drive it has been treated seriously.
Is that Ironic, I don’t know let’s put it to the vote…..
There is an online Ironic not Ironic site, lots of them, there are jus as many fallacy sites but I reiterate there is no fallacy in love or compassion but there is in point gathering.
Sick
Sick
Spweeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuu
I overheard a couply old dears talking in the local post office saying that they were taken out by brth.
And by ‘taken out’ I don’t think they meant in a romantic day oot sense of the phrase.
Auldheid:
You haven’t told me what is wrong with “open floor” yet.
kit
No idea how many there are or how many I know.
Cannot specify the time of your post beyond my hints already.
Our audience is now bored of us so I can say no more
REW:
San Francisco (Golden Gate Bridge)
Salt Lake City?
St Louis (Gateway arch)
Chicago?
NYC
Phyllis d,
No idea pal. Just being a nerse;)
Supporters Forum
Celtic plc’s only reported charitable contribution for many years has been the annual cost of hosting the Charity Fund/Foundation Annual Fund-Raising Dinner, approximately £15k per year.
Will the Club commit to making a substantial contribution each year to the Foundation outwith bearing the cost of this dinner, in order to augment the efforts of supporters, sponsors and other partners?
Celtic’s Next ..
Manager???
Ah Plump fur..
Paul Hartley!
Neil, is obviously.. Wrestling, Subconsciously.. Secretly…. Unbeknownst, even tae HIMSEL~
Engulfed, In the Hoarns O’ A Dilemma!
( He IS?.. How Kin Ye Tell?..ed)( That’s Fur Me tae Know..n . Fur YOU . tae Find oot!)
Well.. Neil , wull . Inevitably , Surrender, tae the Siren Calls… Fae the E.P.L. that Haunt his Dreams.
It is Only A Maitter of Time.. Five or Six Mair Years .. Wrestling . wi those Horns. Wull Eventually Wear Anybuddy OOT!
So When Neil Goes..
Ma Choice wid be..
Paul Hartson..
He wull Be A Ready Made Competent Replacement, Fur oor Neil.
n.. An Inexpensive wan. tae Boot.
Nice.
Kojo
Still,Laughin’
Hartson?
where Did That Come Fae.
Damn.. Spell Check..
Kojo
Still,Laughin
I have no idea why Celtic will not pay a living wage to there staff,I have no idea why Celtic are so into getting rid of the Green Brigade,I have no idea why Celtic did not offer a new contract to Sammi in fact there are many aspects of Celtic I just do not understand. I feel as a supporter that much of the time the custodians at Celtic Park are just not interested in the support and just take us for granted that is in my opinion one of the reasons crowds are falling we are just not valued. H.H.
sftb:
some might say that was a kop out.
Me, I’ll love it when you don’t.
What do you call a mushroom that buys his pals a drink?
A fungi to be with
SFTB:
Before I go…
read back…
it was you who tried to instigate confrontation….
and then you lost your memory…
please come back to me when you find it.
Clique
Good article Paul.
Celtic IMHO shouldn’t entertain sponsorship from alcohol and gambling companies. These type of companies are just one step above your average Merchants of Death, (tobacco, guns etc) and their influence on the club and Celtic fans should not be welcome.
Celtic have a unique opportunity due to our history to position ourselves as the real club of the immigrants, the underdogs and the poor. It is not being exploited enough.
There may be short term pain from refusing sponsorship from these companies, but in the long term it will lead to a more global recognition of our ethos.
No shirt sponsor on the CFC shirt. No corporate monsters allowed at CP. Are Nike ethical for example? Up our charitable donations 10 fold.
As for catering – at the Nou Camp you can buy a beer from a vending machine almost next to your seat – can we not employ lots of vending machines around the stadium? Waiting for crap food is soul destroying and frankly I have more money to spend on match days at CP than opportunities Celtic are giving me. A waste of money.
Drip
BBhoy, I note it is mostly West Donegal that is being mentioned. May I suggest you look at Inishowen 100 and take in Culdaff, Moville, Greencastle and Shrove. Great beaches, good pubs, great fish restaurant in Greencastle. Redcastle I believe has some sort of children’s play area though I have never visited it. And if you take all that in, I am sure Vmhan would agree you could always end up giving Derry a wee visit.
Thanks to everyone on here who has promised to say a wee prayer for me tomorrow and for all the encouragement and wishes expressed.
Clique, drip, drip, clique, boring, boring,
but I’m such a good Celtic Supporter,
I always wear the hoops.
no fallacy gets by me
I’m a captain of the troops!
Boak! BoaK!
Joe Fillippi’s Haircut..
Hiya, Pal.. Great tae greet ye.as alwiz.
Jist don’t Try tae Understand ‘Em..
jist.. Pays yer Coin.. n…. Thank God….
Ye ur a Celtic Fan.!
Fur..
Things could be Woise?
Right?
You Bet.. they Could!
Kojo
Still Laughin’
kit
I said what I had to say. I answered everything you asked honestly.
But, my appetite for the “debate” is reduced when it gets repetitive. I will leave you to it.
Kojo,
I have been thinking about that question myself, one reason is the fact he hasnt named a replacment for Johan yet, alarm bells are ringing. Personally I dont think Paul Hartley has enough experience at the top level yet, I’d go for either John Kennedy or Jackie McNamara. I’d love Henrik but i think he’s biding his time. HH
SFTB:
Do you like TSD?
END OF.
REW
Don’t you realise you’re getting in the way of a perfectly good dust-up here between SFTB and Kitalba, you with your diverting and good-fun brain teasers? Can’t we all just stand back and watch them go at it? It would be just like old times on the blog. Not old, old times – they were good times and involved chat about Celtic. I just mean old times, when a’body fell oot and it wasn’t much of a fun place to hang about.
Anyway –
San Francisco, Philadelphia, St Louis, Chicago, NYC?
rwe….
3 for me…SF, Ny and St Louis with a punt on the desert.. SLC?
TSD wereny bad.
Claire had better success with Steps though.
SFTB:
There are loads of guys on here who have my e-mail address, you might have it yourself, if you don’t please ask one of the many guys that do have my address to forward it to you……. and then please e-mail me with a number and I’ll phone you at your convenience.
Gordon J
Yep. The Mormon Salt Lake Temple and the (used to be called )John Hancock building in Chicago.
Big fan of Thomas Newmans movie music.
His credits include
Shawshank,
Road to Perdition
The Horse Whisperer.
The Good German
American Beauty
Cinderella Man
Pay it Forward
Phenomenon
Scent of a Woman
Meet Joe Black
WALL -E
In the Bedroom
Jarhead
and especially for Celtic fans
The Debt
Revolutionary Road
The Green Mile
HH
Ebay urging users to change their password
hail hail
Kit……
Open floor would be akin to open all hours…. never ending!
Have read back on the debates with interest. The bottom line is that our board are completely disconnected to the support and are following someone else’s agenda.
We will be divided until that is resolved.
Celtic need to stop telling the support how great we are and act like we are great.
joe filippis haircut
15:52 on 21 May, 2014
Agree with you on living wage only…..off oot toe try and find KevJ……if he’s in the same swimming pool as me, i’ll duck ‘m ….hehe
Sack the Board! Celtic are in complete disarray – poor on the pitch and worse of it. How long can the support put up with this? Apart from that it is a great time to be a Celt.
Kojo. Yes certainly things can always be worse but surely we should be looking to improve customer relations and growing our support and encouraging people to increase there spend on supporting the club so we can keep improving our team.However,for me the custodians are driving fans away and we are loseing there coin if you dont trust somone you are not likely to give them your money. H.H.
Scullybhoy,
Did you know the basturts gave £750k of mines and yoors money to Sevco!!!??