Ipswich Town FC's Customer Charter
CUSTOMER CHARTER 2012/2013
At Ipswich Town Football Club we care about our customers and within this Customer Charter we outline the minimum standards of service that all customers will receive.
We are committed to providing the best facilities and excellence in service and are constantly striving to improve in everything we do. We monitor our performance using independent market research but undoubtedly the best way to improve is to listen to the views of our customers so if you have any comments to make about this Charter or any other customer service issue please be assured that we will welcome your feedback. Contact us at customerservice@itfc.co.uk
For the 2012/13 season the Club will be actively focusing on the following objectives to both add value to our products and provide easier access. These are:
1. Season Ticket sales. We will be implementing an automatic renewal process for season ticket holders who purchase using the Club’s Direct Debit systems.
2. Online ticketing. We will continue to expand the inventory of Club products available for supporters to be able to purchase online, 24 hours a day. Away tickets, travel to away matches and stadium tours will be the priority for this development work.
3. Access Audit. The club has recently carried out an Access Audit for Supporters and Visitors to ITFC. The club will continue to address and implement recommendations highlighted in this report that includes improvements to the website and disabledsignage around Portman Road.
4. The safety of spectators is of paramount importance to ITFC. To achieve this all stewards are trained to the minimum National level (NVQ Level 2 in Spectator Safety). To ensure these high standards and a steward’s level of knowledge is maintained, ITFC will introduce a continual assessment programme for stewarding personnel which will be carried out by the Stewards’ Training Officer and Assessors. In the event of developmental needs being identified appropriate training, instruction and/or courses will be undertaken.
5. The Club has taken the concourse catering operations in house and will develop innovative products and packages to reward loyal supporters and particularly early arrivers at the stadium.
A report on how we perform against our Customer Charter incorporating any improvements we have put in place is submitted to the Football League and the Independent Football Ombudsman annually.
For convenience relevant information can be found under the following headings:
1. Ticketing
2. Membership
3. Facilities for Disabled Supporters
4. Discrimination
5. Staff Conduct
6. Communication
7. Merchandise
8. Community Activities
9. Data Protection
10.Complaints Procedure
1. Ticketing
Ticket Information
Information on ticket availability etc, will be updated daily and can be obtained by telephoning our Ticket Office on 0844 80 11 555 and at the Club’s Planet Blue store.
This information will also be available on our official website on www.itfc.co.uk and will be announced on our match day public address system. We offer a wide choice of seating and a range of Season Ticket prices that enable customers to select a ticket to suit their budget. Full details of the range are mailed out to all Season Ticket holders and members prior to the start of the season and is available on request from our Ticket Office and on our official website www.itfc.co.uk.
Season Ticket holders are offered the opportunity of spreading the cost of their tickets through a direct debit scheme. The scheme now offers a period of 12 months for purchasers who opt in before the Club’s early bird deadline date and also allows for spread payments over a variable time span for purchases throughout the season.
The Club will limit Season Ticket sales so that a minimum of 5% of our home supporter capacity will be made available for sale on a match-by-match basis.
4,700 seats within the Stadium are in our designated Family areas. We regulate the sale of adult tickets against junior tickets in this area to retain and foster an atmosphere that is welcoming to our younger supporters.
In line with national and FA legislation, the whole Stadium is designated a non-smoking area. Anyone who is found smoking will be ejected from the ground. This is in addition to any fine that could be imposed by the Ipswich Borough Council Enforcement Officers on the individual or upon the Club. For anyone considering leaving the stadium to smoke, please note that no re-admission to the ground will be permitted.
A small percentage of seats within the stadium are categorised as having a restricted view and are offered with a £2 match day reduction for adults, £1 for juniors and concessions. This information is clearly printed on the match ticket. Our definition of a restricted view is: “A seat which has a view of the pitch partially obscured by a pillar or structure that may have an impact on the enjoyment of the game”.
Ticket Allocation
We will continue to operate a ticket booking priority system for both home and away matches to ensure that tickets are allocated to supporters fairly. The following information is communicated to all Season Ticket holders and Club members prior to the start of the season. Please note that prior to any tickets going to general sale, members or Season Ticket holders can only purchase one ticket each.
Ticket priority for home league matches
- Season Ticket holders have their own seat for every home league match.
- Debenture Holders who may also purchase up to four additional seats.
- Silver Club members, one ticket per member.
- Gold Club members may purchase up to four additional tickets.
- Season ticket holders may purchase up to four additional tickets.
- General Sale.
Ticket priority for FA Cup and Carling Cup home matches
- Season Ticket holders to purchase their own seat.
- Debenture holders.
- Silver Club members, one ticket per member.
- General sale and including additional tickets for Gold Club and Season Ticket holders.
Ticket priority for away matches
When the Club receives a limited allocation of tickets for an away match, it reserves the right to allocate tickets to Club members and season ticket holders who have attended a minimum number of away matches in the season. Please note that for the Club to be able to register away match tickets they must be purchased from Ipswich Town FC, using the individual customer number of each supporter purchasing, and not bought directly from the away club.
For away matches where we have sufficient tickets to meet general demand the following priority will apply:
- Away Match Passport holders.
- Debenture Holders.
- Gold Club members.
- Season Ticket Holders.
- Silver Club.
- General Sale.
Please note that Junior Blues membership does not carry with it any ticketing privileges. However if the Junior Blue is also a Season Ticket holder then Gold Club members may purchase tickets on their behalf. Similarly Silver Club members can purchase on behalf of a Junior Blues member.
Refunds
A full refund will be given to any supporter returning a match ticket for a home match to the Ticket Office prior to kick off of the match. This excludes Season Ticket holders’ pre-paid cup tie tickets.
A full refund will be given to any supporter returning an away match ticket 5 days prior to the match.
Refunds for Season Tickets are allowed only at the discretion of the Club. Supporters must apply in writing stating the reason for the request and enclosing any supporting facts.
The Club offers free or reduced admission to replays of abandoned games to those who had purchased tickets for the original match. If a match is abandoned after spectators are admitted to the ground but before kick off, ticket holders are entitled to free admission to the rearranged match. If a match is abandoned after kick off, spectators are entitled to half price admission to the rearranged match.
Full details on this and other Club policies can be found on the Club’s ground regulations displayed within the Ticket Office and on the official website at www.itfc.co.uk
Concessions
Concession priced match tickets are available to juniors under the age of 16, to senior citizens aged 60 and above, under 20s and to students in full time education. Season Tickets are also offered at concession prices to under 11s, 16s, 20s, students in full time education and senior citizens over 60. The under 11 categories are only available in the designated Family Areas and the South Stand lower tier. Supporters applying for any concession priced tickets may be asked to provide proof of date of birth or in the case of students current proof of full time education.
Away Supporters
Ipswich Town Football Club abides by the Football League’s ticket allocation policy for visiting clubs including the allocation of 10% of available disabled seats to away supporters.
Admission prices for away supporters will be no higher than those charged for matchday tickets for home supporters in comparable areas.
Concession prices for under 16s, under 20s, students in full time education and Senior Citizens are also offered to away supporters.
2. Membership
The Club operates a range of Membership schemes
- Gold Club membership for adult Season Ticket holders.
- Silver Club membership for adult non Season Ticket holders.
- Junior Blues membership for juniors aged 5 to 15.
Adult Club members benefit from ticket priority for home and away matches, and also ticket booking fees for standard home and away league matches purchased via the Club’s telephone booking service or Club Shop are waived.
Junior Blues is a paid membership scheme aimed at 5 to 15 year old supporters of Ipswich Town Football Club. It is offered at a reduced price for all Junior Season Ticket holders. It is a seasonal membership running from August to July. It includes a number of benefits including the chance to be a match day mascot, a membership pack containing a personalised membership card, free gifts and discounted vouchers applicable to club products.
Members are able to book places on exclusive events and excursions that take place throughout the season.
Junior Blues also has its own dedicated website www.itfcjuniorblues.co.uk this includes a separate area for members where they are able to access more information.
Town Toddler is a further membership that introduces the younger supporter (0-4 years) to Ipswich Town. Like Junior Blues, it is a seasonal membership and benefits of joining include a certificate and gift.
3. Facilities for Disabled Supporters
Accommodation
Portman Road has over 300 spaces for disabled supporters and carers in 9 different positions. Concessions are offered in these areas for disabled supporters in receipt of Disability Living Allowance (DLA) at medium or higher levels.
Car Parking
There are approximately 50 car parking spaces designated for match day use by disabled supporters in the local authority’s Portman Road public car park and these spaces are sold on the day on a first come, first served basis. In addition, there are a small number of reserved car parking spaces available on a matchday for home and away supporters. These can be booked via the contacts shown below.
Supporter’s Club
There is an active disabled supporter’s club, ITDSA. Full details can be found on the Club’s official website on www.itfc.co.uk.
Contacts
For more information or to book tickets call Warner Duff, Disability Liaison Officer on 01473 400556 or Aaron Claxton at the Ticket Office on 01473 400517
For all enquiries contact Warner Duff on 01473 400556 or e-mail disability@itfc.co.uk
4. Discrimination
Ipswich Town Football Club is committed to confronting and eliminating discrimination whether by reason of gender, age, sexual orientation, race, nationality, ethnic origin, colour, religion or disability.
The Club will not tolerate sexual or racial based harassment or any other discriminatory behaviour, whether physical or verbal, and will work to ensure that such behaviour is met with appropriate disciplinary action in whatever context it occurs.
The Club fully supports the Football League and The Football Association in their commitment to develop a programme of discrimination awareness training to promote the eradication of discrimination.
The Club is an equal opportunities employer. All employees will receive equal treatment regardless of colour, race, nationality or ethnic origin, religion, sex, age, marital status or political views.
5. Staff Conduct
Ipswich Town Football Club expects all members of staff to conduct themselves in accordance with the highest ethical standards and to carry out their duties with integrity and professionalism.
We are committed to briefing staff on key issues so that they have sufficient knowledge to answer the majority of supporters’ queries.
6. Communication
Information
The Club’s official website www.itfc.co.uk, twitter page @Official_ITFC and facebook page www.facebook.com/officialitfc are updated daily to ensure all news, information and its position on major policy issues reaches our customers as soon as possible.
On a match day our programme and public address system both inside and outside the stadium gives up to the minute information on ticketing and events.
The press and media are fully briefed on a regular basis by the Club’s Press Office
Full details on ticketing, membership ticket priority, etc is sent to all Season Ticket holders and members prior to the start of the season.
Consultation
The Club is committed to a policy of continual improvement in the service it offers its customers and actively seeks and encourages feedback to aid this quest through the following:
- Via the feedback feature on the Club’s official website at www.itfc.co.uk
- Monthly meetings with the official Supporters Club
- Via feedback with the Disabled Supporters Liaison Officer.
- The Senior Executive Team liaise regularly with both the Supporters Club and the Ipswich Town Independent Supporters Trust
- Forums seeking feedback from our customers on specific areas of our operation.
- Supporters’ Forum – a cross section of supporters meet with key members of the Club’s management team on a regular basis to discuss Club issues and policies.
- Football League customer service assessments.
Local Charities
The Club actively works to support local charities, schools and communities through various resources available to the Club including player appearances and donation of tickets and raffle prizes. The Club also continues to select two local charities to work with and support over the course of each season, in addition to the ITFC Charitable Trust. This includes on-going support from the Club’s Press & PR Officer, assistance in raising the charities profile and the supply of signed club merchandise to help with fundraising.
7. Merchandise
Replica Kit
Information on replica strip life span will be displayed in merchandise stores, on swing tickets and via the online shopping service.
Mail Order
Merchandise is available online atwww.itfcshop.co.ukor from our Mail Order service on 01473 400501.
We promise to despatch goods within a maximum of five working days, with the exception of goods currently out of stock and during the busy Christmas period when we promise to despatch within ten working days. N.B. The Club cannot be held responsible for delays incurred through the actions of the postal service or couriers.
Return/Refunds
We will offer refunds on new, unused merchandise purchased online from our official website, by mail order or from our Planet Blue stores if returned within 28 days and accompanied by proof of purchase. Please note videos or DVDs will only be exchanged or refunded if faulty. Sale items must be returned, in original condition within 7 days of purchase. Personalised shirts may only be returned if faulty, unsuitable sizes cannot be refunded.
8. Community Activities
ITFC Charitable Trust
The ITFC Charitable Trust received charitable status in January 2004 and encompasses all the Club’s Community Project activities.
The Trust remains totally committed to grass roots football development involving football participation, training and coaching together with a range of educational and healthy lifestyle initiatives throughout the community, working in many cases with key organisations as a preferred delivery partner.
Our emphasis is on encouraging boys, girls and adults to enjoy themselves and to take part in all football related activities. We ensure that all those who participate in any Charitable Trust activity will receive the same high standard of coaching, tuition and professionalism irrespective of age, sex, ethnic background or ability. All of our activities are delivered by experienced FA qualified coaches and all staff working unsupervised with children have completed an enhanced level CRB (Criminal Records Bureau) check.
More information about the activities of the ITFC Charitable Trust can be found on their website www.itfccharitabletrust.org.uk/
9. Data Protection
The Club recognises its responsibility with reference to all customer information on our databases. All information is stored confidentially in accordance with the Data Protection Act (1998) and no data is issued or sold without prior consent.
10. Complaints Procedure
If any customer has a complaint or query we encourage them to contact the relevant department within the Club, preferably by letter or email. All complaints and responses are logged on the Club’s customer database. Whilst our aim will be to resolve a complaint as soon as possible we do give an assurance that we will respond within a maximum of 7 working days.
Should any customer not receive an answer to a complaint or is not satisfied with the answer given to that complaint then they can take the matter further by contacting the Football League. Contact information for the Football League is:
The Football League Customer Services Department
Operations Centre
Edward VII Quay
Navigation Way
Preston
Lancashire
PR2 2YF
Email: enquiries@football-league.co.uk
Telephone: 0844 335 0183
If a customer is still not satisfied that the complaint has been resolved they should contact the Independent Football Ombudsman (IFO). Contact information for the IFO is:
The Independent Football Ombudsman
Suite 49
33 Great George Street
Leeds
LS1 3AJ
Email: contact@theifo.co.uk
Telephone: 0800 588 4066