CUSTOMER CHARTER - THE FULL TEXT
OVERVIEW.
The delivery of excellent customer service is at the heart of every aspect of our business.
All employees of Watford FC share this vision and are committed to providing supporters - home and away - with a first class sporting experience when they visit Vicarage Road on a match day.
THE CONDUCT OF OUR STAFF.
Our staff must conduct themselves ethically and be helpful and courteous at all times.
As a business, we are an equal opportunities employer. This means we do not discriminate against people on the grounds of disability, sex, marriage, race, colour or religion.
We also believe that our employees should be free to work in an environment free from harassment of any kind.
MINIMUM LEVELS OF SERVICE YOU CAN EXPECT TO RECEIVE FROM US.
At all times, we will endeavour to communicate efficiently and effectively about the club's business dealings. We will develop and implement systems and services that make transactions quick and easy for our customers, thereby ensuring that their visit is an enjoyable one.
Accessibility: Match Tickets.
We will always do our very best to ensure that you receive the best tickets in terms of price and position whenever you attend Vicarage Road on a match day.
To achieve this goal, we offer:
Access for all: We will advertise ticket availability, prices, change in ticketing policy and fixture changes as quickly as possible through our web site, other club publications and through the media. Match tickets cover a broad range of prices and a minimum 5 per cent of tickets for each match will be available to non season ticket holders. Concessions are given to under 16s, over 65s and students.
Access for families: Particular emphasis will be given to encouraging young people and their families to come to Vicarage Road. We will always provide an area of the ground for the exclusive use of family groups and junior supporters.
Access for disabled supporters: We offer a system of concessionary ticket prices tailored for disabled supporters. The scheme will apply to those supporters where a reasonable adjustment has been made to facilitate viewing or where a personal support need has been identified. Concessions will not be based on impairment type but will recognise that some disabled supporters have a restricted choice of viewing area in the stadium and/or could not attend a match without personal support or the provision of an auxiliary aid. Where the need for personal support has been identified the club will admit the personal assistant free of charge on the understanding that they are providing a service to the disabled supporter to enable them to access match day facilities. For full details please contact us on 01923 496000.
Access for visiting supporters: A minimum of 1,920 tickets will be made to available to visiting clubs. Prices for visiting supporters will be no higher than those charged to home supporters for comparable areas of Vicarage Road, and concessionary rates for Under 16s and Over 65s will be honoured. Watford will abide by Football League rules governing the allocation of tickets to visiting clubs.
Access for corporate clients: Corporate facilities will be offered at competitive prices. We will regularly monitor our prices to ensure they remain competitive and are in-step with the wider business community.
Access to cup matches: Match tickets for cup matches will be priced according to the status of the opposition. Season ticket holders will be given the opportunity to purchase their usual seat. If their usual seat is allocated to the opposition then alternative seating will be offered. Watford will abide by the competition rules governing the allocation of tickets to visiting clubs.
Access to replays of abandoned games: If a match is abandoned after spectators are admitted to the ground but before kick off ticket holders will be entitled to free admission to the rearranged match. If a match is abandoned after kick off ticket holders will be entitled to half price admission to the rearranged match.
Access to refunds: We will refund the cost of match tickets if the ticket is returned to the consumer sales office not later than 24 hours prior kick off.
Access to season tickets: We are able to offer credit facilities to enable customers to purchase season tickets via Direct Debit on an interest-free basis. The maximum period we currently allow for payment is seven months.
Loyalty and Membership.
Our season ticket holders will be offered a range of benefits that reward their loyalty and increase the benefits to them of being associated with Watford FC. This includes:
Away match tickets: Priority will be given to season ticket holders that regularly attend away matches, and then to other season ticket holders. Remaining tickets will then be placed on general sale. The club staging the match determines the cost of these tickets.
Cup scheme: Season ticket holders will be given the opportunity to have all home cup match tickets automatically sent to their home address.
The Young 'Orns: We will continue to encourage junior supporters to become members of the club. Members will receive benefits such as exclusive merchandise, newsletters, free entry to member only competitions, etc.
We will consult with our supporters on a regular basis through forums, questionnaires, fan surveys, supporter panels and focus groups.
The club will publicise its position on major issues in annual and half-year financial statements, club publications and on its web site.
Merchandising.
With Diadora, our kitwear partner, we will undertake extensive research on the design and number of our official kit.
All replica strip design will have a minimum life span of one season, and the life span of replica strip will be communicated on packaging and in our brochures.
The club will carry out its obligation under the Football League rulebook to prevent price fixing in relation to the sale of replica kit. Watford will offer refunds on merchandise in accordance with our legal obligations.
Community ActivitIES.
We are committed to our local community, both in terms of being a responsible neighbour for the residents of the Vicarage Road area and in contributing towards the development of community initiatives.
We will offer our facilities to local groups and organisations. We will also provide community football coaches to work with a variety of young people to provide motivation and discipline through sport.
We receive so many requests for assistance with charities and fund-raising that we have developed a policy to determine which will be put forward for funding.
Preference will be given to organisations supporting the local community, and young people in particular.
Data Protection.
Information and data on our customers may be stored on computer or manual files in order to maintain accurate records and may be analysed to assist us in providing our products and services to you.
We may, from time to time, contact you by letter, telephone, email or otherwise to inform you about events, products or services that we think might be of interest to you.
Customers can advise us at any time if they wish to opt out of receiving this information and have the choice to opt out of just correspondence from third parties, or all correspondence. Remember, however, that opting out could stop us from contacting you about things that may benefit you, for example ticket availability or a forthcoming event. Unless you have given your consent, we will not provide information about you to third parties to use for their marketing purposes.
You have the right of access to information we hold about you on payment of a fee. If anything is inaccurate or incorrect, please let us know and we will correct it. If you wish to exercise any of these rights then please contact: The Complaints Team, Watford FC, Vicarage Road Stadium, Watford, WD18 0ER. Please remember to state your full name and address.
Customer Complaints.
If you feel our staff have not fulfilled the goals set out in this charter then you should write to us with specific details.
If you feel you wish to complain about a product or our service, then please write or email to: Watford FC Customer Complaints, Vicarage Road Stadium, Watford, WD18 0ER. Alternatively you can email us at: customercomplaints@watfordfc.com
Customers are asked to include contact telephone numbers as part of their correspondence. We will contact customers to acknowledge receipt of their complaint, and after subsequent investigation, we promise to reply, either in writing, by email, by telephone or by fax within a maximum of 14 days.
