The Club has made great strides forward in the last few years and I have really appreciated the way it is trying to do things differently - in a way that reflects our traditions and uniqueness. This can't be easy but when it works, it works really well and makes be even prouder to be a Jags fan. The Shrigley art collaboration, Kingsley, the Kids for Free initiative, the local connections with charities - are just a few examples of when we get it right. And when we get it right we get it spectacularly right.
However, we still get a lot of the basics wrong and in particular it is the inability to follow through on commitments and as a result to deliver poor customer service. The marketing initiative from a couple of years ago (I can't remember what it was called) was one example. The other, which has already been commented on in this thread is the admin and customer service related to the player sponsorship packages.
I very seldom post on here and when I do it is most likely related to my interest in all things related to Thistle memorabilia. As many of you know I collect Thistle match worn shorts (99 in total....and dating back to the late 60s). I’ve been collecting for over 40 years. In the early years it was programmes - and I remember some great conversations and meetings with the late Molly Stallon who helped me start the collection. For about 10 years now, I've taken out player sponsorship - firstly to help the Club and secondly to ensure I got a match worn home and away shirt at the end of the season. At the beginning of the season I always ask for confirmation that this is the agreement. For me, funding two sponsorships is a big commitment - a lot of money and I choose to do this over a second holiday. It therefore has become a real disappointment to me in recent years that, on many occasions the shirts have quite clearly not been match worn and when I question this I don't even get the courtesy of a reply. In anticipation of the problem this year, I contacted a Board Director and the MD before the end of the season to ask for their help in making sure I got “the real deal” – I didn’t receive a reply. I find this really frustrating and at the danger of exaggeration quite heartbreaking. The feeling you're left with is that you're a bit of a nuisance - hugely disappointing given the amount that I have given to the Club over the years - through sponsorships and season tickets. It obviously makes me question whether I should continue to give money to the Club – the irony is I want to but sometimes they don’t make it easy for you! My plea therefore would be for the Club to get better at following through on commitments, replying to emails and recognising what is important to their fans. Yes, the big initiatives are important but let’s make sure we focus on the basics and do everything we can to retain customer loyalty and support.