Guest expectations: the poll!

[Rowan]

We've been having a few arguments over in This Thread. This is not to debate whether you felt you got a good deal, or what is a good deal. Just, if you pay to go up and get an autograph signed by a guest, what is the LEAST you expect to get? What is the LEAST you'd go away feeling satisfied with?

[Gandalf the Black]

anyone expecting a long chat is, in my honest opinion, out of order - as part of their contract the guest has to sign a certain number of autos, you're making it clear that you don't want them to be paid if you keep them talking a long time. they've to sit all day, and be really nice to everyone - they pretty well deserve the money.

[Colonel Jack O'Neill]

I have always treated anything more than just the autograph as a bonus so unless I dont get to meet the guest at all I never come away from an event feeling dissapointed, where as if you attend as event assuming you will get a personalised autographs, posed photo and a little chat, most of the time you will come away feeling dissapointed.

[Wyn]

if i'm paying £15- £20 i expect to get to say hi, can u sign it too sam and have a quick photo

 

With Nick that wasn't poss so i got a auto with my sis so it was only £10 each but i did consider not meeting him because the important thing for me isn't really the auto it's meeting them. And if it isn't personailised i might as well of got it off the stall.

 

The thing i found dissapointing with Nick was that he didn't really talk to you he signed it looking down looked up quickly said have a nice day and started signing the next one i was like huh lol

 

I don't expect a chat but a hi and actually looking at me would be nice but he's the only one i've ever been dissapointed meeting.

 

I love photo's to be able to look back and think of the good memories.

 

And Colonel Jack O'Neill i've never come back dissapointed from any other guest and i've been to C4, LFACC and C5

 

That's my lil bit anywhoo

Edited October 6, 2004 by Wyn

[jennylouise]

That's a tough one really as I am sure different people expect different things. Personally I expect to be actually looked at and aknowledged that I am there - even if they don't say anything. Otherwise if they don't look up and just reach for the next picture when they have signed yours what's the point in queing up for an auto and not just getting one from a dealer? The point of me actually going to the guest for an auto is not for the auto itself but to meet the guest. If they chat or pose for photos that is a bonus.

 

How the guest actually is, is another thing altogether. Most people except that they are only human and get tired like the rest of us. Aknowledging people are there is different and is just polite IMHO.

 

However, I would just like to say I have never really had any bad experiences with guests. Some are just more memorable than others!

[Jen]

I think when you've paid, you really deserve to be acknowleged and receive a nice greeting from the guest (a handshake/smile etc). You should always have the oppertunity to ask them at least one question and in my opinion, you should always be allowed photos unless the guest doesn't want them. In many cases I have had to settle for a quick smile before i was pushed on by the crew (Elijah), and i still have great memories of that, but i don't feel i really got what i paid for. It's a pity because there isn't always time to give us what we really paid for and there are occasions when you have hardly any memories of your encounter with the guests cus it was so rushed. And to me getting a photo is as least as important as the autograph, i would even pay extra for the guarantee of one

[Strider]

I know that technically, we are only paying for the autograph, but like someone else said, the auto is just the entry ticket to actually meet the guest. I mean, it is an added bonus that I get a personalised picture, but my priority, and the reason I go to Collectormania, is to meet the guests.

 

In my humble opinion, these people know we are fans of theirs and it can only do the guest the world of good to be nice to the people who have paid money, and waited patiently to meet them. Look how Carrie Fisher has been slated on here for the way she was to some of her fans.

A smile costs nothing to give, but the feelings and memories it gives to the fan on the receiving end, lasts a lifetime and that is what it is all about.

[Batman]

If like me you went on friday, there were many occasions when guests had maybe around 5 or no people in there lines, so there is no rush so should give a little more.

[BEX (PSP)]

I think if you are paying to meet someone, at least an auto, a smile and a few words. A photo would be fantastic too.

 

These people need to understand that we are paying a lot of money, they could at least be civil.......

[Susieg]

An auto and at least a smile, the whole point of paying your money is to at least look the guest in the eye (even for a few seconds) a Photo is the physical memory you can share when you return from the event so it is always something most people will aim for. After all anyone can buy a signed photo. If a guest is a disappointment then surely this is what the disappoinyed fan will recount to all of his/her friends who may also have been potential auto hunters.

[Rowan]

Wow, I'm actually surprised how many people expect at least 'Auto, greeting, few words and get a photo'. While that would be what I'd like, I am more understanding than to expect that every time! I went for the third option myself *G* Any less than at least a freindly greeting and I would be disapointed.

[Strider]

I forgot to say which option I chose. For what it is worth, it was the third one down.

[Rowan]

Just asking: are people answering what they WANT or the minimum they would be satisfied with? The intention was to ask what people would feel was the MINIMUM guests should do, not what you'd like to get.

 

If you are answering with your minimum, then you are a very demanding lot! LOL

[Strider]

I can't speak for everyone else, but my choice is what I expect as the minimum. I would walk away feeling deflated if I got any less.

[SALEMSLOT]

Which nutter voted for 'a proper long chat" and, what world are they living in?

[Rowan]

Well, I guess I put it on the poll, so if someone wants to choose that... I think that person is going to find themselves disapointed rather a lot! LOL

[Danni09]

At the end of the day they're doing a job which they're getting paid for. I think they should try to make an effort. I don't ask for a lot. Just a nice smile and saying hi is the least they could do. A photo would be nice but I understand that for the really popular guests sometimes that's not possible.

[The Emperor]

I agree entirely with Wyn.

Brendan was on the whole was rude and clearly wasn't interested in most or all of his fans. We invest a lot of time and money in these people. The least they can do is smile, sign the thing, and do a photo. I don't see what the problem is as £15 - £20 is a lot of money to spend on a signature on a "free" photo, as they take your money the least they can do is smile.

If they don't want to be there then they should earn their money by doing what they are known for and act. Brendan should have acted nice, for the sake of a minute until the fan had gone. The fan goes away from the event with the image of him still intact. I was disappointed in his attitude, as a recovering alcoholic, you'd think he could do with all the encouragement he could get. Being s***ty to your fans is not how you keep them. I got two photos signed and was so disappointed with his attitude I wish I kept it to one. I did not expect a lot, but an acknowledgement and a photo with would have been great. There was no one in his queue when I went for him, so there was no reason to say no. I saw another photo on a dealers stall of Nicholas which I liked and would have got but his attitude changed my mind and he lost out on more money.

I think it goes beyond what we can expect from the guests. As I said, we invest a lot of time, money and energy on them before we even get there. Whether it be going out buying the books, DVDs, figures or paying to travel to the events or renting accommodation to stay there. We lay out so much for them and sometimes they just let us down.

[stinkyberm]

A smile is free to give, and nice to receive!

[GoldenGreen]

Just wanted to raise two points really, in relation to people saying they may as well go and buy the auto from a dealer.

 

This kind of misses two main things:

1/ If you get the auto from the celeb you know it is genuine

2/ Whilst you may have to pay £15 - £25 from the celeb, you are going to be paying a fair bit more from the dealer me thinks, in the case of Carrie, Nick etc

 

So even if this is all I got, it would be worth it, and I would rather do this than get a photo from a dealer any day.

 

Anything on top, smile, photo. chat etc is great, but those two things alone make me think it is worth while.

[RainbowDisney]

I agree with the colonel - all i go for is the auto , anything else is a bonus !!!

[Wyn]

2/ Whilst you may have to pay £15 - £25 from the celeb, you are going to be paying a fair bit more from the dealer me thinks, in the case of Carrie, Nick etc

 

Not always i got Alyson Hanigan and Seth Green's auto for £40 on one of the stalls and that's how much i'd expect them to be at collectormania ( £20 each)