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Guest Cancellation - Megan Fox


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For the regulars who had posts disappearing: you have done nothing wrong, I have simply removed the whole posting string caused by one user.

It's been explained a number of times, but seeing nobody seems to believe if it's posted by users I will try with an admin account. Maybe that helps.

Yes, guests sign contracts before the show. However, guests will only sign certain contracts with certain clauses. If an organiser will not allow them to cancel for work if necessary they will not sign the contract in the first place, and if the organiser puts up a fuzz when a guest has to cancel that news will travel and even more guests won't sign. 

It is very, very unfortunate to have a high calibre guest like Megan drop out that shortly before the show. Everyone understands those who booked to come to see her are frustrated. But frustration does not give you the rights to write what some users have posted here. We do have guests and agents coming on here. There is no chance any of these posts would be left to stand, and these posts could very well also put off guests from attending a show. We've already banned 4 people - though 2 of these accounts only seem to have signed up trying to cause trouble, so I probably shouldn't count them. There is a certain level where the mods can't work with pre-warnings anymore, StuartG tried that last night and it so did not work. All of these four happily ran over that line at lightning speed. 

The Terms and Conditions are very clear. If a guest cancels you will be refunded the cost of the guest specific activities, so talk, photo session, Diamond Passes. All other things like entry tickets and Gold Passes are not guest specific and will not be refunded. This is all over the shop and I really do not understand why some people seem to think they should be exempt from that rule because they don't agree with them. 

Again, I do apologize on behalf of SM to anyone being upset. SM will try to get Megan back, that's for sure. I realize this doesn't help anyone who booked non-refundable travel. But as it's been posted before, everyone on here would have advised not to book non-refundable travel if you are coming for one guest only.

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No worries Queen, I understand why it was all removed.  I honestly don't think it's people not understanding, they just don't care, they choose not to ask before they buy, and they choose not to listen to the reason as well.   We have had the same argument from different attendees every year.  They are entitled and think the guest should put them before their job and lives.

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I thought about posting a similar explanation after I got rid of the initial post, but figured it probably wasn't going to make much difference. I'm not particularly visible/active as a 'mod' these days (99% of the time I just don't have, well, time. The couple of weeks before LFCC are the exception as I deliberately try not to overschedule myself in preparation for surviving 3 days as crew!) so I'd have had about as much luck as everyone else did.

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I think anything any of us said wouldn't have been listened to, I completely agree with Reylenth, those that have been banned had it explained very clearly (and politely I'll add) but just didn't want to listen..became rude and the rest is history.

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2 minutes ago, etmuse said:

I thought about posting a similar explanation after I got rid of the initial post, but figured it probably wasn't going to make much difference. I'm not particularly visible/active as a 'mod' these days (99% of the time I just don't have, well, time. The couple of weeks before LFCC are the exception as I deliberately try not to overschedule myself in preparation for surviving 3 days as crew!) so I'd have had about as much luck as everyone else did.

You are right, it makes little difference as they don't want to listen to reason and logic.  You can explain it until the cows come home.  They just don't care, they think they are right, the guests owe us for them being successful and should be here.

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4 minutes ago, Queen_Sindel said:

It's been that way ever for any big cancellation. But I think this year it's the record year for amount of complaint posts.

Have we become so spoilt with what SM have done for us so we expect God itself soon to be a guest? Could that be why complaints have increased..

Edited by Chris1970
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1 minute ago, Chris1970 said:

Have we become so spoilt with what SM have done for us so we expect God itself soon to be a guest? Could that be why complaints have increased..

We are spoiled for sure, but people should be more grateful for what they have and stop complaining for what they don’t 

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Hi Queen,

Quote

usually the complaint is 'why is it not on the forum, I don't use Social Media.' Whatever happens, someone will feel it's not right.

Yeah sometimes you just can't win :)

Quote

The refunds are auctioned automatically and all at once. However, we did have reports about e-mails disappearing. Did you order from the address you are registered with here?

Yes its the same email address I used on both here and the Eventbrite booking portal - I made 3 purchases within the one transaction:

  1. 3 day entry
  2. Meatloaf DP
  3. Megan Fox DP

Hopefully though its just with it being over a W/E, however if you think there may be any issues then please let me know.

Cheers

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I’m as gutted as anyone that Megan had to cancel. I was coming just for her and Meatloaf, but if life has taught me anything, it’s too short to be bitter. To all: Come, enjoy the event, and hope that SM can get her back next time (please). And above all, learn from yesterday, live for today, and hope for tomorrow. 

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12 minutes ago, kings1 said:

Many thanks. Due to personal circumstances, that’s how I live my life now, and I firmly believe everybody should. 

Well said, It's definitely a mantra I need to adopt as well after the year I've been having!!!

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I'm sad for Megan, but i learn the rules before my first con: when i'm happy for a new guest, i must not forget, could be cancelled any time. Hope for the best but prepare for the worst it's the first rule. And, of course, i pay for the travel, the hotel... it's nobody's foult, it is what it is.

P.s: this is my fifth cancellation.

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I totally agree with the mods, it is very clear what you are and are not buying and under which circumstances a refund will and will not be issued.  That is the chance you take when you book, and everyone should abide by these rules and there is absolutely no need for rudeness for people just trying to help and do their jobs. 

That said, I do understand the frustrations and when you hear that there have been a record number of complaints this year from customers, you have to wonder it is something Showmasters should be taking into consideration.  Like Henry Selfridge said “People will sit up and take notice of you if you will sit up and take notice of what makes them sit up and take notice.”

Edited by Andrewmoore0
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5 hours ago, Andrewmoore0 said:

I totally agree with the mods, it is very clear what you are and are not buying and under which circumstances a refund will and will not be issued.  That is the chance you take when you book, and everyone should abide by these rules and there is absolutely no need for rudeness for people just trying to help and do their jobs. 

That said, I do understand the frustrations and when you hear that there have been a record number of complaints this year from customers, you have to wonder it is something Showmasters should be taking into consideration.  Like Henry Selfridge said “People will sit up and take notice of you if you will sit up and take notice of what makes them sit up and take notice.”

We normally have one of two People going off because they booked non-refundable travel and a guest cancels. This time that number skyrocketed, and we certainly never had so many People getting nasty about it. This is what I meant with "record number of complaints."  

It is extremely unlikely that this T&C part about "no refunds" is going to be changed. As others have said, it is impossible to draw a line.

I know there a resell platform was discussed for entry tickets in case These sell out, but as I am not in the Office I don't really know Details. I'll make sure I'll check on that again once the dust has settled. 

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3 hours ago, Queen_Sindel said:

We normally have one of two People going off because they booked non-refundable travel and a guest cancels. This time that number skyrocketed, and we certainly never had so many People getting nasty about it. This is what I meant with "record number of complaints."  

It is extremely unlikely that this T&C part about "no refunds" is going to be changed. As others have said, it is impossible to draw a line.

I know there a resell platform was discussed for entry tickets in case These sell out, but as I am not in the Office I don't really know Details. I'll make sure I'll check on that again once the dust has settled. 

I get it, I really do and it isn't something that is a problem for me, I just bought the day pass and haven't pre-booked anything.  From a customer point of view I can imagine how unsatisfying "that's our policy" can be as an answer.

I agree it is unlikely it will change, but I am not sure I see why.  With LFCC selling out for the last couple of years, it seems like SM have more demand than supply.  To me there are 2 scenarios:

1, don't refund - customers get frustrated and upset, SM only get the entry fee, lots of complaining on the forums and potentially lose repeat business from customers.

2, refund - release the tickets for sale and allow someone else the chance to go and potentially spend even more money on photoshoots and autographs.  Create massive goodwill with the customer who has received the refund and show everyone that they are putting customers first.  Plus much less nastiness or complaining in the forum.  Seems like a win-win.

Just my two cents, and I am sure I don't have a clue of the intricacies and challenges of running a business like SM, but feels like this is actually more of an opportunity for SM than a risk.

Good advice for any business is "Ignore your customers at your peril".  Don't take my word for it though :-)

“Your most unhappy customers are your greatest source of learning” Bill Gates

“I think it's very important to have a feedback loop, where you're constantly thinking about what you've done and how you could be doing it better.” Elon Musk

 

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2 minutes ago, Andrewmoore0 said:

“I think it's very important to have a feedback loop, where you're constantly thinking about what you've done and how you could be doing it better.” Elon Musk

Yeah, because Elon Musk reacts to criticism in a very grown up way.

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7 minutes ago, Andrewmoore0 said:

“Your most unhappy customers are your greatest source of learning” Bill Gates

“I think it's very important to have a feedback loop, where you're constantly thinking about what you've done and how you could be doing it better.” Elon Musk

 

Read the T & C :D B)

“The beautiful thing about learning is that nobody can take it away from you.”
― B.B. King

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12 minutes ago, Andrewmoore0 said:

2, refund - release the tickets for sale and allow someone else the chance to go and potentially spend even more money on photoshoots and autographs.  Create massive goodwill with the customer who has received the refund and show everyone that they are putting customers first.  Plus much less nastiness or complaining in the forum.  Seems like a win-win.

Personal opinion:

IF any type of entry ticket refund/resell policy was introduced I'm pretty sure it would operate more in the manner of theatre ticket returns, where you get your money back (minus an admin charge) if and only if they proceed to sell your ticket to a new customer. With returned tickets only being sold once all regular tickets have gone and then in order of return.

Free for all entry refunds will never be offered because that's a great way to bankruptcy (or much higher charges for everyone to cover the costs)

Edited by etmuse
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