http://www.newsweek.com/id/147780
This article is about some last minute preparations for the Olympics. Very interesting spin on the article - I think some of people's comments in response to the article are particularly insightful.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/07/29/sports/olympics/29beijing.html?_r=1&oref=slogin
Today I went to SOHO in the business district to pick up my Olympics tickets from the Co-Sport office. They gave us very good directions, but I left the office feeling unsatisfied. I didn't even have a problem getting my tickets and I still left with a sour taste in my mouth. There are a couple of aspects that I think the company could improve. (Picture: Olympics ad in the subway)1) Confirmation process
To pick up your tickets, you must have your confirmation email printed out. You can't just have your confirmation number, you must have the actual piece of paper. Normally, this shouldn't be an issue, but it was definitely not made clear that they wouldn't let you have your tickets if you didn't have an email printout. This kind of information should be on
their website. I luckily thought I remembered reading somewhere that I needed it and really only had it with me because I printed it out with my flight itinerary and all of my other plans for my trip. Unfortunately for some people who ordered their tickets early last year, they may only have their confirmation number and not have this specific email anymore. The company should have this information available in their own system. (Picture: Olympics ad in subway) I realize they need to avoid giving tickets to the wrong person, but they know who their customers are. If someone has an ID and confirmation number, that should be just as good as a piece of paper with the same information. Theoretically, the confirmation email they sent us should be the same one we received. I have read multiple people's blogs that have had trouble getting their Olympics tickets just because they did not have the email. While I was in the office, a lady was turned away because she didn't have her email and she looked as though she really didn't understand what she needed and why. For such an international company, they need to be able to adapt to their customers more. In my opinion, they shouldn't expect a customer to bring in something that they themselves sent as electronic communication. Maybe there's another reason that their policy is such a hassle, but there has to be another, better way to confirm identity and confirmation numbers. In the end, their policy is just going to create more hassles because it is clear that a lot of their customers don't understand what is expected of them. Customers will have to come twice after realizing they can't get their tickets without this specific piece of paper, and then will also leave with a sour taste in their mouth. I would suggest if they want to keep that policy that they set up a computer and printer in the office. The office has already seen its share of disgruntled customers, but once the Olympics gets closer, it's going to be full of angry customers without tickets.2) Customer Service
I asked the Chinese lady behind the counter a question about how late we could arrive to a game. She started to explain to me that she's not sure but that she would guess 1/2 hour. However, midway through her explanation, the American lady working there walked over and said, "Actually, we aren't authorized to give out this information because we don't really know. I would suggest you look around online." Now I realize this is an international company, but it just made so much more sense that the American would say that they aren't authorized to give out
information. First of all, the Chinese person made it clear that she wasn't sure, but at least she gave me a ballpark answer. The American person's answer stood out like a sore thumb because not once since I've come to China has someone told me they aren't "authorized" to say something. Why couldn't she have just said "We really don't know."? If she said something more consumer friendly, I probably wouldn't have left the office feeling so disgruntled. (Picture: big Olympics stand with flowers that have been set up all over the city) Secondly, if anyone has tried to find schedules or current information about what's going on in China (other than tickets for shows and even these sites don't have completely current information) in English, it's next to impossible. In Beijing, the best way to get accurate information is from talking with another person. I did check the CoSport site and of course my question was not answered. Telling me to look online is like telling me to look for the needle in the haystack, while remembering that the needle may not even be in that haystack. Maybe my answer is indeed somewhere on the internet, but I have not found it yet.
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