Dear Greenwich Odeon, who the f**k do you think you are!

Ok this should all have been a simple complaint but apparently I was in the wrong and misunderstood.
Read the emails from the bottom up to get them in the right order.

Needless to say I'm pissed off.


Dear Lindani,

Thank you for taking the time to so comprehensively discard both my complaint and account of what happened on Saturday night.
While it is very nobel to paint such an outstanding picture of your member of staff, I must also point out it is also very irritating to receive such a biased response.

Please rest assured I will not return to the Odeon Greenwich, and will ensure I both further my complaint to a corporate level, and advise other friends of what sort of guest services to receive should they venture to Odeon Greenwich.

I am somewhat confused by the statement of "Perhaps Sarha's firmness was directed at the Team Member". This strikes me as a little peculiar as we were some 30ft away from the said other "team member", which I'm sure your "Team Leader and the Technical Manager" would be recall also.

All in all, as the customer/guest/patron that evening, and as a 37 year old man who is familiar with socialising and courtesy, regardless of intention that matter was dealt with poorly, and in an unacceptable manner.

In closing I would just like to comment on your closing statement....

"We shall continue to raise our standards so that such occurrences do not happen again. We will endeavour to make your next visit a magical one.Please accept my sincere apologies and be assured that your concern was received and dealt with courtesy and empathy."

To ensure an occurrence would not happen again would suggest you agree something went wrong, which you clearly deny, so this is almost an offensive contradiction of your earlier comments.

As for my concern being dealt with "with courtesy and empathy", I think we know my feelings on that matter. Patronising would be more appropriate.

My apologies for the poor tone of my email.

Michael Snasdell

Regards
Michael

Sent using BlackBerry®

---

From: "Odeon Greenwich" <Odeon.Greenwich@OdeonUK.com>

Date: Thu, 21 Oct 2010 00:27:17 +0100

To: <snazy@blackberry.orange.co.uk>

Cc: bookings<Bookings@Odeonuk.com>

Subject: Re: Guest Services Ref: Bkg/2010/2624 (Greenwich / SNASDELL ) [039]

Dear Michael

Thank you for your concern, which was received by myself, the duty manager on Saturday quite promptly following your arrival at, I assume the Gallery. Please accept my apologies  for the delay in response. It has taken quite a considerable number of days to make clear the events of that evening.

Sarha, the lady  you describe in your concern is in fact our Gallery supervisor. I immediately following receipt of your concern approached her, quite I must say surprised myself. Sarha is one of our longest serving employees and has always demonstrated a high level of guest service standard. She is responsible as well for training within our site. I thus investigated further as It always sits within the managerial team to look into any possible issues of discourtesy to our valued guests. At the moment of approach, Sarha had along her side the floor Team Leader and the Technical Manager, both from whom I have testimonies of a sober attitude, contrary to the description you gave. I did however give consideration to your concern and acknowledge the inconvenience of having to email us at that hour.

This altogether with my knowledge of business activity that night (business being relatively mild ) would lead me to the assumption that perhaps, as also suggested by my team there was a communication barrier. I am aware that the Team Member at the Guest Service point at the time was one of our newly appointed staff. Perhaps Sarha's firmness was directed at the Team Member who should have been checking all tickets at that stage, be they Gallery or Standard. This to which Sarha extends her apology as it quite evidently upset you. It was not her intention.

As an HR Manager myself, your concern does not merely rest here. With no intention to leave any room for poor guest service standards, I already have after thoroughly investigating the matter extended counselling and a refresher on our values at Odeon. We shall continue to raise our standards so that such occurrences do not happen again. We will endeavour to make your next visit a magical one.

Please accept my sincere apologies and be assured that your concern was received and dealt with courtesy and empathy.

Yours sincerely

Lindani Madoda

bookings 16/10/2010 20:40

To:        Odeon Greenwich/FLD/Odeon@OdeonUK         cc:                 Subject:        Guest Services Ref: Bkg/2010/2624 (Greenwich / SNASDELL ) [039]

Hi

Could you please respond to this concern and cc ourselves in on your response so we can close the case reference.

Please keep the original history below as part of your response and the subject line as currently shown.  This will allow us to find all the emails surrounding this issue if it is required.

Thanks!


----- Forwarded by bookings/FLD/Odeon on 16/10/2010 20:40 -----

"Michael Snasdell" <snazy@blackberry.orange.co.uk> 16/10/2010 20:35 Please respond to "Michael Snasdell"

To:        "Guest services" <info@odeonuk.com>         cc:                 Subject:        ODEON: Guest services - Cinema: Greenwich

I have tonight arrived at Greenwich to see a film at the Gallery, Mr Despicable at the 20.30 show.
Having been a patron of this establishment for a good few years now, I am quite familiar with the procedure of getting to the 4th floor etc.

Tonight on arrival, and seeing a long queue for the regular seating, but a number of staff towards the lift for the Gallery we walked past the ticket check-in (unchallenged) and offered the tickets to the staff towards the lift.
On arriving there we were greeted very rudely by the female member if staff who barked instruction that we should never pass the ticket check-in, and a whole load of other information. A simple "can you present your tickets over there" would have sufficed.
Had they not been standing there, we would of course have checked in with the other young lady.
I am left sitting in the waiting area for our film to be called now, in a foul mood, and disgusted at this behaviour.
I am pleased however say the girl working in the Gallery was delightful.
If this is how staff expect to be able to treat customers, I for one will certainly not be returning, and certainly not to pay such a premium, only to be treated so cheaply.

Regards
A very irate and £45 worse off for the pleasure of it... Michael Snasdell

Michael Snasdell


Odeon Cinemas Limited, 54 Whitcomb St, London, WC2H 7DN. Registered in England No. 01854132
United Cinemas International (UK) Limited, Lee House, 90 Great Bridgewater St, Manchester, M1 5JW, Registered in England No. 1732125