NO WORD FROM THE BSPA

[00000 1,279]

If the BSPA would open up a bit, the Speedway Star could be a big help in charting a new and better course for speedway.

The Star with the series they launched this week would be a great conduit of ideas etc.

Surely, those who run speedway can just say thanks: let's see what people say.

The promoters may also be able to suggest questions; such as: Would you support A or B etc. What do you think of Y?

Surely, we are all on the same side.

If this is handled correctly it will be a win, win, win {speedway, Speedy Star and fans} - what's not to like?

[Humphrey Appleby 13,940]

18 minutes ago, DC2 said:

Well, the BSPA doesn’t need to pay a market research company. It has a head start with the Forum and it can see all’s not well, both in attendances and comments.

I don't think speedway needs market research to tell that its custom has been declining for years. The bigger question is what to do about it, and I've yet to see any Eureka suggestion on here about how to improve the situation.

On the one hand you've got the 'too much watering down' brigade who'll advocate bringing back all the top riders but without explaining how that could be afforded even assuming those riders are actually available. Then you had those advocating that 'fixed race nights' would cure everything, without explaining how more fans were likely to turn up on a Monday evening. Now of course you have those saying 'I told you it would be a disaster, we need to go back to racing every day of the week', but again without explaining how you'll resolve the problems with missing riders which was the reason for moving to fixed race nights in the first place. 

That's before we even get as far as '13 heats with a proper second half' and '2-valve uprights' wheeled out as the ultimate panacea. 

Edited July 14, 2018 by Humphrey Appleby

[Halifaxtiger 5,318]

4 minutes ago, ch958 said:

i really don't think he's saying that to be fair

'You only have to read the arguments, self interest, and sometimes downright crazy ideas on here to realise the fans are the last people that should be listened to'

If he isn't, he's saying something very near.

[Humphrey Appleby 13,940]

16 minutes ago, Halifaxtiger said:

'You only have to read the arguments, self interest, and sometimes downright crazy ideas on here to realise the fans are the last people that should be listened to'

If he isn't, he's saying something very near.

People often don't know what they actually want. They know what they like after they've seen it and tried it, but I very much doubt the average consumer product was designed after extensive public consultation.

Apple is the classic example. Steve Jobs just dictated what customers would like and offered a very limited range of products. However, he had an innate sense of what would work even though more seasoned marketeers would baulk at dropping the floppy drive or serial port for example. Yet his vision stimulated a stagnant technological market and opened-up an entirely new line of business.

Microsoft on the other hand, also dictated their product line early on, but lost the plot when they started to consult user groups which is how the abomination that was Windows 8 came about. They lost me as a customer around that time, and whilst they're far from down and out, they've progressively lost market share, and barely feature in the lucrative mobile device space since their disastrous attempt of buying Nokia's mobile phone business. 

Edited July 14, 2018 by Humphrey Appleby

[M.D 462]

8 minutes ago, Richard Weston said:

If the BSPA would open up a bit, the Speedway Star could be a big help in charting a new and better course for speedway.

The Star with the series they launched this week would be a great conduit of ideas etc.

Surely, those who run speedway can just say thanks: let's see what people say.

The promoters may also be able to suggest questions; such as: Would you support A or B etc. What do you think of Y?

Surely, we are all on the same side.

If this is handled correctly it will be a win, win, win {speedway, Speedy Star and fans} - what's not to like?

I have to agree, they have to open up, listen and become transparent with the fan base or their clients so to speak.

Its different yes, but I work in new build  construction and we have regular meetings with our clients who spend millions with us. They give us feedback on what we are doing right, what they may not be happy with and in return we put our point of view across on how we feel. Both parties working together on the relationship and finding out how each side feel and how things can be improved for the future.

Yes very different as Im pointing out how companies may work but the principal is the same. Its about finding out what a client wants and how they fee and then working towards making the experience better for the paying customer, lets not forget, we are the clients of British speedway and they should be listening to our views and working towards firstly keeping us and then improving the experience.

[Whisperer 276]

54 minutes ago, Humphrey Appleby said:

You're just being obtuse now. My point was that whether customers continue to buy a particular product, is how M&S know if they're doing the right thing. 

They don't send out a survey asking me whether I like product x, y or z or how their shops are laid out. 

They do actually, every till receipt has an invitation to complete the survey with monthly draws as the hook. They also do anonymous surveys using an agency then at the end of the call you are told the survey is being conducted on behalf of M &S

Just caught up HT got there first

Edited July 14, 2018 by Whisperer
omission

[Humphrey Appleby 13,940]

1 minute ago, M.D said:

I different yes, but I work in new build  construction and we have regular meetings with our clients who spend millions with us. They give us feedback on what we are doing right, what they may not be happy with and in return we put our point of view across on how we feel. Both parties working together on the relationship and finding out how each side feel and how things can be improved for the future.

Yes very different as Im pointing out how companies may work but the principal is the same. Its about finding out what a client wants and how they fee and then working towards making the experience better for the paying customer, lets not forget, we are the clients of British speedway and they should be listening to our views and working towards firstly keeping us and then improving the experience.

You're effectively building bespoke products, and if clients are spending millions then you can afford to take the time to consult with them. Plus you're really only having to satisfy a handful of clients - not a few hundred or thousand at a time. 

Total speedway revenue is probably only a few million - I think it was stated as being a 6 million business a few years ago and may even be less now - and punters are paying 20 quid a head at best. Reading this forum, whilst there are certainly some good ideas, could you actually draw any conclusions on what the average speedway punter wants, and being realistic on what can be actually be delivered, sufficient to turn speedway businesses around? 

[Halifaxtiger 5,318]

1 minute ago, Humphrey Appleby said:

People often don't know what they actually want. They know what they like after they've seen it and tried it, but I very much doubt the average consumer product was designed after extensive public consultation.

Apple is the classic example. Steve Jobs just dictated what customers would like and offered a very limited range of products. However, he had an innate sense of what would work even though more seasoned marketeers would baulk at dropping the floppy drive or serial port for example. Yet his vision stimulated a stagnant technological market and opened-up an entirely new line of business.

Microsoft on the other hand, also dictated their product line early on, but lost the plot when they started to consult user groups which is how the abomination that was Windows 8 came about. They lost me as a customer around that time, and whilst they're far from down and out, they're progressively lost market share, and barely feature in the lucrative mobile device space. 

I think you are right to a degree  - and you are definitely right in your paragraph above regarding the bewildering and contradictory suggestions made - but what you said was 'fans are the last people that should be listened to' .

In my book, that is definitely wrong. You have to listen to them, as bizarre and ridiculous as their comments might be. The alternative is failing to address concerns that can be addressed and, in doing so, ensuring that they remain happy.

To give an example, Isle of Wight have a food outlet, the Retreat. One fan complained ordering and receiving was a bit of a shambles but  the next week signage had gone up to make sure that people knew where to order and where not to. Small, I agree. But still a case of listening to fans.

Part of speedway's downfall is that it has taken its fans for granted, ignored them and, on occasion, treated them with contempt and even abuse. 

[Halifaxtiger 5,318]

6 minutes ago, Whisperer said:

They do actually, every till receipt has an invitation to complete the survey with monthly draws as the hook. They also do anonymous surveys using an agency then at the end of the call you are told the survey is being conducted on behalf of M &S

Just caught up HT got there first

That's a first 

[New Science 1,059]

7 hours ago, waytogo28 said:

They have not listened to anyone, as far as I know, or asked any fans or groups of fans about preferences. The BSPA should be going ahead with a survey of the type recently posted ( which was first done 20 years ago ). They neither welcome nor acknowledge feedback from their customers. Such businesses usually end up by closing down. I agree with your choice myself.

The worry for me is I don't need to fill in a speedway survey. I would just write at the top in big letters ,' The racing is not good enough " and I'm not sure how the promoters fix that ?

Edited July 14, 2018 by New Science

[M.D 462]

2 minutes ago, Humphrey Appleby said:

You're effectively building bespoke products, and if clients are spending millions then you can afford to take the time to consult with them. Plus you're really only having to satisfy a handful of clients - not a few hundred or thousand at a time. 

Total speedway revenue is probably only a few million - I think it was stated as being a 6 million business a few years ago and may even be less now - and punters are paying 20 quid a head at best. Reading this forum, whilst there are certainly some good ideas, could you actually draw any conclusions on what the average speedway punter wants, and being realistic on what can be actually be delivered, sufficient to turn speedway businesses around? 

I hear what your saying but my point is that in whatever business your in, you have to listen to the paying customer and adapt to keep them happy or you will lose clients..

[Halifaxtiger 5,318]

5 minutes ago, M.D said:

I hear what your saying but my point is that in whatever business your in, you have to listen to the paying customer and adapt to keep them happy or you will lose clients..

You can just imagine what would happen if Buster Chapman and Rob Godfrey said 'the fans are the last people that we will listen to'...............

[Wolfsbane 12,944]

4 minutes ago, M.D said:

I hear what your saying but my point is that in whatever business your in, you have to listen to the paying customer and adapt to keep them happy or you will lose clients..

Which is precisely why the unthinkable is going to happen in the not too distant future to John Lewis/Waitrose. After their latest poor set of results they announced 'From now on our colleagues will be at the centre of everything we do'. The customer can go swivel as long as we are happy.

Remind you of any other organisations?

[GWC 495]

It’s pretty simple the public are disillusioned with UK speedway and are finding other things to do.

This has been exacerbated with doubling up so it feels like ‘rent a team’ and identifying a rider with your club and the team you are watching is false.

Fixed race nights not for the fans but the riders ain’t going to work in the UK.

Value for money is getting more and more of a mention and is clearly an issue now.

So do we start again and put faith in the product of 4 riders turning left in one league using the riders we have available?

[M.D 462]

1 minute ago, Wolfsbane said:

Which is precisely why the unthinkable is going to happen in the not too distant future to John Lewis/Waitrose. After their latest poor set of results they announced 'From now on our colleagues will be at the centre of everything we do'. The customer can go swivel as long as we are happy.

Remind you of any other organisations?

Exactly, a business may turn over billions or a few hundred a week, the principle is the same, listen, learn what your client wants and keep them happy for repeat business.