Cineworld - Phone Booking for Unlimited Cards Gone

halenger

Bleh, I couldn't think of a clearer title.

I know some people are aware of this and I saw it mentioned in another thread (I'll quote to give credit) but I don't think this is being talked about enough.

Ro-76 wrote:

They've recently changed the terms and conditions of the unlimited card - the telephone booking service will be discontinued from March 24th. This is probably one of the main perks of the card. I also see that they still advertise the booking service. When I enquired about the changes in the cinema, the girl at the unlimited desk, or the manage knew nothing about the changes. I also see that the website and the promotional leaflets list the booking line as a feature, so they're signing up new customers based on a feature that does not exist!

Anyway, today's the day. The message now states something along the lines of:

paraphrasing Cineworld phone line wrote:

Due to low demand you can no longer book tickets with your Unlimited Card over the phone. You can still book them in person at the Cineworld boxoffice on the day of the showing.

I personally have used this service pretty frequently and long before I got an Unlimited card I was told that internet booking would be coming soon (by friends who had the cards). This is a dreadful step backwards. I've been a fan of Friday evening showings for some time now but we all know how insane it is in there on a Friday so we've (my girlfriend has an Unlimited card too) been doing the phone booking thing. Dead handy. I didn't mind terribly paying the 40c per person either though I don't know the point of it. If you want to do something to make sure people don't make phantom bookings then why not take the details, put a hold on the full ticket price and charge it if the tickets aren't collected.

Is it really that much hassle for them? Surely this is all done automatically? At least I would have thought so. Anyway, I'd like to get some idea of how low the demand really was, at least in this community.

Feel free to add any comment or otherwise. Personally I'm thinking renewing my Unlimited card will be pretty pointless with a full time job.

drusilla_rb

Didn't know I could

I'd love to keep it, but I'd really prefer the internet one as using the phone line was cumbersome when I last tried. You're right, losing it is absolutely CRAP

daiixi

I'd really like for them to have a dedicated queue for unlimited card holders.. that'd be a perk!

When I signed up they advised that they'd be mailing out information and special offers etc.. I've never received anything. Has anyone else?

ixoy

Occasionally

They've got really poor information going on there because, when using the telephone service recently I was twice put into contact with their staff when I typed in something wrong or something went screwy. Both times I mentioned about the cards going and they didn't seem to know what to do.

Interestingly, and I point this out to be fair, the second time the girl admitted to never having had to take a booking from someone using the Unlimited Card so there may be some substance to their arguement.

Dunno why the hell they ain't got an internet booking in though as it wouldn't (well shouldn't) cause the same issues as voice recognition services.

Ro-76

Occasionally

The reason that they have abolished the phone line, and do not have an internet facility is that they are already so busy that they do not need the unlimited users to fill the cinema. Most movies I have been at lately have been booked out. If they can fill the cinema with paing guests, why make it easy for unlimited users to book?

The hassle thing is a complete red herring. It's a lot cheaper in terms of manpower and cost to have internet, or automated phone booking than have a person dealing with the customer. look at Ryanair for an example.

They have just taken a strategic commercial decision, and decided that it's more profitable to risk losing the unlimited users.


Anyhow, I called them and complained - they cancelled my card after only 7 months use.

Ronan

wasabi

I recently cancelled my Unlimited card after having it a very long time (6 years or so I think).

Booking was such a painful process (esp if booking with non-Unlimited holders) and half the times I just showed up without a booking I'd end up leaving because I couldn't face a 15 minute queue.

Just because of the hassle I wasn't getting enough use out of the card to justify it. I've gone to the cinema more since I've gotten shot of the thing

Oh, and when you cancel you get a nice threatening letter telling you to return your card or they'll take all your money. Clearly their backend systems are completely useless if they have to do that rather than having some centralised facility to cancel the card.

Grimlock

Occasionally

Very pissed customer here.
I didn't cancel the card cause I go the cinema once a week,
so it still saves me money but having to queue and usually
having to get poor seats cos I can't book early.
Unlimited looks like less and less value for money every month. :mad: :mad:

Cineworld are complete rip off artists.
I'm not a happy bunny.

Daithio

Occasionally

Yeah this majorly pissed me off too. I mean why not just leave the feature there? It was all automated anyway, so even if people weren't using it that much I wouldn't have thought that they were losing money on it. Obviously by taking away this feature they are creating more spaces for their other customers, and so creating more business for themselves. I'd say that if anything the reason they've withdrawn it is not because it's being underused, but probably because it's being overused. I might cancel my card and tell them it's because of this feature being withdrawn.

Grimlock

Occasionally

I completely aggre or at least put in a web booking option.
To say it was under used or was costing too much is patronising.
The thing was automated and there was a 40c booking free ffs!

I seriously thought about cancelling it, even asked the girl at the desk.
But as my friend pointed out I use it at least once a week and it saves me a fortune. I'd be cutting off my nose in spite of my face.
She was right to, so I'm still and active account holder but I'm pretty pissed.
The service degrades by the month.

argolis

Occasionally

If it was oversubscribed, they could limit the availability of tickets through the phone system. There's several solutions other than axing it. I had thought I wouldn't be able to cancel unless I could prove in T&Cs that it was a major detrimental change in service, but going by the posts here I'll be cancelling next time I'm in there.

Previously it was a convenience to having to queue and that's all. You still had to pay a booking fee using the really crap voice reco system.There's no separate queue (pointed out) and I haven't once in 6 months received any offers/previews etc they were touting when I signed up. It's absolutely rubbish now! :mad:

Regarding the point that they don't "need" Unlimited customers, I'd disagree as they're probably making a steady profit out of the monthly direct debits that go unused or partially unused, so it would be in their interest to get more people signed up.

They'll take any complaint letters at the booking desks and pass them onto the head office in england where this decision came from. Apparently they've received quite a few already and HO are aware that many people are cancelling their subscription.