Somehow I have become the official "go to" girl AGAIN this Carnival season for my friends, and with band launching hot on the heels I am getting lots of calls as if I am working in TRIBE's mas camp!! The most pressing issue being discussed is TRIBE's TLC Cards. Apparently LOTS of people , including myself, are having trouble activating their TLC cards and getting frustrated with the "invalid command" text message that comes up, even when all instructions are followed.
Eventually, after harassing the workers at the mas camp, I called the hot line number given to me by them and the person who answered verified that the system was not ready and would be up "later". Well that call was made on Friday and up to yesterday afternoon I STILL could not activate my card,when I called the hot line AGAIN the person who answered was still saying it should be able to activate "later". I have yet to re try so I don't know if it actually works as yet.
Now, from what I gather activation is necessary to enter the venue on Saturday, upon questioning the TRIBE employees about the possibility of forgetting to activate the card they assured me that a manual list would be at the door for all those who paid and collected their TLC cards. While this sounds like a solid back up plan can you imagine if out of 2000 people only 500 actually bothered to continue trying with activation and the rest gave up either thinking that activation was not necessary or knowing that there would be a "list" at the door? I can foresee in that event that the entrance to Pier 1 would be just a huge mob of irate people having to wait to enter while someone manually scans a list of hundreds of names.
The other thing that my friends are concerned about and have expressed to me is that some of them have not made up their minds about going to the launch and as a result they are yet to pick up their TLC cards knowing they would have to pay for a ticket. Consequently this means waiting to decide at the last possible minute if they would go to the launch or not. The question I have been asked is if they can still get the discounted price of $180.00 without the TLC card. As far as I can tell, no TLC means no discount and thus they would have to fork over the $240.00 general admission price for their procrastination. My friend was most upset to hear this as she is waiting on a complimentary ticket and is in limbo as if to pay for a ticket that she might never have cause to use.
My hairdresser also called asking about tickets to the launch and when I mentioned the TLC card to her she was in shock, having never received an email about this. Her sister in law, who resides in New York, did the registration for both of them and did not get any email about registering for a TLC card. Needless to say they BOTH missed the deadline and my hairdresser was told that overseas masqueraders would not be getting TLC cards until after the launch. Her situation ended well as when she called the mas camp she was told to walk with I.D. and collect her tickets and TLC card.
The sentiment I am getting is that while the new TLC "smart" card is probably a good idea in theory people prefer things simple and easy, like being able to purchase a ticket on a whim without having to "load"money unto an electronic card. Having a TLC card and remembering to register for it, collect it, activate it and keep it safe at all times is proving too much work for people who cannot see any immediate benefit from doing so!
Eventually, after harassing the workers at the mas camp, I called the hot line number given to me by them and the person who answered verified that the system was not ready and would be up "later". Well that call was made on Friday and up to yesterday afternoon I STILL could not activate my card,when I called the hot line AGAIN the person who answered was still saying it should be able to activate "later". I have yet to re try so I don't know if it actually works as yet.
Now, from what I gather activation is necessary to enter the venue on Saturday, upon questioning the TRIBE employees about the possibility of forgetting to activate the card they assured me that a manual list would be at the door for all those who paid and collected their TLC cards. While this sounds like a solid back up plan can you imagine if out of 2000 people only 500 actually bothered to continue trying with activation and the rest gave up either thinking that activation was not necessary or knowing that there would be a "list" at the door? I can foresee in that event that the entrance to Pier 1 would be just a huge mob of irate people having to wait to enter while someone manually scans a list of hundreds of names.
The other thing that my friends are concerned about and have expressed to me is that some of them have not made up their minds about going to the launch and as a result they are yet to pick up their TLC cards knowing they would have to pay for a ticket. Consequently this means waiting to decide at the last possible minute if they would go to the launch or not. The question I have been asked is if they can still get the discounted price of $180.00 without the TLC card. As far as I can tell, no TLC means no discount and thus they would have to fork over the $240.00 general admission price for their procrastination. My friend was most upset to hear this as she is waiting on a complimentary ticket and is in limbo as if to pay for a ticket that she might never have cause to use.
My hairdresser also called asking about tickets to the launch and when I mentioned the TLC card to her she was in shock, having never received an email about this. Her sister in law, who resides in New York, did the registration for both of them and did not get any email about registering for a TLC card. Needless to say they BOTH missed the deadline and my hairdresser was told that overseas masqueraders would not be getting TLC cards until after the launch. Her situation ended well as when she called the mas camp she was told to walk with I.D. and collect her tickets and TLC card.
The sentiment I am getting is that while the new TLC "smart" card is probably a good idea in theory people prefer things simple and easy, like being able to purchase a ticket on a whim without having to "load"money unto an electronic card. Having a TLC card and remembering to register for it, collect it, activate it and keep it safe at all times is proving too much work for people who cannot see any immediate benefit from doing so!
4 comments:
Saucy, welcome to the "smart" life! (just joking). I can imagine the frustration and little anxieties the slow activation causes.
I was so into tinkering and figuring out the convoluted process of loading software or installing a new device in a pc several years ago. Give me that process now, and I swear I'll throw the machine in a hazardous waste controlled dumping site (believe me, I will go the extra distance rather than throwing it out of the window, LOL).
The words of the day are "people prefer things simple and easy." These are words from a smart lady :)
good point Dougs. Plain and Simple part II: They should not have released the smart card if it wasn't ready yet. Really, what is the point? It's just creating unneeded frustration and setting themselves up for customer service complaints. Even if it get fixed before Saturday, what are the odds people will bother to try to load it before then. Any way, Saturday may be a big headache for them b/c of the premature release.
That PIER 1 TRAFFIC SATURDAY WILL BE BACKED UP FOR AT LEAST 10 MILES IF NOT MORE!!! Imagine how them last minute procrastinators and the unknowing will back things up? Wha! Pressaaah!!!
Your best bet is to go extra extra early or go so early you have to pack a picnic lunch, camp out and lime until they open the door.
Quite a few people did not receive the email. I told one firend in time for her to register but my other gf that played with me for the last 2 yrs by the time i remembered to ask the deadline had gone...how smart is the process if they do not even contact all their (regular) customers.
I await instructions for overseas masquaraders to activate...should be fun.
lb....fun? lol, I am so anxious by now to get even an email from them saying that they receive my application and the card is on its way...I can't even begin to fathom the commess that will be overseas activation when that time comes around!!! Ohhh gormmmss =/
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