RaceCafe..#1...Tipsters Thread.... Share Your Fancies For Fun...Lets See Who The Best Tipsters Here Are.
rdytdy

New FOB and Shutdown

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12 minutes ago, Pam Robson said:

Good post,  ST...but I can't even access the helpline,  to swear or  not to swear....!

I wouldn't do that -  but in a week of trying,   cannot raise anyone on the phone, and since implementation,  only ONE email - which took three days - and the information given on that email was a nonsense.  I followed instruction to the letter....

and I am still locked out,  requests to re-set password are denied,  and I can't even get existing funds out.

Yeah, I see customers in the store get frustrated when they're on the phone to the call centre. Then there are new policies introduced that failed to take into account what happens in the real world such as when a house bound Granddad wants to top up their account but cannot because it would involve giving their carer the PIN number to their account to make the deposit - something that I'm sure most people would not be comfortable with. I was told the requirement for pin entry would stop operators from making the mistake of putting it in the wrong account but alas as I've seen with my work mates it hasn't fixed the problem. I feel for the folks at the call centre because generally when I'm serving the customer over the counter they're more well behaved than when I over hear them on the phone. Oh, and from what I heard regarding the password, some of the passwords weren't migrated across resulting in customers being locked out plus other issues. As I heard from one customer, "why not just keep the old system running and launch the new one so then at least people can keep betting on the old one, experiment and provide feedback on the new one so when they can migrate to the new system once it is mature and ready for prime time.

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4 minutes ago, Pam Robson said:

They can go and fk themselves...I would far rather be supporting NZ racing in my own [very] small way..but can't..so I have opened an acct with another agency and have had no trouble whatsoever.

I agree - there is a lot of good will out there for TAB in much the same way that people have good will towards NZ Post or Air New Zealand but eventually that 'good will' will eventually run out when customers face the sisyphean task of trying to do a password reset.

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Sneaky Trader thanks so much for your posts here. I agree completely with your sentiments re the Customer Services team, to  me they are heroes at the coalface trying to help the TAB's customers decipher the cluster**** that this new site/platform is. I'm a bookie not a techie so I can't attest to some of the technical aspects to which you refer, but it does provide yet more evidence that management really have no clue what they are doing, at any level. From the sounds of it, it's a pity you were not involved in the decision making process at the technical level albeit not surprising given how dysfunctional this company is.  It's great to have someone who actually has half a clue to answer questions from the gang here, especially given the TAB have shown no interest in addressing some of the many issues raised. I hope no one blows the whistle on you, although I bet the TAB KGB are already launching an investigation into your actual identity. I'd sleep well though if I were you, knowing how incompetent they are at every level, I'm guessing it will take them a while! So thanks again, mate.

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8 hours ago, Thepaw said:

This wonderful new website  just keeps on giving :) 

Thought I'd ring the help desk to see if the "Lost Ticket Claim' option was still available online; I mean this been the most model TAB site around so it should be YEAH RIGHT.

 First problem click on  both the Help & Contact Us pages zip naught just blank page,. Finally fluke the 0800 number and spoke to lovely lady who advises me " No we no longer provide the lost ticket claim online", Bugga me  are you kidding me. In this modern world where almost every transaction can now be done electronically the  heads have decided that we should return to the pen and paper. MY aussie account is looking more appealing each day

The rationale for that will be that it's too hard for most...online is too easy, having to physically go to a TAB and fill out a form isn't......:rolleyes:

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1 hour ago, Winner69 said:

How does one place a bet on the jockeys challenge?

Racing -> Futures and Challenges

On that page there will be the drivers, jockeys and rugs challenges.

45 minutes ago, Phantom said:

Sneaky Trader thanks so much for your posts here. I agree completely with your sentiments re the Customer Services team, to  me they are heroes at the coalface trying to help the TAB's customers decipher the cluster**** that this new site/platform is. I'm a bookie not a techie so I can't attest to some of the technical aspects to which you refer, but it does provide yet more evidence that management really have no clue what they are doing, at any level. From the sounds of it, it's a pity you were not involved in the decision making process at the technical level albeit not surprising given how dysfunctional this company is.  It's great to have someone who actually has half a clue to answer questions from the gang here, especially given the TAB have shown no interest in addressing some of the many issues raised. I hope no one blows the whistle on you, although I bet the TAB KGB are already launching an investigation into your actual identity. I'd sleep well though if I were you, knowing how incompetent they are at every level, I'm guessing it will take them a while! So thanks again, mate.

Unfortunately I don't see things changing - having seen how the recruitment process occurs in many businesses it appears that unfortunately that many who get through do so not on what they can actually deliver but their ability to dazzle the interviewers whilst ensuring that they don't rock the boat and the re-enforce status quo. In many organisations there is a tendency for 'establishment' to protect itself by ensuring that those who have any new ideas are never promoted but those who seek to re-enforce the status quo without question are advanced forward. Can 'change agents' make their way through? sure but that is more by accident rather than by design. I'm not worried about them 'finding me' given that I work at a retail outlet so it would be like finding a needle in a haystack - "who is the one that has been whining on line" and every persons hand at the site I work at would pop up in unison.

40 minutes ago, puha said:

The two blokes Des had on yesterday were very polite and accommodating but seemed lacking in racing nous 

I have a feeling that it was probably a matter of 'what I should say' vs. 'what I'd like to say but I want to keep my job'.

Quote

 

Let's hope Sneaky can sort out the form too..

Look at a horses recent form and it goes from latest run to oldest in date order. . Go on others and it is the reverse....???!! 

:wacko:

 

I had to get the call centre to forward a copy to the site because we didn't have one in the store; you'd think that they would do away with all that and simply create a form that I can fill out for the customer in the store on the computer rather than printing one out, filling it out then sending it back in again via email.

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29 minutes ago, SneakyTrader said:

Unfortunately I don't see things changing - having seen how the recruitment process occurs in many businesses it appears that unfortunately that many who get through do so not on what they can actually deliver but their ability to dazzle the interviewers whilst ensuring that they don't rock the boat and the re-enforce status quo. In many organisations there is a tendency for 'establishment' to protect itself by ensuring that those who have any new ideas are never promoted but those who seek to re-enforce the status quo without question are advanced forward. Can 'change agents' make their way through? sure but that is more by accident rather than by design. I'm not worried about them 'finding me' given that I work at a retail outlet so it would be like finding a needle in a haystack - "who is the one that has been whining on line" and every persons hand at the site I work at would pop up in unison.

100% Excellent analysis by SneakyTrader of how big business Managers work worldwide! All feathering their own nests!

They want "YESMEN" who won't rock the boat...and agree with everything the leaders say.

The types who face the media or their superiors ...talk a good game and deliver fuck all !  Smoke and Mirrors!

The poor coalface guy who generally has futuristic ideas, common sense and the nous on how to fix issues.... are ignored 99% of the time.

I have seen this throughout organisations in my lifetime... its almost corruption!

Just look at Big Business CEO turnover where they fail dismally in one company and pop up at another like they're a fucking success story!

I hope we see regular posts from you here in the future Sneaky Trader !  I might even name my next horse after you! :rcf-thinking-1::rcf-laughing-2:

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1 hour ago, SneakyTrader said:

Racing -> Futures and Challenges

On that page there will be the drivers, jockeys and rugs challenges.

Unfortunately I don't see things changing - having seen how the recruitment process occurs in many businesses it appears that unfortunately that many who get through do so not on what they can actually deliver but their ability to dazzle the interviewers whilst ensuring that they don't rock the boat and the re-enforce status quo. In many organisations there is a tendency for 'establishment' to protect itself by ensuring that those who have any new ideas are never promoted but those who seek to re-enforce the status quo without question are advanced forward. Can 'change agents' make their way through? sure but that is more by accident rather than by design. I'm not worried about them 'finding me' given that I work at a retail outlet so it would be like finding a needle in a haystack - "who is the one that has been whining on line" and every persons hand at the site I work at would pop up in unison.

I have a feeling that it was probably a matter of 'what I should say' vs. 'what I'd like to say but I want to keep my job'.

I had to get the call centre to forward a copy to the site because we didn't have one in the store; you'd think that they would do away with all that and simply create a form that I can fill out for the customer in the store on the computer rather than printing one out, filling it out then sending it back in again via email.

Racing form on the website Sneaky, not a paper one..,:rolleyes:

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18 minutes ago, Baz (NZ) said:

100% Excellent analysis by SneakyTrader of how big business Managers work worldwide! All feathering their own nests!

They want "YESMEN" who won't rock the boat...and agree with everything the leaders say.

The types who face the media or their superiors ...talk a good game and deliver fuck all !  Smoke and Mirrors!

The poor coalface guy who generally has futuristic ideas, common sense and the nous on how to fix issues.... are ignored 99% of the time.

I have seen this throughout organisations in my lifetime... its almost corruption!

Just look at Big Business CEO turnover where they fail dismally in one company and pop up at another like they're a fucking success story!

I hope we see regular posts from you here in the future Sneaky Trader !  I might even name my next horse after you! :rcf-thinking-1::rcf-laughing-2:

Sneaky has it spot on. The best candidates don't always get the job, too many other elements at play.

Explains a lot about why NZ Racing ( incl Clubs ) are making little progress......and why ex NZ Post employees are where they are.

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I called into a Pub TAB on Sat (in the vacinity of Auckland) to have  a multi fixed odds bet on the Telegraph, Wgtn Cup and another race. Couldn’t find the Fixed Odds codes anywhere, there was one blunt pencil in the pub and in the end I gave up - luckily because I would have done my dosh. But the point is, it was made hard for me to have a bet. So I didn’t and both of us miss out. Silly. 

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1 hour ago, Baz (NZ) said:

100% Excellent analysis by SneakyTrader of how big business Managers work worldwide! All feathering their own nests!

They want "YESMEN" who won't rock the boat...and agree with everything the leaders say.

The types who face the media or their superiors ...talk a good game and deliver fuck all !  Smoke and Mirrors!

The poor coalface guy who generally has futuristic ideas, common sense and the nous on how to fix issues.... are ignored 99% of the time.

I have seen this throughout organisations in my lifetime... its almost corruption!

Just look at Big Business CEO turnover where they fail dismally in one company and pop up at another like they're a fucking success story!

I hope we see regular posts from you here in the future Sneaky Trader !  I might even name my next horse after you! :rcf-thinking-1::rcf-laughing-2:

Reminds me of a boss I had years ago at the supermarket - he loved the title and pay that came with being a department manager but avoided making decisions like the plague - why? because making decisions means having to stand by and defend the decision at a later date - if he didn't make a decision then he had nothing to defend. I can almost guarantee that what will happen is that there will be 'audit' and those in charge will use the expensive consultants as cover for their decisions by claiming that they 'got the best advice' and thus be merry go round of mediocrity will continue. Reminds me of the Air New Zealand buying out Ansett fiasco and yet some how the members of that board got to keep their lucrative board of director jobs at the various companies they work for.

1 hour ago, Rusty said:

Thanks a lot SneakyTrader.

Bloody great to have your knowledge and insight on here. I and no doubt a lot of others appreciate your posts. Keep up the great work. 

P.S you have the most fitting username :)

Thank you :) I just hope that we (staff and customers) get through this in one piece because when I have to ring up the call centre they're stressed and worn out so at some point something will have to give. I used to work in a call centre years ago but being in an office all day does my head in - I've got to be on my feet or otherwise I get irritable lol.

1 hour ago, Ohokaman said:

Racing form Sneaky, not a paper one..,:rolleyes:

Ah, I got confused with a post further up about finding a lost ticket claim.

1 hour ago, Red Rum said:

Sneaky Trader is a 1.01 to  beat his head honcho of Tab  in the racing and how the systems works general knowledge quiz.

If I were the CEO I would ruffle some feathers like actually mixing with the employees at work, turning up to events and talk to the public, maybe have a blog to and a podcast so there is direct communication - bringing the enthusiast community in to hear their feedback as well by bringing them into the fold so that the racing industry can use those enthusiast boots on the ground to evangelise and make racing something that people my age are interested in.

1 hour ago, Ohokaman said:

Sneaky has it spot on. The best candidates don't always get the job, too many other elements at play.

Explains a lot about why NZ Racing ( incl Clubs ) are making little progress......and why ex NZ Post employees are where they are.

It'll be interesting to see what happens with the Messara report; the question is whether there is a willingness to do the necessary investments to make horse racing sexy, glamorous and something that young people should get into, whether there is a willingness at the club level for change (consolidation etc) but equally whether there is a willingness to change in how things are done as a business - is it really necessary for the TAB to have six offices in New Zealand? can it be done more efficiently?

21 minutes ago, Trump said:

I called into a Pub TAB on Sat (in the vacinity of Auckland) to have  a multi fixed odds bet on the Telegraph, Wgtn Cup and another race. Couldn’t find the Fixed Odds codes anywhere, there was one blunt pencil in the pub and in the end I gave up - luckily because I would have done my dosh. But the point is, it was made hard for me to have a bet. So I didn’t and both of us miss out. Silly. 

What amazes me is the varied quality of service - I have to wonder whether there is any focus on ensuring that pub tabs lift their quality because when I was working in the fast-food industry we used to have spot inspections from head office with real consequences if the place wasn't up to standard and yet some how when pub tabs half-ass it (as you noted) there are no consequences but then again I guess part of that is about raising the TAB brand so that it becomes a desirable brand to want to be associated with and thus the threat to take a TAB installation from a pub results in "we'll promise to lift out game" rather than than the current situation of pub owners shrugging their shoulders and going "meh, one less thing I have to worry about".

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17 hours ago, puha said:

The two blokes Des had on yesterday were very polite and accommodating but seemed lacking in racing nous 

A very common trait at the TAB , along with very little punting nous also. Hard to believe really.

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I couldn't agree more with you Sneaky Trader and perhaps there is a not too virtual revolution silently unfolding with regards to the turnover, if the 16% drop in it since the new website is anything to go by. As Trump said they just make it too difficult because I suspect they have let the IT geeks loose who don't understand racing without regard to the substance of what has been produced. Superficial or 'flashy' even but the punters are screaming from the rooftops that its a backward step and no one is listening, so they are voting if not with their feet yet but at least with their wallets. Even though punters have not collectively acted as a cohesive group historically,   the outcome of this $4.1 drop in betting is to send a none-too-subtle message to the so-called 'powers-that-be' - whether by design or accident  or just because of the sheer numbers they've brassed off all at once -  is having that effect. I'm reducing my turnover for sure because I don't want to encourage people to treat me like a second-class citizen when I'm effectively paying for their salaries and bonuses. Maybe that (underground) Punters' Association might make them sit up and take notice if the work-to-rule continues for a while yet. I for one, hope so. Because things have got to change big time. We need a clean out pure and simple.  Power to the long-disregarded punter.

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My only problem with the new site is the extended form that's still not working , the rest I  have no interest in . All  these issues that are effecting turnover could have been avoided by simply making access to the old site  possible . If a transition period had been in place punters could have used the old site until they found their way around the new one and the problems with the new site had been ironed out , this has been done on some other sites I follow , on these sites you have to log on before the old site option becomes available .

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1 hour ago, tripple alliance said:

My only problem with the new site is the extended form that's still not working , the rest I  have no interest in . All  these issues that are effecting turnover could have been avoided by simply making access to the old site  possible . If a transition period had been in place punters could have used the old site until they found their way around the new one and the problems with the new site had been ironed out , this has been done on some other sites I follow , on these sites you have to log on before the old site option becomes available .

100% correct

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The arrogance being demonstrated by those responsible for these changes over the past 10 days has eroded the loyalty I had for NZTAB to the point that I feel compelled to vote with my feet . As an " Elite " customer I can claim to be a reasonable judge of what works for me.

Clearly the platform has been designed by non racing people I mean you start with Scratchings end of story.

I tried a sports bet on the cricket yesterday ummm  gosh India $1.80 I'll have some of that............. go to put money on.

Fill in amount

Press accept

Odds have changed despite any change in the game play

Do you accept new odds

Accept

Delay

Accept

Delay

Odds change downwards

Accept

Finally ............ bet placed successfully.

.

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13 minutes ago, ivanthegreat said:

The arrogance being demonstrated by those responsible for these changes over the past 10 days has eroded the loyalty I had for NZTAB to the point that I feel compelled to vote with my feet . As an " Elite " customer I can claim to be a reasonable judge of what works for me.

Clearly the platform has been designed by non racing people I mean you start with Scratchings end of story.

I tried a sports bet on the cricket yesterday ummm  gosh India $1.80 I'll have some of that............. go to put money on.

Fill in amount

Press accept

Odds have changed despite any change in the game play

Do you accept new odds

Accept

Delay

Accept

Delay

Odds change downwards

Accept

Finally ............ bet placed successfully.

.

Yeah this has largely been my experience too although it isn't an uncommon issue with in play betting. What is more annoying is when you wait 8 seconds and then get "an unexpected error as occurred, please check your pending bets if you were trying to place a bet". then when you check your pending bets, half the time (not an exaggeration) you get ANOTHER error message (error loading or something). I've been around long enough to these can happen, but to be happening 50% of the time on a newly launched site which cost whatever it did is unacceptable. btw I was also elite, in the top 4 or 5 in the country turnover wise according to Nathan Greenham, but have been ignored by them for some time presumably because I've called Allen out as the imposter he (and Hughes) is. You just wonder how long the rope he's been given is, because I can't imagine many CEOs in the private sector surviving two massive busts like the failed Race Fields Legislation and now this abortion of a platform. I'm sure he can't either. Honestly, Ivan, they should have used guys like you and me (and obviously Sneaker Trader) as consultants when building the new site, but as someone said apart from having no expertise in betting websites, these clowns are so arrogant they don't think that is a drawback! Right now they are probably toasting themselves on what a great job they've done. The numbers, however, don't lie, and the nasty surprise that awaits them is that not only will turnover drop with the launch of the website, but also their hold %, and they will lose a shit ton of disgruntled clients like us. Guess you could call that the "Triple Trio". Run Seabiscuit Run!

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