CUSTOMER CHARTER - Everton FC Shareholders' Association

2010/11CUSTOMERCHARTER

contents andintroductioncontents andIntroduction 03PROMOTING Diversity 04Disabled Supporters 05Everton IN THE COMMUNITY 06CHARITIES 07Matchday experience 08Staff Conduct and 09Customer RelationsAcademy 10Ticketing 11Loyalty and MembershipS 12Hospitality 13The GOODISON Experience 14Website and Retail 15Welcome to Everton Football Club’s Customer Charterfor the 2010/11 seasonIn essence this report is designed to be a supportivedocument, one which will enable our supporters to bothstudy and understand our many and varied policies andwhich will provide a valuable insight into the Club’svarious departments.Our primary aim is to deliver an enviable and consistentlyhigh level of service – one which is sympathetic andflexible and which is capable of adapting to the needs ofour supporters.Self-evidently, feedback is absolutely essential to thefunctionality of our business as it serves to identify areaswhere improvement is either desired or necessary.Our great Club’s main asset is its loyal and dedicatedfan base and we are as determined as ever to maintainprofessional and competent lines of communicationbetween ourselves and you, the customer.May I take this opportunity to thank you – on behalf of theplayers, management and staff – for your continued andunswerving support.Contact Details 16Robert ElstoneChief Executive Officer03

promotingdiversityDuring recent years Everton Football Club, togetherwith the football world, has faced up to the challengeof tackling racism and discrimination. The successes ofthis work are now evident across the country.Everton Football Club is proud to have been recognised forits work by achieving both the Preliminary and IntermediateLevels of the Racial Equality Standard for ProfessionalFootball Clubs awarded by Kick It Out. The Club was also oneof the first to be entered into a Hall of Fame by Show Racismthe Red Card.We continue to actively support both of these nationalfootball campaigns and our stance remains that racialabuse directed towards any player or supporter will notbe tolerated.We actively encourage our supporters to embrace thisconcept with prominent displays around the stadium andconsistently promote the work that we do in support of thecampaigns regularly in the matchday programme and on04

disabledsupportersthe Club website. We have also introduced a confidential textsystem for matchdays whereby supporters cananonymously request help or report anybody who is actingin an offensive manner.Everton Football Club recognises that the drive to overcomeexclusion cannot be tackled in isolation. By embracingall areas of diversity we aim to be a Club which is trulyaccessible to all supporters and one that also reflects ourdiverse local communities.DISABLED SUPPORTERSWe have a dedicated Disability Officer who works for Evertonin the Community and a Disabled Co-ordinator based inthe Fan Centre. They work in conjunction with the EvertonDisabled Supporters Association (EDSA).Tickets are available from the Fan Centre at normal price,however this covers entrance for both the wheelchairuser and ambulant if visually impaired and their personalassistant. Due to a continued high level of demand a rotasystem remains in place to ensure fair distribution of tickets.Everton Football Club have a growing women’s and girlsprogramme, which reflects the national trend of footballbecoming the most participated sport for females.We are pleased to celebrate the success of Everton Ladieswho last year won the Ladies FA Cup beating Arsenal Ladiesin the final.Further examples of our commitment to equalityand diversity are detailed in the Everton in theCommunity Page.05

everton IN THECOMMUNITYEverton in The Community continues to go fromstrength to strength. Our charitable delivery continuesto grow and our ambition to be the best sportingcharity in the UK is fast becoming a reality.Everton in The Community delivers projects promotinghealth, education and equality.At Everton in the Community our aims are clear:•To build a bridge between Everton Football Cluband the local community, winning hearts and mindsthroughout the region•To harness the power of sport to motivate, educateand inspire our local community by offeringprogrammes that will make a differenceacross MerseysideWe aim to instil confidence in people, and by creating routesinto education, training and employment, steer them awayfrom crime and anti-social behaviour. We also run wideranging programmes for people with disabilities includingwheelchair soccer schools and blind and visuallyimpaired teams.We are proud to reflect on some of our achievements duringthe 2009/10 campaign:•FA Charter Community Club Award for ourDisability Programme•FA Charter Community Club Award for our MentalHealth Programme•National Kickz (Social Inclusion) Team ofthe Year Award•Two Fair Play Awards for our Kickz Programme•Three teams in the Kickz national final•Hosting Kickz national tournament at Goodison Park•Alder Hey Special Recognition•European Sporting Industry Award for our MentalHealth League Programme•Mersey Care NHS Trust Positive Achievement Awardfor Imagine Your Goals•Warrington Disability Partnership North West PositiveAction Award•The first Club to establish two Mental Health Leagueson Merseyside with up to 150 service users•12 disabled teams of which four of the playersrepresented Great Britain in the Deaflympics inChinese Taipei in September•Almost 50 per cent of course participants havegained full-time employment after completing the 10week Everton 4 Employment Programme•15 brand new clubs have been established in fourunder-represented Olympic sports for young peopleacross Liverpool and Knowsley, engaging over 1,000young people•Delivered Show Racism the Red Card educationalworkshops to 40 schools across Merseyside engagingover 3,000 childrenOur positive results show no signs of slowing down as wehave recently been invited to head up a new national mentalhealth football project called ‘Inside Right’ for serviceveterans.Of course none of this work would be possible without thecontinued generosity, time and effort of our staff, partnersand service users.06

CHARITIESEverton supports two main charities; Liverpool Unites& Alder Hey hospital, providing financial funding andplayer support across all projects.The Club is committed to raising funds every year to helpcharities continue their invaluable work.If you are a charity and have a request for a donation,please email val.lovell@evertonfc.comIn order for your request to be considered you shouldinclude the following criteria.• The registered number and name of the charity you wouldlike to help with fundraising.• The date and place of your event.• Name and address to mail your donation if successful.• All requests for individual charity fundraising will beat our discretion.We will do our best to assist with all requests within a20-mile radius of Goodison Park.Requests will only be considered which have come throughthe Charity Department.07

MATCHDAYEXPERIENCEOne of the Club’s primary objectives each and everyseason is to ensure that everyone who attends firstteamfixtures at Goodison Park has a pleasant andrewarding matchday experience, irrespective of whetherthey are paying customers or paid staff.To that end we will, as ever, work tirelessly to ensure thatthe stadium is always clean, tidy and as comfortableas possible.The health and safety of both supporters and staff is, selfevidently,of paramount importance to us and subsequentlywe shall ensure that all floors and surfaces are free fromtrip-hazards and that whenever we do encounter unforeseenproblems – for example spillages and breakages – clean-upwork will be commenced and completed as swiftly asis practicable.Goodison Park is now a “Smoke-free” zone and we willsimply not tolerate breaches of the regulations whichgovern this ruling. Indeed, anyone caught smoking inside thestadium will be ejected and will face the very real possibilityof being banned for three matches – with any repeat offencelikely to carry an extended ban.The safety of those who attend games at Goodison Parkunashamedly stands at the very top of our priority list inorder to ensure that those who wish to follow Everton cando so in a friendly and threat-free environment. We employa comprehensive safety management structure, one whichincludes contingency plans designed to deal quickly andeffectively with any exceptional circumstances whichmay arise.08

STAFF CONDUCT ANDCUSTOMER RELATIONSStaff ConductThe Club is committed to providing an exceptionalservice to all its fans and customers. In order to adhereto the Club’s motto “Nil Satis Nisi Optimum” meaning“Nothing but the best is good enough”, all staff arefocused on providing the best service possible andconducting themselves in a manner that reflects this.Everton are responsible employers who are committed toequal opportunities for all. In order to strive for continuousimprovement, the training and development of staff remainsessential to us. The formal performance review in placesince 2005/06, supports the staff by encouraging themto maximise their potential and clarifies areas in whichprogress can be made.Everton Football Club is committed to encouraging andsupporting the training needs of its employees, both in thearea of jobs related skills training and personal development.In addition to in-house training Everton provides appropriatesupport to employees who wish to pursue an educational/professional course of study.Response TimesEverton have taken a positive approach to complaints andwhilst our main aim is to quickly resolve them for our fans,we welcome them as an ideal opportunity to identify waysand areas in which we can improve our service. This remainsour aim to continue to ensure that customer service is at theforefront of everything we do. The Everton Fan Centre willhelp us to fulfil this commitment.We have a dedicated Customer Service team who aim torespond proactively to all complaints as quickly as possibleand in a direct manner. Wherever possible we try to contactthe customer by telephone to discuss the complaint in detailand to provide a more personal service. In order to be anapproachable and open organisation a number of dedicatedemail addresses serve this purpose and it is possible tophone, fax or write to the Club.CALL 0871 663 1878*EMAILcustomer.contactcentre@evertonfc.comWRITE TO Feedback, Everton Football Club,Goodison Park, Liverpool. L4 4EL••Initial acknowledgement of contact within 7 daysFinal response time within 28 days09

academyOur Academy is now entering its 13th Season andremains proud of its record in developing some of thegame’s brightest talents, many of whom have gone onto distinguish themselves not only in our own first teambut also at other clubs and on the international stage.Everyone at Everton Football Club is fully committed todeveloping an Academy programme in keeping with our ClubMotto, Nil Satis Nisi Optimum, Nothing but the best isgood enough.Young players selected for our Academy are part of a longterm elite development programme which we call“The Everton Way”. The Everton Way is based on a strongbelief placing the best with the best at the best will developthe best. There are 4 main principles, the 4 P’s:• Our People. The players, the staff, the parents andeveryone associated with our Academy understands theroles that they play within our programme• Our Place. Finch Farm is not only a world class facility,but it supports our desire to create a world class learningenvironment• Our Programme. All aspects of young player’sdevelopment are catered for so that our young playersachieve their maximum potential• Our Pathway. From 8 year old to first team player, all ouryoung players know what is expected of them in order tosucceedOur supporters appreciate the attitude and commitmentshown by home produced players and their enthusiasmoften rubs off on their team-mates, there is nothing oursupporters like better than seeing one of their own developand progress into our first team.Nil Satis Nisi Optimum is in fact much more than justa motto, it is an attitude, an approach and the guidingprinciple of everything we do. It is what our Club stands for.It is The Everton Way.To all the young players who join Everton Football Clubthe Everton Way means the best development programmepossible. After all, their talent and promise is very much thecornerstone to the future of this great Club. Their success isour success.“When a young player arrives at the Academy his soleambition is be a professional player and make it to thefirst team. My advice to all our young players is tolisten to the coaches, work hard and when your chancecomes make sure that you take it” Leon Osman firstteam player and graduate of the Everton Youth Academy.10

ticketingAt Everton we recognise the importance of ensuringthat our prices remain affordable to all our supporters.We have a flexible pricing strategy with a numberof options available for the various sections of oursupport. We have continued to improve our sellingarrangements, including extended Fan Centreopening hours, so as to ensure easier access forall customers.Season ticketsSeason Ticket holders continue to play a pivotal part in thedevelopment of Everton Football Club both on and off thefield, which is why we’re committed to offering a pricingstructure that is competitive and affordable.For 2010/11 we are offering supporters savings of over 20%if purchased during the Early Bird Window – the equivalentof four games free. We are also delighted to offer a pricefreeze in the Family Enclosure and all junior tickets at halfthe price of adults. Not only this, but you also have a choiceof payment methods.Tickets can be purchased at the Fan Centre:Monday – Friday8am – 6pmSaturdays (non matchdays)Saturdays (matchdays)(and for a limited period after)Mid-week (matchdays)(and for a limited period after)Sundays (matchdays)(and for a limited period after)Phone: 0871 663 1878*Fax: 0151 286 9119Email: everton@evertonfc.com10am – 4pm9am – kick-off8am – kick-off9am – kick-off*Calls cost 10p per minute from a BT landline.General ticket salesTo improve our service for fans, we have remodelled the FanCentre to be able to take direct calls for customer serviceand engaged with a third party call centre to handle overflowticket sales calls. This has created a more direct relationshipbetween supporter and our knowledgeable staff.11

hospitalityEverton’s Executive Lounges provide a variety ofvenues for matchday hospitality at Goodison Park.Feedback from Members and guests has enabledthe Club to identify areas for development, withimprovements in the Joe Mercer Suite and Captains’Table demonstrating the commitment to excellence.A range of hospitality and sponsorship packagesare available:•Seasonal Lounge Memberships•Match-by-match hospitality•Match sponsorship•Ball sponsorship•Programme sponsorship•Match ball sponsorship•Mascot Sponsorship•Player Sponsorship13

the goodisonexperienceAs the first purpose built stadium in England, Goodison Parkcan offer 118 years of rich history, befitting its affectionatelyknown title of ‘The Grand Old Lady.’Our stadium tour takes you behind the scenes of a topBarclays Premier League club, providing you with an insightinto the traditions and ways of Everton Football Club. Theitinerary includes:•A visit to the inner sanctum of the Players’ Lounge•An opportunity to view the stadium from theDirectors’ Box•A unique behind the scenes view of the first teamdressing room•Recreate the entrance of the players from the tunnelto the famous Z Cars theme tuneThis is only a small part of The Goodison Experience, whichencompasses over an hour of excitement as you soak up theambiance and explore the hidden areas of a top-flight club.Our tour has been independently assessed as part of theVisitor Attraction Quality Assurance Service (VAQAS) andhas been accredited as a quality visitor attraction.Prices/scheduleAdults £8.50 (Over 16)Under 16/OAPs £5.00Family Ticket £20.00 (2 adults and 2 children)Tours are available Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Sundayat 11am and 1pm (no tours on matchday or day before ahome first team fixture). Please book in advance call0871 663 1878* or email stadiumtour@evertonfc.com*Calls cost 10 pence per minute from a BT landline.14

websiteand retailWebsiteThe official website of Everton Football Club, evertonfc.comhas continued to flourish in the past year providing fans witha daily feed of news, features and entertainment options.It is the place to find the most up-to-date information.Following on from the launch of the revamped site last year,evertonfc.com is officially the most regularly visited officialsite by fans in the Premier League according to the 2009/10official FAPL Fan Survey.New features have been developed including:•The Interactive Fan Map – the first of its kind inEnglish League football•Enhanced comment functionality providing directinteraction between fans and direct links to Everton’sofficial pages on the most popular social networksThe website is Everton’s primary communication tool forcontacting our UK and International fan base. As such weare committed to providing an exemplary service, illustratedin a number of ways:These features are complemented by a range of services onoffer including:•evertontv subscription•Everton Mobile services (including a range of apps)•Advertising•Sponsorship•eticketing – online•eCommerce – online shopping•Online gamesOur award winning website continues to grow and attract ahigh number of users year-on-year.RetailThe 2009/10 season was once again very successful for theClub’s retail operation. The new online store and contactcentre operation has proved to be a great success.Continued improvements in product range and availabilityhas seen an increase in sales which shows the importance ofthe ongoing agreement with Kitbag.•Providing daily news updates all year round•Being the first port of call for detailed information onticketing and purchasing•Reporting on all levels of football (Senior, Reserves,Academy & Ladies)•Promoting the Everton brand globally•Ensuring the site meets and exceeds accessibilitystandards•Offering education and encouraging active debate•Communicating openly and honestly through websiteeditorial and regular e-newsletters15

contactdetailsFor any general enquiries please call 0871 663 1878 *and choose the hold for assistance option. * Calls cost 10p perminute from a BT landline. Mobile charges may vary, pleasecheck with your network provider.Should you have any suggestions, comments orcomplaints with regards to the Club please contactThe Everton Fan Centre on the above number or:Email: customer.contactcentre@evertonfc.comFax: 0151 286 9119In writing to: Feedback, Goodison Park,Liverpool L4 4ELVisit our website: evertonfc.com