Change conductor - should audiences be told and given a chance if a refund/exchange ?

[Old Grumpy]

Complaining is only really effective if expressed to appropriate people - and I guess also if the targetted recipients are willing and able to respond in a useful and helpful way. There was a joke about aircraft. "How do you know that the plane which has landed has come from England? The whining continues after the engines have been switched off!".

Sometimes, of course the recipients are secondary targets - perhaps not able to do much themselves, but able to make suggestions, or help to focus complaints in a constructive way, or to put more pressure on those who are able to change their behaviour or offer apologies or compensation. I doubt that in the current circumstances [pulling out of Covid] many arts organisations are going to happily refund disgruntled customers, though they may follow our PM and offer apologies - perhaps more sincerely.

So with regard to my last paragraph at #8: perhaps the English are accomplished at whining, but not so good at actually complaining...

[Cockney Sparrow]

On a positive note:
Its not always bad news. I’m quite taken with the ROH productions of Cav and Pag. Latest news is that Kaufman won’t be performing, only possibly for one of the roles later in the run, depending on how the after effects of Covid clears up for him.

I’ve never quite seen the appeal of Kaufman, variously I thought he sounded like a Baritone with range, and I didn’t enjoy his somewhat disengaged dramatic stance in Otello and maybe because its somewhat over-ambitious at this stage in his career.

However, I’ll now be seeing SeokJong Baek as Turiddu – on his way up, was very engaging with a clear tenor voice in Samson Et Delila, and Fabio Sartori as Canio in Pagliacci. I’ve not heard Sartori before, but I have reasonable hopes – Covent Garden are coming up with some decent singers these days, alongside those “names” which draw the crowds and fill the media……..

[Cockney Sparrow]

So with regard to my last paragraph at #8: perhaps the English are accomplished at whining, but not so good at actually complaining...

I once read a book "A Complaint Is a Gift: ....." And I believe in complaining and asking for the registration details of it. Otherwise, it doesn't, in any form, register on senior management or the public satisfaction stats.

Our old friend the BBC prefers if at all possible to steer us to give feedback, but complaining can be done. Of course, they then take no notice, but at least its in the stats. The attack dogs installed by Mad Nad at OfCom have included the BBC complaints process and its improvement for access and transparency as one of the issues for the BBC to address and improve. There is hope - perhaps we can get rid of those awful cross channel adverts which crash in to our listening, with increasing frequencey and irrelevance.

[Dave2002]

So with regard to my last paragraph at #8: perhaps the English are accomplished at whining, but not so good at actually complaining...

In fairness this may be cultural, and to do with expectations. If we don't expect complaints to be dealt with speedily and satisfactorily then the options are to shut up or whine.

Example 1: In the US - say in California - a TV doesn't work in a hotel room.
At one time - if American - compain to the hotel manager - the TV will be fixed (though I hear that may not be the case now ...)
- if English - go out to a bar with English mates, and talk to them about the useless hotel and the TV that doesn't work. That doesn't get the TV fixed!

Example 2: In a former communist country. An American goes on an exchange visit for a year, and notices that there is a broken window. He asks why nobody complains.
The locals all laugh at him, and he explains that in the US he'd phone up a company and get the glass replaced - time taken about 1 day max.
Everyone is amazed, but they say "won't work here". OK - I'll get it fixed he says - and everyone laughs again. "Who do I have to deal with?"

Months later the glass is actually fixed after many false starts, obstacles and difficulties.
OK - the American was right - he was able to get it fixed - but the locals were also right - it was hardly worth the effort!

[Cockney Sparrow]

At the end of a pleasant conversation on call centre lines for services (Insurance, banking, etc) they usually ask if there is anything else they can help with. I then say, yes please-log a complaint that it took 18 minutes 30 seconds waiting to call to you and I've never got through in less then 5 minutes. It might be what I have to put up with, but its not acceptable.

Its now inbuilt into the operating level of these centres - I'm sure to minimise staffing. However, none of that is my problem, and its poor service. if it doesn't appear in their stats, no-one will notice - or care. I recently ceased a car insurance because of the failure to have a working website - where they wanted me to access the documents (only way) for renewal - and long waits on the 'phone.