The Ticketmaster Olympics

[snorkackcatcher]

Is anyone on my flist in possession of (a) the current location of the Ticketmaster interaction designers and (b) the control codes for a cruise missile?

Just a small one would do?

No?

Bugger.

This post brought to you by total failure to get any response other than "Sorry, no exact matches were found" from the Olympic ticketing site. Would it have been too hard to stagger the release of the sessions by expected desirability? Or simply queue applications? Or at least manage to keep the front end and back end of the system matched up so as not to advertise unavailable tickets?

Apparently so. I refer you to my previous post on a similar fiasco and in particular to the comment about thirty seconds and the back of an envelope.

Comments

[nineveh-uk.livejournal.com]

If the Royal Opera House can manage to have an efficient queuing system for web purchase of tickets, you'd think the Olympics could manage it.

Also, you remind me that I need to give it a go myself.

[snorkackcatcher]

You might want to consider keeping alcohol within easy reach.

Presumably the Royal Opera House commissioned their own system instead of outsourcing to the "experts".

[lareinenoire.livejournal.com]

I'd claim that Ticketmaster was run by Satan (having been the pioneer of "convenience fees" that conveniently increase the price of your ticket for no discernible reason), but based on everything I've experienced and heard, they're just too incompetent...

[snorkackcatcher]

They seem to be a typical large consultancy. Their size and marketing is sufficiently impressive that major clients automatically feel more comfortable with them, and so they don't actually have to be any good ...

[tree_and_leaf]

I'm not entirely convinced that Satan is competent - but that comes down to whether you're a dualist, or think that evil is a privation of good. Since efficiency would definitely be a good, their combination of rapaciousness and incompetence strengthens the case *g*

[lareinenoire.livejournal.com]

Hm, that is a good point. One assumes Satan is competent but I suppose it does ultimately depend on what Satan represents. I admit, I do love the bit in Good Omens where the M25 is explained--I have a similar theory about the Capital Beltway, that it in fact thrives on the frustration and rage of each and every driver who gets stuck there and that only makes it stronger. ;)