Two interesting employee positions at WFC ~ What do they do?

[Torontotimmy]

Here is a letter just sent to:
Michael Jones ~ Head of Venue & customer Experience
Paddy Flavin ~ Project Management
cc Mark Ashton

Dear Sirs,

As a life long supporter of Watford Football Club, I concerned at a seeming lack of management control and awareness & quiet clearly the poor & unacceptable dissemination of information surrounding the enabling works to facilitate the demolition of the East stand.

As a Vice President of Facilities Management responsible for an organisation that runs projects worth millions every year I am at a loss to understand how we can get to virtually the eve of the new season before you recognise and announce that the planned summer works would not be completed in time for the new season.

I have looked at the web sites of many Championship clubs over the past few days and realise that at Watford the board has clearly dedicated sufficient resources in providing two posts with a specific responsibility for the stadium with Project Management & Head of Venue and Customer Experience positions clearly engaged to ensure situations such as this do not go off the rails in the manner that has now occurred.
To be in a situation where the club finds itself unable to identify just where the players will change before the first home game is in my mind more than 'unfortunate timing' as described by Mr. Simpson, to me, it appears to be crass bad management.
However, I would welcome your response and you identifying to me why bad management, poor contract supervision and inadequate and or conflicting media and shareholder communication is not the issue here.

I would be grateful if you could provide questions to the following:

1. Am I correct in assuming that your original specification & tender documentation specified a time frame for completion of key or critical areas?
2. Was the criticality of these time frames discussed at pre contract award meetings, were you happy that the successful contractor fully understood & had the sufficient resources & expertise to deliver in accordance with the required time frames?
3. Did you agree and document with the main contractor in advance a project plan that delivered critical stages of the project in a time frame geared to accommodate the needs of the football team and heaven forbid the supporters?
4. How often did you hold project meetings to verify the progress to schedule?
5. When did anyone at the club realise deadlines would not be met?
6. Did your contract contain penalty clauses (liquidated andassertained damages) for gaining recompense and; offsetting additional costs borne by the club in the event of the contractor’s non delivery of critical components? Have you invoked those clauses and can we be assured that the costs of any temporary accommodation will be borne by the contractor?
7. Why did the Watfordfc web site carry an article on 2nd July talking very favorably of the progress when it must have been obvious that the works would not have been completed in time for the start of the season?
8. Why was the club not open with shareholders, supporters & media in disseminating this information in a speedy manner?
9. Who at Watford Football Club is taking accountability for these problems & is it fair to assume lessons have been learnt & will not be repeated?
I look forward to your response

Sincerely

Tim Whitehouse

Vancouver Island. British Columbia.
Canada

[wfc4ever]

Paddy has been at the club for years I think and probably does a good job in his match day role.

He is probably about the only employeee around before the current board came in still at the club.

They have only just got the health and safety report regarding the useage of the East stand so could not make decisions earlier when they were not aware of if the stand woul be able to be used or not?

Should have the club checked earlier is the question that maybe need asking?

[Birdydoug]

Good letter and hope you get a good answer, to have the likes of any professional team have to change in a portacabin is just plain embarrassing, We will be chastised by the the press.

[afanof]

Full marks for pomposity.

[Torontotimmy]

Paddy has been at the club for years I think and probably does a good job in his match day role.

He is probably about the only employeee around before the current board came in still at the club.

They have only just got the health and safety report regarding the useage of the East stand so could not make decisions earlier when they were not aware of if the stand woul be able to be used or not?

Should have the club checked earlier is the question that maybe need asking?

WFC ~ You're too kind! We are talking about a major public facility here, do you really think this c*** up is outside the control of a Facilities professional? You do my profession a disservice if you think this was beyond their control

Anyway, your comments do not alter the facts that you do not run a major public facility & get surprised by a Health & safety report or not notice that you don't have a contingency plan!

The H&S report is only an government employee walking round the facility with the health & safety regulations which should be known by EVERYONE in a management position for a major building or facility.
The report did not make up rules that WFC could not have known about, they employed 2 so called professionals, and they don't know the Health & Safety Regulations & could not hire a consultant either........do me a favour!

[UEA_Hornet]

Did you send it by snail mail Tim? Because I have a feeling it'll be read by the club long before the jet gets it across the pond...

[wfc4ever]

I agree plans should be in place incase of such an event occuring and maybe the club needed to check much earlier in the Pre-season.

I was not aware the 2 people you talk about did not have a chat about the circumstances of not passing health/safety requirements?

Hope you get answers to your concerns though.

I personally cannot see any East stand being built unless we get takenover for a long long time!

[Torontotimmy]

Did you send it by snail mail Tim? Because I have a feeling it'll be read by the club long before the jet gets it across the pond...

Yes, I sent it by e mail first then posted here, there are no questions in there that either my company president or my customers would not have asked me so I didn't think it unfair or pompous as a certain of our erstwhile colleagues would proclaim!

[afanof]

I wouldn't read beyond the errors in the first sentence.

[fan]

this cat's got claws

[Torontotimmy]

I wouldn't read beyond the errors in the first sentence.

I think you meant couldn't.

Just because you don't have the brains, intelligence or passion to do anything yourself you should try not to be so critical of others who do!

[hornetmaster]

Here is a letter just sent to:
Michael Jones ~ Head of Venue & customer Experience
Paddy Flavin ~ Project Management
cc Mark Ashton

Dear Sirs,

As a life long supporter of Watford Football Club, I concerned at a seeming lack of management control and awareness & quiet clearly the poor & unacceptable dissemination of information surrounding the enabling works to facilitate the demolition of the East stand.

As a Vice President of Facilities Management responsible for an organisation that runs projects worth millions every year I am at a loss to understand how we can get to virtually the eve of the new season before you recognise and announce that the planned summer works would not be completed in time for the new season.

I have looked at the web sites of many Championship clubs over the past few days and realise that at Watford the board has clearly dedicated sufficient resources in providing two posts with a specific responsibility for the stadium with Project Management & Head of Venue and Customer Experience positions clearly engaged to ensure situations such as this do not go off the rails in the manner that has now occurred.
To be in a situation where the club finds itself unable to identify just where the players will change before the first home game is in my mind more than 'unfortunate timing' as described by Mr. Simpson, to me, it appears to be crass bad management.
However, I would welcome your response and you identifying to me why bad management, poor contract supervision and inadequate and or conflicting media and shareholder communication is not the issue here.

I would be grateful if you could provide questions to the following:

1. Am I correct in assuming that your original specification & tender documentation specified a time frame for completion of key or critical areas?
2. Was the criticality of these time frames discussed at pre contract award meetings, were you happy that the successful contractor fully understood & had the sufficient resources & expertise to deliver in accordance with the required time frames?
3. Did you agree and document with the main contractor in advance a project plan that delivered critical stages of the project in a time frame geared to accommodate the needs of the football team and heaven forbid the supporters?
4. How often did you hold project meetings to verify the progress to schedule?
5. When did anyone at the club realise deadlines would not be met?
6. Did your contract contain penalty clauses (liquidated andassertained damages) for gaining recompense and; offsetting additional costs borne by the club in the event of the contractor’s non delivery of critical components? Have you invoked those clauses and can we be assured that the costs of any temporary accommodation will be borne by the contractor?
7. Why did the Watfordfc web site carry an article on 2nd July talking very favorably of the progress when it must have been obvious that the works would not have been completed in time for the start of the season?
8. Why was the club not open with shareholders, supporters & media in disseminating this information in a speedy manner?
9. Who at Watford Football Club is taking accountability for these problems & is it fair to assume lessons have been learnt & will not be repeated?
I look forward to your response

Sincerely

Tim Whitehouse

Vancouver Island. British Columbia.
Canada

It will be interesting Tim if they reply that:

The budget is `a trifle squeezed at present`, which has resulted in rescheduling certain non income enhancing elements of the comprehensive stadium redevelopment over a slightly longer time frame in the interests of all our stakeholders.

Interpretation: we have no bloody money mate! Can you come over and run it for us & do you want to buy a football club?

[afanof]

Here is a letter just sent to:
Michael Jones ~ Head of Venue & customer Experience
Paddy Flavin ~ Project Management
cc Mark Ashton

Dear Sirs,

As a life long supporter of Watford Football Club, I am concerned at a seeming lack of management control and awareness & quiet clearly the poor & unacceptable dissemination of information surrounding the enabling works to facilitate the demolition of the East stand.

If you must write a letter that sounds like you are summoning someone to the Headmaster's study, you have to check it makes sense, especially in the opening paragraph.

[hornetmaster]

If you must write a letter that sounds like you are summoning someone to the Headmaster's study, you have to check it makes sense, especially in the opening paragraph.

Always a dangerous thing to do correcting someone`s work `Quite Quiet` really.

[afanof]

Always a dangerous thing to do correcting someone`s work `Quite Quiet` really.

I didn't correct it, I highlighted it in red

This whole thing has blown up because of Kevin Affleck's sensationalisation of a story that was already on the offical site.

[Torontotimmy]

If you must write a letter that sounds like you are summoning someone to the Headmaster's study, you have to check it makes sense, especially in the opening paragraph.

Thankfully I am not like you where you miss the point & focus in on the pedantic.
The letter is actually no different that would be written in North America where employees are made to publicly account for their actions.
Working life here is focused, short & to the point, companies are customer centric, perhaps not so many people would not be leaving England if such attitudes & accountability were adopted there.

But I am sure you focusing in on the fact I used an 'and' instead of a comer will bring great accountability to the club, it must be difficult for you having such a complex. Here in Canada employers are much more employee focused, you could get help that would enable you to recognise the real issues as they affect the business & the customer.

But if the club write back & say they are not responding because of trivial grammar mistakes I will let you know & issue a board wide apology to you, somehow I doubt I will be troubled in that area.
But for now, I find your monosyllabic responses boring so suggest you go back to playing with your train set.

[Torontotimmy]

I didn't correct it, I highlighted it in red

This whole thing has blown up because of Kevin Affleck's sensationalisation of a story that was already on the offical site.

Actually it has nothing whatsoever to do with Affleck ridiculous article. It is about the club now announcing that their much heralded project has gone off the rails & we are left begging to use our changing rooms.
It is about mismanagement of a project, I was not aware Affleck did anything other than say work had stopped.
It is about accountability, customer care & communication & judicious management of a project being undertaken at one of the towns most high profile facilities.

[GHorn]

i didnt actually notice any mistakes i think i automatically corrected the letter so i imagine that if the people who recieve the letter will do so aswell its nothing to stress about

[fan]

It is about accountability, customer care & communication & judicious management of a project being undertaken at one of the towns most high profile facilities.

accountability to who? this is what i don't get. surely unless you are some sort of stakeholder, be it either in the club or the businesses involved in the construction, then why would they ever reply?

[PaddingtonsYellowArmy]

If you must write a letter that sounds like you are summoning someone to the Headmaster's study, you have to check it makes sense, especially in the opening paragraph.

I must say i had a similar thought. But as its TT i decided against any banter as the letter/email isn't too bad and has probing questions considering he is a canuting canut

I wonder if one of the North american ( yanks do not get a capital A from me, afanof! I hate em! Capital N for Canadian part of N.a) banks wish to fund wfc - they seem keen to lend losers and dead beats who cannot pay their loans/mortgages back.

On the subject - could it be Origin that are in trouble thus landing us with a potential bigger liability and these delays? If Origin were to go under, i say IF, only as a thought, due to the current housing market downturn and credit crunch. Maybe they are under severe financial restraints ( spell check will be switched on)

Relegation 08/09 wfc......