Website downtime
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I am on Exmoor House Club Site, trying to book a few days for our return journey from Cornwall at the end of this Month, I cannot book it, the site Warden cannot book it, what is going on ? This is Madness, NO ONE is going to wait for hours to access a website. I have been a member for 18 years and have never experienced such a mess up.
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It was only inevitable insofar as it’s what we've come to expect from CAMC, David. Otherwise, it was not inevitable at all and the current chaos only demonstrates, once again, that the website is not fit for purpose.
As for not informing folk, there is absolutely no excuse. Staff would have been aware that the site would be off air but it seems no one, not even our Community Manager, thought it worthy of mention. That’s shocking.
I said it before and will say again that it’s symptomatic of the disdain with which CAMC regards its customers - us - that they have no process in place to communicate notice of such events or to offer any words of information.
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We can't believe how bad this website has become. It was poor to begin with but it is now unusable and not fit for purpose. Who approved the design of this website? As caravanners with over 35 years membership, we have to question who the club is run for?
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I think this is the worst situation at present, not being able to book NOW (not further ahead) and no-one having access to the system. Obviously it would help if everyone who doesn't need access kept away from the booking system but this could have been mentioned in a communication to all members. Or an information banner? I looked in on FB but it has suddenly gone quiet reply wise!
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Tried to access my bookings and was quoted a wait time of about 50 minutes, I was not trying to amend a booking. No notice of the change, as was promised. What a shambles, is this progress and who tested this before role-out? I worked in IT for 25 years and thought that system changes were tested before role-out.
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Ah I see the latest on FB "that once the site calms down the web site will return to normal" in other words stop trying to look at it if you don't need a booking.
This could have been very clearly stated to all before the site went live, poor communications all round, sadly.
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+1, I’d go 1 step further-the management set up is not fit for purpose🤷🏻♂️
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The word "manager" is oft misunderstood, Rocky. It is not simply a job title but a description of someone whose job is to organise processes and direct operations. Someone who has foresight and who can be proactive to ensure the smooth running of an organisation. Sadly, that does not appear to be the case in CAMC.
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What a feeble excuse for a website that’s unable to cope with demand!
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No it isn't really is it. Many web sites collapse with excessive demand, even gov.uk ones. At least this has managed to stay open tonight for our comments but the bookings system is obvioulsy under strain from too many "lookers."
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Brue
I can never find anything on the Club's Facebook page. Probably looking in the wrong place?
David
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David, when a company 'contracts out' a section of its business to a third party it's essential that the company retains the management of that new partner.
there will be a contracts manager who looks after the business arrangements for all the new partners that company works with, holding them to that contract and the deliverables contracted for.
there will (or should be) a service delivery manager liaising with the service mgr of the new partner to ensure that the day to day delivery of the service is adhered to...via Service Level Agreements, Service Review Meetings etc...
that Service Mgr should be responsible for communicating with his customers regarding any service outages, new projects etc.
the technical team may well build, test and ultimately deliver any new contracted IT system but, in this case, it is solely the responsibility of CAMC to manage its customers' expectations on development timetables, cutover effect and implementation diary and support mechanisms...irrespective of who is building and implementing that new system.
none of this is rocket science....CAMC seem to have completely opted out of the hand holding that its customers obviously required as part of an implementation of this size and complexity....they've been left dangling without a sensible method of managing their bookings..the number one function most want/need to work smoothly all the time.
I don't have any bookings, nor plan to....I wish others the best of luck with theirs.
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Ted, this thread is primarily about the shocking way CAMC has treated its customers and not about finding CLs. I think you will find there's a more appropriate place to promote your website and app, assuming it’s allowed on this forum.
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I have tried and failed many times today to book a site in Devon. At one point it gave me 13 sites nearby - Malaga, Spain!!
I also want to cancel a booking that I should be fulfilling on Wednesday but as the website has been down since Saturday I have been unable to do so. Even now I can't get my bookings up! Pathetic really.
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Well, CAMC you did it on us when you decided to change the name of the organisation - how much did you spend on the marketing / design for that?
How much have you spent on the new website?
I presume this has been outsourced to some back street outfit.
You have brought this on yourselves as people haven't been able to book past 1st June 2023 since the beginning of July and now you have anyone with children trying to get their 2023 holidays organised.
The system is a disaster. Why should you have to wait in a queue just because you want to browse the sites? I don't see that 7,000 people trying to access a web site is excessive!
I did manage to book a site on Monday 12th but had to phone in as twice the system couldn't take me through 'checkout' and having to fil in everyone's names and DOB at point of booking is totally unnecessary. Isn't it against GDPR? Having said that, I still can't get in to see if the booking is in place even though my deposit is showing in my statement.
As a member of almost 35 years and working in an IT environment am disgusted with the rollout. Who did the Acceptance Testing?
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Prior to this latest fiasco, I have never known another website be down for "Essential Maintenance" as much as this one - and nothing ever seems to get any better. But this time, CAMC have excelled themselves. This is the first time I have been able to access the site since Saturday and when I look at "My Bookings" (I have two future ones this year) - there's nothing there - other than an invitation to make more bookings. Not likely!
Still - it's their loss since C&CC got our business for November, yesterday, when I booked their Kendal site instead of booking a CAMC site and I'm on the point of cancelling the bookings we already have, in favour of C&CC, as well - (and it will be a lot cheaper).
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I wonder if there have been mass resignations. I can’t imagine a bunch of professionals acting like this knowingly. I also wonder if they’ve been banging their heads against a wall without support or change on the horizon so they’ve left C&MC. It would answer some questions about the seemingly commercial suicide that is going on. I’m just glad I’m out of it. I didn’t renew on 1/9/22 because I wasn’t paying for something I couldn’t access, it already feels better.There is only one way to make it better-choose those companies that do accommodate without the frustration👍🏻
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I have just waited over 15mins to get my 20min slot, as there was 850 club members before me!
Tapped in " Lake district " for an area and all i got was places in the USA.....
So went to the club site drop down box and low and behold it threw me out and put me back in the que!
Absolutely ridiculous.
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Two hours in the end to let me onto the site. Managed after a lot of additional queue messages of a few seconds to make a new booking. However, why do you need to put so much information in. It seems they have kept the continental format with names and dob of all passengers. No idea if it would work without filling them in as I didn’t want to risk it after waiting so long. However amending a booking proved a step to far last night, after 15 minutes working through it I was presented with an error code.
Managed to amend one first thing this morning when the queue was only a few minutes. However, it still took about 15 minutes to work through it with lots and lots of screens and another mini queue. The process used to take about 3 minutes with the old system.
Cant say I’m impressed, even when it works as it should it’s far to complex. Also unless I’ve missed something, you don’t seem to be able to just browse through the sites, or look at availability throughout the year.
One further glitch. Although I ticked take the balance the day before, my booking still says pay on arrival, so no faster check in.☹️
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I had a booking on old system for this week. I cannot view it etc. I looked to book ahead next year but rather than search a clubsite I have to click on a map then find the relevant site. No NO NO! this is appalling new site. It is not doing anything for me! Giving up in total frustration.
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I have had the same problem I just wanted to check availability and waited around 3 hours to check but when it was my turn it could not connect me to the link
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One of the reasons for staff thinking folk are just looking not booking might be the length of the queue. Once you have said send me an email when I get to the front you are locked in. As 24 minutes turned into two hours for me, many will give up and not make the booking they intended. I did just that the first time as we wanted to go out and got fed up with an ever extending queue time.
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Whilst having trouble amending my booking I telephoned the site involved, Monday 9am, to be answered by a voice message to the effect that not only would sites not be answering their phones but the same would apply to all the folk in booking department and others in head office
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Hi everyone,
We are still experiencing some technical issues with the launch of the new system. We have instigated a queuing system for members who want to make a UK or overseas booking on the website. We are experiencing high levels of demand so please remember you can now make more than one campsite booking at the same time - no need to make a single booking, and rejoin the queue.
When it is your turn, you will have 20 minutes to make your bookings. The team are working tirelessly to resolve these issues and we apologise for the inconvenience this is causing.
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