I'm more than a little annoyed right now

[Graham]

went to my local AMF centre today and the place was pretty much empty - 3 lanes going at the most .. asked for 3 games - "That will be $15 something or other"

After getting off the floor I asked for a better game rate - maybe gold card rate or something - seeing as before this year I had bowled league and practiced and spent my hard earned there many a time. "oh $14 something or other" ok ok how much for 4 games on Gold Card ?? "Oh that's $19" !!! ARE THEY SERIOUS ????

"No thanks I'll go somewhere else thanks" and I walked out. No wonder some places are going down the tube.

ps I want everyone to know that not all AMF centres are like this and there are some that give a crap about the bowler.

 

[GUS]

Graham Wrote This:-
ps I want everyone to know that not all AMF centres are like this and there are some that give a crap about the bowler.

I Personally Challenge anyone to name 11 AMF Centres (approx 25% of AMF Centres in Australia that, "Give a Crap about the Bowler!." I Don't think anyone can???

 

[milkman]

I had a yelling match with the head tech at Sunshine bowl today.

It is school holidays in Vic, and all the lights were out, and I asked if they could turn the lights on for at least 4 lanes so I could have a practise.

He said he didnt want to, and I went absolutely ballistic at him, to which he responded the same way.

AMF can stick it. Week after week we come in, but as soon as a holiday season comes, the people there to spend a little more because they get charged more get thrusted to the front of the queue, and then AMF can think that business can return to normal when leagues are bringing in the revenue again.

I wish the head people at AMF read this forum. They might get an understanding of the concerns the loyal bowlers in Australia feel. If it wasnt for the thousand of league bowlers in Australia, AMF wouldnt exist.

 

[Heather Spencer]

Funny you should bring the subject up. Myself and a team mate were only talking about this the other night at bowling. What really annoys me, like you, is that you go into a centre mid arvo and no-one there, they give us league bowlers gold card rate, but, and correct me if I am wrong, you have to purchase 3 or 4 games to get the cheaper rates. What really p's me off more than anything is that I constantly see adverts around the centres to encourage new bowlers and some of the deals they give them are incredible. Once they have you in their clutches, they aint interested in nurturing the average bowler like myself to encourage us to go and practice. Another thing that really annoys me is that every week during our league, a member of staff from the centre comes round and asks why "so and so isn't here tonight", and I don't think it is anyone's business why a person can't be at his/her league. I wouldn't mind betting a lot of people don't turn up because they just can't afford to bowl that week.

I know a lot of people who only bowl socially and when I try to encourage them to join a league, always same answer - "too expensive". Sometimes bowling in a league regularly can mean the difference between a person being able to go out say on a Saturday night, or staying home because they have spent their hard earned cash on their league. Because I love bowling, I manage to find the money each week, and the league I bowl in has great sponsorship as well, but only due to our wonderful Secretary and other members of the committee working hard to gain such sponsorship.

Yeah I am Jo's Mum and she will kill me for responding - LOL, but even though I won't ever be as good as Jo at the sport, I still love bowling, and I love watching you real "champs" when battling it out in tournaments when I get the opportunity to make a spectator's appearance.

Anyway, enough said, and on a finishing note, GOOD LUCK TO THE SA RACHUIG TEAM when they travel to Canberra later this month, GO SA GREAT!!!

Heather S

 

[JoSpencer]

That will be enough from you mother!

 

[JoSpencer]

Just on this topic, I must say that I do get a little (I emphasise LITTLE) bit of support from NORWOOD Bowl. They at least offer me a good game rate, better than what has been described above.
I am not sticking up for centres but

 

[Matt Francis]

I know we (Drew and I ) get a lot of support from the AMF Centres here in Canberra, both Woden and Belconnen. The ACT Reginal Manager also provides some sponsorship.

I also know that other Canberra centres Tuggeranong and Queenbyan put on speacial rates for our Rep bowlers.

Tuggeranong provide us with good practicce rates too. As we are there almost every Sat morning.

In all Canberra Centre Managers are supporting well.

 

[DrewC]

Yep i must definately agree with Matt, we've had nothing but a great level of support from both the AMF centres in Canberra without them we wouldn't have made it to 3 or 4 out of the tournaments we did this year.

Tuggeranong has also provided valuable support in the all important practice area of things with highly reduced game rates.

It's always good to let the centres know when you're thankful as well as pissed off.

 

[Game_On]

I would have to say we don't get alot of support here but we get even less respect! Dave and I went to the bowl wednesday and after a little while we went to the cafe to order some food, where we were told they wouldnt cook what we had ordered even though it was on the menu we were then told to go to KFC or a local fish and chip shop(is this how all amf staff think?). We then spoke to the manager to see if we could get our food cooked and she told us to be more considerate as there was a learn to bowl league to start in approx 15 or so minutes and we should have ordered as soon as we walked in the door!!

I don't have a problem with the staff but I do not appreciate being treated like this!

 

[Scotty Gooch]

As a Centre Manager Queanbeyan Bowl has always supported our State, Country Challenge and even league bowlers, hey you guys are our wages after all.

For State team members that wish to practice in my centre it's $3.00 a game and as our Country Challenge Team represents my Centre they practice as a team once a month for FREE, but even our league bowlers practice for $3.60 per game.

Its not hard to look after those who look after you, I'm privately owned and 12 lanes and if I can survive so can the big boys in the industry its all about customer service.

Just for the record on prices every Friday and Sunday all year all day $3.00 per game for anyone- league bowlers- social bowlers alike, and school holidays $3.50 per game person 10am to 9pm every other day.

See everyone there is still cheap games out there you just have to look in the right places.

 

[makka]

Id just like to get in on this topic. I agree with Milkman on this, if the centres didnt have leagues running they would obviously go out of buisiness. Now i currently bowl in two leagues and i am currently paying $20 dollars a week. Basically what i am saying is if i was to finish 1st in either of them i wouldnt get even close to what i put in for a year. Oh yeah i get treated like scum most of the time when i walk in to a centre and ask for a decent game rate $3.50 a game, dream on goochie where on earth do we get that. So ive got 7 bowling balls going cheap cause i cant be arsed continuing with this bodgy overated sport. Just as a footnote, Werribee is one of the worst ive found.

 

[Kim Elliott]

well it's one of thse topics thats close to everyones heart now isn't it. No-one ever likes to be charged more than they think is fair and the tales of bad service could support their very own separate forum. i do feel it's unfair to single out AMF as being the only culprits here though. AMF and ALL centres are just like any other businesses you will always get good ones as well as bad ones.

I totally agree with Matt & Drew.. we need to let centres know (by greater patronage maybe) when they are doing something good and not only bitch to them when something doesn't go our way.

Inconsistency of service goes both ways to centres other than AMF. I certainly know that there have been two occasions where the ACT Ladies team has not been charged the magnificent rate that the mens team has been offered at Tuggeranong, and as far as i'm concerned when one State rep team is offered a rate it should go ACROSS the board for alls teams for ALL practice sessions (totally irrelevant how many games are bowled).

If you are planning on spending large chunks of time practising at a particular handful of centres then maybe getting in contact with the centre manager/s to orgainise a better rate for practice would be a good idea. As for all the league bowlers (Gold Card holders et al..) and the service goes consistently bad then you have a duty for everyone to complain to management of the Centre to let them know their staff are not up to scratch. i know there will be some comments in here that will incite some "interesting" replies and comments like if we complained to management we would never do anything but complain and have no time for bowling.... good service goes both ways and communicating your isuues and making them known will at least be a good first step to solving some problems.

And last but not least a final parting comment on the school holiday and weekend 'glow bowling' lights issue.... NEVER EVER have i gone into a centre and found the lights to be off and expected them to magically bow and scrape to my whims and switch lights on for me.. they have a program of glow bowling at set times and if you dont like it go into the centre at another time - simple...

enough of the saga, will sit back and await the wave of replies.....

 

[ladykitchener]

may i suggest that all you disgruntled bowlers come to Caboolture. Brian has wonderful staff who are always very helpful and great. I first walked into the bowl in 1998 when my children wanted to start in a have a ball league. I have been back ever since because it is cheap, i have met great people and my children and i love it!!! You can get practice for$3.60 for 1-2 games, $3.15 for 3-4 games and $2.75 for 5-6 games.

I have even gone in on busy days in the school holidays and still had my pre bowls or practice without any problems.

Brian has a great team working for him

 

[Scotty Gooch]

Hey Makka I agree with everyone that AMF for the majority of centre anyway do treat bowlers badly- I was one for a almost 20 years, but if everyone just gave up then the industry would suffer, maybe you should look around your local area for a privately owned centre instead.
Voicing your opinion to management of AMF centre's is one thing but who knows how far up that goes so the only answer is If you are not happy then don't go there I'm sure that any privatly owned centre would welcome you and your business, I know I would.
If you give it away its not AMF that will suffer its our industry and our sport.

 

[Scotty Gooch]

KJ,
My Centre is in the region and I have some sensational game rates every Friday, Saturday and Sunday yet I have not seen or heard from any of the ACT State Teams or been asked for a price on practice sessions.

Yes my centre is wood not synthetic but practice is practice and the lane is still the same length and width with 10 pins to aim at so maybe more bowlers in the region should stop and look around there are more options than AMF or Bowl Australia - "TRY THE YELLOW PAGES" I'd only be too happy to help you.

 

[makka]

GOOCHIE

Dont worry mate theres nothing wrong with a wooden lane. I personally think synthetic is overrated. This is just MY opinion, as im sure many would disagree. And your right, as long as theres 10 pins to aim at i dont care

CHEERS

 

[bm2]

At least you guys get to shop around for the game price that best suits your pockets...our closest "other" centre is over 1000km away in Alice Springs, so we have to take what we can get. Our centre is not AMF, and as state reps we are only charged $3.00 per practice game, dependent of course on how busy the centre is, which would be no different to anywhere else. If we are lucky we get a bit of oil, occasionally the back end returns from wherever it has been to during the course of the league week, and we don't have to bend ourselves backwards just to get the ball down the lane in the manner which it was intended. Of course, when you are only paying $3 a game, the lane conditions are irrelevant, aren't they??!!??
Cheers
Jagga

 

[Kim Elliott]

Well as usual it appears that the reading of a message seems to have been lost on some people. Not once did i mention in my reply that i had a problem with wooden lanes.. i learnt how to bowl on them and the first synthetic lane that i bowled on was Tuggeranong.

At any other point in time i totally agree with Goochie that it is wise to shop around EVERY centre including independant centres.. my only point being that if the Nationals are held in Tuggeranong then it is purely wise to practice there as often as possible when it is in our own home town..

 

[pbowler]

trust me its not only the AMF lanes that have problems !!! I cant beleive the thought process of a lot of the centres that I have bowled in and how differently they treat the league bowlers to social bowlers.... but unlike the Darwin and Alice Spring bowlers which have a 11 hour drive ... I only have an hour to drive to another centre and that is really the crux of it isnt it ... if you are unhappy where you bowl most of you have the choice to bowl somewhere else !!! I guess the best thing you can do is let your feet do the talking

Cheers

Jodi

 

[Kim Elliott]

Goochie,

I would normally agree with you except for the fact this is not a case of being "A" synthetic centre, but "THE" centre that the Nationals are to be held in. Hardly makes sense to have access to the centre and not practice there....

My main point from my post was to try and get people to be aware that there are inconsitencies with pricing and service from other centres apart from AMF and try to stop people AMF bashing. i understand they aren't very popular and they have a long way to go with their standards, but no one is perfect.

A prime example of inconsitency outside of an AMF centre was this weekend where it was going to cost a group of ten state reps $15.00 each for 5 games or $25.00 each for 7 games an INCREASE in price per game for bowling more games... Go figure.

That being said i do appreciate the support with what would seem to be rasonablly good practice rates. not sour grapes just confusion....