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Author Topic: idiot moviegoers Don Cross Film Handler Posts: 97 From: Charleston, WV, USA Registered: Jan 2005 posted 02-21-2005 08:43 PM                     The four person team is workable during a slow weekday afternoon. But it it really possible to have a multiplex with only three employees in the entire building? No joke- OSHA, and the Department of Labor might have a real problem with that one. Whos supposed to cover for the breaks, which are literally mandated by both federal and (most) state laws? Then theres the thing that coers the worst of case senerious (pardon if the spellings a bit off). How about a film or projector disaster? What happens if theres a customer or even an employee slip and fall? Sorry, but I believe in covering all of the bases- ie all your bases belong to us . A senior manager attempting to save the company a few nickels and dimes here and there is going to end up costing the company in the end. Additionally the spare employee could always assist- even in areas such as preventive maintainance (which ironically doesn't seem to be in most managers vocabulary anymore).  |  IP: Logged Jason Black Phenomenal Film Handler Posts: 1723 From: Myrtle Beach, SC, USA Registered: Nov 2000 posted 02-21-2005 08:53 PM                        Don, Please don't take my prior comments as my own policy. I am FULLY aware of the ramifications of the 'unforseen occurence', however, I am merely a messenger (so to speak) in the grand scheme of things. All I can do is plan ahead and make break times during our 'downtime' if you can say that we have any. It's not easy, it's truly a major PITA, but it's what I have to do. The 'one stop shopping' policy applies here. If it works elsewhere, it MUST work here... or so some think. I, personally, feel that I have stepped outside the boundaries of good customer service. It is my opinion that anyone in Management, be it the GM or any AM, staff leader or any person in a position of authority NOT be confined to one posistion, as they carry the burden of assuring proper operation of the ENTIRE building, from the front door to the back door and everything in-between. God forbid there ever be an actual emergency or event that requires immediate attention by managerial level personnel, especially when the are tied down selling popcorn, tearing tickets, etc.. I am not saying that those in Mgt. shoudl not be there to help out, as needed, as this also offers the oversight and supervision that floor level employees need, but they should not be scheduled to work these positions on a daily basis. If this is what filling a position to cut back on payroll equates to, why hire any employees to begin with?  |  IP: Logged William Hooper Phenomenal Film Handler Posts: 1879 From: Mobile, AL USA Registered: Jun 99 posted 02-22-2005 01:09 AM                        quote: Scott Balko I take great offense to the insinuation that I provide poor customer service because I failed to remove and prosecute these fiends known as the 13 year old whisperers. I disagree. How much selfish, needless, inconsiderate behavior are you going to allow to aggravate your other patrons? It doesn't count until they can be heard 2 rows away, or 3? This is more Ground Level, & I'd be interested to know WWJZD (What Would Jim Zeigler Do ?) quote: Scott Balko I'm sure that even back in the glorious "good old days" the usher or matron couldn't catch everything that went on in those auditoriums and someone would still complain. Wrong, they were still kicking out inconsiderate, whispering, giggling, selfish patrons who adversely affect the other customers' consumption of the service in singles up to the age of the twins & multiplex. They're still kicking them out in theaters, but not enough. I see it more often in theaters running art/foreign/grown-up stuff & neighborhood theaters, which pretty much shows that it's pretty much a theater-specific attribute as to how much disruptive behavior in the auditorium is tolerated by the management, & how much you can expect when you go there.  |  IP: Logged R. Andrew Diercks Expert Film Handler Posts: 232 From: Marion, Iowa (In the middle of everywhere) Registered: May 2003 posted 02-23-2005 12:01 AM                     When we have big Friday nights with lots of young teens in an auditorium, I make it a point to talk with adults (before start time) in the area and let them know we will do our best to watch the kids, but we can't catch it all so if they have problems to please let us know. I also do this in earshot of the kids so they know that I "pick on" them because they piss off other patrons, not because I dislike kids. Most of the time this works well, it almost informs the kids that they are being watched the entire show. I have found that when I target the kids with pre-show warnings, it makes things worse, because they test all limits. I also try to isolate trouble kids alone and away from the possie when I discuss issues with them. Usually not so tough then.  |  IP: Logged Monte L Fullmer Film God Posts: 8367 From: Nampa, Idaho, USA Registered: Nov 2004 posted 02-24-2005 01:14 AM                     quote: Jason Black On these days, the ast. mgr. covers the door while the doorman picks up the theatres.... ..It's called "Production" - cross trained and able to do any task in the building with full cross-training skills that has been implied to the employee. It helps keep the house nut down and profits up for the theatre. With some small plexes with just 2 to 6 screens, the theatre is basically only making money in the hour and a half between the sets, like 6:30 to 7:30 -before the beginning time and after that last time of that set. After that, employees are just doing tasks of cleaning, stocking, and monitoring the premises, yet no production is accomplished, thus no money made in the drawers. The employee becomes a liability to the company for no production is being performed. Megaplexes just about took care of that with many screens, multiple showtimes, hourly movie starts, thus continual production and constant money flow in the snakbar drawers. -Monte  |  IP: Logged Jason Black Phenomenal Film Handler Posts: 1723 From: Myrtle Beach, SC, USA Registered: Nov 2000 posted 02-25-2005 03:56 PM                        monte- I'm fully aware of the premise of production. Mind you, I'm not talking about a 2-6 screen theatre, I'm talkking about a 16 screener with minimal staffing. The staffing levels are below what I feel comfortable with and I am witnessing a slide in customer service due to such policies. Sure, the ultimate goal is to get as many people in the door, through the consession lines and in the seats before showtime. If people get into the lobby and see 5-6 or more folks standing in line at the stand, they normally walk right by withhout dropping a dime. And we all know that once they get into the seat(s), it's hard pressed to think they will return to the stand for any popcorn/candy/drinks. No matter what anyone else says, when blanket policies are made with regard to daily operations, the 'shoe doesn't alwasy fit'.  |  IP: Logged Phil Blake Jedi Master Film Handler Posts: 558 From: esperance western australia Registered: Nov 2003 posted 03-01-2005 08:52 AM                        I really wonder about the intelligence level of some of our patrons.. I had many people trying the main entrance door out of hours , we made up a large "Open at " sign and fixed a program guide holder on the outside near door. The "open at" sign made reference to the programs location. 12 months later I found while working inside while closer many people are still trying the main door. I answered the door on a few occaisions only to discover they only wanted a program guide which was less than 3 feet from where they were standing !!!!! Or like one person recently came in , moved rapidly around the lobby looking high up at the walls and gazing at the roof, he then became annoyed and asked if we had any current program guides.. I pointed to the counter surface where there was a stand full of current handouts. ( the question I ask is should I display the program guides on the roof of high on the walls where they seem to expect them to be Or the best yet when I am running a matinee by myself and while trying to serve 100 people the phone rings and the person on the other end askes for me to read out all the movie sessions for the next 3 days. where will it end ? i ask.  |  IP: Logged Kenneth Wuepper Phenomenal Film Handler Posts: 1026 From: Saginaw, MI, USA Registered: Feb 2002 posted 03-01-2005 04:20 PM                     Phil, You make a good point. The interruption is RUDE! Pavlov used a bell to make dogs salivate. Alexaner's Bell makes you drop everything and answer the phone! I feel that the telephone is the rudest invention ever devised. Or is it just the way we have chosen to use it? KEN  |  IP: Logged Brad Allen Jedi Master Film Handler Posts: 688 From: Evansville, IN, USA Registered: May 2000 posted 03-01-2005 07:28 PM                     The cure for the phone is to stop answering it. Let the answering machine handle it like I have for over 10 years now. Everything they need to know is on the answering machine. I didn't say they would all comprehend it, but the info is there.  |  IP: Logged Richard Greco Phenomenal Film Handler Posts: 1180 From: Plant City, FL Registered: Nov 2003 posted 03-02-2005 12:16 AM                     shouldn't this be in GL instead of FHF?  |  IP: Logged Monte L Fullmer Film God Posts: 8367 From: Nampa, Idaho, USA Registered: Nov 2004 posted 03-03-2005 03:44 PM                     quote: I'm not talking about a 2-6 screen theatre, I'm talking about a 16 screener with minimal staffing Jason..and I fully agree with you also on this, for I was a booth manager/engineer for a 21 screener and having my own staff of 5 guys upstairs, that could be a chore at times when I had to run all 21 machines for a weekend from open to close. Now if that wasn't FUN! Why such I had to do that is that some of the other guys were also downstairs personnel and this wknd the theatre ran short of help and they had to work downstairs, leaving me alone upstairs, in which the manager thanked me for my efforts, but recommended never do that again. For if I had a snafu in one house, the rest of the houses would be off time for the rest of the day. That 21 screen's manager really had to keep an eye out on his budget payroll expenses. It was a real 'cut and dry' operation at times-lean, yet operational. thx Monte  |  IP: Logged

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