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Topic: rant on stupid customers

Jeremy Fuentes
Mmmm, Dr. Pepper!

Posts: 1168
From: Corpus Christi, TX United States
Registered: Jan 2004

posted 08-12-2005 01:29 PM

If you were standing right there, you could have just asked her if she was done with it, and thrown it away for her. [thumbsdown]

Edit: That goes for anyone who expects customers to throw away their own stuff. It would be nice if they did, but dont expect, or worse, ask them to do it. I mean we dont throw away our food at a fancy restaurant, do we? No, they have busboys for that. Now at a fast food restaurant, we throw away our own trash. Thanks alot guys, you've put theaters on the level of fast food. [Mad]

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Thomas Dieter
Expert Film Handler

Posts: 234
From: Yakima, WA
Registered: Jun 2004

posted 08-12-2005 01:57 PM

Well if you think about it, it's not use that has done it, it's the people that schedual the show times. Lots of times, you only have 20 mins before the next show starts. So in essence we are. Now if every theatre made hour breaks between every show, I would understand it. The job title of usher or doorman or what ever isn't to pick up every ones trash, it's to assure that the customers movie is uninterrupted by talkative people, screaming children, and during the credits, make sure that the place is presentable to the next audience.

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Jeremy Fuentes
Mmmm, Dr. Pepper!

Posts: 1168
From: Corpus Christi, TX United States
Registered: Jan 2004

posted 08-12-2005 02:18 PM

quote: Thomas Dieter
The job title of usher or doorman or what ever isn't to pick up every ones trash

Then who is supposed to pick it up? Dont say the customers.

If you are complaining about showtimes being close together, some advice to you...work harder.

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Mike Spaeth
Phenomenal Film Handler

Posts: 1129
From: Marietta, GA
Registered: Jul 2000

posted 08-12-2005 02:20 PM

quote: Thomas Dieter
The job title of usher or doorman or what ever isn't to pick up every ones trash, it's to assure that the customers movie is uninterrupted by talkative people, screaming children, and during the credits, make sure that the place is presentable to the next audience.

Every job description of Usher I've ever written OR read includes all that you mentioned ... plus specifically mentions CLEANING the auditoriums.

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Robert Burtcher
Expert Film Handler

Posts: 194
From: Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
Registered: Jun 2005

posted 08-12-2005 02:27 PM

quote: Thomas Dieter
The job title of usher or doorman or what ever isn't to pick up every ones trash, it's to assure that the customers movie is uninterrupted by talkative people, screaming children, and during the credits, make sure that the place is presentable to the next audience.

In almost every single corporate chain, the title of Usher has become synonymous with "Cleaning Crew". Cleaning is the major part of the job now, and while customers do come first, things like screen checks are forced to the bottom of the priority list.

quote: Jeremy Fuentes
If you are complaining about showtimes being close together, some advice to you...work harder.

Jeremy, try being the only usher on duty during an very busy round, and you have to clean 2 trashed 350-seat stadium seating auditoriums showing kids' movies in 15 minutes. [thumbsup]

I've done it before, but I barely made it out before the previews started in the second auditorium.

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Christian Volpi
Master Film Handler

Posts: 349
From: Arlington, NE
Registered: Apr 2004

posted 08-12-2005 03:44 PM

quote: Robert Burtcher
Jeremy, try being the only usher on duty during an very busy round, and you have to clean 2 trashed 350-seat stadium seating auditoriums showing kids' movies in 15 minutes.

Quit your bitching. If you can't handle it...QUIT YOUR JOB! Nobody is forcing you to work there and I bet they have a heaping stack of applicants that want your job.

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Robert R. Mayer
Film Handler

Posts: 4
From: Milford, IA, USA
Registered: Aug 2005

posted 08-12-2005 04:07 PM

I would like to post a couple of follow up comments to my previous post and the replies to it.

First, the destructive criticism is not appreciated. Please try to offer something positive when you criticize, or don't say anything at all.

Second, I do not think my comment to the customer was appropriate in any way, shape or form. However, my patience for customers had been worn to the last thread -- I had had two large buttered popcorns spilled on me, had a large 44 oz drink spilled on my, had to change clothes twice in two hours, and had several other incidents which affected my attitude and judgement. In retrospect, I would never have even asked the customer to pick up her cup, let alone made a provacative comment after she got rude with me, but what's done is done.

Second, I do feel that I was justified in asking her to pick up her cup in the first place. I was walking through the theatre with a garbage can in front of me; it should have been obvious what my job was. She was standing next to the cup and my goal was to gently remind her to pick up after herself, not to offend or to make her feel ashamed (and the way I phrased my request and the tone of my voice was aimed at preventing such an interpretation). I can't help the fact that she got upset, but she was NOT justified in getting in my face and yelling at me and disrespecting me for it.

The theatre has to pay someone to clean out auditoriums between shows because most customers lack the decent common courtesy or respect to pick up their own trash. This cleaning takes time and keeps people from being able to go right into their movie when the show lets out, and they bitch at the user because they can't go in. We do run ads on screen asking patrons to pick up their trash, so there is no excuse for it other than people are just being people.

I feel that my customer skills are very good, and I have also been told this by my superiors. People do make mistakes, and the proper way to deal with every situation is not always the way that is used. By posting, it was not my intent to start this feud, but I do feel that it is time for it to be finished.

Thank you for your understanding. [Smile]

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Jason Whitlock
Film Handler

Posts: 28
From: Raleigh, NC, USA
Registered: Mar 2005

posted 08-12-2005 04:24 PM

if it was the only piece of trash in the theatre and the rest was spotless.. the right thing to do is to politely ask the customer to dispose of their trash next time to help out future cleaning crews, incase the theatre were sold out and full of trash, she would then be incline to throwing away her own garbage in future visits. But you hovering over her cup with nothing in your hands except maybe broom, and asking her to dispose of her cup is much like telling your employees that they missed a spot.
Maybe if you were carrying a bunch of trash and would have a hard time picking up her cup, then maybe asking nicely if she can help you out by disposing of her own garbage is ok customer service.

And good customer service doesn't include arguing with a customer for no reason.

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Mike Blakesley
Film God

Posts: 12767
From: Forsyth, Montana
Registered: Jun 99

posted 08-12-2005 05:34 PM

quote: Robert R. Mayer
First, the destructive criticism is not appreciated. Please try to offer something positive when you criticize, or don't say anything at all.

Nothing destructive was said. You posted a comment, and you got honest reactions from people who have been in the business a long time. That's the norm around here. It's also very normal to beat seemingly-trivial topics like this into the ground for two or three pages, but that's because many of the people here are passionate about their work and are in this business because they love it.

quote: Robert R. Mayer
Second, I do not think my comment to the customer was appropriate in any way, shape or form.

True, true.

quote: Robert R. Mayer
Second, I do feel that I was justified in asking her to pick up her cup in the first place.

Shouldn't that be "third?" [Big Grin]

OK, more constructively: You went wrong when you said, "Wasn't that your cup?" That was smartass. She KNEW that you knew it was her cup. What you should have said was, "Yes, I'm the clean up crew, but we're really short staffed and running a little behind tonight, so I really appreciate you helping us out." That would have built the customer up instead of belitting her.

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Jon Morgan
Film Handler

Posts: 60
From: Raleigh, NC
Registered: Mar 2005

posted 08-12-2005 06:00 PM

quote: Robert R. Mayer
I couldn't resist -- I had to fire this out and pretend that I was shocked (in front of another customer who had seen this whole exchange) "Why, don't you normally clean up after yourself?"

In all honesty, if somebody on my staff did that I would, at the very least, write them up. But I would probably fire them.

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Mike Croaro
Master Film Handler

Posts: 394
From: Millbrae, CA
Registered: Apr 2005

posted 08-12-2005 06:30 PM

quote: Robert R. Mayer
-----------------------------------------------------------------
I couldn't resist -- I had to fire this out and pretend that I was shocked (in front of another customer who had seen this whole exchange) "Why, don't you normally clean up after yourself?"
-----------------------------------------------------------------

It's been fifteen minutes and I still laughing!

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Jeremy Jorgenson
Phenomenal Film Handler

Posts: 1002
From: Chicago, IL, USA
Registered: Feb 2005

posted 08-13-2005 08:24 PM

quote: Robert R. Mayer
I was walking through the theatre with a garbage can in front of me; it should have been obvious what my job was.

...which is why she was surprised when you asked her to do it [Smile]

quote: Robert R. Mayer
Please try to offer something positive when you criticize, or don't say anything at all.

Thanks for the tip. The customers of our industry pay a price to be served by us ... is it as much as, say, going to an NBA game or a Broadway show? No, but still, a decent price is paid. If a customer sees an employee (usher, manager, overnight cleaning crew... anybody) walking through a theatre with a garbage can, it is unreasonable for them to think that that employee is there to pick up garbage? Would it be nice of her to help? Of course. Should she be asked to help ... I would say no, but I agree that it depends on the theatre and/or situation (Thomas Dieter's situation sounds like it is understood by customers ... etc), should the employee - regardless of their day's trials - chide the customer for being surprised? Certainly not.

I'm not intending this as "destructive criticism", I'm writing as one who has worked in the industry for a good chunk of my life, and I (like many in these forums) have cleaned my fair share of theatres - a sold out 1200-seater after Twister sticks out in my memory for some reason.

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Phil Hill
I love my cootie bug

Posts: 7595
From: Hollywood, CA USA
Registered: Mar 2000

posted 08-13-2005 08:48 PM

Ya know Robert, perhaps you should consider another line of work. Like me, you don't seem to have the patience for the idiots that are the general public.

They are, in general, fucking slobs and rude jerks. That's exactly why I'm NOT in that part of the biz and choose something not dealing with the public for my career! I would NOT be able to be civil to them.

What you said/did is totally out-of-line as a person dealing with YOUR customers. And like others have said, I would have fired your ass too.

OTOH: I would have said much worse to her and have fired myself as well. [Big Grin]

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Frank Dubrois
Jedi Master Film Handler

Posts: 896
From: Cleveland, OH
Registered: Mar 2005

posted 08-13-2005 10:09 PM

Doing the job makes it easy to see the customers as lazy slobs who dont care about your theater...on the other hand, if you didnt do the job, you'd EXPECT the theater crew to pick up after you and be polite to you etc etc. If you've grown so jaded as to not be able to see your place as an usher/concession person or whatever, then perhaps its time to look elsewhere for a job. I've had pop spilled on me..stepped in gooey cheese on the floor that somebody left (JUST for me to step in I'm sure [uhoh]

)...it sucks, but its the job and it happens. I guess I look at it this way, I'd rather have pop and popcorn spilled on me then perhaps a bedpan or vomit bag. I'm thinking nurses and orderlies have worse stories than us. Its a fun job in a great envirement so suck it up, and do your job, do it well, you'll get a better job. I'm sure fast turnaround is everywhere... or there's probably a burger joint right around the corner in need of assistant frenchfry chefs or soemthing. Just think...it only gets better from here..

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Paul Mayer
Oh get out of it Melvin, before it pulls you under!

Posts: 3836
From: Albuquerque, NM
Registered: Feb 2000

posted 08-14-2005 12:23 AM

Come fly as a co-pilot doing Grand Canyon air tours for a season. You'll get to clean the vomit out of aircraft cabins almost every day, and get paid less than any movie theater floor staff. Oh yeah, plenty of dumb passenger comments and questions to deal with too. Of course there are some advantages...

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