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Topic: rant on stupid customers

Frank Dubrois
Jedi Master Film Handler

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

posted 08-14-2005 12:31 AM

Like kicking the passenger door open and offering a "close up view" of the canyon?

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Thomas Dieter
Expert Film Handler

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

posted 08-14-2005 01:17 AM

quote: Jeremy Jorgenson
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)

I don't know if it's that the customer's understand that they should pick up their garbage, but rather once I (or any person picking up the garbage) has passed the row that they are sitting in, it's rather polite to pick up after themselves. That's when I usually notice that they pick up after themselves, and the only time that I would ask them to pick up their garbage. I think most of the people that go to our theatre see the effort that we go through to make the place clean for them before their show (Brooms and dust pans in hand, sweeping under each chair, getting just about all the popcorn and candy from under them), that they feel compelled to give a little in return, and we are a second run theatre.

Now I have been informed by my manager that we, the theatre I'm currently working for, doesn't ask customers to pick up their garbage. Although if memory serves me correctly, there is a slide advertisement in the ScreenVision Projector that asks to dispose of trash in the cans.

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Michael Brown
Phenomenal Film Handler

Posts: 1522
From: Bradford, England
Registered: May 2001

posted 08-17-2005 05:45 PM

It's a difficult topic to discuss.

For example as an User myself I do understand that it is in my job description to clean up (I'n not going to get upset over a cup), but like most ushers, at the same time I do wish the customers would treat our theatres with a little more respect. I don't mind customers leaving rubbish, but I think there is a difference between a: leaving rubbish and b:totally trashing the joint. I do think a fair few of customers cross over this line.

If we go back the the restaurant analogy. When you have eaten your meal, you leave your plate and cutlerly on the table to be cleared away by the restaurant staff. What you DON'T do it is throw your last scraps of food on the floor and then walk all over it, mashing it into the carpet as you leave. (because that's exactly what customers do at movie theatres).

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Timothy Ervin
Film Handler

Posts: 84
From: Oklahoma
Registered: Jan 2001

posted 08-17-2005 06:49 PM

Today a lady complained that our kids meal did not hold enough quantity of popcorn and Coke for an adult [Roll Eyes]

. I felt like telling her "well, thats why they are called "kid's meals !!!", but I just just kept my mouth shut and walked away .

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Thomas Dieter
Expert Film Handler

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

posted 08-17-2005 07:19 PM

While at work one day, I started to help the concessionists finish the line they had after everything had been started. The customer asked for a large popcorn and large drink. I proceeded to get the large popcorn (bag), and she asked the person serving her if I was getting the correct popcorn size for here. They stated yes as they filled the drink. She then asked what size the tub of popcorn was. That would be the "Tub" of popcorn.

Now just like all other theatres, we have a display that has all the sizes on it, and the Size and Price are labeled on them. We all know that customers don't look so that subject is closed.

She then proceeded to ask where the cup for the large popcorn was. We don't have a cup for the large popcorn, and the concessionist pointed to the display board. She then decided she didn't want the popcorn, and just took the drink.

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Frank Dubrois
Jedi Master Film Handler

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

posted 08-17-2005 07:19 PM

When I was an usher, and I was in the auditorium when people were leaving, AND I saw a cup or popcorn tub near them, I politely say, "Don't forget your pop (or popcorn)" I thought it sounded more like a friendly reminder in case they forgot to take it home with them...if it was empty, they usually told me that and I would just tell em "Oh ok, then the garbage can is right outside door, have a great night hope you enjoyed the movie" Is that rude? or condiscending? I didnt think so. I never got a complaint about it... BTW, I think people should pick up their own crap and throw it out....its common courtesy.

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Jon Morgan
Film Handler

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

posted 08-18-2005 10:46 AM

I would love it if people cleaned up after themselves, but it just isn't going to happen.

Which is easier, 300 people picking up one piece of trash or 1 person picking up 300?

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Jeremy Fuentes
Mmmm, Dr. Pepper!

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

posted 08-18-2005 11:38 AM

I used to work as a waiter...here is a conversation I had with a customer once...

Me: Hey, don't forget to take your dishes to the kitchen and wash them. Make sure you use hot water.

Customer: Isnt that what they pay you and the dishwasher to do?

Me: Oh, yeah. Well, nevermind. Have a nice day.

Customer leaves...

Me: Bitch.

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David Nightingale
Film Handler

Posts: 13
From: Albuquerque, NM, USA
Registered: Jul 2005

posted 08-18-2005 01:31 PM

I hate to beat a dead horse with a stick but, on the topic regarding the $10.50 gift card....I understand that you had no way to ring up the tickets WITH the card....you couldn't have just let her go into her movie of choice without ringing anything up? or signed out 2 rainchecks (re-admits, whatever) and then redeemed them right away and ring her up passes? [Confused]

I don't remember a time when a company would penalize someone for good customer service [beer]

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Phil Hill
I love my cootie bug

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

posted 08-18-2005 09:02 PM

Great post, Jeremy! That analogy pretty much sums it up... [beer]

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Robert Burtcher
Expert Film Handler

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

posted 08-19-2005 03:40 AM

quote:
I hate to beat a dead horse with a stick but, on the topic regarding the $10.50 gift card....I understand that you had no way to ring up the tickets WITH the card....you couldn't have just let her go into her movie of choice without ringing anything up? or signed out 2 rainchecks (re-admits, whatever) and then redeemed them right away and ring her up passes? [Confused] I don't remember a time when a company would penalize someone for good customer service [beer]

While it's possible that the manager on duty could have made that call, I do not know enough about company policies to know if such an action would have been acceptible. Had I been the one helping this customer, I wouldn't have been able to do anything unless a manager specifically told me to allow her to enter.

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Martin Brooks
Jedi Master Film Handler

Posts: 900
From: Forest Hills, NY, USA
Registered: May 2002

posted 08-22-2005 05:59 PM

Sorry Jeremy, your analogy doesn't hold up for me; Michael's works better.

I'm not sure what the psychology is (maybe it's the darkness), but customers in movie theaters (and sports arenas) are piggier than in almost any other venue. If a customer walks up to your snack stand and buys a drink and drinks it on the spot, you would not expect that customer to drop the cup and remaining fluids on the floor in front of the stand. Why is it any more acceptable to do that in the theatre?

There's nothing you can do about it, but an ever-increasing number of people are rude, arrogant slobs who think the entry fee entitles them to do whatever the hell they want. First run theaters used to be fully carpeted -- I remember the Rivoli and the Cineramas in NYC had very thick red carpeting, but no theater could do that today because the slobs destroy it. This is all part and parcel of the breakdown of values and respect in our society. The slobs who behave that way don't deserve anything better than cinderblock theaters.

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Jeremy Jorgenson
Phenomenal Film Handler

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

posted 08-22-2005 08:12 PM

quote: Martin Brooks
Jeremy, your analogy doesn't hold up for me; Michael's works better.

I tend to agree with Jeremy's analogy (& not just because his first name is stellar).

quote: Martin Brooks
If a customer walks up to your snack stand and buys a drink and drinks it on the spot, you would not expect that customer to drop the cup and remaining fluids on the floor in front of the stand.

True, but when they do, I wouldn't make them clean it up either. People DO spill drinks and/or popcorn at the concession stand, I would never ask them to pick/clean it up... and I'm not just talking accidental spills, I include full-on greedy stuff their hands into the popcorn causing a lot of it to fly on to the floor/counter.

... but regardless, I think this is a whole different realm than

quote: Robert R. Mayer
I noticed a 12 oz cup in the lady's cupholder. Seeing how that was the only piece of trash that was about to get left in the theatre

from that post it doesn't seem like the rest of that customer's area was left as a dirty mess, just one cup. I think Jeremy's analogy fits that better than Michael's. ... for this incident anyway, I don't deny that theatre patrons can be terribly messy, but my whole point (and unless I'm misreadig it, I think Jeremy's too) is that, I'm not debating whether it is good or bad, right or wrong, it is part of the job.

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Frank Dubrois
Jedi Master Film Handler

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

posted 08-24-2005 12:37 AM

The analogy doesnt work for me either. Pop and popcorn spills happen, accidentaly, all the time. Thats VERY different then leaving your crap behind for someone else to clean up. I would NEVER tell someone to clean up their own spill, THAT is what we are here for...I would however remind people (like the ads on the screen) to pick up after themselves if I happen to see them leave their garbage behind. The mentality that its OK to be a slob and leave crap around the auditorium is just wrong, and it should change. Another issue I have with people is them kicking back and putting their feet up. Its not allowed or tolerated. Being summer time, I see more and more people taking their shoes off and putting their feet up...thats a tastey thought isnt it? Its NOT ok to be a slob and I dont think theres anything wrong with politely reminding people of that. Anybody who allows people to make a mess, deserves to clean it up. Afterall, nothing is going to change unless employees make a point of it. I dont see any topic here about people smoking in their auditoriums and leaving burn marks in the seats...why??? because its not acceptable. Its funny how the NO SMOKING ad runs right after the "REMEMBER TO THROW AWAY YOUR TRASH" but people only respect one of the rules, and not the other.

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Jeremy Jorgenson
Phenomenal Film Handler

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

posted 08-24-2005 01:36 AM

that is absurd: one is a law, with a fine, the other is a suggestion. Also, during our policy trailer telling about smoking and trash, it also tells them to buy gift certificates and concession items, it certainly is not a "rule" that they have to buy them. Oh, and it says to enjoy the show, if a customer complain about not liking the movie, should we remind them that we asked them to enjoy it?

I agree with you, many customers are slobs, but I don't think a one line blurb before the film reminding them to pick up after themselves is going to change that. Especially with the onslaught of pre-show adds all telling them to do one thing or another.

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