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Topic: rant on stupid customers

Martin McCaffery
Film God

Posts: 2481
From: Montgomery, AL
Registered: Jun 99

posted 03-03-2018 06:06 PM

Ya can't make everyone happy. As you indicate, it happens infrequently. Odds are there's no rationalizing with them. Politely say "No" and that's the end of it.

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Mike Blakesley
Film God

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

posted 03-03-2018 08:02 PM

The one we get here is taking kids into the balcony. Our balcony has been 21-and-over since before I was born, yet we still occasionally get "It's OK if the kids are with me, right?" as if that magically makes the kids be 21 years old. Or, they see our two signs that very clearly state the rule and the "why" of the rule, yet they still want to bend the rule.

As noted above, it's best to just say "We can't allow that, because ...." and let it go. I've found most people are fine as long as the rule is explained.

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Brian DeCiancio
Film Handler

Posts: 52
From: Warren, OH, USA
Registered: Sep 2002

posted 03-05-2018 11:38 PM

Replace the popcorn, jeez. I get that at my 8 plex occasionally and simply replace it. The cost is minimal and I have never had a rash of people jumping on the bandwagon demanding "fresh".

FWIW, I am not "the customer is always right" kind of guy, but that is not an argument worth having.

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Frank Cox
Film God

Posts: 2234
From: Melville Saskatchewan Canada
Registered: Apr 2011

posted 05-09-2018 02:16 AM

There's a house across the street from my theatre where some folks moved in a while back that have a more-or-less continuous party in their yard every night. Doesn't bother me any, except that they have four dogs that they allow to run loose and those dogs are a nuisance to anyone who's walking by when they are out.

I've complained to City Hall about it a few times but haven't seen much for results.

I went to unlock the front door before tonight's show and looked across the street. Of course the party was underway.

And...

Holy cow.

Yes indeed, a cow. At least it was tied up, unlike the dogs.

Not a really big cow, and it is kind of cute if you like cows.

But, really now. A cow? I wonder if they think they're going to keep it.

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Carsten Kurz
Film God

Posts: 4340
From: Cologne, NRW, Germany
Registered: Aug 2009

posted 05-09-2018 02:55 AM

Frank - I think it's time to collect all your memories and sell it as a screenplay. Honestly.
Unfortunately, Robert Altman is no longer with us to direct it.

Let us think about a title...something with 'Saskatchewan' in it for sure.

- Carsten

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Dave Bird
Jedi Master Film Handler

Posts: 777
From: Perth, Ontario, Canada
Registered: Jun 2000

posted 07-01-2018 01:34 AM

In 35 years of serving customers in my parents stores, my own, or here at the drive-in, I've argued with a customer twice. Tonight was one, on a hot hot evening, a lady and her husband were abusive enough that my daughter (running the place) was in tears. They expected her to be have solved their issue of headlights shining on them without having done anything themselves or without bringing it to our attention politely.

In the intermission I reminded everyone that we have new patrons every night, if there was any issue at all (including headlights) please come and let staff know, but that there's a "right way and a wrong way, our kids work very hard, please do it politely".

Lady storms in and says I've embarrassed her and her husband (I say I'm not sure how, no picture on screen or names mentioned, had no idea who had done it). She's been coming 40 years and we never announce for people to keep lights off (do it every night, sometimes multiple times). She's posting the picture to Facebook (well, I'll ban you and really, you'd like to help close our family business you've enjoyed for 40 years?).

I asked if she'd addressed the person. (No, not in this day and age, you never know what a person will do.) Fine, that's why my daughter went. (You send your daughter out into the dark with crazy people?) You're the only person acting crazy ma'am. (How can you send your daughter out, you should do it.) You calling me a bad parent now? She's 22 and the manager. (I want to talk to the other owner, the lady.) My wife? She's not here, but we're going in tangents here, what is it that you want? Satisfaction? See, I don't think I can give you that. You know why? Because you do this everywhere you go. Grocery store, gas station, restaurant, wherever. So what do you want, a refund? (Yes.) Fine.

I go and void the tickets and get the cash - for mom, dad and a 6 year-old apparently. Of course, she's gone by the time I'm back. But she sure told me, yes she did. And we'll wait for the Facebook campaign I guess (she's promised to get family and friends post after I ban her from the page of course).

We've served perhaps a quarter million patrons here over a dozen seasons and many, many more than that in decades of retail. I can remember maybe 4 or 5 really unreasonable souls. But I only ever argued with 2. Both here at the drive-in. One berated my wife, one my daughter. The heat of the day may have had something to do with it, but I guess I've figured out what makes me angry. Attack my family (or staff) and you'll get your "satisfaction".

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Jack Ondracek
Film God

Posts: 2348
From: Port Orchard, WA, USA
Registered: Oct 2002

posted 07-01-2018 06:18 PM

There are just a couple of ways to describe how we deal with the very few confrontive customer experiences we get each year. Over the years, the best has turned out to be a couple of lines from "Road House" (Patrick Swayze).

"Be nice, until it's time to not be nice"

"You are the bouncer... I am the cooler. Watch my back and each others'... and take out the trash."

We always try to fix problems as amicably as we can. However, there are some people who just won't be happy unless they get to dictate a final solution, which is a right best retained by the owner. In some of those cases, it's best to recognize there's no fixing the problem and, for the good of the majority, the patron might be best "cut loose".

I agree with Dave on his point that abuse of the staff and/or management should be the best way for a patron to be shown the gate.

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Dave Bird
Jedi Master Film Handler

Posts: 777
From: Perth, Ontario, Canada
Registered: Jun 2000

posted 07-02-2018 01:43 PM

I like "The Swayze" reference Jack. (Sometimes bad movies are fantastic just the same.)

Yes, when she marched me out the front door I did the calculus in my head instantly, is this worth it? Are the customers who witness this going to see her or me as the crazy one? I decided I'd take her up on it. It was hot, so maybe I was more inclined to it, but the local boy scout troop and leaders camping nearby seemed to agree with my point of view!

(My daughter is laughing at me now, thinking about the large metal file I carried around the rest of the night "just in case" the husband decided to seek some "satisfaction" later. Hey, it was hot, I'd already worked about 14 hours, probably was a little irrational myself!)

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Alexandre Pereira
Expert Film Handler

Posts: 126
From: Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Registered: Jan 2016

posted 07-02-2018 02:30 PM

Just do not sell them a ticket and if they are abusive kick them right out.
I do not allow any abuse of the staff or myself and since the theatre is licensed we are obliged by the AGCO to kick out disruptive people.
Typically I find that any kind of discussion or argument is not productive and leads only to more confrontation. Many people are just looking for a fight and use a movie theatre as means to act out their passive-aggressiveness.
Bars do not take shit so why should movie theatres = stop serving them and tell them to leave. If you have to call the cops do not back down and have them charged with trespassing - or better yet wait for the cops and see if they get themselves arrested.
Being pro-active is all you can do and if that involves the cops than so be it - it will get the word out to idiot tardes to not come causing trouble at the theatre and more important keeps you running the theatre not some crazy broad and her douche bag husband.
Another thing that works wonders - if things get out of hand in the digital age. Just stop the show and call the police. Yell out police are on their way and get staff to surround the trouble makers. The rest of the audience will stand behind you when the picture stops and will not start until the trouble makers leave.
Hopefully it does not get to that but in movie theatres anything is possible. It is the nature of this carnival business.

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Frank Cox
Film God

Posts: 2234
From: Melville Saskatchewan Canada
Registered: Apr 2011

posted 07-02-2018 03:23 PM

That sounds way over the top to me.

I've never had anyone refuse to leave if I ask them to, and I've never had to actually call the police to deal with someone here. The threat was enough on the very few occasions that it was necessary.

And it's very rare that I have to throw anyone out here, anyway.

I did have someone get arrested in the middle of the show at one time, but in that case two police officers walked in the door and asked "Is so-and-so here?" I said yes, and stopped the movie and turned the lights on. They went in and arrested their man, I restarted the show, and that was that.

Maybe other places get a rougher clientele than I get here. Since this is the only theatre in town people know that they have to behave or they won't be coming to movies in the future.

I have had a few people that I kicked out come back the next day to apologize. Young guys who were showing off for their buddies and/or girlfriend and then thought "what have I done" afterward.

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Jack Ondracek
Film God

Posts: 2348
From: Port Orchard, WA, USA
Registered: Oct 2002

posted 07-02-2018 09:22 PM

quote: Frank Cox
That sounds way over the top to me.

I've never had anyone refuse to leave if I ask them to, and I've never had to actually call the police to deal with someone here. The threat was enough on the very few occasions that it was necessary.

And it's very rare that I have to throw anyone out here, anyway.

I did have someone get arrested in the middle of the show at one time, but in that case two police officers walked in the door and asked "Is so-and-so here?" I said yes, and stopped the movie and turned the lights on. They went in and arrested their man, I restarted the show, and that was that.

Maybe other places get a rougher clientele than I get here. Since this is the only theatre in town people know that they have to behave or they won't be coming to movies in the future.

I have had a few people that I kicked out come back the next day to apologize. Young guys who were showing off for their buddies and/or girlfriend and then thought "what have I done" afterward.

I appreciate your view, Frank, but I have had people refuse to leave. If you serve large enough crowds, the odds are you'll run into something like this from time to time.

It's rare now, as people have come to know how we run the place, but there are those entitled few who feel their admission buys them a piece of the rock, so to speak. They feel they can convince a deputy to land on their side, so they refuse our instructions and wait. Every couple years or so, that might happen here, and we generally address the problem by leaving them alone and letting the police come out and deal with it. Within a couple minutes, the wind is knocked out of their sails and they are escorted out. Here, the law does not enter into negotiations on the patron's behalf. That's not their job.

In our country, management has much the same set of rights as a private property owner. If you want someone gone and they refuse, the law will come and remove them. You can always work your problems out in a courtroom, if they like, but not in the middle of a crowd that, in our case, has reached over a couple thousand people.

If appropriate, we've informed those we've ejected of that opportunity. In the 31 years we've been here, not one has taken us up on it.

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Justin Hamaker
Film God

Posts: 2253
From: Lakeport, CA USA
Registered: Jan 2004

posted 07-03-2018 02:10 AM

In my experience, most people who escalate a situation are the ones making mountains out of molehills (so to speak). The people who have legitimate complaints which justify truly getting angry tend to be much more laid back as long as their concerns are being handled.

The ones that bother me the most are the ones who get upset over a relatively simple thing, and then decide they are going to ruin the cashier or manager because they were inconvenienced.

One of the worst I ever had was a situation where an employee screwed up on selling a gift certificate. The person who tried to use it was turned away because they didn't have the certificate, just the receipt. The lady who purchased the certificate came down to the theatre and acted like the world was going to end. She left with the certificate she purchased and a cash refund, and she still felt she need to to call the owner to go off about how horrible we were.

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Mike Blakesley
Film God

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

posted 07-03-2018 01:48 PM

My favorite was a lady who said "I'm going to write to your boss about this!" and stomped out.

I thought about telling her I've owned the place for almost 40 years but decided it wasn't worth the hassle. I always wondered where she sent her letter!

These days it IS easier for people to start a shit-show by doing an online "campaign" as Dave's customer threatened. But as long as you RESPOND to online complaints in a calm manner, they'll usually die out without incident and the other customers will back you -- unless you really did something to legitimately offend somebody.

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Justin Hamaker
Film God

Posts: 2253
From: Lakeport, CA USA
Registered: Jan 2004

posted 07-03-2018 08:22 PM

Yes, I've experience that. I've had people go on FB rants over being correctly denied something based on policy, or flat out lying about what happened.

I had one instance where a lady was lying about someone being at the theatre to help her when she came out of her movie. She claimed she came to the counter and there was no one around. This resulted in a lot of negative comments directed at the theatre, so I wound up posting a short capture from our security cameras showing my assistant manager standing at the counter when she came out of the movie and her never even approaching the counter. I hate doing something like that, but I feel there is a threshold where someone should not be allowed to cross in demonizing a person or a business.

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Jack Ondracek
Film God

Posts: 2348
From: Port Orchard, WA, USA
Registered: Oct 2002

posted 07-04-2018 12:41 AM

Ahhh... Facebook!

We've also experienced the "wrath of Facebook". The worst was a couple of years ago, when I took a stand against people driving up and down the place with Confederate flags waving from the bed of their pick-ups. We ejected a couple of folks over that. They went right for our reviews section and over the next few days, you'd think we'd offended everyone who'd ever patronized us.

Finally, we figured out how to turn off the reviews section, which we had no control over. That eliminated 90% of our problems.

As for the rest... if they're civil, we'll work to resolve customer problems in the public section... to a point, though we much prefer they'd come talk to us in person. Most of them go private, which is considerate of them. A very few, who appear to feel they have more impact if they exaggerate the original issue and engage in colorful vocabulary, get deleted and banned.

I know I've gone off on this before... but we feel our FB page is a place for us to tell people about what's happening here... not a forum for them to air their gripes from the distance and safety of their keyboards.

quote: Mike Blakesley
My favorite was a lady who said "I'm going to write to your boss about this!" and stomped out.

Yah, that's a good one. In our case, the customer said she would be contacting our "corporate office".

The best one (recently) was the guy who didn't like my daughter's solution to the problem at hand, and asked to speak with the owner. She said he was, to which he replied, "No, I want to talk to the MAN who owns the place". She passed his request along over the radio with a grin, knowing how that one was going to be handled, once Dad got there! [Big Grin]

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