my profile | my password | search | faq & rules | forum home

» Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE   » Operations   » Ground Level   » ? on UPSELLING! (Page 2)

This topic comprises 9 pages: 1  2  3  4  5  6  7  8  9

Author Topic: ? on UPSELLING! Travis Hubrig Expert Film Handler Posts: 175 From: Minot ND, USA Registered: May 2003 posted 10-17-2003 02:00 PM                     It seems that many people do not like the idea of upselling... I think it is fantastic, many times my employees will ask if the customer would like a large because you than get refills with the large. They will also suggestive sell, or try to add candy or nachos to an order. Sometimes as a greeting, an employee will ask "Would you like to try a combo today?" In one way that is upselling or suggestive selling. It speeds the customer through the decision making process, and if done tactfully the customers even appreciate the suggestion. The extra $.75 - $1.00 per transaction doesn't make sense, but when you serve 1000 customers a day in the concession stand and even 10% decide to buy up... it equals $75- $100 more a day. All concession sales are important part of a profitable movie theater. Now I'm not saying that every customer should be badgered with a boring "for .25 more you can get a large instead." but if the employees get good at it, they can use a different line every time. I don't get upset when they ask me at McDonald's if I would like fries with that. Upselling occurs around us everyday and most of us don't even realize it's happening. Many times you will even go sit in a nice restaurant and the waiter/waitress will ask if you would like dessert when you are done eating... They could just say "anything else?" I have a friend that is in Cellular Phone Sales and they even have a program to increase add-on services with the plans. At some point in his sales pitch he must upsell or suggestive sell. I think to make upselling work you need to motivate the employees to do it. Explain why they should do it and reward them for it. I will pair up employees to work together if one is good at upselling and one isn't. They will get tips from each other. At my theater I will go in to a movie and my employees will try to upsell me. I usually fall for it too.  |  IP: Logged Tony Ratcliff Expert Film Handler Posts: 216 From: Madison, IN, USA Registered: Mar 2002 posted 10-17-2003 02:23 PM                     I have always been annoyed at the ".25 more for a large" line. To me that could be interpreted as suggesting that buying anything LESS than the large is a rip-off. I believe in suggestive selling of other product: "Would you like popcorn with that drink?", "Would you like some candy with that?" This is what I teach my staff to do. And in either situation, I agree with the suggestion that HOW this is suggested is extremely important. I've been to places that badger you to death with the upsell and suggestive selling. But the places I go back to are the ones that show me in their pitch that they really care about my experience there being enhanced by my buying another or a larger product.  |  IP: Logged Mike Blakesley Film God Posts: 12767 From: Forsyth, Montana Registered: Jun 99 posted 10-17-2003 04:50 PM                        Suggestive selling of other products is fine. Especially if someone orders a popcorn but no drink. (Although that probably means they smuggled something in!)  |  IP: Logged Bill Langfield Master Film Handler Posts: 280 From: Prospect, NSW, Australia Registered: Apr 2001 posted 10-18-2003 09:30 AM                        I AGREE with Mike and anyone who disagrees with Upselling/Suggestive. (people almost passout at how much as small coke popcorn cost already, let alone suggesting something else. Mother and I could eat for a week from items bought at the supermaket for the same price) For god sake, a company I no longer work for made me do a first-aid course. (which was cool) During a break I went to the candy bar and asked for a bottle of water, and then he when on to try and sell me popcorn and choctop. I said we are only pretending in there, not REALLY trying to bring em back to life from the popcorn and choctops you SUGGESTIVE sold them. (He's proberly head projectionist or manager now) Now I'll admit something, as manager/projectionist/usher/candy/ticket seller/cleaner (all in the same shift) I did sug/up sell. It all depends on how you word it - and what they already asked for. Bill.  |  IP: Logged Mike Spaeth Phenomenal Film Handler Posts: 1129 From: Marietta, GA Registered: Jul 2000 posted 10-18-2003 12:57 PM                        What's wrong with being friendly and increasing sales at the same time?  |  IP: Logged Chris Hipp Phenomenal Film Handler Posts: 1462 From: Mesquite, Tx (east of Dallas) Registered: Jul 2003 posted 10-18-2003 02:01 PM                     Personally, I don't like the idea of upselling. When I go someowhere I usually hang around and decide what I want long before I go up to the counter. I get the cheapest thing because that is what I can afford. However, what the floor managers do at my theatre do motivate the staff is just to do little contests. Whoever sells the most combos or large popcorns will get a $25 gift certificate for something. A lot of times it becomes a competition between the concessionists, not necessarily to win the prize but just to beat someone else. As far as being insulted by it, I think that anyone who will pay $5 for a bag of popcorn is stupid anyway so maybe they should be treated like it. I think I hear the firing squad coming.  |  IP: Logged Mark Ogden Jedi Master Film Handler Posts: 943 From: Little Falls, N.J. Registered: Jun 99 posted 10-18-2003 02:09 PM                     ____________ What's wrong with being friendly and increasing sales at the same time? ____________ What's wrong, Mike, is that you are ONLY being friendly for the SAKE of increasing sales. It's false and deceitful. When I approach a popcorn seller, and he/she smiles at me and suggests a larger cup than I'm ordering, does that mean he/she's my new best friend? Do I truly matter to them as a person, or do they simply consider me an ATM on legs? Are they trying to do me a friendly favor and suggest what my "best value" is, or are they just going for the profits? There is more false friendship, sincerity and bonhomme-ism in salesmanship than in any other aspect of life. Pretty cynical, I know, but that's the sales game.  |  IP: Logged Trevor Bailey Expert Film Handler Posts: 113 From: Woonsocket, RI Registered: Jun 99 posted 10-18-2003 11:51 PM                        First: Yes, I personally find upselling and suggestive selling very annoying because I already know what I want to buy when I reach the concession stand. However: I have been in the business for a long time. I know that the staff is upselling and suggestive selling. In fact, I see it all the time...as stated above...fries, dessert, cables, ink cartridges. This is good business sense from the stockholder's perspective. If everyone were like us, and knew what they wanted when making a purchase, there would be no more upselling/suggestive selling. The fact that it happens at many retail transactions, shows that it does make a difference in the bottom line and that the average customer has no idea what they want/need. I look forward to the day upselling/suggestive selling dies...but I'm not holding my breath.  |  IP: Logged Daryl C. W. O'Shea Film God Posts: 3977 From: Midland Ontario Canada (where Panavision & IMAX lenses come from) Registered: Jun 2002 posted 10-19-2003 12:06 AM                        Suggestive selling I can deal with. Up selling annoys me, but I can live with it. Up selling, then saying "are you sure" after I say no, makes me want to jump over the counter and beat the out of the kid. quote: What's wrong with being friendly and increasing sales at the same time? To me there is a difference between "Hi, how are you tonight?" and "Hi, would you like to buy a combo?"  |  IP: Logged Chris Liczbinski Film Handler Posts: 33 From: US Registered: Oct 2003 posted 10-19-2003 12:28 AM                    I personally do not like to upsell to customers because I feel it is an insult, like they cannot decide for themselves what they want. We used to offer a free refill on the large drink, but that stopped 3 months ago so the incentive is lost. We too have our consessionists compete for gift certificates/coupons/whatever we have around. We either go by a ratio that our statistics page can bring up relating number of medium drinks sold to large (one with higest ratio wins), or we set a time and whoever sells the most in one hour wins. Of course it is harder to get employees to take a break when we do these competitions.  |  IP: Logged Jim Leko Film Handler Posts: 90 From: Redondo Beach, CA, USA Registered: May 2002 posted 10-19-2003 11:26 AM                     I hate suggestive selling on both sides of the counter. I hate being asked if I want more than I asked for (although, a refill with a large is good information from the employee.) Another problem I have with it, is it slows down the line. The time spent asking somebody to increase their order by a quarter (usually twice, once for popcorn, once for soda), and asking if they want candy, can be better spent helping the next customer. Get the lines MOVING. I usually don't get anything from concession, because the lines are long, and the concessionists take forever to ring up a single customer. If they would spend less time asking people to upgrade their order by 25 cents, they could get a lot more customers through, and probably make more money in the end, because people won't mind standing in the concessions line, as it will move a lot faster.  |  IP: Logged Robert D. LaValley Film Handler Posts: 58 From: Florida Registered: Aug 2003 posted 10-19-2003 04:57 PM                     I like suggestive selling as long as it isn't robotic. I saw at a theatre a sign that says "if the concessionist doesn't offer you a combo please see a manager for a free pass" I don't like this type of thing becuase then it just makes the concessionist go into robot mode and do the same thing everytime. the service goes down the tubes and it just becomes an assembly line type cashier position. I'd much rather motivate by offering staff incentives on upselling, ie: prizes, paid days off, the easier jobs etc.... It also makes it easier when the companies have alot of deals advertised that can be offered.. so you can customise to how you think the customer will buy things and not offer them things that you don't think will sell... team work involvement I tell ya!  |  IP: Logged Scott Jentsch Phenomenal Film Handler Posts: 1061 From: New Berlin, WI, USA Registered: Apr 2003 posted 10-20-2003 02:21 PM                        As with any sales tactic, I think upselling and suggest-selling needs to be done with the right delivery. There are times to do this and times not to, and the challenge is to know the difference. Some customers are receptive, and the staff should be taught how to pick up on the cues within a second or two of saying "Hi" If someone behind the counter is enjoying their job, and seems truly happy to be helping me, I'd be more receptive to their comments, especially if they suggest something that's a better deal. Someone who's really into their job can get away with more of this than a robot who looks like they can't wait until their shift is over and/or all those pesky customers finally leave them alone. I think the best way for managers to encourage this is to lead by example. Work the counter with enthusiasm and energy and show them how the right people will respond to sales techniques.  |  IP: Logged Scott D. Neff Theatre Dork Posts: 919 From: San Francisco, CA Registered: Oct 1999 posted 10-21-2003 05:00 PM                        As somebody who has worked a shift in a snack bar, I know how often customers walk up and order a small drink and a small popcorn because they're used to Fast Food where a 22oz drink costs $0.99 and a 44oz Drink costs $1.69. I find people get pissed off if you let them buy a 22oz drink for $2.50 when they could've had a 44oz drink for only $1.00 more. As for people who know what they want, I love them. But come on people, how many indecisive mothers or teenagers get in line not knowing what they want? I'd guess that the numbers of those undecided far outweigh the people who have their order figured out before they get there. I'd also say that sine the majority of us come from this business, we have it all planned out in our head succinctly so as to not waste anybody's time at the counter. When I order a popcorn (rarely) I will specify that I want a Large Popcorn, easy on the butter. If I know they have butter flavoring, I'll specify "easy on the butter flavoring" so they don't have to recite "Is butter flavoring okay?" when in fact, I don't care. Sometimes even, if I just want the medium, I will state, "I'd like a large Coke, and a medium popcorn, even though a large IS only $0.50 more." And they smile and get what I asked for. But having witnessed how easily you can lead many many customers, I don't get upset at others for trying it with me. I think if you're charming and personable enough, you can upsell and suggestive sell without anybody really noticing/caring.  |  IP: Logged Jesse Skeen Phenomenal Film Handler Posts: 1517 From: Sacramento, CA Registered: Aug 2000 posted 10-22-2003 01:43 PM                     What if they tell the customer "A 6-pack is only a dollar LESS?"  |  IP: Logged

All times are Central (GMT -6:00)

This topic comprises 9 pages: 1  2  3  4  5  6  7  8  9

Printer-friendly view of this topic

Hop To: Select a Forum: Category: Operations -------------------- Digital Cinema Forum Film Handlers' Forum Large Format Forum Ground Level Feature Info, Trailer Attachments & REAL Credit Offsets Category: Community -------------------- Film-Yak Film Handlers' Movie Reviews The Afterlife Bob Maar's Joke-A-Thon Category: Classified -------------------- Equipment and Supplies Wanted/For Sale Help Wanted/Seeking Employment Category: System -------------------- Software Beta Testing Forum

The Film-Tech Forums are designed for various members related to the cinema industry to express their opinions, viewpoints and testimonials on various products, services and events based upon speculation, personal knowledge and factual information through use, therefore all views represented here allow no liability upon the publishers of this web site and the owners of said views assume no liability for any ill will resulting from these postings. The posts made here are for educational as well as entertainment purposes and as such anyone viewing this portion of the website must accept these views as statements of the author of that opinion and agrees to release the authors from any and all liability.