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Author Topic: Signs you may be spending too much time in the box office... Jeremy Fuentes Mmmm, Dr. Pepper! Posts: 1168 From: Corpus Christi, TX United States Registered: Jan 2004 posted 07-12-2004 11:45 AM                     quote: R. Andrew Diercks Sitting is and appears lazy. So do you stand while you are conducting an interview, or being interviewed? Because I think those are two times, that you would want to appear/act/be professional. But I do agree with you, nothing can be lazier than a box office worker who is forced to stand all day, for $5.15 an hour.  |  IP: Logged R. Andrew Diercks Expert Film Handler Posts: 232 From: Marion, Iowa (In the middle of everywhere) Registered: May 2003 posted 07-12-2004 12:10 PM                     You can't parallel two completley different fuctions as to what is professional for that task. A lawyer sits at a desk meeting with clients. His chair is low, as well as his desk. Also those that he is speaking with are also sitting. Just as in an interview. In the courtroom, while cross examining, he stands at a podium. Professional race car drivers obviously can't stand while being professional, but a sitting football or basketball player just wouldn't work. "Acting/Being" professional is what suits your particular task at hand. At the box office, those that you are dealing with are standing and so should you. And you still failed to see where I stated you only need to stand while selling tickets, not ALL DAY. I don't see why $5.15 has any bearing on the situation. A 16 year old can do just fine on that. I made $3.95 when I started (sub-minimum wage) and still bought my clothes, went out, and bought a car. Why should kids need the same minimum wage that a single mother gets? We do, however pay our help better than that. I only put those in box that are slightly more professional because there are more policy issues to deal with, such as rated "R". Most of them make a bit more money as a result.  |  IP: Logged Scott Norwood Film God Posts: 8146 From: Boston, MA. USA (1774.21 miles northeast of Dallas) Registered: Jun 99 posted 07-12-2004 12:31 PM                        I don't understand the "stand up when selling tickets" argument, either. Offhand, I can think of exactly one theatre where I have worked where that would even be possible (non-enclosed boxoffice in lobby), if only because most boxoffices (at least in older theatres) have the window-with-a-hole-in-it or round intercom thing positioned at the proper height for a cashier who is seated. (Admittedly, I've only sold tickets for one night, when I had to run an entire single-screen theatre by myself because the cashier and concession person both decided not to show up. Fun!) Agreed about the "looking professional" versus "being professional" distinction.  |  IP: Logged Jeremy Fuentes Mmmm, Dr. Pepper! Posts: 1168 From: Corpus Christi, TX United States Registered: Jan 2004 posted 07-12-2004 12:47 PM                     quote: R. Andrew Diercks We do, however pay our help better than that. Well thats good to hear. There are alot of theaters that dont. Do you work for, or have ever worked for a major theater? I worked at a Cinemark, and got paid 5.15 an hour, and was able to do the same thing you did, and 3.95 an hour. But I had to do everything at the theater. I had to do maintenance work, stock work, help the managers close, booth work, work double shifts, all on top of my concession hours.(Which were not nearly enough to get a car with.) I dont know too many kids who are willing to put forth that kind of effort. As a matter of fact, I remember alot of my friends telling me that I was dumb for doing all that work for the theater, and that I should just say no when they asked me to. These are the same people that asked me for a ride to and from work. So dont say that kids are lazy, because its not always like that. Now, Century employees, they are lazy. Their box workers sit all day, and they have self-serve concession stands, and the managers are no where to be seen. By the way, I was just messing with you about sitting during an interview. I understand it depends on what you are doing.  |  IP: Logged R. Andrew Diercks Expert Film Handler Posts: 232 From: Marion, Iowa (In the middle of everywhere) Registered: May 2003 posted 07-12-2004 12:49 PM                     In my previous post, I agreed that enclosed box-offices, with sneeze glass makes it very difficult to stand. Ours is an open counter, much like concession. I require them to stand. We all work in different theatres with different set-ups. In most I have worked at, standing is the only thing that wouldn't look lazy. And I'm spent on this subject.  |  IP: Logged Jeremy Fuentes Mmmm, Dr. Pepper! Posts: 1168 From: Corpus Christi, TX United States Registered: Jan 2004 posted 07-12-2004 12:56 PM                     Me too, I need to have a seat now.  |  IP: Logged Mike Blakesley Film God Posts: 12767 From: Forsyth, Montana Registered: Jun 99 posted 07-12-2004 02:05 PM                        Come to think of it, I can't remember ever being to a theatre with standing box people. More likely, I just have not noticed because in the big picture, it ranks near the bottom on the scale of what's important. Our boxoffice is designed with a sneeze window that's removable in summer. Still, a person standing would have to bend over constantly to make change. And, the floor outside the box is a bit lower than the floor in the box, so a person standing might tower over the customer. Sitting, it's more face to face. In 25 years not one single customer has ever said, "Gee, I like your theatre but it would be nicer if you were standing."  |  IP: Logged Mike Olpin Chop Chop! Posts: 1852 From: Dallas, TX Registered: Jan 2002 posted 07-12-2004 03:08 PM                     When I'm Bored at Work (Please note that these are staged, and I in no way advocate lazinesss and goofing around on the clock)  |  IP: Logged Ben Holley Film Handler Posts: 65 From: Texas Registered: Feb 2004 posted 07-12-2004 03:12 PM                    i agree with mr. Diercks about lazy workers should be fired, and there are occasions when no one should be sitting down. When I'm taking a customers question/complaint or when someone from our corporate office is at our theatre i'm on my feet in a split second. But when I have a line full of 15 year olds I will take a seat if time isnt to much of an issue. And yes I will agree that when sitting down cashiers are a little slower (at least with our set up). But to have a set rule for when its ok to sit down and when its not would probably create some tension. At the theatre i work at when you are moved up to box office you are trusted to regulate yourself and find something to do...our managers dont usually meddle in our affairs. And when i said in my earlier post about you could find me on the floor in the back of box office its not like i would be sleeping or talking my cell phone, we always have boxes of popcorn bags that need to be organized or 'paperwork' to be done. and yes...i'm spent on the subject as well, i think we are all pretty much agree its just coming out bad  |  IP: Logged Adam Wilbert Jedi Master Film Handler Posts: 590 From: Bellingham, WA, USA Registered: Mar 2002 posted 07-12-2004 03:32 PM                        I'm raking my brain right now, but can not come up with any other service industry where it is custom for the cashier to sit while serving the customer. McDonalds - standing, The hostess at a fine restaraunt - standing, Grocery cashier - standing. Bank teller? Standing. How about at a department store? Also standing. Hmm... even the clerks at 7-11 stand up when you walk up to the counter. I'm not sure it is a question of 'professionalism' as much is it is a simple matter of courtesy. Perhaps I would consider sitting while selling tickets appropriate only if i could offer the customer a seat at the same time. Otherwise, no way. -Adam  |  IP: Logged Pravin Ratnam Jedi Master Film Handler Posts: 844 From: Atlanta, GA,USA Registered: Sep 2002 posted 07-12-2004 03:56 PM                     Tellers sit at my bank. Once again, the only thing that bothers customers is if a cashier is taking his/her sweet time to swipe the cards, take the money or hand over the tickets. A nice smile will be helpful. But very few, if any, care about whether the cashier is sitting or not. Why don't you do an experiment. Have a person sit at one booth and have them stand at another and then do a small customer survey of which person seemed more professional. As people said, it really depends on the setup of the counter, and even then, regardless of the setup, nothing wrong with the cashiers sitting when the box office is really slow.  |  IP: Logged Scott Norwood Film God Posts: 8146 From: Boston, MA. USA (1774.21 miles northeast of Dallas) Registered: Jun 99 posted 07-12-2004 05:07 PM                        People actually go _inside_ bank branches? I haven't actually dealt with a teller in at least three years and at that time it was because I was living in an apartment where I needed to regularly buy rolls or quarters to do my laundry. Since then, I have switched banks and I now have never actually seen an employee of my bank.  |  IP: Logged William Hooper Phenomenal Film Handler Posts: 1879 From: Mobile, AL USA Registered: Jun 99 posted 07-13-2004 01:00 AM                        I'm not trying to seem contentious, but I just disagree. It seems like an unneccessary something else imposed on regular operation so as to seem a "feature" that is not expected or even desired by the customer. For instance, I have no problem socially with doormen, they're there to open doors, call cabs, etc. But Wal-Mart "Greeters" just freak me all to hell out socially. (Darting into Wal-Mart to get some tools) Greeter: (stops you) "Welcome to Wal-Mart! How are you today?" Me: "Umm, hi, (squint at nametag) Sylvia! How's your mama and them? That looks like a painful case of osteoporosis, Wal-Mart health insurance taking care of that for you?" I mean, What the hell? I JUST WANT A PICK AND A SHOVEL! What is this moment? I can understand being busy, wanting the employees to be busy, & looking professional, but I think this is a case of getting wrapped up in inside issues & thinking they should be presented outside. How much closer do you want to get to looking like a pack of one-armed paper hangers at a business where customers just want to buy a ticket, buy some popcorn, & flop down & watch a movie? The box office attached to live venues have folks sitting, as do cafeterias, etc. Folks stand at department stores, etc. which are places where the cashiers launch out frequently to check prices, etc. "We want to look busy!" That kind of imposition usually either comes off affected, or stressful. I don't think customers WANT to see standing cashiers, & I think folks sitting at such a job starts working on the customers' emotional adjustment to relaxation. Most show binness places leave all the frenzy to the act. The public face of operation is one of easy order, intended to disarm.  |  IP: Logged Julie Havlin Film Handler Posts: 9 From: St. Louis, MO Registered: May 2004 posted 07-13-2004 01:08 AM                     My theatre is inside a mall, and our box office is not enclosed by any glass. It's set to ADA standards about the height of a desk, so all of our box officers sit in wheely chairs, even during rushes. I used to have an employee who prefered standing, but he had to hunch over his cash drawer and I think it looked worse and he certainly didn't have a speed advantage. We also have another box station at our concession stand we use during the week when we're not as busy, and it is the same height as the concession counter, so the 'con-boxion' employees stand all the time. We're just backwards I guess, but I think we look pretty professional.  |  IP: Logged Paul Mayer Oh get out of it Melvin, before it pulls you under! Posts: 3836 From: Albuquerque, NM Registered: Feb 2000 posted 07-13-2004 06:24 PM                        Phil, yesh.  |  IP: Logged

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