|
|
This topic comprises 3 pages: 1 2 3
|
|
Author
|
Topic: Customer's Experience Rant
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Brad Miller
Administrator
Posts: 17775
From: Plano, TX (36.2 miles NW of Rockwall)
Registered: May 99
|
posted 02-04-2007 10:18 PM
quote: Michael Cunningham
The customer curses and argues with these two low-level employees (probably earning dog wages) as if they owned the building and were responsible for everything that goes on there. Further, he assumes that either of these people has the authority to make business decisions on his behalf.
While your points are valid regarding the manager possibly being accused of running a scam, put yourself in the patrons's shoes. It's not HIS fault that the staff on-hand is not authorized to fix a problem. As a result, he has every right to an immediate and hassle-free refund. If the corporate office has put in place such a difficult refund policy, they deserve for patrons to leave angry enough to never return.
quote: Andrew McCrea
When guests begin swearing, you state that it is a family oriented facility, and show them the door. When they treat you like that, you politely inform them that they are now out of gas on getting anywhere with their claim.
Ummmm WRONG!!! Andrew if someone was patronizing your theater and you screwed up the presentation that they paid for that badly, then REPEATEDLY wasted their time in getting a refund...you DESERVE any verbal abuse they dish out at you. If you then make a crack like your quote above, you can damn well bet you are making things far worse for yourself, because that will absolutely piss off to no end an already angry customer by insinuating that they are wrong when it was YOU or your employees whom you are responsible for who fucked up.
Management HAS to have a backbone in order to be able to handle customers. Think about this carefully for just a second. It's just a word! It's not like the guy took a swing at you. (Although Andrew's "solution" may end up with that happening in such a situation.) I'm sure there will be plenty of people who will disagree with that comment, but anyone who can't handle someone using a few "naughty words" really shouldn't be in management. Managers must be able to keep control of their theater and not run away crying just because someone said "oh shucky darn you piece of poo!" ![[Roll Eyes]](rolleyes.gif) Customers can be real A-holes. Get used to it.
So long as the manager remains professional regardless of what the customer says or does is what matters. (Well, and of course issuing an immediate refund for anyone with a valid reason.)
| IP: Logged
|
|
Jack Ondracek
Film God
Posts: 2348
From: Port Orchard, WA, USA
Registered: Oct 2002
|
posted 02-04-2007 11:24 PM
What a list of mistakes here! The theatre had several opportunities to make things right, and blew them all.
Obviously, the film should have been framed and focused correctly. Being captioned, extra attention should have been paid, but obviously wasn't.
I tend to get edgy, when confronted by an abusive customer. But in this case, it's hard to fault the guy. He should have been given his money back AND a couple of passes for his trouble, and it should have happened immediately. That would have eliminated the confrontation altogether and we wouldn't be talking about it now. Joe brought up a good point about digging a couple of stubs out of the tear pile. Our system doesn't use bar codes, but I'd probably have done that if it did.
In the cases where we've had show-stoppers, we've offered our customers a choice of their money back or a carload pass, good anytime. It's just about a no-brainer. About the only ones that don't go for the carload are people from out of the area who don't expect to be in town soon. Even then, they know (and are impressed) that they could have had the carload. The customers come back with stuffed vehicles and huge smiles on their faces. We welcome them back, and send 'em on in. Problem solved.
As for booth tours, I can see both sides of that one. We used to take just about anyone upstairs. We're proud of our setup and like the educational side of the experience, since many of them think we're just playing DVDs. In recent years however, I've become a bit more consciencious about all the expensive goodies we have in the place, and the fact that we really don't know who we're taking up there. We've also had one or two cases where a kid nearly shut down a show by grabbing a platter. As our crowds have increased, we've become much more selective about tours, though I don't have a totally hard line against them.
I'm thinking that maybe the answer to that might be a camera upstairs, and a nice monitor in the snack bar. It's a thought, anyway.
quote: Bobby Henderson
I also believe a lot of theaters are deliberately being under-staffed to save on labor costs and make lines at the box office and concessions counters longer as a result.
And the best way to stick that in the customer's face is to have 8 POS stations and 2 (uninterested) cashiers.
I have 4 stations at my place. On busy nights they are all manned, if I have to run one myself. Even if we do have lines, the people are much more patient, being able to see that we're kicking butt as hard as the place will allow. I've been to more than a few post office counters where the staff could ratchet things up a bit! ![[Razz]](tongue.gif)
| IP: Logged
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Andrew McCrea
Jedi Master Film Handler
Posts: 645
From: Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
Registered: Nov 2000
|
posted 02-05-2007 12:42 AM
Although I generally meant whenever a customer goes over the top. If there's no valid reason, and I've been sworn/yelled at, I don't go out of my way to make the person's experience more enjoyable, because they're not going to change their minds, and they've made a big ugly scene.
Like, if their popcorn became soggy because they asked for extra butter, and you offer them a replacement, and they start screaming and yelling and throw the popcorn at you, and demand a refund, would you still pop that drawer open?
Sorry, but the customer isn't always right, and like Adam said, that's assuming his story is 100% true. Most people like to pad their stories to make them better, or get more from the establishment.
| IP: Logged
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
All times are Central (GMT -6:00)
|
This topic comprises 3 pages: 1 2 3
|
Powered by Infopop Corporation
UBB.classicTM
6.3.1.2
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.
|
Home
![[Big Grin]](biggrin.gif)
Don't know why I didn't think of that. All in all, this situation could have been handled much better by the theatre staff. I didn't mean to say that they were blameless, just that the customer might have gone a little over the top. I'd have to agree with everyone here who said the customer should've received his refund promptly, especially when there are ways around the consequences.
Printer-friendly view of this topic