Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE: Stupid floor staff...

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Posted by Thomas Pitt (Member # 4322) on 09-01-2008, 03:52 PM:

We've had the 'stupid customers' topic, how about a topic for stupid floor staff? Have you, or any other floor staff you've witnessed ever been stupid or ignorant of a customer's requests? Or perhaps the ushers have done something during a movie that impacts the moviegoer's experience?

Somehow, when I was in a movie (can't remember which one), the floor staff got the finish time completely wrong and came in to clean up... halfway through the movie! Suddenly all the cleaning floodlights came on, and some members of staff entered. Upon seeing that the movie was still showing, they made a hasty exit and turned off the cleaning lights again!

Also, as you may know, I always sit through the credits when a movie finishes in case there is an extra scene. One time though, the cleaning staff came in and asked me to leave so they could clean - while the credits were still going!
I think they should allow customers who want to see the whole credits to stay, or at least clean 'around' them.

The doorman at a cinema once tried to stop me taking in a bottle of soda that I'd clearly just bought at the concession stand; he thought I'd brought it in from outside the cinema! [Eek!]

Anyone else have stories like this about floor staff?

Posted by Joe Elliott (Member # 4006) on 09-01-2008, 10:13 PM:

I once got a call in the booth, that they were sending a girl up to look for some cleaning chemicals. Seams as though she couldn't get the oil smears off of the candy case glass, and one of the employee's told her to just use some 'elbow grease' on it. She then proceeded to find a manager to find out where the elbow grease was kept. They sent her on a grand tour of the theatre. One person would tell her, I saw a can in the marquee room. When she couldn't find it, someone else would suggest another place. I happily sent her down to the electrical room in the front of a theatre (movie wasn't playing yet). That kept us entertained for nearly 45 minutes, until no one could keep a straight face. That was only one of many pranks and goofs we played on her. She usually didn't get any of them.

I've got another one, but it's a long one, involving Farris Bueller's Day Off, and taking a auditorium full of people hostage.

Posted by David Zylstra (Member # 4230) on 09-01-2008, 10:37 PM:

One location gave a newly trained employee the job of "filling" the drinking fountain because it was getting low - they have a picture of him pouring water into the drinking fountain drain.

Another location mentioned "someday we'll show you where the basement is" as a joke in the very first employee meeting, several months later one employee asked a serious question: "actually, where is the basement? no one ever showed me"

Posted by Mike Blakesley (Member # 26) on 09-01-2008, 11:49 PM:

The dumbest question I have ever been asked by an employee is:

"How many dollar bills does it take to make twenty dollars?"

I said, "Uh...twenty?" He slapped his forehead and said "Oh shit...I'm never going to hear the end of this, am I?" I said, "Nope!"

(In fairness, he was really trying to ask how many bills to put in a bundle.)

Posted by Adam Martin (Member # 641) on 09-02-2008, 12:30 AM:

Let's keep the practical jokes to the thread that already exists for that.

Posted by Joe Redifer (Member # 3) on 09-02-2008, 12:41 AM:

I've seen one employee "trailer bowling" in the lobby with old trailers. He was bowling towards the lobby window which separates the lobby from the elements, weather and the such which usually exist outdoors. You can imagine what happened... and it did when one trailer hit a bump or something and jumped into the air.

I've seen them send entire audiences to the wrong auditorium only to have to move everyone once I noticed from the booth that I was about to start a movie to an empty auditorium.

I've heard of them (not witnessed firsthand) say that all of our movies suck and in a sexually lewd way to other employees in front of customers who have yet to by tickets. Lots of stupid employees out there.

I'm sure I have more stories, but I can't remember too much since I generally don't deal with floorstaff.

Posted by Allison Parsons (Member # 2728) on 09-02-2008, 12:48 AM:

I could write a book on this topic, but I have one major complaint on past/present/future CCA staff:

It bugs the [bs]

out of me when the reach their hands into the popcorn bag to open it. I'm not a germ freak by any stretch of the imagination, but please don't reach your hand in someones bag! I grab on of the side of the top of the bag, swing it down and 'pop' it open. Have the customer put their own nasty hand in there while their eating, but don't use yours before hand. yuck.

Posted by Edwin Schwing (Member # 1270) on 09-02-2008, 01:49 AM:

how about when a cell phone was found and correctly sent to the box office where lost and found is to be sent.

A smart employee found the cell phone and correctly gives the said cell phone to the box office cashier.

Said cell phone suddenly disappears!

Customer comes back the next day and asks "said box office cashier" if a cell phone was found. Said box office cashier says that it was, but an employee won't give it back. "said box office cashier" supposidly goes to said employee and actually gets the phone back.

Customer is extremely grateful that the phone was returned. Customer is ecstatic about the fact that she got her phone back. Customer is overwhelmed by the honesty of a certain box office cashier employee.

Find out later that the "certain box office employee" was the one who took the phone in the first place and downloaded $30 worth of music and also downloaded some new software.

Talk about stupid employees!!

E

Maybe we should place a trailer on the film before AND after the film.... "DO NOT LEAVE YOUR WALLET IN THE THEATRE!!!! DO NOT LEAVE YOUR CELL PHONE IN THE THEATRE!! DO NOT LEAVE YOUR KIDS IN THE THEATRE!!!! DO NOT LEAVE THE KEYS TO YOUR CAR AND OR HOUSE IN THE THEATR!!!!

Scope or Flat, it won't work!

Stupid People!!!!

Posted by Justin Hamaker (Member # 2165) on 09-02-2008, 04:01 AM:

Most of my stories involving "stupid" floor staff don't directly relate to the theatre: a senior in high school who didn't know who Anne Frank was, a college student who doesn't know what chronological means, and a hundred others.

Work wise, most of the stupidness involves things like not being able to count change, properly post times, or just failing to use their brain.

However, I do have one that stands out. For whatever reason, my staff has gotten into the habit of referring to window cleaner AND outside kettle cleaner as "blue stuff" (I think this is something that's been passed along since before I got there). One day a crew leader asked a less than bright young lady to clean the windows in the lobby. She asked what to use. The crew leader responded "blue stuff". Fortunately someone stopped her before she went at the windows with kettle cleaner.

I hate to sound like a curmudgeon, but I honestly get the sense schools just aren't teaching kids to think for themselves anymore. I'm not trying to get political, but I think part of this may be the result of No Child Left Behind and teachers teaching for a test.

Posted by Chris Slycord (Member # 4239) on 09-02-2008, 09:31 AM:

quote:
It bugs the [bs] out of me when the reach their hands into the popcorn bag to open it. I'm not a germ freak by any stretch of the imagination, but please don't reach your hand in someones bag!

Related:
I trained a guy who always was putting his hand in the bag to open it and by the end of the shift he was doing it the right way. But the next time I saw him he had resorted to his old way, but at least this time he had stuck on food-handling gloves.

And on stupid staff members. I had a coworker who, when I agreed with her about something and said "I concur" she looked at me and said "I don't know what that means. I don't know big words like you."

And probably on 10 different occasions I used the word "touché" followed by her asking me what it meant. I grew tired of explaining it to her.

Posted by Christopher Crouch (Member # 3784) on 09-03-2008, 03:54 AM:

quote: Allison Parsons
It bugs the out of me when the reach their hands into the popcorn bag to open it.

I once had a customer approach me with a complaint that one of the staff members was licking his fingers while serving food. I assumed it was something like licking his fingers to open bags or seperate bills (which would be bad enough). When I walked over to the concession area I witness the staff member licking his fingers, sticking them in to the unserved popcorn, and then licking them once again; all while serving customers. When confronted, the guy tells me "I like the taste of the salt".

Once caught a staff member, who was trying to carry too much stock at once, tuck a few pretzels under his chin and armpits.

Perhaps, my most jaw dropping moment came when a theatre elevator was out of service, a wheelchair bound customer asked a box office cashier about obtaining access, and the cashier replied "sucks to be you."

Posted by Mike Blakesley (Member # 26) on 09-03-2008, 10:01 AM:

quote: Allison Parsons
It bugs the out of me when the reach their hands into the popcorn bag to open it.

We use buckets - that's a good argument for them...it's one less thing I have to worry about, staffwise.

Posted by Chris Slycord (Member # 4239) on 09-03-2008, 10:02 AM:

Speaking of pretzels,

At my old theater we served Kim & Scott's pretzels (damn those things were fantastic) and had plastic displays of the different flavors/varieties. We had figured that no one would ever serve those because they looked so plastic-y and fake. But one day, a staff member went to give one out.

Another we had pretzel bites that we'd cook up individually. On a really busy day someone would cook up a handful of them and leave them in a warmer already packaged up although normally there was a couple that always stayed in the warmer as a display. We had figured it was obvious they weren't to be served (since they appeared extremely dried out) and that worked fine for a long time until someone actually sold the display. From that point on, the display ones had labels on their tray stating so.

Posted by Andy Frodsham (Member # 4061) on 09-05-2008, 01:13 PM:

Cleaners should not be allowed anywhere near the theatre until the last credits fade!

Most of our audience members watch the film until the VERY end. They would be outraged if we even faded-up the lights to their lowest setting during the end credits!!

Posted by Frank Angel (Member # 248) on 09-06-2008, 07:28 AM:

UA at Sheepshead Bay in Brooklyn not only has their staff come in during the credits to clean, but have no problem chatting with each other even though they are three or four rows from each other so this is not a subdude whisper, but a full-blown converstation even though there were at least half a dozen people who were still sitting through the credits. Incredible.

Justin, it's "No Child Left Behind on the Bus to Stupidville."

Posted by Andrew Bangs (Member # 4938) on 09-07-2008, 01:30 AM:

Fortunately our kids are smart enough to keep there mouths shut while cleaning (even though the do clean While the credit role) but tonight I lost a couple of my cleaners for a good Half hour. After asking around to see where they were and nobody knowing I finally found them out side the back of the building. Apparently they were nice enough to help some old gentle man out the back door of the theatre but when it closed on them they stood there wondering how to open the door to get back in. They thought they could wait a bit for the movie in the next theatre to get out and then get in one of those doors but their plan Backfired as no one left that way. when I asked them why they did not come back around the front they simply said "oh yah".... Kids these days just amaze me!

Posted by Justin Hamaker (Member # 2165) on 09-07-2008, 03:57 PM:

My employees are all taught that they can't go in to clean until everyone has actually left their seats to leave the auditorium. Sometimes they can get in almost the moment the credits roll and sometime they can't get in until the credits are over. But I think I've done a reasonable job of getting them to understand that some people see the credits as part of the movie.

One of the related issues is been teaching the ushers the proper way to call for cleaning crews. Most of the time they want to call for cleaners the moment the first person exits. I try getting them to understand that with a busy movie, it may take a good 4-5 minutes for everyone to get out and if they call for cleaners then the people are just hanging out around the exit doors with their brooms.

Posted by Michael Gonzalez (Member # 593) on 09-07-2008, 05:01 PM:

It would be nice to have the opportunity to wait until after the credits are over to clean the theaters however too many times corporate schedules the next feature to start almost 10 minutes after the previous movie is over (though to be fair, with the gizillion trailers and rolling stock the shows many times end up running longer than where suppose to). The film drops at 6:50 and the next show runs at 7:00. There have been several times where I have had to drop everything but the rolling stock and attach preview in order to get enough time to clean and seat.

[ 09-08-2008, 04:14 PM: Message edited by: Michael Gonzalez ]

Posted by Jeremy Weigel (Member # 4208) on 09-08-2008, 10:28 PM:

I few years ago I had a concessionist (in her early 20's) come over to me while I was selling tickets with a bewildered look on her face while holding a $2 bill. I asked her what was wrong and she proceeded to ask me if the $2 bill was "real". I asked her what exactly did she mean by "real". She then said she had never seen or heard of a $2 bill. I stood there for a moment thinking she was kidding, but I quickly realized that she wasn't. I told her that yes there is such a thing as a $2 bill.

Posted by Chris Slycord (Member # 4239) on 09-08-2008, 10:55 PM:

At least she had the sense to ask about something she'd never seen nor heard of before. I remember a news story of a gas station employee saying to her boss that a guy paid for his $50 of gas with a $200 bill and that she had given him the $150 in change. Obviously it was a fake.

Posted by Jason Whyte (Member # 1433) on 09-09-2008, 01:08 PM:

quote: Frank Angel
UA at Sheepshead Bay in Brooklyn not only has their staff come in during the credits to clean, but have no problem chatting with each other even though they are three or four rows from each other so this is not a subdude whisper, but a full-blown converstation even though there were at least half a dozen people who were still sitting through the credits. Incredible.

I'll go you one further: included in that conversation are the words "fuckin'", "bitch-ass" and "shitty" which some cleaning crews have used while cleaning, and yes there are still people in the auditorium fully within earshot.

This happened for years at the Cattleplex known as Silvercity in Victoria, BC, a stadium seating cinema that is better these days, but ideally not a good place if you want to WATCH movies. Not only were the cleaning crews annoying, but as soon as they got to your aisle they sat around you giving you the evil eye, trying to chat you up to get you to leave.

In fact, one time years ago I went to see a movie and sat for the credits, and a group of 9 or 10 cleaning staff hovered around the entrance, obviously annoyed. As soon as I passed them, not one of them said a word to me and they all snickered laughter as I left the auditorium. Well excuse me for staying until the REAL end of a movie.

They have new management now which seems to have fixed the problem whenever I do go (which is rare). But this and the cranking of the cleaning lights during the credits keeps me away on busy nights.

As for my stupid floor staff story, the worst was when I viewed "Happy Feet" at an IMAX theater here in Victoria. One floor staff member asked me to leave during the credits because he wanted to get the next show in. I refused, saying that my ticket price included the entire film and I would leave when it was over. He then accused me of sneaking into the next show. Some verbal sparring commenced, I then demanded a full refund, he walked away and I went home pissed off as hell. What great customer service!

So yeah, floor staff can be annoying. [Smile]

Jason

Posted by Carl Martin (Member # 1146) on 09-09-2008, 03:10 PM:

what is it with imax theaters? at the one in san francisco, a voice comes on a loudspeaker as soon as the credits start, telling everyone to exit from the top row. apparently it's their policy. assholes!

Posted by Chris Slycord (Member # 4239) on 09-09-2008, 07:58 PM:

While I don't work at an IMAX I'm pretty sure that that's a rule just for that location and/or chain.

This is as logical as saying "What's with 35mm theaters? At the one across town they were rude to me."

Posted by Carl Martin (Member # 1146) on 09-10-2008, 01:29 AM:

just bein' rhetorical an' shit. but that location (the metreon--amc now i think?) has some number of 35mm screens as well. i've never noticed that they interrupt the credits on any of those. (they suck in other ways.)

i suppose i'll have to bart in to dublin some time and see an imax.

Posted by Joe Elliott (Member # 4006) on 09-10-2008, 02:48 PM:

One of the pastimes of the ushers at the first theater I worked at, was something called seat races. They would climb up on the backs of the seats, and run along the tops down to the front of the auditorium. Obviously the seats did not rock. This was back in 86 at an old second run theater. One of the projectionists broke them of that however. Instead of turning them in to the manager. He simply would turn off the lights. It was dangerous, but effective. They quit having seat races.

Posted by Jesse Skeen (Member # 586) on 09-11-2008, 04:53 AM:

Back when I saw "Fantasia 2000" at the then-brand-new Esquire IMAX in Sacramento, some douchebag turned a microphone on and talked when the end credits started. I was pissed as hell but didn't have time to complain because after I had watched the entire movie I had to- get to my job at another theater on time! I've been there a few times afterwards and they haven't done this again, a few times they've even kept the houselights down til the very end. I hope they fired everyone responsible for the talking.

If the floor staff cleans during the movie, a good way to teach them a lesson is when the movie's actually over, dump their garbage can on the floor and say "THAT'S for not waiting til the end!"

Posted by Mike Williams (Member # 1140) on 09-11-2008, 05:37 AM:

I had an employee carry a 50lb bags of popcorn seed from the front to back concessions stand. He picks up the bag and slings it over his shoulder (showing off for the female employees near by) and proudly struts out. Unfortunately, he didn't realize the bag of seed was already open and continues heading for the back concession stand through a crowded lobby... with a very thick trail of seed marking his way behind him. [Eek!]

What made it even funnier was the fact that he later admitted that he actually thought the girls were "checking him out". They were really staring at the seed trail he was leaving behind!
He had dumped almost half the bag before he realized what was really happening.

Posted by Anslem Rayburn (Member # 1267) on 09-11-2008, 07:33 PM:

quote:
If the floor staff cleans during the movie, a good way to teach them a lesson is when the movie's actually over, dump their garbage can on the floor and say "THAT'S for not waiting til the end!"

I hope you're joking, because what you recommend is called vandalism. I would call the police to document it and have you arrested for trespassing if you ever stepped foot in my theater again.

You could always ask to speak to a manager and state your opinion on the matter. That would be the civil way to handle it.

Posted by Jason Whyte (Member # 1433) on 09-12-2008, 09:52 AM:

quote: Jesse Skeen
Back when I saw "Fantasia 2000" at the then-brand-new Esquire IMAX in Sacramento, some douchebag turned a microphone on and talked when the end credits started.

That happens at every IMAX movie at the National Geographic Theater here in Victoria. When they run a feature film, it's roughly five seconds into the first credit.

quote: Anslem Rayburn
I hope you're joking, because what you recommend is called vandalism. I would call the police to document it and have you arrested for trespassing if you ever stepped foot in my theater again.

If you are feeling very limber, find someone's leftover bag of popcorn (seems that every movie I've been to has someone who eats 5% of their expensive corn) and pour it on the floor or aisle. Less vandalism that way. [Smile]

Posted by Dominic Espinosa (Member # 2122) on 09-12-2008, 01:00 PM:

quote:
If you are feeling very limber, find someone's leftover bag of popcorn (seems that every movie I've been to has someone who eats 5% of their expensive corn) and pour it on the floor or aisle. Less vandalism that way. [Smile]

Somebody would have to really grind my gears for me to do that...Having worked every position from usher on up as well as a brief stint in retail it always ticks me off how slobbish people are -- the ones that leave their trash in, on, and around their seat, the ones that put 50 things in their shopping cart and put 45 of them back in some random place.

If you have a problem you feel that adamant about the only solution is to find somebody who cares about their paycheck and let them know how big of an ass they look like because of their workers.

Case in point, a certain pizza chain a while back gave me marinara sauce after putting the cup on the floor to fill it -- right in front of the prep table. After extending the courtesy to the franchise owner by contacting them and reporting the incident I was given credit to the store -- which I really didn't plan on using.
About 2 months later helping an in-law move we decided to use the credit. Not only was the staff sloppier than ever (spotted 2 minor health code violations and 1 fire code violation) they couldn't figure out how to look up credit in their POS.
The manager-on-duty couldn't be bothered to help -- no one knew what they were doing.
I will never go back there again and was quite delighted to turn them into the health department.

And in my experience....have you ever had new employees that always make things harder on themselves?
Ever notice new kids count money by starting with the largest bills first?

Counting a drawer, for example, they almost invariably go "okay, $110 in fives, plus uh, $75 in ones, plus..." and so on. Wouldn't it be easier to start from the quarters up? "one, two, three, four, five," then ones "six...twenty-five", etc.?

And counting change back to the customers? Oh lawdy...

Posted by Michael Gonzalez (Member # 593) on 09-12-2008, 09:16 PM:

How many have worked at theaters where there was a stock room that was only assessable through an auditorum? Like behind a screen. I've seen this at a couple of different locations thankfully none that I personally had to work at.

Posted by Justin Hamaker (Member # 2165) on 09-13-2008, 01:19 PM:

quote: Dominic Espinosa
Wouldn't it be easier to start from the quarters up? "one, two, three, four, five," then ones "six...twenty-five", etc.?

This seems to be almost second nature to me, but almost every assistant I've trained seems to have great difficulty picking it up. They learn it and use it, but they never seem comfortable with it.

As for employees counting change, this one frustrates the hell out of me. I was recently at a Taco Bell where an employee entered $20 on the computer when I handed him a $10. Sure enough, he tried to give me change for a $20. If I had my way, I would disable the amount tender feature on all POS systems.

The other one that drives me crazy is when employees get all flustered because they entered $200 instead of $20 and they think it's going to screw up the register.

Posted by Christopher Crouch (Member # 3784) on 09-13-2008, 06:21 PM:

quote: Michael Gonzalez
How many have worked at theaters where there was a stock room that was only assessable through an auditorum?

I once worked at such a theatre. The large auditorium not only had a primary stock room attached, but also the only access to the second floor (i.e. booth and the employee break room). Worse, both doors had numeric locks that emitted loud beeps and closing mechanisms that slammed the door if you weren't careful. Naturally, there was an issue with staff not minding the door and allowing it to slam. During shift changes, guests were often treated to a door repeatedly beeping, opening a column of light in to the rear of the auditorium, then slamming loudly. And, of course, you had the individuals opening the storage area, searching with flashlights, and hauling out stock. While there was definitely some "stupid staff" involved in this, I place the majority of the blame on whomever designed this idiotic setup.

Posted by Jeremy Weigel (Member # 4208) on 09-13-2008, 08:10 PM:

quote: Justin Hamaker
The other one that drives me crazy is when employees get all flustered because they entered $200 instead of $20 and they think it's going to screw up the register.

As long as they don't give change back for the $200. [Wink]

Posted by Andy Frodsham (Member # 4061) on 09-15-2008, 12:50 AM:

On Saturday, my daughter went with her friend's family to see MAMA MIA at one of our local multiplexes.

When they remained in the theatre to watch the last remaining credits and music, a member of staff came over to them and sternly questioned what they were doing. At one point he suggested they has sneaked-in to see the film!

This was an Odeon theatre (once run by an organisation known for its family-friendly values). I bet Lord Rank is turning in his grave!

Posted by Dominic Espinosa (Member # 2122) on 11-22-2008, 01:22 PM:

quote: Justin Hamaker
If I had my way, I would disable the amount tender feature on all POS systems.

AMEN! Our ticketing system here currently allows you to total out without amt tender for tickets but for concessions it's not an option.
Really a pain because with all these kids being new and most never having worked a register you can teach them to ignore it -- the amt tender feature doesn't exist in their minds then. Oh well.

As a DM I've had the eye-opening experience of working with a lot more people all at once and seeing what kind of staffs there are in general out there and man, I have to say, I am shocked by how low the standards in most organizations are!

I've been told a few times that my standards are too high or that I ask too much of employees (like expecting them to stand when customers approach the box office window, or not read books, text message, play on their laptops while on duty, etc.)

If you consider the standard folks had to adhere to even 20 years ago for much less pay these kids ought to be grateful!

Especially since they don't have to wear those bulky jackets, white gloves, or hats from way back in the day. Which by the way I'd totally bring back if I could.

Honestly, I think the downfall of our society can be blamed on irresponsible parents and the stupid ways we compensate for them (starting with the hippie and boomer generations really) that failed to impart common sense and intelligent manners to their kids. Now those kids are having kids that are borderline incapable of survival without the technology they take for granted.

We've got drugs for everything and harnesses with leashes when we ought to be teaching kids to deal with sh** and not run into the street.

Now I'm not blaming all problems on society of course, I know that a fair amount of my frustrations are due to the fact that I'm young and people don't like taking orders from someone their age or their junior, but I digress...

More and more managers are becoming surrogate parents required to teach their employees fundamentals just to get an honest days work out of them.

Posted by Joe Redifer (Member # 3) on 11-22-2008, 07:24 PM:

quote:
these kids ought to be grateful!

You're gettin' old!

Anyway, kids these days are entitled to having it easier. They are our children, for Science's sake! We don't want them to have to suffer anything too strenuous! Give them what they are entitled to. And yes, they are also entitled to be on your lawn.

I think it is YOU who should be thankful that they even decided to show up at all.

Posted by Brad Allen (Member # 470) on 11-24-2008, 04:21 PM:

quote: Dominic Espinosa
I've been told a few times that my standards are too high or that I ask too much of employees (like expecting them to stand when customers approach the box office window, or not read books, text message, play on their laptops while on duty, etc.)

Definitely should never be allowed.

Posted by Justin Hamaker (Member # 2165) on 11-26-2008, 05:07 AM:

I have a strict policy that employees are not to have their cell phones on them while they are on the clock. I have written up and even fired employees for text messaging while on the clock. I really wish more companies would implement policies like this for any employees who are working face to face with customers.

Posted by Dustin Mitchell (Member # 372) on 11-27-2008, 01:35 AM:

We allow the reading of books during slow times (Monday-Thursday during the school year) but ONLY if all tasks have been completed. In box office especially it would be unreasonable in my opinion not to allow some sort of reading material during slow times. Between 7:15 and 9:15 on weekdays can be very slow. Unless you want to allow your box office person to leave their station to do cleaning chores-which I suppose would be possible depending on your theatre's layout and location-what do you expect them to do for the hour and a half to two hours they won't be serving a single customer.

That being said, lines must be drawn. We have a strict policy of one book only, no backpacks, no homework (when you allow homework eventually their workspace will turn into a 'study desk' with notebooks, binders, and textbooks spread all over the place). Books must be put away IMEDIATELY when a customer approaches or if a member of management tells the employee to put the book away. It has also been made clear that being able to read when it is slow is a privilage and not a right and can be revoked if abused.

Floor staff should not be allowed to have cell phones on the floor, period. I have heard of people using their cell phone cameras to take pictures of credit card numbers, etc. Laptops would also be going to far in my opinion.

Posted by Louis Bornwasser (Member # 3063) on 11-27-2008, 11:18 AM:

White Castle rules: the hamburger chain:

You are helping a customer
You are cooking
You are cleaning
You are clocking out
OR
You are fired.

Really good rules for every cinema.Imagine how clean they would be!!!! Louis

Posted by Chris Slycord (Member # 4239) on 11-27-2008, 11:28 AM:

quote: Dustin Mitchell
It has also been made clear that being able to read when it is slow is a privilage and not a right and can be revoked if abused.

Exactly. At my old theater we had some people who abused the privilege and had been bringing out stuff like Cosmopolitan magazines (which I wouldn't have much problem with but the guests complained about them being inappropriate). So they were like "Be careful what you bring out there; we don't want comments" whereas with me the only comments I got were people seeing my computer or math textbooks and striking up a conversation about either subject (since the Seattle area has it's share of computer nerds).

Posted by Marc Hansen (Member # 705) on 11-27-2008, 03:58 PM:

Remember the old saying:

If you have time to lean, you have time to clean.

Posted by Dustin Mitchell (Member # 372) on 11-28-2008, 12:01 AM:

I will repeat and clarify-if your theatre layout/location makes it practical for your box office person to leave their position and do lobby cleaning when it is slow, great. If your layout prevents this or if it would be a significant security issue and your box person must remain in box at all times, what do you expect them to do when there aren't customers?! Things I can think of to do in box:

1) wipe down counters
2) clean glass
3) sweep and mop floor
4) Durrr......

I'm willing to change my mind on this, but I honestly can't think of a reason not to allow box employees to read a book when there are no customers about and all their tasks have been completed.

Posted by Dominic Espinosa (Member # 2122) on 11-28-2008, 12:57 PM:

quote: Dustin Mitchell

1) wipe down counters
2) clean glass
3) sweep and mop floor
4) Durrr......

5) Read the synopsis sheets so you have more than a blank expression to offer the inquisitive guests.
6) Organize the stationary/supplies/cabinets under the counters
7) Update the reader board when practical (changeover days only)
8) Prepare the marquee change (figure reusable letters for each panel based on titles coming down/going up, again changeover days only)
9) Fill out the "who's working today" (or similar) sheet

I'm sure there are other things that could be lumped in.
With my current chain only half the locations have dedicated box offices. One of which uses theirs all the time, during the weekdays we use an extra register at the con stand for the other location.

The one with the all-the-time box office is never really "dead" as we've spread the shows out sufficiently that there is never a break longer than 40 minutes and there are only a couple of those per day.

I think in general the dedicated box office is the way to go if business volume permits. And if that's the case then there should be enough work that they don't need something to keep them busy.

My opinion is simply that when someone walks up, guest, potential guest, person cruising the street whose eye was caught by something in our window they should look in and see a friendly, attentive employee.
No guest should feel like they're inconveniencing the person they're about fork over their money with their petty request to be entertained.

Unfortunately most box office cashiers, unless rigidly trained to begin with, will not be the snap-to-attention individuals that create that friendly, attentive atmosphere that really should be the gimmick that draws people to the theater rather than some b/s like DLP or whirling dervishes or whatever the trend is.

Posted by Chris Slycord (Member # 4239) on 11-28-2008, 01:20 PM:

The thing is, those items (aside from the stuff for days when movies/times change) should take all of a couple minutes tops (unless organizing a closet takes a long time, in which case the employee and you should be miffed that no one else does their job).

And if a person is attentive AND reading a book, a conversation can be struck up about the particular book/topic.

Further, if you feel that most people are inattentive in general unless they're trained properly, don't you think the books in the box office aren't the problem? If an inattentive jerk has his book removed, he/she is still an inattentive jerk. Just because they don't have a book doesn't mean they are organizing things like they should.

In short: taking away a book doesn't make someone trained properly.

Posted by Dominic Espinosa (Member # 2122) on 12-15-2008, 02:14 PM:

quote: Chris Slycord
In short: taking away a book doesn't make someone trained properly.

I agree.

And I realize I sound really draconian sometimes.

The fact is, if I let someone do their homework or read Newsweek I still have to field the griping from the ones that don't see why they can't read Maxim or GraffitiWritingSkatePunk Weekly or whatever.
It's a battle I've grown tired of having.

Not to mention in a competitive market it detracts from the sharp presentation when the cashier has to stop what he/she is doing to help the customer.

And once again you have a non-engaged appearance from your first staff impression -- alluring to would-be robbers.

In a smaller operation it can work, no doubt. And I don't expect someone to stand at attention during a 2 hour break between sets.

I do see, understand, and to a point agree with you, Chris.

I'm just saying what I've experienced. And that is simply this is the inch before the mile so to speak.

Posted by Dustin Mitchell (Member # 372) on 12-15-2008, 03:04 PM:

Every theatre is different. I certainly am not advocating letting box staff read books everywhere as some sort of right. If the situation was such that it would be reasonable (in my view) to not allow it, I would in a heartbeat. As I said, we don't pay them to read books.

Posted by Scott D. Neff (Member # 185) on 12-17-2008, 06:32 PM:

Another reason to keep books and magazines away is that employees that are skimming can stick their take in a book/magazine and walk off with the rationalization that "If I get caught, I can tell them the $20-bill must've blown in there from the box office window." It makes little to no sense, but it makes a dishonest cashier feel better because they didn't just take it and stick it in their pocket.

Posted by Chris Slycord (Member # 4239) on 12-17-2008, 06:48 PM:

If they're willing to do that they're willing to steal period. Plus, a set of security cameras can help with that.

Posted by Scott D. Neff (Member # 185) on 12-18-2008, 06:39 PM:

I agree with the cameras, but sometimes owners can't afford the $3-$4000 it takes to do it.

Posted by John Wilson (Member # 269) on 12-18-2008, 10:46 PM:

quote: Scott D. Neff
I agree with the cameras, but sometimes owners can't afford the $3-$4000 it takes to do it.

Wow...you need to get another quotation. [Eek!]

You don't need 10 cameras...just one pointed in the appropriate direction will make them think twice.

Posted by Chris Slycord (Member # 4239) on 12-19-2008, 09:21 AM:

Heck, if the workers are "kept in the dark" the camera wouldn't even have to work to be effective. [Smile]

Posted by Justin Hamaker (Member # 2165) on 12-19-2008, 10:48 AM:

I've been known to use the cameras to track down employees who don't properly redeem gift certificates or otherwise fail to do their job. I find that every now and then the staff needs a reminder that they are on camera.

Posted by Scott D. Neff (Member # 185) on 12-19-2008, 10:56 AM:

I don't know about you guys, but are you sitting in front of a monitor watching your cameras all day? Or are you swapping video tapes each day before you start? A DVR+6 cameras is about $6000.

And the minute somebody steals from underneath the watchful eye of a dummy camera is the minute EVERYBODY finds out about how the camera doesn't work, or if it does, nobody ever checks it.

Cameras are only a deterrent up to a certain point, after that they need to be used as a tool to figure out why the numbers went screwy. For that you need good quality cameras positioned so you can see what the cashier is doing to their computer, as well as cross shots to see what's happening around them. And there's no point in having a camera on your Box Office cashier if you don't have one on your ticket taker. And since you don't make your money in the Box Office, you'd be stupid not to have some on your snack bar cashiers. You can't very well just put ONE camera out on the entire snack bar, you'll never see anything useful. Believe me, I've used a camera system that had one camera aimed at the snack bar and it did NOTHING.

Posted by Justin Gorka (Member # 3727) on 12-19-2008, 03:14 PM:

Tell me the picture's out of rack when the slide show's on. Tell me there's somthing wrong with the sound when the show doesn't start for an hour, aske me to fix the bloody popper (which I ocasionaly do just before the engineer arives just to showhim how shit he is). Deaf loop isn't working....we have IR! I could go on all week!