Motion Picture Herald (Oct-Dec 1956)

BIG WELCOME FOR PATRONS (Continued from page 15) The doorman must also have at his finger tips all information relative to schedule times and coming attractions, as well as the methods of handline lost O and found articles for which people may call. He, as well as the cashier, should try at all times to know where the manager and his assistant are in case they are needed for any reason. (The manager should be careful to make his presence known to them and advise them where he can be located when he moves about the theatre or goes outside, if he wants this system to be effective.) Sometimes people will ask to be allowed to go in and look for someone, or to use the restrooms. Courtesy dictates that they be allowed to do so provided this privilege is not abused. Likewise, patrons desiring to leave the theatre for a few minutes (to put a coin in the parking meter, etc.) need to have some means of identification for returning in case another doorman may be on duty. Usual ly a punched or marked ticket stub suffices, though your own theatre may use some other method. By all means follow the accepted poli cy, if it be in effect in your house, ol tearing tickets and returning a stub to each patron. By so doing you can never be accused of holding out and reselling tickets! Naturally this is a most serious offense for it is tantamount to stealing, as admission to the show is basically what the theatre has to sell. All of this adds up to a common-sense approach to the psychological problem of dealing with many different people. Remember, therefore, that courtesy pays off in very real dividends, and your personal knowledge of the names and habits of your patrons will soon mark you for eventual promotion. Keep up the habit of smiling. No one comes to the theatre to be surrounded by gloom. People want 10 be entertained. And the first requisite is that they be made to feel as honored, welcome guests. FOR THE USHERS Neat appearance, shined shoes and well-pressed uniforms go a long way towards creating a good impression for the floor staff, but nothing will take the place of a smiling personality in making patrons feel at home. Move briskly, do not dawdle in walking up and down the aisles as this is disconcerting to those watching the picture. Keep your aisles clean, kicking popcorn boxes out of the way or picking them up and depositing them in a trash can. It's most important to report any defects in carpets, seats or lighting which comes to your attention. When there is a rip in the carpet, report it now to the management so corrective action may be taken before someone stumbles and falls down, with a lawsuit against the theatre as a possibility. Broken seats, likewise, should be reported before someone’s clothing is torn. Chewing gum should be removed immediately from seats, or the seat roped off so no one can sit in it until the gum has been removed. (Incidentally, some of the new gum remover which theatres now are using must he used very cautiously on patron’s clothing as the new synthetic fabrics may not take it. Test a small piece first where it will not show; you may find that the fabric dissolves under the gum remover!) Dead aisle lights present a hazard of sorts and should be mentioned so that the electrician can change the lamp first thing in the morning. Since the ushers do not have a schedule to refer to, they must memorize show times for each change of pictures so that they, too, have this information at hand when a patron requests it. Nowadays, a primary problem facing ushers seems to be that of “policing” the aisles, to keep down noise, slow down the heavy necking parties, and make the teenagers (and some adults) keep their feet off the seats. Most patrons will respond to polite suggestions that these things be done. If they do not on the second warning, then the matter should be brought to the attention of the Chief Usher. If he cannot deal with the unruly patron, the manager should be promptly notified. One of the most serious police problems in a theatre involves men who molest young children, girls and women, even other men. Proving such charges is often very difficult, unless the patron who has been molested is willing to press charges, and all too often they withdraw their charges later rather than appear in court. The situation should be reported to the management immediately so that lie either can call the police or can deal with the matter personally. What the usher should look for is men who change their seats time after time, moving close to children, girls, or women. The homosexual usually tries to make an approach in the restrooms or lobby, where it can be covered up as casual conversation. This is not something for the usher to deal with; it should be reported promptly to the management for action. In those cases in which patrons register complaints of any nature with the ushers, they should he conducted to the manager, if possible, so that he may receive the complaint direct and take whatever action may be indicated to retain the patron’s goodwill. If the patron will not go to the manager under your gentle prodding, then the complaint itself should be transmitted by you to the manager as soon as possible. Remember always to render service with a smile! And that the customer is always right. . . . Well, almost always. FOR SNACKBAR ATTENDANTS Yours is essentially a business within a business. To you also falls the responsibility of rendering fast, courteous service to theatre patrons. Should you, 01 anyone else in the chain of contacts with patrons as they enter the theatre, antagonize one of them, either deliberately or inadvertently, that person’s entire opinion of the theatre might be changed and his or her anticipation of a good show could be changed to irritation and faultfinding with everything the theatre has to offer. And that is the sort of thing which encourages people to stay home and watch free television! Refreshment sales should be handled quickly and in the order in which the patrons approach, when that is possible. In the crush of a “break,” that is difficult to determine, and it is then you must “charm” your way out of situations where you are accused of selling out of turn. Never sell stale or questionable merchandise. If such a question exists, let the manager determine the course of action. Likewise, turn over to him any G complaints. One of the regrettable charges made against the young ladies who handle refreshment sales is that they are sometimes inclined to become temperamental, talking back to patrons in an irritable manner. The best sales girls are able to control their tempers, even under severe provocation, and you should strive to put yourself above argument and hide any irritation which you may feel. If you cannot “smile your way” out of an unpleasant situation, refer it to the manager and let him deal with the complainant. Girls at the refreshment stand should also have theatre schedules handy for reference. adequate change on hand so that no one has to wait for it, and always be neatly uniformed, with clean hands. In this issue we have taken up the problem of service as seen from front house operation. Next month we will go behind the scenes and observe how equal responsibility for good service rests on those who do not come in such close contact with the public. 20 MOTION PICTURE HERALD, OCTOBER 13, 1956