What's New? (Jan-Feb 1973)

SANTA CLAUS FOR “REAL” WITH THE MISS FAMOUS PLAYERS THEATRE PANEL For their last meeting of the ‘72 season, December 16th, the Toronto Miss Famous Players Theatre Panel, 108 girls, representatives of some 80 secondary schools throughout the Metro Joronto area, decided they would like to hear a “‘real’’ Santa Claus as guest speaker tell them of his experiences with the kiddies. Pursuing this thought further, in the true spirit of Christmas, they suggested each member attending bring a toy suitably wrapped to place under the theatre Christmas Tree to be presented by Santa to a representativé from an underprivileged area of the city. Talk as you will about the present day generation, you haven't lived until you have become seriously involved and an active participant with a typical group of young folk, and by typical your reporter means the vast majority of them. They are the ones who do not hit the headlines. After the usual ‘‘coffee and donuts get-acquainted” period at 9:30 a.m., the girls at this age are usually diffident and this gives them an opportunity to mingle and get to know each other, they screened SNOWBALL EXPRESS. . .tremendous response. The screening was followed by the appearance of Santa Claus in full regalia (costume worth something like $500! ) thanks to the fine co-operation of The Robert Simpson Company, a leading Toronto department store. Initially programmed for a 20-minute guest speaker slot in a most informal gathering at the front of the auditorium, Santa regaled the girls for half an hour with interesting anecdotes from his experiences having personally talked to over 5,000 youngsters and parents from his throne spot at Simpson’s Toyland. The girls became intensely interested and kept Santa for another three quarters of an hour in an informal rap session! They sure asked a lot of questions. Other guests of honour for this meeting included Mrs. R. Gibbons and her family representing the Jamestown Community Improvement Association who received the seventy odd gifts from Santa on behalf of the girls. We approached the Metro Toronto Christmas Bureau for help in securing the name of a deserving group to receive the gifts and were fortunate to be steered onto Mrs. R. Gibbons who proved to be a gracious representative of the Jamestown Community Improvement Association. Through their good offices many children in the area had a visit from ‘Santa Claus’’ on Christmas Eve who might well have missed out altogether. It’s a strange paradox but it isn’t always easy to find the right avenue for giving, and receiving. But this was it. To wind this up though, and to paraphrase a recent statement from Reader’s Digest, ‘‘When the good Lord decided who would need help this season and who would be in a position to help, He permitted me to be among the givers! ’’ Representative group of theatre panel members pose with Santa as he presents their gifts to Mrs. R. Gibbons and family, committee member of the Jamestown Improvement Association, who graciously accepts. F.P. Theatre Panel executives Cathy O'Keefe, left, and Panel Queen Jennifer Thorpe are assisted by ye editor in placing Christmas Gifts under tree at the T. D. Centre for their Christmas Theatre Party. Panel members contributed some seventy presents for underprivileged children. ooo oO Oo oo The Adage “The Customer isalways Right” | THIS IS A GREAT BUSINESS. Look at all the enjoyment we have meeting and dealing with the showgoing public. Boy it’s hard at times to keep your cool and hold your tongue, but we all know that ‘’THE CUSTOMER IS ALWAYS RIGHT”. It is always better to swallow our pride than to provoke an argument. It is so easy to say the wrong thing, or to express yourself incorrectly which only upsets the patron perhaps to the point where he does not enjoy himself .. and remember WE ARE SELLING ENTERTAINMENT. D. A. Gow You must think it is very easy for us to make these statements as we don’t have any experience in actually dealing with today’s public, but quite honestly you are wrong because we are the ones who receive the irate ‘phone calls, the letters, etc. from the patron who has been upset; and nine times out of ten if the patron had been treated in a courteous and friendly manner no complaint would have been lodged. We have to remember also that it is only the very few who lodge their complaint the others just stop coming to our theatres. GOOD PUBLIC RELATIONS ARE ESSENTIAL IN OUR BUSINESS TODAY. Let’s as a team all try harder in 1973 and do our utmost to see that each and every person who attends our theatres enjoys himself and leaves with the desire to return. We spend thousands of dollars to attract people into our theatres and this can all be lost by just one wrong word or deed. The new incentive rental plan which was given birth at our last regional meeting created a lot of interest and encouragement among Our Managers, as it was a stimulant according to the successful results obtained at the following theatres: BONAVENTURE LONGUEUIL DORVAL MONKLAND FAIRVIEW PV. M. GRANADA, Montreal GRANADA, Sherbrooke VERSAILLES Rental Incentive“On the Go” In the Provence of Quebec M. PHANEUF LAVAL WESTMOUNT SQUARE Among the most outstanding rentals is a 26-week agreement with the COOP GROCERS LTD. of Sherbrooke, for presentation of a film every Saturday morning at 9:30 a. m. at the GRANADA, and eventually a renewal for another period of 26 weeks. This is due to the initiative of René Robitaille, its manager, and should prove beneficial, as it keeps the name of the theatre in the minds of both parents and children. A detail not to be overlooked: publicity paid by the COOP GROCERS LTD. Louis Pappas, Manager of the GRANADA Theatre in Montreal, wrote to eight elementary schools in his district and proposed his theatre for presentation of students’ programs in the morning, and the result was that two schools had pre-Christmas shows which yielded considerable income. Oscar Richards, Manager of the MONKLAND Theatre, sold a preChristmas and a pre-New Year Saturday morning show for children to sponsors in N. D. G., where children were given free tickets for the show. Both sponsors organized the publicity and both Saturday mornings proved to be lucrative, despite the handicaps of a snowstorm. Let’s hope more managers will boost the project so that it will continue to be successful all year. This extra 15°/o0 commission is well worth the extra effort. Patrons! Friends or Enemies...? In this article, | would like to discuss the ever-increasing number of patron complaints, both written and verbal, being received at Head Office. In most cases, we find that the complaint has been directed to us because the patron encountered a disinterested attitude, or a rude response, when they attempted to discuss their problem at the theatre. While we have no objection to handling these complaints (Jim Cameron and | have met some of the sweetest old ladies on these calls) | suggest to you that there are many advantages in having complaints resolved at the theatre level. First, you have an opportunity to get to know the patron involved, and to make a friend by giving them an understanding and courteous audience. Some of my best patron friendships commenced when | was approached with a complaint. Second, if you resolve the complaint, the patron will go home happy, will become your goodwill ambassador, and will return to see your program .in the future. If the patron encounters disinterest, indifference or rudeness, it is almost certain that they will become ‘‘poison pen’, and they will hardly become regular box-office supporters. You must be courteous and diplomatic when dealing with a patron complaint. Even if the patron is wrong, you never say so. If he is right, and you admit it, you make a friend for life. If he is wrong, (he will know it as well as you), and you extend a courteous hearing and an understanding solution, you will have them talking to themselves. Either way, you have a friend anything else makes an enemy. Next time, see how much fun it is -apologize where necessary, slip “92°2000000000000000000 00 ITS UP TO YOU! by LES MITCHELL N them a pass, and send them home happy. The only disadvantage is that it will take you a lot longer to develop that ulcer you are working on.