Improving Customer Service in Theatres
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Every day millions of people around the nation visit their local movie theatre. In 2015 over a billion people made their way into their nearest cinema to gather with friends and family to enjoy some of the finest entertainment the world has ever seen. Over this wide range of attendance and immeasurable diversity in audience, they all share a common factor. They all had interactions with theatre employees, fellow members of their community and groups of staff with which they’ ve built relationships and rapport. At an establishment where the employees at concessions are the first and last faces they see, customer service is everything.
For these one billion attendees the key to pushing their experience from average to extraordinary can be as simple as a few steps. If they’ re a regular attendee at the theatre greeting them by name will solidify to them and their guests that they are valued there. For those few minutes that they’ re at your register they feel as thought they’ ve garnered your respect simply by walking through the door. If you’ re unfamiliar with them right away, use your resources! Our theatre has a wonderful rewards program where the patrons name is available on screen as soon as your run their card. Greet them by name and let them know you’ re excited to have them there.
Modern theaters as we know them are product stemming from the golden age of dinner theatre. With many theaters reaching back to this age providing gourmet and local concessions at the customers request as they enjoy their films, even theaters that don’ t have a full service kitchen or menu can still provide that hand delivered concession experience to customers. If a patron is ordering a hot item, allow them to take their seat and offer to bring it in to them. It’ s such a simple gesture that undoubtedly improves customer experience and allows your theatre to compete with larger full service theaters.
Finally having a staff member greet members
70 • ShowTime Preview Guide – Spring 2017