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Author Topic: Ticket Kiosk Kristin Wahlund Film Handler Posts: 92 From: Eagan, MN Registered: Jul 2001 posted 12-02-2003 08:33 PM                     We recently had a ticket Kiosl added to our box office where you can purchase tickets with a credit/check card. I personally think this is a poor idea. we are constantly having problems with under-age kids and rated R movies, and parents who continually attempt to purchase tickets for their kids despite our policy. I really don't see the kiosk as a good thing. i personally tried it, and found i was able to buy childrens tickets to any R rated film of my choice. I can only see this machine as something that will be abused by the dishonest and cheap people in our community (which is plenty since even our kids tickets are 5.50 and adults are 8.00). I really think it was a poor idea.  |  IP: Logged Adam Martin I'm not even gonna point out the irony. Posts: 3686 From: Dallas, TX Registered: Nov 2000 posted 12-02-2003 08:51 PM                     I always just had my ticket taker card people a second time. And sometimes they got carded a third time if I had someone watching the theater entrance.  |  IP: Logged Jason Black Phenomenal Film Handler Posts: 1723 From: Myrtle Beach, SC, USA Registered: Nov 2000 posted 12-02-2003 08:57 PM                        Adam, Having a person checking for ID's at the door is fine and dandy, assuming the fact that you have the overhead leeway to add to your payroll. What happens when you're on shift with a minimum staff and kids or adults alike, are buying tickets for incorrect ratings or incorrect times? The only kiosk that warrants a lobby location is at ATM machine if you ask me. Or, perhaps, a kiosk staffed by experienced personnel giving showtimes, film information, answering phones, etc... Again, it comes down to the additional payroll expense. The 'information central' type kiosk proves more of a benefit IMO. If normally manned by a member of management, patrons will always know where to find a manager shoudl the need arise. Then again, YMMV...  |  IP: Logged Adam Martin I'm not even gonna point out the irony. Posts: 3686 From: Dallas, TX Registered: Nov 2000 posted 12-02-2003 09:24 PM                     If you have automated ticketing and no ticket taker, what's to stop someone from walking up to the machine, playing like they're buying a ticket, and walk into their movie without actually making a purchase? There are lots of things wrong with that scenario. Exactly what is the purpose of having a kiosk if the theater isn't busy enough to justify the expense? In that case, yes, it's dumb idea. At any rate, what are kids doing using the machine anyway? You have to be 18 to have a credit card. No wait. They have those stupid teach-your-children-to-build-up-debt credit cards. Nevermind my last question.  |  IP: Logged Steve Kraus Film God Posts: 4094 From: Chicago, IL, USA Registered: May 2000 posted 12-02-2003 09:50 PM                    The machine is a means by which tickets are sold; same as the box office. You're talking about R not NC-17 so it is perfectly permissible for either the machine or the box to sell children's tickets for such films, right? The problem is that they are not to attend without a parent or guardian. The box office won't sell to unaccompanied kids but that hasn't stopped parents from sometimes buying tickets with no intent on attending themselves. So the ultimate filter is still the ticket taker and sometimes someone posted at the auditorium entry. That's the case with or without an ABO (automated box office) machine. You do have a bit of a filter in that CC among kids is not that common. You could add an appropriate sign at the machine: Persons under 17 must be accompanied by a parent or guardian to R-rated films regardless of whether ticket is purchased here or at the box office. No refunds will be given to those who violate this policy.  |  IP: Logged John Scott Master Film Handler Posts: 252 From: Oakdale, MN, USA Registered: Jul 2000 posted 12-03-2003 12:34 AM                     What we do to help the ticket taker, who is required to card if he/she isn't sure that it was done at the box office, is to use a different colored card stock in the kiosk (we use gray on white ticket stock for the box office, pink on white for the kiosk). That way if the ticket taker sees that the ticket is pink on white they must make sure to card since the person hasn't been carded at the box office. A easy way to solve the problem of kids trying to sneak in using the kiosk.  |  IP: Logged Mike Spaeth Phenomenal Film Handler Posts: 1129 From: Marietta, GA Registered: Jul 2000 posted 12-03-2003 01:51 AM                        The kiosk should easily be programmed to not allow a child ticket purchased to a rated-R film unless an Adult ticket is purchased in the same transaction. Plus, any intelligent door-man cards a second time at the door anyways.  |  IP: Logged Charles Everett Phenomenal Film Handler Posts: 1470 From: New Jersey Registered: May 2001 posted 12-03-2003 10:59 AM                     The AMC Hamilton and the AMC Clifton Commons put their Swift Ticket kiosks in full view of the box office. That way the cashier can see if there's funny business going on. Most people have trouble with the Swift Ticket because they don't insert the credit card properly (card face up and to the right). Blame the manufacturer in part -- the instructions are not always labeled clearly. John Scott also brought up a good point: quote: What we do to help the ticket taker, who is required to card if he/she isn't sure that it was done at the box office, is to use a different colored card stock in the kiosk At the AMC Hamilton, tickets from the regular box office are orange/orange and tickets from the Swift Ticket are yellow/green.  |  IP: Logged Jack Ondracek Film God Posts: 2348 From: Port Orchard, WA, USA Registered: Oct 2002 posted 12-03-2003 11:09 AM                        Going a bit further with Mike's idea: Why not just prevent the kiosk from selling R-rated tickets altogether & force those sales over to the boxoffice? Surely, if it's needed in the first place, a kiosk can be kept busy enough up to PG13? The lightened load on the boxoffice person should compensate for having to sell ALL the r-rated tickets personally.  |  IP: Logged Ian Price Phenomenal Film Handler Posts: 1714 From: Denver, CO Registered: Jun 99 posted 12-03-2003 01:47 PM                     I have a friend whose name will go unmentioned, that uses the ticket Kiosk at the Sony Metreon in San Francisco. He always get the senior priced ticket even though he is 39-years-old. He has never been called on it by a ticket taker. If I were a ticket taker, I wouldn't care either. My grandmother in NYC, for years refused the senior discount on the city bus because she thought it was rude to ask for a discount while wearing a 60-year-old, second hand, Mink Coat. Finally, about the time she was 80, the bus drivers told her, "Look lady, you're a senior, get over it!"  |  IP: Logged Ron Keillor Expert Film Handler Posts: 166 From: Vancouver, B.C. Canada Registered: Jul 2003 posted 12-03-2003 03:31 PM                     An enjoyable moment can be had when under-agers are ejected from the theatre because "uncle", who bought the tickets at the ABO that they paid him cash for, is no longer present. The ABO tickets refunds must be made to the same card used...  |  IP: Logged John Pytlak Film God Posts: 9987 From: Rochester, NY 14650-1922 Registered: Jan 2000 posted 12-03-2003 08:48 PM                        Even if their "uncle" was present, why would you ever give a refund?  |  IP: Logged Blake Zaugg Film Handler Posts: 57 From: Lafayette, LA Registered: Sep 2002 posted 12-03-2003 10:36 PM                     Jack, that is a great idea. (No rated r tickets at the kiosk) Nonetheless the usher should always ID at the door. Durring the show when the usher is doing walk throughs, they can usually pick out the under agers too. The excuse I love from under agers when I tell them to leave is..."But I have ticket!" I say "Yes you do, too bad it's no good, now get out."  |  IP: Logged Kristin Wahlund Film Handler Posts: 92 From: Eagan, MN Registered: Jul 2001 posted 12-06-2003 02:43 PM                     first of all its not just about r rated films, but there are plenty of dishonst people around who complain about pricing and will probably purchase childrens tickets for themselves regardless of movie. another thing about the ticket taker doing the carding... we can't discriminate when we hire employees. thus we do have some "slower" people whom take tickets as that is probably the only job they can do (as one of them requires to be seated and other cannot make change). So really they are not reliable to be checking for such things when they are tearing the tickets. thats just the way it is.  |  IP: Logged John Scott Master Film Handler Posts: 252 From: Oakdale, MN, USA Registered: Jul 2000 posted 12-06-2003 04:24 PM                     That isn't necessarily correct Kristin. If the person can not perform the standards of the job (and these standards have been communicated at the time that employment is being considered) you are not required to hire them. It isn't discrimination if through reasonable accomodation (allowing a chair, or making an area wheelchair accessable, etc.) a person still can't perform the required tasks of a job. That being said if a person is then still hired with management knowing they can not fulfill the standards of the position, then management needs to sleep in the bed that they have made for themselves as it is there fault they are in the situation.  |  IP: Logged

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