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Author Topic: Dealing with a stupid doorman Richard Greco Phenomenal Film Handler Posts: 1180 From: Plant City, FL Registered: Nov 2003 posted 06-19-2004 04:13 PM                     Ok, I'm sure all of you know about the scene at the end of Dodgeball. I mistakenly told the doorman about it and now he won't stop telling customers about it. I asked him to PLEASE stop telling them because it hinders our cleaning of the theatre. He won't budge. I tried telling the manager and all I was told was that I did the same thing for Shrek 2. There is a difference here. Shrek 2's scene was approx 2 minutes in the credits. This scene is after the credits are over. We have only 15 minuted of turnaround for this movie. We have 5 shows a day. I am getting blown off by the manager and today me and the doorman had a arguing match. He seems to think that the manager TOLD him to. I'm at a loss. I'm so pissed!!! What do I do?  |  IP: Logged Robert Stawiarski Film Handler Posts: 62 From: MW Registered: Aug 2003 posted 06-19-2004 04:52 PM                    Once you make it known that you do not want him to mention it to customers -- especially getting into an arguing match -- you can bet he will be telling every customer to stay till the end of the credits just for spite, considering the manager is on his side. Is it the norm to have short intermission times requiring cleaning to be done at the beginning of the credits as opposed to the very end? My advice: let it go. If the manager does not think there is a problem, then clean faster and work harder to meet the turnaround time. I would not spend my hours getting angry about a situation that you tried to remedy already, or getting into further arguments with that employee. Besides, Dodgeball will tank after two weeks anyways. Are you a manager there? If so, I thought it was a common rule that managers back up other managers in front of their employees at all costs, instead of letting an employee pit one manager against another. Then, of course, working out any disagreements in private. Is this your GM you are talking about or just another assistant? If it is just another assistant, talk to the GM. If it is the GM, he must see you as a routine complainer to act apathetic to your concerns as you described... in that case, there is a larger problem that just turnaround times.  |  IP: Logged Eric Hooper Jedi Master Film Handler Posts: 532 From: Fort Worth, TX, USA Registered: May 2003 posted 06-19-2004 05:02 PM                     You need to schedule a longer intermission 'turnaround'.  |  IP: Logged Jason Burroughs Jedi Master Film Handler Posts: 654 From: Allen, TX Registered: Jun 99 posted 06-19-2004 05:52 PM                     Richard, I don't know what your position is at your theater, be it floor staff, projectionist, etc. But clearly there are some issues in your theater. You have spoken of staff defecating in the auditoriums, projectionist that seem to not care about the presentation, and now getting into yelling matches with other staff. Personally it sounds like your theater is pretty darn close to the 2nd layer of hell, and I don't understand why you choose to continue to work there if they're as bad as you say they are. However one important thing to realize during your time there is that unless you are the general manger, its not your place to resolve these issues. As a manager they are entitled to make decisions that you may not like, or employee other staff members that you do not like, or appreciate their "style" or work ethic. If the manager said that the doorman can tell customers about a clip at the end of the credits, then guess what, HE CAN, wether you like it or not. I hate to sound cross, but you have posted several message asking about what to do with different situations, and each time the answer could basically be surmised into 2 parts: 1. Nothing 2. Leave Not knowing you or your work ethic, I can only surmise from your posts that you do seem to care about what goes on at your theater, and only want things to be better. Clearly management does not seem to agree with your feelings. Instead of suffering though further agrivation I would start to seek employment at other locations, turn in a notice and leave on as good as terms as possible. Good Luck  |  IP: Logged Phil Hill I love my cootie bug Posts: 7595 From: Hollywood, CA USA Registered: Mar 2000 posted 06-19-2004 05:58 PM                  Dear Diary: Since Richard seems to bitch about everything, me thinks there should be a separate category just for him and his "problems"... >>> Phil  |  IP: Logged Jason Burroughs Jedi Master Film Handler Posts: 654 From: Allen, TX Registered: Jun 99 posted 06-19-2004 06:01 PM                     Ok, now I'm totally creeped out, I was just thinking the same thing as Phil. Now to go drink some Borax and hope this goes away  |  IP: Logged Mike Pennell Expert Film Handler Posts: 150 From: Tucson, AZ, USA Registered: Apr 2003 posted 06-19-2004 06:06 PM                     Richard, maybe it has to do with how you ask these people to do things. Take a look at yourself and figure out what you are doing wrong and try to fix that. It might be your leadership qualities. I think Eisenhower said it best... "its easier to pull a rope than to push it." If its a major screw up with the scheduling have the doorman help you with the cleaning so he experiences the problem or ask the gm if you can remove a trailer or two to alleviate some of the rush.  |  IP: Logged Phil Hill I love my cootie bug Posts: 7595 From: Hollywood, CA USA Registered: Mar 2000 posted 06-19-2004 06:14 PM                  That's OK Jason, Great minds run in the same gutter... >>> Phil  |  IP: Logged Steve Kraus Film God Posts: 4094 From: Chicago, IL, USA Registered: May 2000 posted 06-19-2004 06:35 PM                    It's bad to relate to customers a bit of knowledge that will enhance their enjoyment of the film and the perceived value they obtained by spending money at your business? I strongly disagree. Sure, cookies ought to come as a surprise (what was the film where someone asks "You're still here? It's over! Go home! or something similar) and reward for those who stayed but in this case it's a significant bit of entertainment that folks would be missing out on. I vote with the doorman. Nothing wrong with clueing people in. If that's a problem for you too bad. They should have scheduled longer intervals. The theatre is run for the enjoyment of the customer, not you.  |  IP: Logged Robert Stawiarski Film Handler Posts: 62 From: MW Registered: Aug 2003 posted 06-19-2004 06:55 PM                    I was also thinking along those lines, Steve... I remember the infamous "There's Something About Mary" credits, and we had short intervals for a few weeks, but I didn't really mind at all. The credits were hilarious, the customers loved them, and I made sure the ushers did not clean in front of any customers, even though it meant we would have to rush later. The problem here is not so much the obvious issue about the interval times, but rather, about how this employee (maybe others?) does not respect Richard, and the management does not listen to, or are sick of, his complaints. If everything else at this theatre was perfect, if Richard got along with the managers, if he got along with employees, even if this exact scenario came up of the doorman mentioning the scene to customers -- I doubt it would have bothered him this much, been an argument, or that this post would even exist. Kind've the result of the culmination of his frustrations with this place, and looking for an issue to vent on.  |  IP: Logged Mark Lensenmayer Phenomenal Film Handler Posts: 1605 From: Upper Arlington, OH Registered: Sep 1999 posted 06-19-2004 06:59 PM                     This one is simple. Richard is wrong and the doorman is right. As a patron, I would very much appreciate being told about a surprise ending. If you don't have enough time to clean, that's just not my problem. I paid for the ENTIRE movie, and I'm going to stay and see the ENTIRE movie. If you want to clean around me, OK, but I'm not moving. Richard, I've been reading these posts for quite awhile, and I just don't understand why you are still working there. Find another job. Everything you have described seems very unprofessional to me. Other than adding a few coins to your pocket, I don't see what you are gaining from working there.  |  IP: Logged Mike Blakesley Film God Posts: 12767 From: Forsyth, Montana Registered: Jun 99 posted 06-19-2004 07:21 PM                        Steve: It was "Ferris Beuller's Day Off."  |  IP: Logged Brian Michael Weidemann Expert cat molester Posts: 944 From: Costa Mesa, CA United States Registered: Feb 2004 posted 06-19-2004 07:49 PM                        quote: Mark Lensenmayer Everything you have described seems very unprofessional to me. I don't seem to see ANYBODY starting threads of a "Hey, today was a great day, like always, and employees listened to me, and every movie ran on time, with perfect presentation, no customer complaints, professionalism all the way! ... so I need no advice, just wanted to chat" nature. Why come to a site like this if not for ADVICE. Usually, if I'm not mistaken, advice is needed when something wrong or unprofessional occurs. Not that I'm on or off Richard's side, but I believe he's justified in telling us these kind of issues, looking for feedback. I don't believe I've EVER seen a theatre (or JOB ENVIRONMENT, for that matter) that didn't have these types of management/employee relations/unprofessional activities situations.  |  IP: Logged Sean Goodrich Film Handler Posts: 22 From: Dallas, TX, USA Registered: May 2000 posted 06-19-2004 08:12 PM                     I've been lurking here for a while, but this thread makes me want to come out of my hole. I side with the doorman. I'm sorry if customers enjoying the entire movie makes your job harder, but it is your job. If you must, pull some concessionist into the theatre to clean, cut out some trailer to shorten run time, inform customers for the next show of the situation, and ask them to move close to center as possible with no empty seats between them. Richard, it's time for you to or get off the pot. I've worked for theatres where decent presentation was seen as an inconvenience rather than a requirement. My work ethics did not make me loved by management either. They will start to look for reasons to fire you. One way or another you will not have a job any longer. There are better theatres out there, it will be much easier to get hired if you can say you left because your previous employer had sub par standards, rather than you were forced to leave for getting into arguments with employees who only wanted to make the customers' have a more enjoyable night at the movies.  |  IP: Logged Richard Greco Phenomenal Film Handler Posts: 1180 From: Plant City, FL Registered: Nov 2003 posted 06-19-2004 09:50 PM                     Ok, here's my plan. I put in applications at 2 of my local AMC's and a Regal/Imax theatre. Iam the projectionist at my theatre. I just help clean theatres daily. I do have a reputation there that isn't the greatest. My manager doesn't like me. She just keeps me because I am the only qualified projectionist there and she doesn't want to run the films. All of you are right. I started with the 2nd show today just cleaning around the customers. I did this because the assistant mgr. told me to. I have given up with this person. He IS doing it to spite me. I just can't seem to try to care anymore. I still have a great work ethic in the booth but as far as downstairs goes, whatever.... Phil, I love you man  |  IP: Logged

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