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» Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE   » Operations   » Ground Level   » Belligerent people (Page 1)

 
This topic comprises 4 pages: 1  2  3  4   
Author Topic: Belligerent people
David E. Nedrow
Master Film Handler

Posts: 368
From: Columbus, OH, USA
Registered: Oct 2008

- posted 02-19-2011 10:45 PM      Profile for David E. Nedrow   Author's Homepage   Email David E. Nedrow   Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post 
Ugh, I got to deal with a person tonight, who became very upset when I informed him that we absolutely don't allow outside food and drink, and informed him I would be glad to take his drinks and food to the lobby and hold it for him. At first, he stared at me like I was crazy. Then came the "we didn't know, there are no signs" excuse. I pointed out that we do have signage. I would like to have asked him what movie theatre invites people to bring their own food.

So, he put his food in his bag, at which point I said if he wanted to retain the items, he would need to take his bag and coat to his car, and lock them in there. That brought him to his feet and he actually pressed up against me in that ridiculous puffed up peacock way people do.

I then told him that he, and his wife/girlfriend, had to leave and I would refund their tickets. The girl was fine at first, though she too pulled the "we didn't know, there are no signs".

I asked for their stubs, which angered the guy even more, though the girl did have them. I let her know that I just needed to see the colors of the tickets to calculate the refund. The guy was bouncing all over the place, and getting her flustered, at which point she blows up. She does the "I'm NEVER coming here again," to which I responded that that would be our preference as well. Then the "I'm telling all my friends about this!" Me: "So long as they don't bring contraband with them, they were welcome to come."

Some more blah, blah, the guy claims I said he stole from us and demands I call the police, which I'm happy to do. Girl: "Come on, Somename, I don't want to stay here all night." Me: "I'm perfectly willing to take as long with the police as is necessary to resolve this." Guy: "Let's go." Lots of muttering and cursing as they walk down the hall to the front doors.

The End

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Martin McCaffery
Film God

Posts: 2481
From: Montgomery, AL
Registered: Jun 99

- posted 02-19-2011 11:21 PM      Profile for Martin McCaffery   Author's Homepage   Email Martin McCaffery   Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post 
Ain't dealing with the public grand [evil]

Wait until you get your first death threat.

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Paul Mayer
Oh get out of it Melvin, before it pulls you under!

Posts: 3836
From: Albuquerque, NM
Registered: Feb 2000

- posted 02-20-2011 12:12 AM      Profile for Paul Mayer   Author's Homepage   Email Paul Mayer   Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post 
As Miles Davis used to say, "The masses are asses."

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Brad Miller
Administrator

Posts: 17775
From: Plano, TX (36.2 miles NW of Rockwall)
Registered: May 99

- posted 02-20-2011 01:00 AM      Profile for Brad Miller   Author's Homepage   Email Brad Miller       Edit/Delete Post 
Its always humorous when they threaten to take their business to the competition.

Great! Go occupy some of their seats which could have otherwise been sold to customers that didn't smuggle in outside food and drink. [thumbsup]

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Aaron Garman
Phenomenal Film Handler

Posts: 1470
From: Toledo, OH USA
Registered: Mar 2003

- posted 02-20-2011 02:42 AM      Profile for Aaron Garman   Email Aaron Garman   Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post 
It always got me when people thought it was ok to bring outside food and drink. Isn't it essentially common knowledge that you don't do that at the movies? It's like bringing a gun on an airplane.

AJG

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Joe Redifer
You need a beating today

Posts: 12859
From: Denver, Colorado
Registered: May 99

- posted 02-20-2011 02:57 AM      Profile for Joe Redifer   Author's Homepage   Email Joe Redifer   Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post 
If it went down like you said, David, then you handled it very well. That's why I don't like dealing with customers. I am very good at customer service, but when they start giving me BS like that, I'm quick to give it right back to them. That's why I'm best left upstairs. I haven't interacted with patrons on a customer service or management level in nearly 15 years.

People get belligerent for the damnedest things. For example, we were the only theater in the metroplex to accept student IDs on weekends, I believe. All we ask is that the ID itself has proof that you are in school NOW as otherwise people could keep their IDs and use them forever. Two students came in and one didn't have the proper ID. That really upset them that we wouldn't honor the student pricing for that individual. It resulted in this review of the theater which, funnily enough, was posted after we closed forever.

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Alan Plester
Expert Film Handler

Posts: 209
From: great yarmouth england
Registered: Apr 2001

- posted 02-20-2011 04:45 AM      Profile for Alan Plester   Email Alan Plester   Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post 
asking for i.d is a big problem where i work, in an amusement complex, if you are lucky enough to look under 25 you will be asked for i.d so you can play the 500pound jackpot machines, last year, i was verbally abused, and almost assualted, by a fat thug who just would not show i.d of any sort, security threw him out. Its so simple, no i.d no play and as for " I did not see the sign " crap
it`s 8feet high. Parents are another problem with them, taking kids into the gaming area, and then saying " it`s ok he`s with me", so what, you must be 18 to even enter the area, and i onc`e again point to the huge sign,and yes, they sit on stools, and start eating and drinking, smile at them and tell them politely
to &*^%^& off if only.

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Bruce McGee
Phenomenal Film Handler

Posts: 1776
From: Asheville, NC USA... Nowhere in Particular.
Registered: Aug 1999

- posted 02-20-2011 07:57 AM      Profile for Bruce McGee   Email Bruce McGee   Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post 
I thoroughly enjoy telling people to turn off the dang cell phones during the movie.

A cell phone guy recently informed me that if he ever saw me outside the theatre, he'd make my life a living hell. I got his tag number when he left. Gave it to the police. I understand that they paid him a visit.

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Steve Guttag
We forgot the crackers Gromit!!!

Posts: 12814
From: Annapolis, MD
Registered: Dec 1999

- posted 02-20-2011 09:35 AM      Profile for Steve Guttag   Email Steve Guttag   Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post 
Actually, Joe, by all accounts the manager at your theatre did seem to be a bit over-the-top and I didn't see any real defense from you. Some schools do NOT put an expiration date on their student IDs...in fact, my University of Maryland student ID has no dates on it that I'm aware and I graduated in 1992! (aren't we all students at heart?) Maryland's way around that was their "registration cards." For any time sensitive stuff, one had to show their registration card which was only good for one semester. That was also one's ticket to the Football and Basketball games. The student IDs were just that...an ID that had a photo of you and a magnetic strip that if run would identify you. It got you into places like libraries and onto campus after normal class hours.

If the requirement at a theatre for student rates is ones Student ID...then that is all they should need...it ISN'T their fault the college/school does not put dates on the card.

-Steve

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Rick Raskin
Phenomenal Film Handler

Posts: 1100
From: Manassas Virginia
Registered: Jan 2003

- posted 02-20-2011 10:51 AM      Profile for Rick Raskin   Email Rick Raskin   Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post 
I have to agree with Steve on this one. What was gained by refusing admission? A disgusted patron and a vitriolic article. What was lost was a satisfied patron both then and in the future. It seems the manager made the critical mistake of injecting his personal feelings into the argument, thus creating a confrontational environment. That kind of behavior seems to me to always be a losing proposition. It would have been far simpler to just let the guy in.

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Dominic Espinosa
Phenomenal Film Handler

Posts: 1172
From: California, U.S.A.
Registered: Jan 2004

- posted 02-20-2011 02:23 PM      Profile for Dominic Espinosa   Email Dominic Espinosa   Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post 
Indeed.
We go with majority rule. If 50% of the group has student ID's and they look like students (this is usually the case, older folks always have their ID's it seems) we'll go ahead and give it.

My favorite is still the noisy guys in NO COUNTRY FOR OLD MEN a couple years ago that got themselves battered by another guest and then threw a table at one of our employees when they were asked to leave...Great new years eve!

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Chris Slycord
Film God

Posts: 2986
From: 퍼항시, 경상푹도, South Korea
Registered: Mar 2007

- posted 02-20-2011 02:31 PM      Profile for Chris Slycord   Email Chris Slycord   Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post 
quote:
My favorite is still the noisy guys in NO COUNTRY FOR OLD MEN a couple years ago that got themselves battered by another guest and then threw a table at one of our employees when they were asked to leave...Great new years eve!
Did you only ask them to leave? Because it makes no sense to me to ask them to leave and not the perso who you describe as battering them.

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Brad Miller
Administrator

Posts: 17775
From: Plano, TX (36.2 miles NW of Rockwall)
Registered: May 99

- posted 02-20-2011 03:14 PM      Profile for Brad Miller   Author's Homepage   Email Brad Miller       Edit/Delete Post 
quote: Joe Redifer
It resulted in this review of the theater which, funnily enough, was posted after we closed forever.
First, I agree with Steve that its not their fault if the expiration date isn't on their student ID. So long as they looked like the picture, it was probably current. I would have accepted it.

HOWEVER, I doubt the manager was that rude. When people take the time out of their day to vent online, it is typically an exaggeration of the actual event. Also I doubt they went to the BBB, because that would have required even more effort, and let's face it, kids these days are not willing to put forth the effort (but a lame threat is quick and easy).

Still those kids probably thought they put the theater out of business!

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Joe Redifer
You need a beating today

Posts: 12859
From: Denver, Colorado
Registered: May 99

- posted 02-20-2011 03:38 PM      Profile for Joe Redifer   Author's Homepage   Email Joe Redifer   Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post 
Steve, it didn't get any defense from me because I cannot defend what I did not personally see. I did hear about it right after it happened, though, and the manager said they were pretty pissed. That has always been theater policy and like I also said, other theaters around here don't even accept student IDs at all on weekends. Brad is likely correct that they greatly exaggerated. While our manager can be bit abrasive, he'd NEVER go that far. About as bad as I can see it getting is them mulling and arguing about it and him replying "So do you want the tickets or not?" especially if there was a line behind them. But no way would he stop a transaction with another customer to go yell at them. You are seeing only one side of the issue here and taking it as golden truth. You should definitely know that's not a good idea.

quote: Rick Raskin
What was gained by refusing admission? A disgusted patron and a vitriolic article. What was lost was a satisfied patron both then and in the future.
Yeah, I'm pretty sure they won't be coming back. Even if everything had gone "right", they wouldn't be coming back. Ever. The manager was following company policy. Don't damn him for doing his job. If you don't like the policy, take it up with Regency Theaters here.

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David E. Nedrow
Master Film Handler

Posts: 368
From: Columbus, OH, USA
Registered: Oct 2008

- posted 02-20-2011 06:01 PM      Profile for David E. Nedrow   Author's Homepage   Email David E. Nedrow   Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post 
quote: Brad M
Its always humorous when they threaten to take their business to the competition.

Great! Go occupy some of their seats which could have otherwise been sold to customers that didn't smuggle in outside food and drink.
Precisely. As they left, the girl kept loudly saying, "let's go spend lot's of money SOMEWHERE ELSE!"

I just wanted to say, "that's precisely the problem," but didn't want to escalate the situation. [Wink]

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