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Author Topic: Signs you may be spending too much time in the box office... Kristin Wahlund Film Handler Posts: 92 From: Eagan, MN Registered: Jul 2001 posted 12-02-2003 08:28 PM                     1. you draw the stapler 2. you've been there for an hour and a half and sold 36 tickets 3. you have all the showtimes memeorized 4. you built houses out of promo CDs 5. you drew them 6. you talk to the ticket kiosk 7. you actually wish you still had movie tunes so you could play them through the phone 8. you keep track of cars who use the parking lot as a through street. 9. it actually excites you when customers come in 10. you move the window clings to block the sun from your eyes 11. you keep strategiclly moving them as the day goes on 12. you make this list  |  IP: Logged Steve Kraus Film God Posts: 4094 From: Chicago, IL, USA Registered: May 2000 posted 12-02-2003 10:01 PM                    Now now...boxoffice talk reminds me a friend of mine who got axed last week after 4 years of part-time mostly box office work with no warning. Hehehe..despite free admission if the movie was important we always went elsewhere even though it would mean paying full price.  |  IP: Logged Gary Crawford Expert Film Handler Posts: 200 From: Neptune NJ USA Registered: Nov 2003 posted 12-03-2003 11:29 AM                     Back in the 70s when we still had all those old theatres running around here I always felt sorry for the boxoffice ladies. Heat and/or AC was nonexistent for them. They either froze or got cooked depending upon the time of year. The boxoffices were either free-standing stainless steel kiosks or between the entrance doors, and all outside in the elements.  |  IP: Logged Jennifer Pan THE JEN! Posts: 1219 From: Denver, Colorado Registered: Nov 2003 posted 07-09-2004 02:22 PM                        When you start having conversations with the customers about how their day was is fine until you step into the getting too personal questions. This one box office guy asked this couple the details of their day and whether it was exciting. I swear he going to ask them what they ate that day or what they were going to do after the movie... The only reason he stopped was when I started to kind of yell at him... "Dude! You're getting too personal!" When you memorize a detailed summary of a movie you have never seen. And then do hand gestures while explaining the movie. Ok... yeah I've been in box office too long... Or shooting rubber bands at each other in box office. Making funny voices as people walk up to the window... What's even more sad is fighting for the customer. Geez... we are not working under commission. Knowing exactly what movie, what type of tickets(Adult, child, senior, student), whether or not they have a "Movie Watcher Card", and the exact percentage of seats available for that theater once you look up and see the customer standing at your window. Yep, that was me... (I have magical powers)  |  IP: Logged Tim Arista Film Handler Posts: 37 From: Garland, TX, USA Registered: Jun 2004 posted 07-10-2004 01:38 AM                     When I was in box office way back in the day, I always did pushups and situps during any free time that I had. I think that's a good sign that I spent way too much time in box.  |  IP: Logged Jennifer Pan THE JEN! Posts: 1219 From: Denver, Colorado Registered: Nov 2003 posted 07-10-2004 01:42 AM                        I did push-ups too... Just because it got so cold in the box office. Either that or freeze up during a transaction.  |  IP: Logged Pat Thompson Film Handler Posts: 20 From: Woodbridge , Va Registered: Apr 2004 posted 07-10-2004 02:40 AM                    Here's some more signs that you have spend too much time in the box office. - When you starts guessing on which movie a customer is going to buy for- and your right most of the time. - When you start asking to see an ID....from your brother or sister. - Wanting to re-do your room- with a glass door. - When having dinner at home you sneak the plate down to floor. - Your answering machine at home list showtimes.  |  IP: Logged Robert L. Fischer Expert Film Handler Posts: 145 From: Montreal, Quebec Registered: May 2004 posted 07-10-2004 02:53 AM                    The managers at my theater seem to fight to run a register in the box office during busy spells so they can sit down, but I avoid sitting in the box office at all costs.  |  IP: Logged Jason Black Phenomenal Film Handler Posts: 1723 From: Myrtle Beach, SC, USA Registered: Nov 2000 posted 07-10-2004 10:32 AM                        Unless there is a physical handicap or medical reason, cashiers shoudl NEVER be allowed to sell tickets while seated. It looks, in my opinion, very unprofessional. Being seated while there no customers present is fine, but when my cashiers see customers, they'd better be standing..  |  IP: Logged R. Andrew Diercks Expert Film Handler Posts: 232 From: Marion, Iowa (In the middle of everywhere) Registered: May 2003 posted 07-10-2004 11:25 AM                     I agree 100%. If I have to ask someone twice to stand while selling tickets, I simply remove the chairs from the boxoffice.  |  IP: Logged Paul Mayer Oh get out of it Melvin, before it pulls you under! Posts: 3836 From: Albuquerque, NM Registered: Feb 2000 posted 07-10-2004 12:35 PM                        Unless the box office is designed like the Century Suncoast here. It looks like a casino cage (which makes sense, since it's inside a casino) but it has a desk height marble counter--all cashiers sit while working the "cage."  |  IP: Logged Jeremy Fuentes Mmmm, Dr. Pepper! Posts: 1168 From: Corpus Christi, TX United States Registered: Jan 2004 posted 07-10-2004 04:12 PM                     Box Office workers are lazy.  |  IP: Logged Carl Martin Phenomenal Film Handler Posts: 1424 From: Oakland, CA, USA Registered: Feb 2002 posted 07-11-2004 04:56 AM                        i agree 0%. let the poor people sell tickets whatever way works best for them. it is always more important to be professional than to look it. and it is easier to look professional when allowed to do ones job without unnecessary hindrances. i don't consider my (by no means unusual) height to be a physical handicap, and i don't want it to become one because i have to slouch to sell tickets. my posture isn't that great as it is. whatever happened to that hubbub about 10 years ago concerning ergonomics and repetitive stress injury? carl  |  IP: Logged R. Andrew Diercks Expert Film Handler Posts: 232 From: Marion, Iowa (In the middle of everywhere) Registered: May 2003 posted 07-11-2004 10:38 AM                     By the logic of being, not looking professional, perhaps we should wear wife beaters with stains and cut-off jeans to work every day, as long as we're friendly. Besides it's a proven fact that looking professional aids in you acting professional. I do see a point with tall people if your boxoffice has sneeze glass and a small hole or microphone to speak into. That does require constant slouching. This is why I had our sneeze glass removed and have an open counter to communicate with our customers. This does not work in all areas, however. Depends on the set up.  |  IP: Logged Ben Holley Film Handler Posts: 65 From: Texas Registered: Feb 2004 posted 07-11-2004 11:46 AM                    I dont usually sit on a chair during busy rounds in box office. As for when its slow and we dont have to many customers I usually sit. If my manager was to take my chair away from me odds are I would be sitting on the floor in the back of box office between rounds. No way in hell i'm going to stand up in a glass coffin for 9 hours. What normally happens is our managers come to box office to find a place to sit down and relax for half an hour or so. And yes, box office workers are lazy.  |  IP: Logged

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