Box Office Representatives
Box Office Representatives
#1Box Office Representatives
Posted: 3/20/17 at 11:29am
Ok, I hate to be one of those people, I don't even know how much they make, and they may be bitter about their salaries or something and I understand them if that's an issue for them or if they are having a bad day, I'm human too and I feel them. But I had a simple question and went to the theater where CATS is playing and the girl at the box office was counting some tickets and not even a "I'll be right with you", "Thanks for holding", nothing. I was first in line. People would come after me and stand in line and leave, and I ended up leaving myself eventually. Just want to say, that these workers should be a bit more attentive to customers, or even people asking questions, because there is a lot of competition. I'm sure CATS missed out on a few tickets that could have added to their ticket sales. Hopefully someone sees that and teaches them that they are the face of the show at that moment and yes, if I want to see a show, I will see it anyways, but if you're on the fence, it can really make a huge difference to get great customer service at the box office and that person that was on the fence between Groundhog Day and CATS, will see CATS for sure. Most people that work at box office are super nice, but a few could have a bit of an attitude check. That's all!
"People have their opinions and that doesn't mean that their opinions are wrong or right. I just take it with a grain of salt because opinions are like as*holes, everyone has one".
-Felicia Finley-
#2Box Office Representatives
Posted: 3/20/17 at 11:31am
Did you...approach her and say hello or otherwise alert her to your presence?
#3Box Office Representatives
Posted: 3/20/17 at 11:33am
I mean, she saw me.
"People have their opinions and that doesn't mean that their opinions are wrong or right. I just take it with a grain of salt because opinions are like as*holes, everyone has one".
-Felicia Finley-
#4Box Office Representatives
Posted: 3/20/17 at 5:31pm
So after she saw you, what did you do? Did you say, "Hi, good morning. I have a question." Or did you assume that she would talk to you first?
Since you were first in line and said that others left too, you must have hung around to have seen them do that.
#5Box Office Representatives
Posted: 3/20/17 at 5:36pm
I don't understand why you didn't bother to say something. I worked in a box office for nearly three years, and often we would get customers who would just stand and look- perhaps they were looking at prices or ads or whatever. Sometimes I would say hello first, but box office employees often have other responsibilities so if I was working on something else (as this woman clearly was) I'd focus on that. You could have at least bothered to try to get her attention rather than walk away and assume she has an attitude problem.
I am a firm believer in serendipity- all the random pieces coming together in one wonderful moment, when suddenly you see what their purpose was all along.
#6Box Office Representatives
Posted: 3/20/17 at 5:37pm
Does it matter what the OP did or said? She's a customer service representative. Even if she was in the middle of another task, a simple "I'll be right with you" or any acknowledgement of the presence of customers is called for. That is literally the job. There is no way to spin this as a failure on the part of the customer.
It's blatantly rude to be standing in front of someone whose job it is to wait on you and not even have them acknowledge your presence.
"You travel alone because other people are only there to remind you how much that hook hurts that we all bit down on. Wait for that one day we can bite free and get back out there in space where we belong, sail back over water, over skies, into space, the hook finally out of our mouths and we wander back out there in space spawning to other planets never to return hurrah to earth and we'll look back and can't even see these lives here anymore. Only the taste of blood to remind us we ever existed. The earth is small. We're gone. We're dead. We're safe."
-John Guare, Landscape of the Body
Updated On: 3/20/17 at 05:37 PM
#7Box Office Representatives
Posted: 3/20/17 at 5:39pm
I was at the box office for Hello, Dolly! this afternoon and the guy working the box office was one of the nicest most friendly people ever. It was a very pleasant experience...and I happily purchased two additional sets of tickets.
#8Box Office Representatives
Posted: 3/20/17 at 5:42pm
Perfectly said, wonderfulwizard11. I've gone to a lot of Broadway ticket windows over the years, and many times the person at the window is on the phone, counting tickets, etc. I've waited for a few moments and said, "Hello," to start the conversation. Yes, they should greet you first. It doesn't really matter who starts the conversation. I'm not excusing it. Just looking at the big picture.
Great news about the box office at "Hello, Dolly," WithoutATrace.
WithoutATrace, remember in October when we went to the box office at The Broadway Theatre to buy my tickets for "Miss Saigon" and the gal at the box office wasn't exactly the most pleasant person? It didn't matter to me because I got my theatre tickets.
#9Box Office Representatives
Posted: 3/20/17 at 5:51pm
AC126748 said: "Does it matter what the OP did or said? She's a customer service representative. Even if she was in the middle of another task, a simple "I'll be right with you" or any acknowledgement of the presence of customers is called for. That is literally the job. There is no way to spin this as a failure on the part of the customer.
It's blatantly rude to be standing in front of someone whose job it is to wait on you and not even have them acknowledge your presence.
"
This is 100% correct. Muscle's posts may often drive me crazy, but he's right here. Although, if it was taking that long, and I really wanted to see the show, I would've just approached her.
#10Box Office Representatives
Posted: 3/20/17 at 5:52pm
Thanks, Neal. Yes, it's probably easy to be a happy and pleasant box office worker when your show is the biggest new hit in town, but he was SO NICE.
Yes, I do remember when we got your Miss Saigon tickets. You're right...it didn't matter because you got exactly what you needed!
The fact is, no matter what profession you are in, you are always going to encounter pleasant people to work with and bitter, negative people. I try to kill them with kindness...and it usually works.
dramamama611
Broadway Legend Joined: 12/4/07
#11Box Office Representatives
Posted: 3/20/17 at 5:57pm
May I ask: were you AT the window? Or just in the lobby? Is it POSSSIBLE, she wasnt sure you were ready for her?
If we're not having fun, then why are we doing it?
These are DISCUSSION boards, not mutual admiration boards. Discussion only occurs when we are willing to hear what others are thinking, regardless of whether it is alignment to our own thoughts.
#12Box Office Representatives
Posted: 3/20/17 at 6:03pm
WithoutATrace said: "I was at the box office for Hello, Dolly! this afternoon and the guy working the box office was one of the nicest most friendly people ever. It was a very pleasant experience...and I happily purchased two additional sets of tickets.
"
If that is the same man who worked the box office during Matilda, he is one of the nicest box office representatives Ive ever met. He let me and my friends stand in the theatre during a blizzard (luckily a show wasnt going on) and gave us playbills after we asked. Such a nice man.
Use my code "YZTFG" for $20 OFF tickets on TodayTix!
#13Box Office Representatives
Posted: 3/20/17 at 6:08pm
Kind of surprised people are defending the box office rep here.
Honestly, what does it take to at least acknowledge a potential customer's presence and say "Good Morning, can I help you" - or even if they're on the phone to smile and just make a hand gesture to please give them a minute and they will be right with you.
I get it, living in the NY area, people expect this type of behavior. But outside of the tri-state area its called being rude. And muscle is right - if I'm on the fence about what to see, that would be enough for me to say "not this one."
dramamama611
Broadway Legend Joined: 12/4/07
#14Box Office Representatives
Posted: 3/20/17 at 6:13pm
I'm not defending her, just asking a question. However, I don't like ALL box office employees being painted with the same broad brush. I can't think of a single instance where I've bee treated badly by a box office rep. Times when they weren't terribly personable, sure....but never actually rude. (And I'm not saying this didn't happen, mind you.)
If we're not having fun, then why are we doing it?
These are DISCUSSION boards, not mutual admiration boards. Discussion only occurs when we are willing to hear what others are thinking, regardless of whether it is alignment to our own thoughts.
GhostXmasPast
Understudy Joined: 11/4/16
#15Box Office Representatives
Posted: 3/20/17 at 6:19pm
Although I generally purchase online now - I have always found box office staff to be very professional and helpful. Occasionally solving problems that I create myself with incorrect dates or other problems.
just my two cents...
#16Box Office Representatives
Posted: 3/20/17 at 6:29pm
I had a similar experience at the Lunt when I went to get tickets. The box office rep ignored me for a moment, and I initiated the conversation. Finally, after I asked a question, he got up from his seat and left. Another box office rep took his place. He didn't say he had to leave or that his colleague would take over. I was so angry that I left without buying tickets.
#17Box Office Representatives
Posted: 3/20/17 at 7:10pm
I'm not defending the box office at all. Many times, regardless if you're going into a store, car repair place, etc.....many times the customer just needs to get the conversation going from the start - for whatever reason. It's really no big deal.
I had the same thing happen to me today at Macy's. I went up to the counter to pay my monthly bill, and the gal there was looking through some notebooks, saw me, and after a few moments, I said, "Hello, I'd like to pay on my account please."
broadfan327
Broadway Star Joined: 3/20/08
#18Box Office Representatives
Posted: 3/20/17 at 8:29pm
I have had rude box office reps before. If I was producing a show, I would surely direct my box office people to be on their nicest behavior. A customer is willing to give me hundreds of dollars for something that is not necessary to their health or well-being, while there are about forty other Broadway theaters (and other theaters) fighting for that money. If you are busy doing something else, then close the blinds and have someone else waiting at another window.
mpkie
Broadway Star Joined: 6/21/15
#19Box Office Representatives
Posted: 3/20/17 at 8:34pm
Did you not even approach her? I'm really confused by this. I don't even understand the concept of not approaching a ticketing window. I will approach and initiate unless I'm explicitly told not to.
While I've dealt with ambivalent box office attendants, I've also dealt with very cordial ones, and always got the help I needed regardless. The only exception was the box office for American Psycho. That guy was a total unnecessary [expletive] to me when I came too late to pick up my lottery ticket before they changed the claim window to be twice as long (obviously I wasn't the only one with the commute issue). He decided to yell at me for being too late after refusing me the ticket already, to add insult to injury, when I asked if there were any rush tickets left. Now that guy was a jerk with no sense of empathy whatsoever. And I did not feel bad at all the show flopped.
Cupid Boy2
Broadway Legend Joined: 1/5/13
#20Box Office Representatives
Posted: 3/20/17 at 8:56pm
^^I've had consistently bad experiences with one particular gentleman at the Schoenfeld, and I wouldn't be surprised if it turned out to be the same person who gave you a hard time. He was just terribly rude to me two weeks ago for no reason.
To balance out that negativity, though, I'll add that I find Jujamcyn to have the loveliest box office attendants across the board; I've never had an experience with one who wasn't incredibly kind and helpful.
#21Box Office Representatives
Posted: 3/20/17 at 8:57pm
Ok, it was a line, I was right next to the window, and she sold tickets the person before me and I just stood there, being respectful and waiting for her to say "next" or something, but she saw me and all the people waiting behind me and did nothing...she kept counting some tickets. Maybe I should have come over and said something but she was clearly REALLY busy, so I didn't want to be rude...if I had come closer and said "hello", I feel she would have said "don't you see I'm counting something"?--with that said, I wasn't really going to buy tickets and had very low interest in seeing CATS, I just had a silly question, so I left. And some people behind me also left. Only a few stayed. But I'm sure some people would have bought tix if it wasn't for her behavior.
Withouatrace, the guy at Hello Dolly is very nice and also very handsome...he's been working at that theater for awhile, I think we bought tix to Memphis from him too.
"People have their opinions and that doesn't mean that their opinions are wrong or right. I just take it with a grain of salt because opinions are like as*holes, everyone has one".
-Felicia Finley-
#22Box Office Representatives
Posted: 3/21/17 at 10:29am
AC126748 said: "Does it matter what the OP did or said? She's a customer service representative. Even if she was in the middle of another task, a simple "I'll be right with you" or any acknowledgement of the presence of customers is called for. That is literally the job. There is no way to spin this as a failure on the part of the customer.
It's blatantly rude to be standing in front of someone whose job it is to wait on you and not even have them acknowledge your presence."
^ This, 100%.
"Michael Riedel...The Perez Hilton of the New York Theatre scene"
- Craig Hepworth, What's On Stage
#23Box Office Representatives
Posted: 3/21/17 at 10:30am
I am amused at the people asking him if he was standing in line. Yeah, obviously or this post probably wouldn't have been started.
#24Box Office Representatives
Posted: 3/21/17 at 10:47am
Maybe the box office employee has a visual impairment?
I mean, if you didn't even say "excuse me?" then there's no way to know for sure that someone else is at fault.
#25Box Office Representatives
Posted: 3/21/17 at 10:50am
I still don't understand what you mean when you say "her behavior." You did the right thing by waiting a few moments for her to finish what she was doing. If you felt she was taking too long to finish up, all you had to do was say, "Hi. I'll wait until your finished. I can see your busy." And, that would have solved it. But, you chose to leave. As far as the other people leaving because she didn't greet them - who knows? It's so easy to speculate what other people are thinking.
Sometimes you just have to start the conversation. It's really no big deal.
I'm sure we've all dealt with customer service reps over the years in stores that when you approach them to ask a question, they don't say hello or anything like that. I'll always start the conversation by saying, "Excuse me, I have a question." Just because they don't start the dialogue doesn't change what you need to get accomplished by speaking to them.
