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PRODUCER’S PERSPECTIVE: "A lot of customers I talk to are scared to buy tickets at box offices. I wonder why . . . Could it be the bullet proof glass and the creepy sounding microphones?"
I never really thought about how the wall between the ticket seller and the customer might be alienating, and it's an interesting thought. However in my opinion, it's all a part of the experience. More than that, it helps distinguish where the ticket booth actually IS. While breaking down this wall might lead to a more friendly transaction, it's unprofessional.
The glass between customer and ticket seller is not what is getting in the way of face to face transaction-- convenience is. When I want to buy a ticket to the latest show at the Pantages in Los Angeles, I am not going to drive 30 minutes when I can complete the same task with the touch of a button. When it comes to buying a Tiffany bracelet, I want to show up in person to see the item. When it comes to an experience like theatre, a physical ticket does not hold much value. The convenience of printing a ticket from home or picking it up at will call the night of is simple efficiency and should not be read into as a case of alienation.
Anywhere you go there's going to be a trade-off between convenience and security, just like between design and budget. If you make the box office wide open then security suffers, make it a bank vault and convenience and customer service suffers. I'm sure that theaters don't really care how their tickets are purchased as long as people are buying them (the credit card processing charges and the overhead for handling the cash are about even, more or less) so the real concern is what is the neighborhood like and what will the customers want? If they can order and buy tickets from home then it's convenient, that might make sales that would be lost otherwise (as Allison said above, she doesn't want to drive 30 minutes to do what she can do from home) but there's less opportunity to upsell the client while they're standing in front of the seller.
I feel that if you choose to buy a ticket in person, then the glass window is a definite benefit. To me it's like a sign of professionalism in addition to security. I agree with Ariel on this. I wouldn't want to buy a ticket in a more informal situation. I also think that the ticket booth is part of the overal experience. When buying a ticket, one doesn't need the friendly interaction that would come with choosing jewelry or such. People usually buy tickets with definite intention, so there is no need for personal interaction at the ticket booth.
Face time definitely is important when selling anything, whether it's selling a product or just selling yourself. However, I do agree that it is more a matter of convenience. there is a direct relationship between how much time is spent on something and how hard it is to give it up. Ergo, if someone has the convenience to just click or not click the "done" button, its a lot easier for them to change their minds.
I have several points. First of all, at risk of sounding overbearing (overbearing?), I think this article is really pointless. I am actually sorry to have wasted 2 minutes of my time reading it. Does anyone actually think about the process through which they buy their theatre tickets? I don't care how I get the tickets, just as long as I get them. However, I like Allison's point about convenience, and I think having someone always waiting at the box office in case something goes wrong with an order (which has happened to me...a lot) is not only efficient, it's completely necessary. The glass between us makes no difference, because I'm usually calling them on the phone. As long as competent and friendly people are working there (which is really just about common sense...not walls) I'm fine. I could care less about the glass wall. Lastly, I love that box offices are still maintained just for their charm. I think modern convenience often takes hold of what little charm is left in this world, and I get a tiny thrill out of picking up my tickets at will call. But seriously, it's not a huge issue...
While the article was somewhat pointless, the concept it touches on is an important one. Presentation is just as important before and after the show as it is during it. The house management staff and box office staff have a big job in setting the tone for the evening and making sure that the audience is in the right mindset for the experience they are about to have. The wall between the ticket seller and the ticket buyer is not the problem, the problem is the glass separating them. If the box office were just a window, there would not be as much of a problem. (In reference to the comments after the article) Getting large groups of people to do what you want them to do is difficult and any good FOH team will be polite, but firm.
7 comments:
I never really thought about how the wall between the ticket seller and the customer might be alienating, and it's an interesting thought. However in my opinion, it's all a part of the experience. More than that, it helps distinguish where the ticket booth actually IS. While breaking down this wall might lead to a more friendly transaction, it's unprofessional.
The glass between customer and ticket seller is not what is getting in the way of face to face transaction-- convenience is. When I want to buy a ticket to the latest show at the Pantages in Los Angeles, I am not going to drive 30 minutes when I can complete the same task with the touch of a button. When it comes to buying a Tiffany bracelet, I want to show up in person to see the item. When it comes to an experience like theatre, a physical ticket does not hold much value. The convenience of printing a ticket from home or picking it up at will call the night of is simple efficiency and should not be read into as a case of alienation.
Anywhere you go there's going to be a trade-off between convenience and security, just like between design and budget. If you make the box office wide open then security suffers, make it a bank vault and convenience and customer service suffers. I'm sure that theaters don't really care how their tickets are purchased as long as people are buying them (the credit card processing charges and the overhead for handling the cash are about even, more or less) so the real concern is what is the neighborhood like and what will the customers want? If they can order and buy tickets from home then it's convenient, that might make sales that would be lost otherwise (as Allison said above, she doesn't want to drive 30 minutes to do what she can do from home) but there's less opportunity to upsell the client while they're standing in front of the seller.
I feel that if you choose to buy a ticket in person, then the glass window is a definite benefit. To me it's like a sign of professionalism in addition to security. I agree with Ariel on this. I wouldn't want to buy a ticket in a more informal situation. I also think that the ticket booth is part of the overal experience. When buying a ticket, one doesn't need the friendly interaction that would come with choosing jewelry or such. People usually buy tickets with definite intention, so there is no need for personal interaction at the ticket booth.
Face time definitely is important when selling anything, whether it's selling a product or just selling yourself. However, I do agree that it is more a matter of convenience. there is a direct relationship between how much time is spent on something and how hard it is to give it up. Ergo, if someone has the convenience to just click or not click the "done" button, its a lot easier for them to change their minds.
I have several points. First of all, at risk of sounding overbearing (overbearing?), I think this article is really pointless. I am actually sorry to have wasted 2 minutes of my time reading it. Does anyone actually think about the process through which they buy their theatre tickets? I don't care how I get the tickets, just as long as I get them. However, I like Allison's point about convenience, and I think having someone always waiting at the box office in case something goes wrong with an order (which has happened to me...a lot) is not only efficient, it's completely necessary. The glass between us makes no difference, because I'm usually calling them on the phone. As long as competent and friendly people are working there (which is really just about common sense...not walls) I'm fine. I could care less about the glass wall. Lastly, I love that box offices are still maintained just for their charm. I think modern convenience often takes hold of what little charm is left in this world, and I get a tiny thrill out of picking up my tickets at will call. But seriously, it's not a huge issue...
While the article was somewhat pointless, the concept it touches on is an important one. Presentation is just as important before and after the show as it is during it. The house management staff and box office staff have a big job in setting the tone for the evening and making sure that the audience is in the right mindset for the experience they are about to have. The wall between the ticket seller and the ticket buyer is not the problem, the problem is the glass separating them. If the box office were just a window, there would not be as much of a problem. (In reference to the comments after the article) Getting large groups of people to do what you want them to do is difficult and any good FOH team will be polite, but firm.
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