I Cant Take It Anymore !!!

[testing123]

Posted: 6/5/04 at 2:06pm

What is up with the employees at the theater box offices !!???
I have been going to shows for years, and if I have come across and it would be a stretch for me to come up with even 5 times that I have had a pleasant experience with one of these people. Today was the perfect example.

Went to get tix for "Avenue Q". I have a feeling that it is going to win Best Musical, and comes Monday the tix will be very hard to come by. So, I figured better safe than sorry. So, I go to the box office, because I can not stand paying Telecharge's (or Ticketmaster's) surcharges. Gentleman behind the glass. I ask for (2) tix for June 25th. Right away he makes a motion with his arms. I dont know if he wanted me to name the exact seat that I wanted, but it really confused me !!!
Then, he rudely asks me for his pen back after I signed the CC receipt. The pen happened to be on the customers side of the glass.

Then I pop into "Raisin", since it was right there. This is when the real fun starts !! Very impatient woman beind the glass, making faces at just about everyone that steps up to the window.

My turn, and I ask for 2 tix for any weekday. I ask for the $25 tix. With a scowl that could have stopped a clock, she says "we dont sell any $25 tix" !! So, I step back to look at the pricing chart, and I tell her... "my mistake.. the $26 tickets". Obviously, she knew which price I was talking about !!! Then, she says "those are all sold out", with the nastiest tone !!
The gentleman on line behind me even said something to his wife about her. Why make me "correct" myself if they were sold out anyway !!!!

There is a very nice gentleman that works the window at "wicked". Tall, thin man... a nice woman I met at the window at "Aida". Other than that.... ????

The Minkskoff is notorious for nasty help.

People... if you dont like you job...QUIT !!!! If it is tedious, and you have to deal with people that might not always know what they want or might not speak perfect english, QUIT !!!
Just dont take it out on the customer !!! No one is holding a gun to your head and forcing you to do what you do !!!

Sorry for ranting !! Stepping off soapbox now !

[Dollypop]

Posted: 6/5/04 at 5:08pm

I've been going to the theater since 1963. I have NEVER had a bad experience at any box office. Perhaps it's the way you present yourself that makes the people behind the window treat you shabbily.

[WhatDoINeedWithLove?]

Posted: 6/5/04 at 5:12pm

ive never met the nice guy at wicked, only the mean guy who yelled at me and my friends when we went to wicked. the only tickets we could get were for that night but we already had seats at Avenue Q so we were discussng what to do and he was like "WHO WANTS TO SEE STUPID PUPPETS???????"

[Matt_G]

Posted: 6/5/04 at 5:23pm

Dolly, I completely understand where Testing is coming from. I'm actually really glad somebody brought this subject up.

There are some theaters that I will not go into the box office for any reason simply because of the rude staff. The rudest ones are the Minskoff, the Eugene O'Neill and the Shubert. I've been going to Broadway shows for over a decade now (not nearly as long as you, Dolly) and from day one have experienced these people. Don't get me wrong, some of these guys are great and you get to know them from them moving around from show to show, but on the whole it seems that box office employees are paid to treat their customers like ****. It's the ONLY customer service position in the world I can think of where people could get away with the level of rudeness they present.

I understand that the box office lines get very long and people ask stupid questions and get impatient. But you are paid to answer those questions and to make the customer happy. I worked customer service for 9 years and there were some people who I wanted to strangle. But never once did I get rude or loose my temper with someone who simply had a question or wanted information.

If any box office employees are reading this - When I go up and ask, as Testing123 did and ask about seat availability or about standing room or rush policies please just answer my questions so I can purchase my tickets be on my way. There is no reason to roll your eyes at me and talk about me to your co workers so I can hear you. Don't start huffing and puffing and cursing under your breath. There's no need for it. It really takes a lot away from the Broadway experience.

[kitkatgirl54]

Posted: 6/5/04 at 5:23pm

i can't see how he could have said "who wants to see stupid puppets" and been serious ... i would have laughed so hard, no matter what his tone of voice was.

l.

[MusicPos2]

Posted: 6/5/04 at 5:30pm

Same thing about on the phone. If a show like WICKED has such big names, people want to know that they'll be in. One got really mad at me, when I asked why the tickets were so available that day. I asked the likelihood that Idina would end up taking an extra day off, and she just got mad at me. I know she can't give an definite answer, but be nice! Oh and btw, AVENUE Q is amazing (I've seen it 4 times), but it doesn't have a prayer against WICKED tomorrow.

[ChrisLovesShows]

Posted: 6/5/04 at 5:34pm

...and don't even get me started about rude souvenir shop employees around Times Square. Some are very nice, of course, but I've met more than my fair share of unpleasant asses. I'm with testing123, if your job makes you this miserable....QUIT. No need to make the whole world miserable with you.

And while I'm on a roll, there is an usher who works the left aisle (facing the stage) at the Eugene O'Neill who is the biggest, nastiest BITCH that I have ever come into contact with! This woman should NOT be in a job that involves contact with the public.

[Matt_G]

Posted: 6/5/04 at 5:38pm

I think I know who you're talking about. I already said the O'Neill has some horrid people working there. Inside and out.

[testing123]

Posted: 6/5/04 at 5:41pm

<< I've been going to the theater since 1963. I have NEVER had a bad experience at any box office. Perhaps it's the way you present yourself that makes the people behind the window treat you shabbily. >>

This is such an ignorant comment that I dont know how, or even if I should, respond to it. I am very happy that you have never had such an experience. I wish everyone had the same experience. But just because it has never happened to you, does not mean that it doesnt happen to others. The way that I "present myself"?!!!

I simply went to the box office looking to buy tickets. Simple as that. After reading my OP, are you saying that the woman at the "Raisin" box office did not know that I was referring to $26 tix instead of $25 tix? Any she very easily just could have said that the tix in that section (rear mezz) or price range are sold out. Nothing difficult about that. I am always cordial to these people and to anyone in a service or customer relations industry. I expect the same back. Are you telling me that you never heard anyone at all mention that employees that work at the ticket windows on broadway can be rude and/or a little nasty?

Your comment was really out of line. Sorry.

[testing123]

Posted: 6/5/04 at 5:48pm

<< It's the ONLY customer service position in the world I can think of where people could get away with the level of rudeness they present.

I understand that the box office lines get very long and people ask stupid questions and get impatient. But you are paid to answer those questions and to make the customer happy. I worked customer service for 9 years and there were some people who I wanted to strangle. But never once did I get rude or loose my temper with someone who simply had a question or wanted information.
>>

So true... I worked retail for years growing up, and yes...like in any other job, you come into contact with rude people, people that ask a ton of questions, people that dont know exactly what they want. You have to deal with it. Or just get another job. I got out of retail because I could not deal with it, but I was NEVER allowed to treat my customers in this manner.

[kitkatgirl54]

Posted: 6/5/04 at 6:03pm

3 or 4 years ago i was looking for a show to see while i was in nyc for the day ... i walked up to the box-office of a long running show (let's say it was POTO) and asked if there were any tickets available for that day. the 85-year-old box office woman LAUGHS AT ME and replies "hahaha, honey. this is PHANTOM."

great that REALLY makes me want to go back. and yes i was probably 15 or 16 at the time but that doesn't mean that she has to treat me like i'm 5, OR that phantom is that big of a smash-hit right now that it's such a horrible question for me to be asking.

i wonder how much they get paid. is it really that bad that they have to be so bitchy? i have to deal with people too (as does everyone!). what is their excuse?

[chinkie azn jai]

Posted: 6/5/04 at 11:08pm

Rude theatre workers are horrible to deal with. But some of the ushers/boxoffice people at the Eugene O'Neil theatre are pretty nice. Or they were to me. When i went to get tickets for Nine (with the original revival cast) they only had 2 tickets left and they were very pascient (sp) with me. I was by myself (im 15) and they were nice to me and when i was sitting by myself. They were kind and looked out for me the whole night.
Another nice boxoffice experience i had was here in chicago when i went to get tickets for TMM when it was in town. The boxoffice guy there was very nice and personable. We got into a conversation talking about the current broadway season and stuff and about school. Little things like that make the broadway expierence sooo much better.
I cant think of any rude people yet. Except sometimes there are bitchy ushers that won't let you/dont want you to move down after/during intermission. If a person comes who has a ticket to that seat...it's not a big deal to move out.

[jrb_actor]

Posted: 6/5/04 at 11:52pm

I, too have experienced some very rude box office people. I have worked in box office, and I am currently an usher. There is NO excuse for the uninvited rudeness that I have seen and experienced. I go in trying to be the "perfect patron", and still there have been some real jerks (Buying tix for Wicked was a really bad experience).

But, there are some great people out there--I found the Assassins box office folks to be particularly nice.

I understand that working in box office can be a hair pulling experience--there are many annoying people that come to the window/call. However, you HAVE to be patient. We all have to remember that some of the "stupid" questions really aren't--they just seem so to us because we have heard them for so long. I'll catch myself doing it as an usher, and I have to remind myself that these people have never been to this building before--why should they know where the bathroom is? :)

[etoile]

Posted: 6/6/04 at 2:25am

Call me lucky, but I've also never had a bad experience at a box office, TKTS, or even with Telecharge. Maybe my expectations aren't very high.

[son_of_a_gunn_25]

Posted: 6/6/04 at 3:54am

It's always a good idea to be nice to everyone, because you never know just who you are being rude to and it could cause you the loss of a good job, or it might keep you from getting a job in the future based on that bad experience the person had. Of course that is my philosophy in every area of my life.

[ozboy]

Posted: 6/6/04 at 4:07am

"There is a very nice gentleman that works the window at "wicked". Tall, thin man... a nice woman I met at the window at "Aida". Other than that.... ????"

The 'nice guy' at the Gershwin served me also - he was v-good, and helpful. I went to the Box Office at Aida and the woman there was really rude. I asked for a ticket, she says "how much do you want to pay", I said "it doesnt matter, just give me the best seat you have" and she repeats the question really loudly, like I'm either deaf or an idiot.. So I told her I'd use a discount code, she said it wasn't valid and I would have to pay full price. So, I left, went nextdoor to use the free internet access and bought a half price ticket online [with the same discount code] and went straight back to collect it from her. I was smiling, though she wasn't amused.

The people at the Nederlander seemed surprised that someone was in their lobby and even more surprised that I wanted tickets - it seems that they've forgotten what it feels like.

[MidwestBWayBaby]

Posted: 6/6/04 at 5:58am

It's so interesting that someone talked about the way people present themselves. I used to work for Disney in Florida. I was asked at least 5 times a day "What time is the 3 o'clock parade" Now, I was asked this in different languages, different tones, and even yelled at me from far away. It doesn't get much more annoying than that folks!!! My point is that it doesn't matter how people present themselves. It matters that people help their Guest. Afterall, that's what we are when we go out for an evening of Theater- we're guests of that Theatre. And I think we should be treated that way. Not like annoyances! So preach on about who is rude, and maybe someone who deserves a job in the city can score one and the rude people can be sent off to work in the local malls!
***Hops off Soapbox*** "Where's the Tylenol"

[secret-soul]

Posted: 6/6/04 at 7:49am

OK, so I wrote a nice long response but then my computer decided to hiccup and now that response is gone. SO. What I was gonna say is, if you don't wanna deal w/ the bo's, head to TKTS. (oh, and POTO DOES sell out, it's not like it's a freak of nature thing when it DOES. But I got my most recent tickets at TKTS and my seat was 5th row-orchestra right, on the inside aisle---I was the first person online at TKTS---and the woman in front of me in the theatre, got HER ticket at TKTS at 5pm)

[Greekmusicalfan]

Posted: 6/6/04 at 8:18am

When i came to New York in December, i had bought most of my tickets on line, so I don't have many box office experiences to share. I have to say that the BOY FROM OZ box office guy was a little aloof, but I certainly have to mention the kind middle-aged gentleman at the HAIRSPRAY box office who was really sweet, smiley and friendly !!!!

Take care