What I learned about customer service

I've been working at a movie theater for seven months, and I've learned a lot. For example...

• Be nice to other people because you don’t know what’s going on in their life. And kindness really does go a long way.
• Compliments help.
• Keep your temper.
• Sometimes people can be pretty rude and messy and very self-entitled.
• Have a loud voice.
• Kids are generally pretty sweet, adults are occasionally tough to work with, and seniors are either angels or devils.
• Why the food at the movie theaters are so expensive is because that helps pay the workers, and that is what keeps the movie theater running in the first place. Most of the money made on movie tickets goes straight to the movie studios (hence, the reason why box office sales are so important within the movie world), very little actually goes to the movie theater itself.
• Patience can go a long way.
• Know where all the bathrooms are in the building.
• If you’re a person of color be prepared for, “where are you from?”, awkward stares, rude racist customers, and/or the occasional funny joke made from another person of color. An example would be, “so do you not serve any white customers then?” (That was actually said to me in real life).
• Be prepared for the dumbest questions, such as, “are you closed?” The answer to that should be obvious: you’re in a dark concession stand, obviously cleaning up, and there’s a sign on the counter that says: “SORRY WE’RE CLOSED, PLEASE GO TO THE OTHER CONCESSIONS STAND.” Or another obvious answer would be the fact that the building is already locked for the night, but there are still some people who demand to come in anyways.
• Don’t lash out at the customers who come in, literally, a second or two before you’re supposed to close down for the night.
• Be honest with the customer.
• Communication is key.
• Take advantage of your breaks.
• Try to help your customer out as much as you can.
• Be wary of the liars.
• Double count your money.
• Avoid doing head slams in front of the customer. No matter how much you want to because of the stupid, self-entitled, the customer is always right culture that Americans have.
• There will be a lot of mental cursing, though.
• Try to smile.
• Have thick skin because you will occasionally get really rude customers.
• Just remember that there are people who have your back (your coworkers, bosses, other customers who’ve been/are in the same position).
• Apologize, a lot.
• Avoid the urge to spit in the customer’s drink (just don’t do it all together if the customer can clearly see you filling up their drink).
• “Have a good one/day/night/afternoon!” will be your number one saying.
• Carry around more than one pen.
• Sometimes managers are your friends, sometimes they’re not. Try to be their friend anyways.
• Be patient when you’re training the new people, understand that you were in their position once.
• Try to avoid work romances (all the more awkward if you two break up).
• Remember to breathe.

Note: I have never done a few of the things listed above, such as the spitting in the drink one or engaged in a work romance. However, based on common sense and a fear of not wanting to get fired, I know better than to do that.

And now the weather:
Stressed Out by twenty one pilots

~ Stacy N.