Digital @ The Arts Unit Creative Classes

Quality service

Develop knowledge and skills to communicate effectively with customers and provide quality service

Student VET entertainment resource developed by The Arts Unit

Years 11 and 12 VET entertainment

What will I learn?

You will:

  • explore customers with special needs

  • identify difference between customer needs, expectations and preferences

  • develop quality customer service skills and knowledge.

Customer needs, preferences and expectations

Within the entertainment industry there is a range of customers who all have different service requirements. Being able to identify the difference between customer needs, preferences and expectations is key to providing quality customer service.

Influences on customer needs, preferences and expectations include:

  • gender

  • age

  • personality

  • health

  • culture

  • social status

  • economic factors

  • previous experiences.

Organisations can establish customer needs, preferences and expectations through:

  • active listening

  • open, closed and reflective questions

  • observation and recognition of non-verbal cues.





TASK:

Discuss the difference between a need, a preference and an expectation?

Possible customer expectations of entertainment industry staff

As a customer service representative anticipating customer needs and expectations is an effective step in achieving quality service. Within the entertainment industry possible expectations customers have include:

  • excellent communication and interpersonal skills, including technical skills, diplomacy, patience and attention to detail.

  • confidence, motivation, initiative and enthusiasm.

  • good personal presentation.

  • product knowledge

  • recognition of dissatisfaction and prompt action to rectify

  • consistency in service

  • individual attention

  • one of the most important things you can do for a customer is to use their name.

Customers with special needs

All customers should be valued and treated as individuals.

Effective customer service is attained when all customers are treated in a fair and equitable manner with a desire to satisfy or exceed each customer's expectations.

Customers with special needs are not always people with disabilities. There is a range of customers who have special needs who have different service requirements, including but not exclusive to:

  • patrons with physical disabilities and sensory impairments

  • patrons with intellectual disabilities

  • patrons with particular cultural or language needs

  • elderly patrons

  • school groups

  • theatre groups

  • VIPs

  • first-time patrons

  • pregnant women

  • families with children

  • unaccompanied children.

Every customer with special needs results in implications for entertainment venues and customer service.

The difficulties faced by patrons with special needs can be lessened if customer service employees recognise the customers' needs and act appropriately.

TASKS:

  • Watch the following 7 videos as they explore various ways theatres around the world are ensuring the entertainment industry is accessible to all customers, including those with different disabilities.

  • Outline the different adjustments required for each of the outlined special needs to ensure the accessibility for all customers.

1. Making theatre services accessible to disabled people

Duration: 05:25

2. Ground-breaking theatre created to be accessible to all audiences

Duration: 02:20

3. Sydney Festival: disability access & customer service

Duration: 05:03

4. GoTheatrical Theatre Captioning

Duration: 03:59

5. New Model of Accessible Theatre for Kids

Duration: 03:19

6. Accessible Theatreland (UK)

Duration: 08:01

7. Introducing Smart Caption Glasses

Duration: 04:19

Quality service delivery

Service is the intangible product bought by your customer at the same time as they purchase the tangible products of seating and programs. It is the act of helping or assisting, supplying commodities, the performance of duty or work for another, at someone’s service, to be of service. It means you communicate with customers in a manner that promotes goodwill, trust and customer satisfaction.

Characteristics of quality customer service include:

  • consistency in service delivery

  • service levels meet or exceed customer expectation

  • communicating with a customer in a manner that promotes goodwill, trust and satisfaction

  • accurately identifying potential hidden customer needs

  • ensuring that customer needs and reasonable requests are met

  • providing friendly and courteous offers of assistance beyond the customer’s original request

  • promoting the organisation’s services and products to encourage repeat visitation

  • displaying positive body language to ensure customer comfort.




TASK:

Discuss the following questions:

  • What are the benefits of quality customer service to internal and external customers?

  • What is the relationship between customer service and business success in the entertainment industry?

  • What is the concept of a ‘customer focused’ workplace?

  • Why is it important to develop collegial working relationships with others to provide quality internal customer service?

  • How can optimal customer service can be delivered through the implementation of teamwork?

Quality service in the entertainment industry

Key considerations when establishing quality service to internal and external customers include:

  • detailed knowledge of the range of products and services offered within the specific entertainment industry workplace

  • matching customer needs, preferences and expectations to appropriate product(s) and/or service(s)

  • seeking assistance from others, as necessary in order to meet a specific customer need, preference and/or expectation

  • seeking opportunities to deliver additional level of service beyond customer’s immediate request or expectation

  • seeking assistance to improve customer service practices

  • dealing with problems and/or delays in the delivery of products and/or services in a timely manner.

It is important to regularly seek feedback on customer service practices to enhance service delivery.

When seeking feedback on customer service practices it is essential to value the information obtained from staff and customers and use it positively to enhance service delivery in your organisation.

Patron interaction and enquiries

Every entertainment industry workplace will have specific customer service policies and procedures for establishing contact with customers. It is essential to develop a rapport with customers and have a range of techniques for approaching and dealing with customers.

Working as an usher in front of house you will come in contact with a diverse range of patrons. You will be expected to greet them politely, to listen to their requests and to be patient and courteous. You may be the first person they come in contact with at your venue. It is important to leave them with a good impression.

It is common for patrons to have a a range of customer enquiries in any entertainment industry workplace and this may include questions concerning:

  • venue facilities

  • location of specific seating areas

  • correct entrance door for particular seats

  • exit points for the auditorium

  • special venue restrictions (food, drink, cameras)

  • special effects being used in performances (strobe, smoke)

  • lock out procedures for the performance

  • ‘No entry’ areas.





Front of house - the role of an usher

Watch the following 2 videos discussing the role of a theatre usher.

1. Broadway 101: The Ushers

Duration: 03:47

2. Working on Broadway: Usher

Duration: 02:19

Greeting Patrons

Be proactive

  • Watch out for opportunities to help patrons.

  • Don't just wait for someone to come to you with a question or a problem. Seek out patron contact.

First impression is important

  • Make eye contact and smile. It puts people at ease.

  • Greet each and every patron with an appropriate greeting for the time of day (morning, afternoon, evening) or circumstance ('May I take your tickets?', 'Can I help you with anything?').

Appropriate tone of voice

  • Keep your voice light and cheerful. Project your voice clearly and with confidence. Don't mutter, mumble or be gruff.

  • DON'T talk about personal or work-related problems in front of patrons.

Display positive body language

  • People who appear relaxed also appear more friendly and welcoming than those who don't.

  • Crossing arms, leaning on furniture or putting hands on hips sends the wrong signals and can be interpreted as disinterest or hostility. So can slouching, mumbling or turning away while talking.

Avoid pointing

  • Pointing with the fingers is an insult in some cultures. Use an open hand when giving patrons directions instead.

Good grooming

  • personal hygiene, make-up and hair, appropriate jewellry, uniform care and maintenance, use of appropriate language.

TASK:

Discuss effective procedures for dealing with:

  • customers from diverse backgrounds

  • customers with special needs

  • customers with language barriers

  • regular or VIP customers

  • first time patrons to the venue

  • large groups of school students.

Third-party content attributions