Substitutions
Substitutions
Hosts assigned to a regular venue who need coverage are responsible for finding coverage for their assigned shift.
Hosts who commit to a substitute shift are responsible for finding coverage if they cannot make it to a shift.
This includes utilizing the Sub Portal on obeyyourquizmaster.com and calling/texting/emailing other hosts using the Contact List found on the Sub Portal.
Never contact the bar to cancel a quiz or "call out." That's a cancellation, and those only come from Geeks Who Drink corporate.
PLEASE NOTE: Selecting "Sick" as the reason for your sub request in OYQ DOES NOT automatically trigger sick pay. To request sick pay, follow the process outline here.
Please make all attempts to find a substitute as far in advance as possible. If you are unsure that you'll be able to be at your quiz - e.g. you're returning from travel that day, you have a meeting that is supposed to end an hour before quiz, etc. - play it safe and line up a sub. If you have a go-to sub, you can ask them to be on call for situations like this. Even in our most staffed areas, last minute sub requests can be really, really tough to get covered.
If you've made all attempts and are unable to find a substitute for your shift, please contact qmsupport@geekswhodrink.com with as much detail as possible about what attempts you've made to find a sub. Please contact QM Support by 48 hours before quiz start time.
If an emergency arises (e.g. car accident, sudden illness, family emergency, etc.), please email qmsupport@geekswhodrink.com as soon as possible. If you have the opportunity and time - it's an emergency, we understand you may not be able to - please put up a sub request on the Sub Portal and send a quick email to qmsupport@geekswhodrink.com.
The QM Support Team will try to find a sub or cancel the quiz, depending on the situation. Take care of yourself first.
If you are running a fever or have any reason to suspect you may be positive for COVID, DO NOT host your quiz. As soon as possible, email qmsupport@geekswhodrink.com and request a sub on the Sub Portal. If you line up a sub via text or email, contact them and fill out the Manual Substitution Form.
At minimum, you should provide your substitute with:
The format of your quiz: JBL. Many hosts host GWD, SBT, BNG, etc, so please let 'em know they're prepping for a JBL game.
Instructions on how to set up the AV equipment at the venue
The prize amounts and where to get gift cards/bonus tokens or certificates
WiFi information
If you have other venue-specific oddities (e.g. parking is difficult, quiz has to finish exactly at a certain time because of other entertainment immediately following, etc.) please pass these along so your sub can rep you well.
If you are subbing and get a sub for the shift, you are still required to provide adequate instructions to your sub, even though it's not your regular weekly venue. If you didn't receive a sub guide from the assigned host, loop them in to make sure instructions are passed along.
Assembling all of this information into a PDF is a great way to make sure your substitute knows everything they need to! Click the How-To link below for instructions on making a Sub Guide.
If you're subbing and did not receive adequate instructions, reach out to the regular host. If they're unresponsive, please email qmsupport@geekswhodrink.com.
You should start trying to line up a sub the moment you know you are unable to make your quiz. This is doubly true during the holiday season, with prepared hosts lining up subs sometimes 6-8 weeks in advance. For the most part, it's never too early to line up your sub. Do not wait until the week of your quiz if you made plans in advance. Bought that concert ticket already? Request a sub.
Please do NOT just post all of the dates you'll be out on OYQ. If you do, then you might end up with 5 different people hosting your venue over the next 5 weeks. In theory, this isn't a problem (the quiz is covered, yay!) but in practice, it makes you and us look unreliable, and can damage rapport with the quizzers and the venue staff. If you need a sub for 3 or more consecutive weeks, reach out to your manager/the support team first to let them know.
From here, best practice is to reach out to people individually using the Contact List and see if they can cover at least a couple of quizzes. If they can only cover 1 night, move on to the next person.
If you can't find someone who can take the whole absence and you end up having to post the requests individually, that's fine - just try to find long-term coverage first!
It depends. If you're in an area with one event and two hosts - the weekly and the back-up - this can be completely normal. If that's not the case, it could be a problem. Raise a flag to qmsupport@geekswhodrink.com. We may be understaffed in your area and need to sic the Recruiting and Training team on the issue to make sure you can take nights off without worry.
Contact qmsupport@geekswhodrink.com and let us know. If it's been two weeks, don't panic. If you haven't worked in three months because there's nothing for you to do, we need to know about that.
Absolutely! We love when you work, and we also love not having to scramble for coverage if nobody else has picked up a gig. If you truly feel bad about potentially taking work from someone who doesn't have a weekly quiz, then you can wait 24 hours before jumping on it. That goes out the window if it's a last-minute (read: within 48 hours of quiz) request, though. If you see anything like that and you're free, please take it, and don't feel bad when you do!
If the venue complained, ask them send the feedback to their account manager or help@geekswhodrink.com. It might be nothing big- but maybe hold off on having them sub again until we get a chance to address whatever it is.
If your regulars complained, ask them why they felt that way. Regulars tend to hate change. If it's a legit issue, let us know at qmsupport@geekswhodrink.com.
If you picked up a sub gig, that shift is now your responsibility. Treat things as if you were the assigned host. Put a Sub Request on OYQ, and if the quiz is less than 48 hours in the future, call/text and email all available subs in the area using the Contact List. See instructions in the "How-To" links.