Being a cashier at a movie theater can be fun if you know how a computer works when punching up tickets. Except for the two rows of keys that are colored on the keyboard, the computer in the box office is just like any other PC. The keyboard’s “home row” is colored red, and the keys have S1 through S6 printed on them. (Some theaters may have more than six movie screens so each computer will vary slightly).
The second row of keys that is the row beneath the home row is colored blue. Each key on this row has a different abbreviation for each ticket that is available to the customer. So, the keys are labeled as follows:
- AD that is for an adult admission price of $9.50,
- RR that is the senior admission price of $6.50,
- CH is for children 3 through 13 and the admission is $5.50,
- ST that stands for student admission is no longer available.
The next three keys are for exchange tickets or free passes. The first key labeled X is for a $5.50 exchange ticket or free passes. The first key labeled X is for a $5.50 transfer ticket, and second X is for the $9.50 exchange ticket. The last colored key is labeled FP for the free passes that are accepted for admission.
There are a few things that need to be done in order to sell tickets successfully to the customer from the box office of a movie theater. The first step is when a customer approaches the window to welcome them and ask if you can help. After establishing that the customer is there to purchase tickets for a movie, the next thing that is needed is to know which movie does he/she want tickets for and for which show-time. Next, find out how many people and the type of admission tickets that are required, i.e. child, senior citizen, adult.
After this has been acknowledged, find out which screen the movie is playing on at the time the customer wants to see. If the movie is playing on screen one, then press the S1 key and if the customer wants three adult tickets for the 7:35 showing, press the number 3 and the AD key. The total price will appear in the lower right corner. Once the cashier sees the price, he/she needs to tell the customer the total price which will be $28.50. Once the customer hands in the money to you, leave it laying on the counter in front of you and proceed to count the change back to them. When counting back change, always start with the next dollar, i.e. if the customer hands you two $20.00 bills then you give him/her .50 cents and day 29.00, and then the dollar bill will be 30.00 and 10 makes 40. Press the space bar to bring the ticket up one the change has been given.
When handing in the tickets to the client say “Thank you and enjoy your show.” Always make sure to put the money that the customer gave you in the drawer or if it is a $20.00 dollar bill or more put it in the drop slot in the counter before starting the next transaction. Always be sure to welcome the customer. Give back him or her quick and accurate service, and to thank them before asking to help the next customer in line.
There are a few differences when the customer is paying with a credit or debit card. The first difference is when handed the credit card, if the tickets have not already been punched up from the printer, swipe the credit or debit card through the black swiper that is on top of the monitor, in the upper left hand corner of the screen. After swiping, a message will appear letting you know that it is processing the transaction. Once it has been processed the transaction it will read ticket sales. The tickets will come with two receipts. Have the client sign one of the receipts at the bottom and check the signature on the receipt with the signature on the back of the card. Place the signed receipt in the drop slot and give the other receipt to the customer. The process is the same for a debit card except you do not have to have the client sign one of the receipts.
If the tickets have already been punched up and the customer hands you a credit or debit cards, punch the convert to credit card help key and proceed as above. The only difference is that only the two receipts will come up because you have already punched up the tickets.
References
Sorell, R. R. F. (2013). I could have been a prince. S.l.: Lulu Com.
