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Thread ID: 114357	2010-11-29 23:24:00	My rant for the week - Event Cinemas	johcar (6283)	PC World Chat

Post ID	Timestamp	Content	User
1157407	2010-11-29 23:24:00	A couple of weeks ago (Saturday 14 Nov), my son and I decided to go see the latest Resident Evil movie. I chose Albany and to book online, because there is/was a competition to win a 3D TV. The online process seemed to work initially – I saw an “Approved” message pop up on the DPS credit card processing page and then I was returned to the Event Cinemas (skycitycinemas.co.nz) site, where I was informed that there was an error with the booking. So I did what most people would do and picked up the phone to call their help line. The 302 0002 number rang a couple of times, connected and then disconnected me. Repeat. Same result. Repeat. Same result. No other contact numbers on the site. Damn. So I sent an email, hoping someone would answer – luckily, someone did. I got a phone call about 2 hours before the movie started and a nice CSR confirmed the booking was successful and she also gave me the booking number so I could collect my tickets. My son and I drove to Albany (about 15km from home) and arrived about 30 minutes before the movie. When I tried to pick up the tickets, my son was asked to produce ID. I thought this was because I had booked for 1 adult, 1 student, and the cashier wanted confirmation of his student status. But no, it was because the movie was an R16. My son had not brought his Student ID with him (he turned 16 in August this year) – it didn’t even cross my mind to think to bring it. I explained I was his father and would vouch for him. This was not acceptable to the cashier and I was referred to someone who I assume was the duty manager. I asked if there was a document I could sign to confirm my son was 16. I said I would be happy to sign an affidavit, but the ignorant idiot behind the counter insisted several times that “this would not cover the law”. I have to assume he did not understand that an affidavit is a legal document that would indeed stand up to scrutiny under ANY law in ANY court in NZ. He asked me if we could go home to get the ID – this was impractical, as the distance was too great in the time left before the movie started, and would have been a severe inconvenience and cost in both time and money to me, when some form of statutory declaration could easily have been made and signed by me. I was offered another movie, which I declined as we were going to the movies with a specific movie in mind. I was then offered a refund, which I accepted (but this did not include the online booking fee of $2). I was (and still am) extremely angry and annoyed. I understand that the R16 restriction must be legally enforced, but I am annoyed there was no alternative for proving the age of an attendee (such as a legal declaration, signed by an identified adult). I was equally annoyed that the online booking process did not prompt me to remember to bring ID for the non-adult at the time of the booking. This might have been covered in the confirmation email that I did not get (but I would lay money that there isn't), because the online process informed me there was an error in the booking process (there was NOT an error, as I was informed by the nice young lady on the phone around 3pm). It would be a very simple piece of logic to insert in the ticket order process flow – the movie is selected (therefore the rating is known), and the fact that at least one of the tickets being bought for a non-adult could easily trigger a pop up warning message, reminding the purchaser to bring ID for the non-adult. This would also prompt a customer to go back and check the movie rating before proceeding with the purchase transaction, in case the non-adult did not qualify to see the movie at all... We drove 30km (round trip), wasted nearly an hour and did not see the movie we wanted to at the theatre we travelled out of our way to. (In the end, when we got home, we picked up my son’s ID and went to a slightly later showing of Resident Evil at Hoyts Wairau Park – much closer to home.) I sent the details above via email to Event Cinemas, who have only just replied – two weeks later!!!!! I was told (again) they had a policy in place to comply with Films, Videos and Publications Classification Act (FVPCA) 1994 and was offered two complimentary tickets for Albany – which I have declined on principle, since there is obviously no willingness to look at changing an inflexible policy and actually deliver some customer service. /rant (Ahhh! That feels better!)	johcar (6283)
1157408	2010-11-29 23:32:00	How is it the cinema's fault or the online stores fault that you failed to bring the ID to a movie you booked knowing full well what the rating was. I used to work retail and I tell you I would not accept anything signed by anyone to prove age, nothing but legal ID would cover the cashier in event of a audit. That is drummed into all of us that might be selling anything with a age restriction, just try that **** on in a bar see how far you get. Sorry mate on this one your wrong, grow up and take responsibility for YOUR mistake and stop asking for hand-holding measures to be put in place because of it.	DeSade (984)
1157409	2010-11-29 23:42:00	:lol:	SoniKalien (792)
1157410	2010-11-29 23:59:00	No argument that I should have realised that it was R-rated, I'm happy to wear that . But a movie rating is not the kind of thing I've have to even think about for at least 30 years . My son should probably have realised (since an age rating is more relevant to him - and it was his idea to see the movie) and should probably have been carrying his ID . A bar is different - the age limit is always the same, and I would expect it to be enforced (and it was when I worked in bars) . But customer service is about delivering . They did not do so, IMO . A simple (legal) form on which a customer who has valid photographic ID (I carry my drivers licence) can confirm the age of an accompanying minor, which would take the onus of legal compliance off the cinema is easy . As is a pop-up reminder in the browser at the time of making an online booking . Both these options deliver customer service . (Not to mention it took them two weeks to respond to my email!!! Where's the service in that?)	johcar (6283)
1157411	2010-11-30 00:00:00	Went to The Expendables with my sister and her daughter and had the same problem they would not let her in without ID, too bad got a refund (no 2 dollars here as it was point of sale) went and hired a HD movie, too bad. Will remember next time i tell you. They would not let here in even though sister said she could. Thems the rules i guess	Gobe1 (6290)
1157412	2010-11-30 00:04:00	A simple (legal) form on which a customer who has valid photographic ID (I carry my drivers licence) can confirm the age of an accompanying minor, which would take the onus of legal compliance off the cinema is easy . (Not to mention it took them two weeks to respond to my email!!! Where's the service in that?) Blah blah Honestly all I am hearing is excuses, the website should have told me, the cinema was at fault, my son should have known . . . . Jeez you booked them it was your mistake . As for this legal document crap, no one would accept that, its not valid, no cashier is going to risk a 2k fine for them and a 10k fine for the company over your bit of paper, get real . You obvioulsy have no concept of the laws around age limits if you think you can just sign something to get around it . Two weeks to respond via email is crap, that should have been 2 - 3 days at the very most .	DeSade (984)
1157413	2010-11-30 02:01:00	You obvioulsy have no concept of the laws around age limits if you think you can just sign something to get around it. Two weeks to respond via email is crap, that should have been 2 - 3 days at the very most. The two weeks is pretty shocking for Customer Service. But I'm agreeing with the above on this one - The Statutory Declaration should be sighted and also signed by a JP (Justice of the Peace) or someone of similar status. To make it legal	lordnoddy (3645)
1157414	2010-11-30 02:43:00	For Chrissake all he was doing was taking his boy to a movie! I agree with Johcar, what a lot of crap to go through for NO service. Some people need to realise what customer relations is all about. A theatre Manager? Not in my book. :annoyed:	Richard (739)
1157415	2010-11-30 02:52:00	Not saying it was not a lot of crap to go through, but it was entirely brought on by his own mistake in forgetting the ID.	DeSade (984)
1157416	2010-11-30 02:55:00	No argument that I should have realised that it was R-rated, I'm happy to wear that. But a movie rating is not the kind of thing I've have to even think about for at least 30 years. My son should probably have realised (since an age rating is more relevant to him - and it was his idea to see the movie) and should probably have been carrying his ID. A bar is different - the age limit is always the same, and I would expect it to be enforced (and it was when I worked in bars). But customer service is about delivering. They did not do so, IMO. A simple (legal) form on which a customer who has valid photographic ID (I carry my drivers licence) can confirm the age of an accompanying minor, which would take the onus of legal compliance off the cinema is easy. As is a pop-up reminder in the browser at the time of making an online booking. Both these options deliver customer service. (Not to mention it took them two weeks to respond to my email!!! Where's the service in that?) For them to be able to provide a form to prove age, surely this would have to be passed through government as acceptable ID. While I can see your point these rules are set in place to take the onus off the person at the counter being paid minimum wage. Computer games are the same, different ratings. I say good on them for sticking to there guns. How many times to we watch target and have a go at the dairy owner for selling smokes to a 17 year old. No ID, no entry. You would be the first to complain if your sum managed to hire porn at the local video store	plod (107)
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