What? Uh, I don’t know. If you were on payroll that’s an easy one – but you’re a volunteer. A brand new, hurt while being trained volunteer. Whoops. Didn’t see that one coming.

Enter university Office of Risk Management and University Counsel Office. What did we find out? Not much.

After much thought and talking to both offices and other around campus the consensus is this: There is no existing training information that is relevant to what our volunteers do on a nightly basis, but there needs to be.

Great, now what?

Well, here’s what I’ve done:

1) Tackle the liability issue. If your volunteer is ushering a patron inside your auditorium and that patron falls and sustains and injury is that volunteer covered? Work with your organizations’ legal council – they should be able to investigate your state or oranization’s policies. In NC, volunteers are covered under Executive Order #48, Section 6. The section lists other statues that support the order. If you don’t find anything, you need to work with the legal council to make a liability policy.

2) Once you have your liability policy underfoot move onto finding out your organization’s policy on workers compensation. Does it work for only payroll employees or anyone acting on behalf of the organization? Detail what it means to “act on behalf of the organization.”  If it does not cover workers compensation for unpaid volunteers and a new policy will not be developed, you MUST draft legaly sound documentation and training informing your volunteers of this.

3)  Create and implement documentation.  You know your policy doesn’t cover volunteers should they become injured while volunteering, or while in training and you need documentation.  Work with your legal council to create a sound document(s).  Investigate other organizations and see if they have a similar form or procedure.  Any hospitals with a volunteer program will have examples.   Once you have gotten your documentation approved with your legal council – get it out there.  Require a signed copy from every member of your volunteer corps.

4)  Inform and Train your volunteers – frequently.  We all train our volunteers on how to tear tickets, what to do if someone falls, what to do if there is a seating issue but do we train our volunteers on risk management and how to protect themselves while on the “job?”  I didn’t.  Think of the hazards in your facility – if your auditorium isn’t open to the public will volunteers encounter cords, aisle obstructions, lighting work over head?  ?  Will your volunteers be required to naviage around a dark auditorium? Are their stairs?  Do you have storage in your auditorium floor and is it sometimes open?  Do you have a slick floor?  Do your technical staffers vocalize when something is falling – do your volunteers know this?   How will they naviage around these hazards safely?  Inform your volunteers of these hazards and make it a part of your regular and frequent training program.

5)  Lastly, post all of your new legalese in your volunteer “headquarters.”  This may be where they check in prior to performances or if you have an online community or even both.

About 3 seasons ago, I poked my head out of our main doors only to see an elderly lady in a wheelchair struggling to push herself into the venue.  After helping her inside, discovered that her name was Miss Kitty and that our disability public transit service left her parked in front of the venue in the freezing cold.  A few performances later, after I complained about her being left outside, I noticed the transit worker did get her inside the building; however, I watched in horror as he gave her a big push into the lobby and where she stopped was where she stayed.  Is this how we treat our disabled patrons?

Over the past few seasons, Miss Kitty has been left behind (for me to find her a way home), all but physically forced to leave a world class performance early and routinely the last person out of the building.  To me; however, what’s even more disturbing is the sheer amount of effort Miss Kitty puts in to attending our performances, despite the trouble she encounters to attend.  She has has many health problems and lives in a nearby assisted living facility.  The only times she leaves her facility is to attend our performances and church services.  According to Miss Kitty, she can only make 2 appointments per week, so she has to choose between performances and a church service.  I’m stunned.

Moving forward; last night was a popular performance, Miss Kitty arrived to our facility barely on time and informed the house manager that she scheduled her pick up time at 10:30pm.  At 8pm I called the transit dispatchers to have her pick up moved up to 9:30pm only to be informed that her pick up would instead be closer to 11pm – 1 1/2 hours after the performance ends.  To complicate this matter, her assisted living community has a curfew. 

I have tried booking pick-ups for Miss Kitty; however, the transit authority won’t let me book on her behalf.  I have protested the terrible service to the transit authority with only a “there’s nothing we can do” answer.  I have tried calling her in advance to let her know the end time.  I thought of a private service, but none are in her price range.  Now, I’m out of options. 

Any ideas on how I can help Miss Kitty?  Seriously, I expect more for our elderly patrons.

I have been a state employee for several years now and have always taken offense to my husbands insults about state employees. He frequently jabs about how state employees are lazy or stupid. I always felt this wasn’t the best descriptor, but never had any better suggestions…until recently. 

Two of my co-workers were recently arguing.  Co-Worker # 1 is  a well educated, professional new to the state system.  Co-Worker # 2 is also well educated, professional and has been in the state system for many years.  During this argument, Co-Worker #1 yells to #2, “you can’t make everyone happy.  At some point compromise hurts you, it hurts the organization and the production suffers.  Just make up your mind.   Pick a side and stick to it.  People will respect you for it.”

This is so true.  We can’t make everyone happy.  As state employees we are brain-washed into thinking that if we stand our ground we risk being labled as “hard to work with” which is the end of any hopes of promotion.  But why is this the case?  Has the state system become so bomarded with life-long employees that it has no backbone?  Yes. 

So, I plan on learning from this and I sincerely plan on not continuing to jump on the state employee train.  When you compromise, yes, you may make everyone happy but at what cost?  The show would suffer.  If your show suffers, your program will eventually suffer.  Your program suffers for a while then you have no job.  You have no job and you’re thrust back into the “real world” only to find yourself feeling like a wet noodle. 

Pick a side and stick with it!

A while back we received a rental request from a national fraternity, the date was open so we granted them the use of our space that day.  After granting them the date the red flags begin to rise. 

Red Flag #1:  They need to fit 1500 people into our 1400 seat venue.  After talking to them about what their program would really be, we agreed to put seats on the stage as we have done with several TV shows and radio broadcasts. 

Red Flag #2:  They balk at the requirement of paid, trained house and tech staff.  Normally for such an event, I require 18 trained ushers; however, the higher-ups of my department said I could “make-do” with 2.  Two!!!!!  There would also be 2 trained tech staffers.  The frat’s solution to their issue is providing us with 4 “brothers” that we would train and add to our payroll.  Um, am I understanding this correctly?  You want us to train your people to work your event and then pay YOU for YOUR event?  Seriously???

Red Flag #3:  They want to provide their own operators for our very expensive sound and light consoles even though we never let professional artists and professional sound engineers use our board without us there?

Red Flag #4:  All of these extreme measures to provide “privacy” is for a “National secretive initiation ritual.”  What?  Yes, an initiation ritual.  Originally, the “ritual” was said to take 20 minutes; however, they have since upped the “ritual” portion of the program to 1.5 hours. 

Our very patient, polite and boy-scout like Event Manager explained to them that trained staff must be present, no exceptions and that we would be more than happy to sign a confidentiality agreement.  However, this was not good enough.  The organizer proceeded to go to the top of our department and after they were again denied, the situation went to the heads of the University and to the University legal department.   They were approved.  So now, we are giving our our 18million dollar newly renovated building to 1500 frat boys performing a secret initation ritual. 

Why would they approve this you ask?  The University superiors believe it is bringin in “too much money” to turn down.  How much money is our venue getting?  $1,500.  That’s it.  That wouldn’t even cover the sacrifical goat’s blood that we’ll have to clean up once they leave!  (joking of course…we were assured no animals or virgins were involved.)

I am simply stunned that University administration would approve this.  The same administration won’t let us rent out our facility for weddings or for political rallies stating that neigher makes enough money and go against the University’s Facility Use Policy. 

I am also personally offended.  I am paid to keep any audience in our facility safe.  I am paid to help make sure that our venue is protected from the morons that so often come through its doors.  The University has paid for me to attend educational conferences and classes to help serve and benefit the organization.  And now, just because a few “good ole boys” have throw their weight around we are basically turning over our beautiful, historic auditorium to frat boys???? 

One of the main fraternity culprets is the managing director of a local, prominet hotel.  I should ask him if he would allow us to have a party in his hitoric hotel with more than capacity guests and demand that none of his staff be present.  I guarantee you the request wouldn’t go far.

When is enough is enough?

1.  You must think outside the box, ahem, auditorium, to provide the best customer service.  Create an atomsphere.  If it’s a Holiday performance, how about offering spiced cider or mulled wine at concessions?  Just the scent filling your common areas will be enough to put even the most jaded attendee in the spirit.  I have snow machines rented for our matinee Nutcracker performance – I can’t wait to see the looks on the kids faces!  Giving young musicians an opportunity to perform in your lobbies also provides ambience while being oh-so endearing to the hardest of hearts.  My husband has even mentioned how much he enjoys hanging out prior to the performance if some sort of entertainment is provided.  The article also speaks about parking discounts – hello!  Why didn’t I think of this?!?  Sadly, I can only dream of such an option since I’m affilated with the University.  But, I can cross promote with local dining establishments!  How about 15% of your bill when you show a ticket? 

2)  Tell your ushers not to hurry!  In the comment section, a guest commented on how frustrating it was to be herded into their seats, thurst a program and then watch the usher zoom back up the aisle paying no attention to the over-crowded state of the aisles.  This is such a problem, espically for jazz programs.  It’s no secret that jazz lovers all show up 10 minutes before the programs begin!  When 1,400 people all show up at the same time, the ushers are going to undoubtably hurry.  But what if they are encouraged to take their time and help whom they can as best they can?  Would this not be a more effective customer service tool?  We would have fewer patrons helped, yes, but those that are helped would have recieved the best, unhurried service possible.  Do you agree?

3)  Ushers do matter!  My staff is composed of about 60 undergraduate paid staff and 35 volunteer staff.  Even though I tell them time and time again what they do matters, I know they doubt me.  It seems that time and time again, the front of house staff tend to go un-noticed and are underappreciated…until something goes wrong.  But this article and it’s responses are one of the rare times where we see that house managers, box office staff and usher staff are noticed and that they are the front lines of our venues.  They truly make or break a very large part of the theater experience!

Mew.

It’s barely raining outside and the audience is small and laid back, so I’m finishing up a bit of office work when the House Manager announces over the radio, “Cat, a kitty is wanting to park his huge SUV on the steps.”  I think to myself, “what?  She must be confused.” 

So, I go outside to see what’s up.  I walk on the portico to find an elderly kitty in a huge SUV directly infront of our theater steps.  He has dropped off his wife and is backing up down the side walk – poorly.    I watch and realize this kitty is doing a TERRIBLE job of backing up – instead of going down the sidewalk as he should, he’s now veering further into the brick patio area infront of our building.  As I start walking to him to help him, he sticks his furry paw out the window and waves me away saying, “don’t worry, I’m just trying to park here.”  Uh, say what?

The security officer has noticed and is now with me and the kitty.  I tell him that he cannot park on the patio.  After much questioning, explaining and frustration he again begins to back up.  Again, he stops.  This time because he thinks the 1″ high brick border around a flower planting is going to pop the tires of his garganutan suv.  I wanted to scream – “Are you kidding me!  The vehicle you are driving is advertised as being trail rated! A brick is not going to hurt your HUGE tire!” 

During the encounter, I find out the reason this kitty wanted to park so close is because he was worried about the tropical storm that is hitting the coat hundreds of miles away.  I’m going to leave that one alone.

Silly kitties.

So, after a very un-organized and unsucessful day and staff training day (due largely to my unorganization) I spent some time thinking about ways to help myself become more productive and organized.  I came up with what I like to call a 4 part time management plan for lazy people.

I’ve never read a time management book, but I’m going to give this a shot the next few days.  We’re about to get extremely busy and hey- any attempt at organization is better than none, right?  My fingers are crossed.  I’ll check back in, in a week and we’ll see how things are going! So here goes:

The first thing to know is my plan is that it is based around deadlines.  I like deadlines. It’s also made for me – I use vendors that schedule every two weeks – it works for me, maybe not you.

Each day will be include 4 scheduled segments: Forecasting, Planning, Scheduling and Dreaming

Part 1 – Forecasting. Look at your calendar for a week out and then two weeks out. Request all vendors for 2 weeks out, confirm all vendors for 1 week out.  Get all upcoming rehearsal schedules on your calendar and ready to schedule.  Update your calendar.  Forecast any performances, events or tasks to delegate.  Make forecasting task list

Part 2 – Planning. Getting down and dirty with the events, performances and meetings of the week.  Make task list.  Plan for upcoming meetings, delegate tasks, set goals for the week.

Part 3 – Scheduling. Schedule set times each day for certain items on task list.  Sample items on schedule are:  Task list blast hour, Request and confirm vendors, update front of house briefing book, Long term planning, check staff schedules, etc.

Part 4 – Dream.  Think big.  Think long term.  Take one step towards making a long term goal happen.

1.  People that know they should not take the cookie until after the event unless otherwise instructed.  These people are normal and well adjusted.

2.  People that take the cookies even though NO ONE ELSE is eating cookies.  They do not pick up on the social cues that this is not appropriate.  I’ve noticed that these people are usually one of the following:  Children, just pulled themselves away from a marathon day of World of Warcraft, mentally challenged, fat, or my favorite the person that thinks they are the “exception.”

This last catagory is what really burns my cookies.  Seriously.  I seriously detest these people.  Why do some people think that they are above the rules and more deserving than others? 

UGH!

We hire our students mainly through our University Student Union.  In addition to the responsibilities of my facility, this group of students also works several other facilities, event spaces and classrooms around campus.  We have a decent working relationship with the full time staff at the Union and have a tremendous amount of input when it comes to changes that will affect our staff – most of the time.

Once our performing art schedule is announced around April of each year, I inform the Union full-time staff of our upcoming events so they can add to their scheduling calendar.  For performances later in the upcoming year, the Union has close to a year to prepare and schedule. 

Well, just this past week I discovered that an upcoming sold out performance will be staffed with tech staffers.  Now, I’m alright with tech staffers working a few at a time, but this is HALF of my staff for one performance.  That puts me with a staff of which HALF know our policies, emergency procedures and even where seat B10 is located!!!  It would not be acceptable for half of a tech staff call to be house staffers, why is this acceptable now?

I immediately shoot a very direct email to my counterpart at the Union asking why this happened and how we can prevent this from happening next year.  His response was somewhat concerning.  He said that events are booked based on equipment and tech staff availability, not house staff.  It is presumable that since House Staff is larger than tech staff we should be available for anything they are available for, right?  Not so.  Remember all of the “other” spaces they work around campus?  Most of these events require no equipment and no tech staff.  Even if there were not so many smaller non technical events around campus, for almost every single event, more House Staff are needed than Tech Staff. 

Lesson learned:  House Staff is a resource too!  When booking an event, please, don’t forget the hard working individuals that get blessed out, sneezed upon by old kitties, questioned on where the restrooms are located, direct a million people to the blatently labeled Box Office and whom have been trained to either save your life if you have a heart attack or get you out of the building if it catches fire.  House Staff are more than just the face of a performance.  They are the first impressions but also your first line of defense! 

Plus, Techies prefer to be in all black and in the dark – not sure if you really want half of your house staff to be people that prefer to spend their days focusing lights.