Customer Service Host

Customer Service Host

Do you have a flair for sales and are enthusiastic about delivering outstanding experiences to customers with excellent service?

We're looking for confident, energetic and sales-driven individuals to join us as Customer Service Hosts at New Theatre Oxford.

The Customer Service Host delivers an enhanced level of customer service during Box Office Counter opening times. They provide information about the production, the theatre, and the local vicinity while optimising sales and acting as the sole point of contact for Ticketing queries. You will also work alongside our Customer Experience and Security Teams, collaborating on greeting, ticket scanning and customer safety. Some of your tasks may overlap with theirs and we always work together to ensure the customers experience is the best it can be.

The Customer Service Host has to have a keen focus on optimising the opportunity of on-the-night sales, and by liaising with the Customer Experience department, offer support for packages or experiential bookings that have been made in advance. The Customer Service Host is responsible for the Ticketing operations for the performance, proactively handling enquiries and problem solving with a high level of efficiency and accuracy and processing an anticipated decreasing number of on-the-night, in-person ticket sales. It is also essential they have excellent knowledge of any corporate partnerships the theatre has cultivated with local businesses and they are able to confidently offer recommendations.

We are looking for people who will have a collaborative approach to their work, ensuring smooth communication with all theatre departments, visiting companies and producers and are an exemplary representative of the theatre by being pleasant and collaborative in their approach to their day to-day work, liaising and communicating effectively with anybody and everybody that they come across.

Please note, this role may require you to work with children and vulnerable people.

Key Responsibilities

Customer

This list of duties is provided as an example of the services we will offer to patrons who request a more bespoke experience, where time constraints allow and only in addition to the primary ticketing roles being fulfilled.

Be responsible for resolving customer issues, and initiating corrective action, acting as the responsible person and primary point of contact for customers. Keep up to date records of incidents and progress for fellow colleagues.

Provide customers with information on packages, offers or activities to enhance their visit, such as restaurant recommendations, travel arrangements or hotel bookings, and make bookings on their behalf if requested.

As dictated by your manager, at the beginning of relevant shifts to compile a list of any customers attending that performance who may be booked in as Members, Lounge guests, corporate guests, group bookings or other, and contacting them ahead of their arrival that they may be offered a personal welcome and an extra level of assistance for their visit.

Sales

To sell and cross-sell to customers tickets, memberships & retail products in accordance with ATG Entertainment Company and Venue guidelines and to administer all payments accurately to maximise sales and minimise loss.

Facilitate on-the-night upgrades across tickets, packages and other offers as directed by the Ticketing and Sales Manager, ensuring that regular reporting is maintained.

Processes

To complete the relevant end of day banking procedures, including recording daily Box Office takings, and dealing with discrepancies as required.

Communicate on the night as needed with Producers, their agents, Venue Management, Marketing, Customers, central Ticketing & Revenue Management teams, as well as support the work of other venue departments as required.

Provide holiday and sickness cover for Ticketing department as required.

Support the Ticketing department as required for marquee nights, opening nights or any other high-profile event at which the full team may be required.

Liaise with the Contact Centre and Groups Contact Centre in resolving on the night customer and ticket queries.

Generate reports as needed at request by your manager and touring company manager/producers.

Policy/ Law

Comply with all legal requirements of GDPR.

Adhere to Health & Safety procedures to minimise the risk of injury and accidents.

Adhere to ATG Entertainment IT policy.

Understand access issues and anti-discrimination legislation and implement correct practices when serving access patrons.

Your skills, qualities, and experience.

If you have most of the essential criteria, we encourage you to apply, and welcome transferable skills from other industries or backgrounds. We can give experience of any desirable criteria but may also use them to decide between candidates for this role.

The candidate must have the ability to work collaboratively across both the entire theatre staff and anyone else they may come into contact with to ensure that the customer experience is smooth and professionally handled at all times. Ideally the candidate will have experience working in a customer facing role.

Essential:

Very strong computer literacy with experience in using various Microsoft Office software, primary Excel & Teams.

Be a motivated individual and work collaboratively with other members of your department and Customer Experience colleagues to strive for commercial success, always looking for opportunities to improve.

Communicate effectively and respectfully with all customers and colleagues in a way that is appropriate.

Anticipate any issues customers may face, be proactive to resolve them, and think of solutions rather than problems.

Flexibility in approach to working with other departments as needed.

Have a calm, polite and solution driven approach.

Have a genuine interest in delivering outstanding customer service.

Have the ability to identify and suggest the best option available to suit the individual needs of each customer.

Experience working in a fast-paced environment and delivering excellent service under pressure

A positive attitude, strong teamwork skills and a willingness to learn

Flexibility to work evenings, weekends and public holidays

Desirable

Previous experience of ticketing systems

Experience working towards individual or team sales targets

Experience in a theatre, live entertainment, hospitality or events venue