How to: Volume Buyers

Using a Volume Buyer Form:

To book volume buyer tickets, use the SHIFT-S command to switch to the Volume Buyers user role.  Go into the date listed on the form, and use the booking code on the form (eg VB 20, VB 10) to select the best available seats in the specified price tier.  The organization's customer number will be listed near the top of the form; add a customer using this, and select any profile that appears. The name is not significant in that it does not have to match the Requested By line of the form.  Once the customer has been added, from the order summary fill in the Client Name, Client Province/State, and Request By fields.  Finally, place the order on hold and set the balance due date to the date of the show.  You can now create the order.  Once this has been completed, fill in the Box Office Use Only portion at the bottom of the form with the order name, seat location, cost, your name, and the date.  Then pass the form to a fellow box office employee.

Checking a Volume Buyer Form:

All volume buyer forms must be double checked by a second staff member.  Things to keep in mind when you're checking a volume buyer order:

• Is it the correct show?
• Is the date/time of the show correct?
• Was the right booking code used (eg VB10)?
• Was the proper number of seats booked?
• Are the seat numbers properly listed on the form?
• Were the seats booked into the correct tier?
• Are the requested by and client name fields properly filled out?
• Was the order placed on hold?
• Was the balance due date set to the day of the show?

If you need to make a correction, be sure you are also using the Volume Buyers user role or else you'll be forced to fill in the 'do you want an email reminder' and 'how did you hear about the show' fields.  Once you're satisfied that there are no errors, write your name on the verified line and date the form.  This form must now be faxed back to the company.

Faxing:

The fax number is written on the volume buyer form.  After making sure the fax machine is set to facsimile, type 9, then the fax number (remember to include the area code).  Place the form face up on the machine, and hit start.  You can then place the form in the to be filed container on the wall directly opposite the fax machine.

Booking Volume Buyers over the Phone:

The process to do this is very similar to booking with a form, although you may need to either check with your supervisor or in the volume buyer file to determine the proper booking code.  Additionally, you do not need another box officer to double check your order.  Sometimes the volume buyer might have a credit card to pay immediately; in which case, do not place the order on hold and just continue as you would a typical order.  If not, follow the hold instructions from the form section.

Invoicing a Payment:

If there is an amount owing on a VB order when the patrons come to pick up the tickets and they say they've paid at the hotel, you need to invoice the payment.  Add a payment, select the Invoice type, type 1 as the Card Number and 1234 as the expiry date.  Print off two copies of the invoice, have the guest sign both, then place one in the till and the other in the 'to be filed' bin.

How to: Batch

Standard Batch Protocol:

On the top right corner of the envelope, write the patron's name as it appears on the ticket, not on the receipt.  Next, above the window of the envelope write the performance name, date, and time of show.  Place the tickets and receipt in the envelope with the receipt on top, so that the patron information shows through the window.  We sort first by show, and then alphabetically by patron name.  Pay special attention to the M's:  we put all the Mac's first, then the Mc's, then the M's, even if you have a name like Mann which in a dictionary would come first.

Volume Buyers:

If an order is from a volume buyer, write the guest name in the top right corner, and beneath that include the organisation with which the patron is affiliated.  If the payment is invoiced (instead of a receipt there is a piece of ticket stock with a signature line), be sure to put an asterisk and VB to remind the staff member who hands out the tickets that they need the guest to sign.  Additionally, you need to go into Audience View and print a second copy of the invoice (check the box by the invoice payment and press the print button at the bottom of the screen), and include both copies in the ticket envelope.

Further Protocol:

• If you notice that a name is not capitalized, written all in caps, or there is some other problem with the customer information, pull up the profile in Audience View and correct the mistakes as you go.  You do not need to reprint the tickets, but this assures that their information will be formatted correctly the next time they purchase (typically, these formatting issues occur only in orders that were created online).
• If a large group order is present in the batch, you don't need to rip each ticket.  Instead, fill out the envelope as you normally would, then attach it to the front of the connected ticket stack using a rubber band.
• Be sure that you're not using the old envelopes for batch.  The new envelopes have a rectangular flap and colour on the back.
• If the order printed out is for VIP, remove the "please pick up your vouchers" piece of ticket stock, add the appropriate number of vouchers to the envelope, and record the number on the vouchers in the comments area of the order summary in Audience View.
• If you would like to try your hand at coming up with batch puns, there is a running list of batch-styled song titles on the bulletin board next to the supervisor computer.