Unit of competency details

Unit descriptor 

This unit describes the skills and knowledge required to process tickets and seat patrons for a theatre performance, event or cinema session.

No licensing, legislative, regulatory or certification requirements apply to this unit at the time of endorsement.

Application of the unit 

Box office personnel apply the skills and knowledge outlined in this unit. People in this role are responsible for monitoring patron movements in and out of the auditorium and assisting with any special seating requirements. Typically they would be employed at theatre, cinema and event venues which could have one or more auditoria.

This unit has strong linkages to the following units, and combined training and/or assessment is recommended:

• CUEFOH10B Monitor entry to a venue
• CUSOHS301A Follow occupational health and safety procedures.

Prerequisite units 

Employability skills 

This unit contains employability skills.

Elements describe the essential outcomes of a unit of competency.

Performance criteria describe the performance needed to demonstrate achievement of the element. Where bold italicised text is used, further information is detailed in the required skills and knowledge section and the range statement. Assessment of performance is to be consistent with the evidence guide.

ELEMENT 

PERFORMANCE CRITERIA 

1. Check and process tickets

1.1. Check tickets /passes for validity and seating location and process in accordance with organisational procedures

1.2. Take appropriate action should any problems arise with tickets/passes

1.3. Provide patrons with accurate auditorium information  and advise if any special restrictions or requirements  apply

1.4. Refer issues beyond own level of responsibility to the appropriate person

2. Seat patrons

2.1. Encourage patrons to enter the appropriate location in accordance with public announcements

2.2. Deal with queues to ensure that patrons are seated efficiently and quickly and that the performance is not delayed

2.3. Monitor crowd movement and take appropriate action to address problems 

2.4. Direct patrons to their seat location or guide patrons to seats, ensuring their safety

2.5. Deal with any seating problems , take remedial action according to individual level of responsibility and enterprise procedures

2.6. Identify patrons with special needs and provide special assistance  to seat them at the most appropriate time for the comfort and convenience of all patrons

2.7. Provide latecomers with accurate information on when they may be seated and assist them to their seats at the appropriate time

2.8. Observe safety requirements and regulations at all times in accordance with organisational procedures

3. Monitor entry to and from the auditorium

3.1. Close auditorium doors in time for the performance/session/event and continually monitor

3.2. Assist any patrons to safely exit and re-enter the auditorium at appropriate times

3.3. Clear the auditorium of patrons at the conclusion of the performance/session/event in accordance with safety requirements and regulations

3.4. Tidy and/or clean the auditorium and secure, as required

REQUIRED SKILLS AND KNOWLEDGE 

This section describes the skills and knowledge required for this unit.

Required skills 

• methods of crowd control
• literacy skills sufficient to read and interpret tickets
• numeracy skills sufficient to count tickets, seats

Required knowledge 

• formats and features of tickets as appropriate to the organisation or industry sector
• typical procedures for ushering patrons
• layout of the auditorium (all entrances, exits)
• seating configuration of the auditorium and various pricing categories
• performances/session/event times (start, conclusion, intermission)
• special seating facilities and services available to people with special needs
• procedures for assisting people with specials needs to and from their seats
• procedures for late admissions
• safety issues and regulations particularly in relation to the ushering of patrons

EVIDENCE GUIDE 

The Evidence Guide provides advice on assessment and must be read in conjunction with the performance criteria, required skills and knowledge, range statement and the Assessment Guidelines for the Training Package.

Overview of assessment 

Critical aspects for assessment and evidence required to demonstrate competency in this unit 

The following evidence is critical to the judgement of competence in this unit:

• ability to check and process tickets and seat patrons customers efficiently
• ability to identify and resolve seating problems
• provision of special assistance to those people who have special seating needs
• knowledge of typical procedures used for ushering patrons.

Context of and specific resources for assessment 

The assessment context must provide for:

• the ushering of patrons within an operational venue environment, e.g. a cinema, live theatre, conference centre
• interaction with and involvement of a customer group to be seated and to whom special assistance can be provided
• provision of multiple types of assistance to ensure varying customer needs can be met.

Method of assessment 

Assessment may incorporate a range of methods to assess practical skills and the application of essential underpinning knowledge, and might include:

• direct observation of the candidate ushering patrons within a venue
• direct observation of the candidate providing special services to those people who have special needs
• role plays to assess ability to resolve seating problems
• written or oral questions and tests to assess knowledge of the auditorium, seating layout and procedures, e.g. safety and security, special needs procedures
• review of portfolios of evidence and third party workplace reports of on-the-job performance by the candidate.

Assessment methods should closely reflect workplace demands and the needs of particular groups (e.g. people with disabilities, and people who may have literacy or numeracy difficulties such as speakers of languages other than English, remote communities and those with interrupted schooling).

Guidance information for assessment 

Assessment of this unit requires access to:

• a venue where performances/cinema sessions/events take place
• tickets/passes.

RANGE STATEMENT 

The range statement relates to the unit of competency as a whole. It allows for different work environments and situations that may affect performance. Bold italicised wording, if used in the performance criteria, is detailed below. Essential operating conditions that may be present with training and assessment (depending on the work situation, needs of the candidate, accessibility of the item, and local industry and regional contexts) may also be included.

Processing tickets  may include:

• collecting whole tickets
• tearing ticket stubs and returning main portion to patron
• tearing tickets

Auditorium information  provided to patrons may include:

• correct entrance for particular seats
• exit points for the auditorium
• location of seats

Special restrictions or requirements  may include:

• exiting via an exit point
• no entry or return entry to the venue once the performance has commenced
• no intermission
• non use of audio or camera recording equipment inside the venue

Problems  with tickets may include:

• patron is using a concessional ticket/pass to which they are not entitled
• tickets are for a past or future performance/session

Seating problems  may include:

• broken seats
• patrons have impaired vision due to height and require booster cushions
• patrons moving onto seats which are of a higher price to which they are not entitled
• patrons sitting in incorrect seats

Providing special assistance  to seat those with special needs may involve:

• adjusting walking pace to that of a less mobile person to ensure their safe arrival at seat location
• physical guiding of visually impaired patrons
• providing extra verbal instruction to less mobile persons about presence of stairs, steps, steepness of slope, availability of handrails
• pushing or guiding wheelchairs

Unit sector 

Competency field 

Media and entertainment production - front of house

Co-requisite units