Job Specification

Purpose of Position :

The Visitor Care Associate contributes to the overall achievement of the Ontario Science Centre's targets for attendance, revenue and customer service by providing front line orientation and information, and process admission for visitors through front-end customer services.

Duties / Responsibilities :

Under the general supervision of the Manager, Box Office Operations and the technical supervision of the Supervisor, Visitor Admissions, the Visitor Care Associate is required to:

•Meet or exceed customer expectations, as per the Ontario Science Centre business plan. Contribute to the achievement of excellence in customer service by welcoming a diverse customer base, responding to customer complaints and resolving customer issues.

•Process admission, movie, combination and parking payments in ticketing software system to enable visitors to enter the Ontario Science Centre. Upselling other OSC products (e.g. promoting movies and combination tickets).

•Know, understand and able to explain information to visitors about prices, discounts, special offers, voucher redemptions, directions, exhibits, special events, presentations, facility rentals and other related concierge services, and policies and procedures. Support and contact internal clients, including membership, facility rentals, and science education, when necessary.

•Promote, sell, and enter memberships in ticketing software system. Verify information, inform members of policies and procedures, resolve membership difficulties, and apprise membership department of member issues.

•Verify cash float, balance daily payment receipt and attraction entrance booklets against system-generated user reports. Prepare cash deposit envelopes and designated paperwork to complete closing procedures. Examining transaction records in the event of overage/shortage to search for errors.

•Act as telephone reception in organization call centre on weekends, as replacement for full-time staff absences and during peak operational periods. Answer questions where applicable and direct calls to appropriate departments. Provide assistance with online sales, process ticket reservations and memberships, and alter or update customer and corporate accounts in ticketing system. Address lost and found enquiries.

•Control and record admission to Centre at entrance desk: verify membership identification, scan tickets and memberships cards into ticketing system, receive lost items and address lost item inquiries, dispense and record stroller and wheelchair loans, tear ticket stubs and attraction entrance booklet vouchers, and stamp visitors for re-entry.

•Work independently in parking lot booths on computerized cash register system to process all visitor parking admissions, and promote membership and provide information with respect to programs and building admission.

•Usher visitors in movie theatre and event auditorium according to admission and latecomer policies. Enforce no food/drink policy, no photos, cell phone use during film. Deliver opening speech to audience. Communicate and coordinate with technical staff.

•Other duties, as assigned by Visitor Services Supervisor or Manager, Box Office Operations.

Knowledge :

Job requires knowledge of: cash handling/Point of sale (POS) experience, POS software; current and upcoming exhibitions, films and programs (based on staff briefings) to provide information to OSC visitors; customer service policies and practices at the Ontario Science Centre; knowledge of building layout to direct visitors, customer complaint management and de-escalation; phone, online and in-person sales techniques, call centre hardware, and ushering procedures. Position also requires knowledge of OSC corporate policies and procedures, strategic plan, product and program prices, safety and emergency policies

Skills :

Job requires: ability to communicate clearly with tact and diplomacy; verbal and written communication skills to explain products and purchase options, upsell, and to respond to and notify visitors and/or supervisors and management of situations that may affect visitor experience; analytical skills to ask questions and assess responses from visitors to ascertain precise nature of problem and provide appropriate information and/or assistance; customer service and interpersonal skills to welcome visitors to the Centre; respond to visitor inquiries, needs and provide services; analyze technical problems (i.e. ticketing system, Debit/Credit payment processing) to troubleshoot solutions; good judgement to solve customer service issues and to prioritize activities to respond to circumstances, in particular, varying length of responses and speed of activities according to visitor traffic patterns; problem-solving to respond to situations in accordance with established policies and procedures; attention to detail and accuracy when entering and recording visitor and member information into ticketing/POS system, and to provide comprehensive information to internal clients regarding system and/or procedural problems; relationship-building and teamwork to support team members and work together to solve problems quickly and effectively; requires arithmetic skills to calculate accurately price comparisons, U.S. foreign currency exchange, cash deposits and balancing; ability skills to test and operate a point-of-sale database/ticketing system and other software programs; able to acquire, understand, and retain information specific to position, as provided and instructed by Supervisor or Manager.

Freedom of Action :

Job requires: Use of judgment to determine appropriate response to customer service issues, and deliver suitable remedy during peak periods where supervisor is not immediately available; perform all tasks in an accurate and timely manner; refers all unusual questions/requests to Supervisor or Manager; assess circumstances and recommend solutions to supervisor; determine when circumstances warrant supervisor or manager involvement, and when to use judgement to resolve situation; Employ problem-solving and technical skills for independently or cooperatively solving system problems or irregularities, and recommend changes, where necessary.