Commitment Fee

Last night Deb and I saw Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End in the Gold Class cinema at Indooroopilly. But what I want to talk about is the booking fee they charged me to reserve the tickets.

When I called up during the week to book, I mentioned that I had gift certificates. The phone operator replied that there was now a charge of $2.75 per ticket to book for Gold Class over the phone. My immediate gut reaction was that Birch, Carroll and Coyle are money-grubbing. I probed a little further and learned that the booking fee does not apply if I come to pick up the tickets in person, and this just confused me. Why charge a booking fee for one specific contact channel?

So I did some thinking about it and decided that it must be what I'd call a "commitment fee", meant to ensure that phone bookings result in actual sold seats rather than just hopeful reservations. If you've paid something for the tickets, they must have found, you're more likely to show up. I didn't feel any better about the system, but I understood it.

An idea struck me later. If the object is to ensure that people show up for their bookings, then it's only the ones who don't show up that need a prod. But how do you charge a fee only to no-shows? My solution is to refund the booking fee when the customer shows up. That way the incentive is maintained - enhanced, even - and my ire at the situation is completely removed. Problem solved.

Mokalus of Borg

PS - It'll never happen.
PPS - But I plan to write a letter.