Good news, and bad news, movie buffs. The bad news is that Hollywood has been taking hits recently. It costs a family of four about $76 on average to see a movie, assuming that they each buy their snacks there. That’s a lot of money to spend on a film you might not even like.
The good news is that theaters know they’re up against a wall, and that they’re taking the necessary steps to overcome. Here are just a few things they’re doing.
Focusing on the Customer Experience. – Movie theaters are no longer relying on the films themselves to attract people. They’re looking to now provide an entire experience. An RBC survey found 24% of people named AMC as their favorite theater, because of the company’s “focus on improving the customer experience.”
Upgrading the Seats. – One of the ways movie theaters are providing customers with a better experience is by working with commercial fabric manufacturers, which typically provide industrial textile solutions such as seating suspension, to create better, cushier seats. The RBC survey found that about 44% of participants said that they’d been to a theater with cushy recliner seats, and more than half of whom also said that the upgrades made them more likely to go back.
Offering Alternative Content. – Another way theaters are boosting their sales is by swapping out films on slower nights for alternative content — live events, foreign films, and one-night-only events. The RBC survey found that a sizable number of respondents were interested in such alternatives.
By focusing on the customer experience, working with industrial textile manufacturers on textile solutions for their seats, and providing alternative content on slower nights, movie theaters are picking themselves up, and dusting themselves off.
Tell us what you think though. Do you like theaters with big, cushy seats, or no? Share in the comments.