Business

One for the customers, two for the show

by Yaki Wo

D espite intense competition, rampant pirated movies and file-sharing activities that are hurting the cinema industry, Broadway Circuit says it will stick to its half-a-century-old mission of serving moviegoers.

“It means that we have to devote ourselves to satisfy our customers' needs right from the moment they come up with the idea of going to the cinema,” said Tessa Lau Siu-man, executive director of Broadway Circuit, which is a member of the Edko Films Ltd.

The biggest cinema circuit in Hong Kong aims at keeping up with changes in customers' demands and ensuring audiences that watching films at its theatres is a valuable experience, Miss Lau said.

Since the mid-1990s, Broadway Circuit started emphasising the concept of customer service. “Even details like the distance between rows and the cleanliness of washrooms are carefully thought over,” Miss Lau said.

Besides, the circuit launched a campaign, “Convenience at Your Fingertips”, to provide a phone-booking service. The scheme was later expanded to cover Internet-booking, lost and found service, free parking, credit card transactions and shawl provision.

The cinema chain has also set up an online platform for people to discuss the services of cinemas and the movies.

“We call it ‘after-sales services',” Miss Lau said. All comments and complaints about the circuit will reach her for consideration and improvement. “The customer service department cannot just read them and put them aside,” she said.

The first cinema of Broadway Circuit was established in the 1950s along Nathan Road in Mong Kok, which was later closed because of urban redevelopment. During the 1980s, the circuit opened Hong Kong 's first multi-screen cinema in Sai Yeung Choi Street .

It now covers 13 locations with 71 screens, including AMC Festival Walk and AMC Pacific Place , which have come under its operation since January 6.

The chain has enjoyed the largest market share in box office receipts, amounting to $300 million last year, according to Miss Lau.

Broadway Circuit is bold in adopting new ideas in cinema designs. It has different theatre styles, such as the upmarket PALACE IFC in Central and PALACE apm in Kwun Tong as well as Broadway Cinematheque in Yau Ma Tei, to cater to audiences' needs.

The Cinematheque was designed to be a place for culture, showing internationally acclaimed and art films. The cinema also has a library, bookstore and cafe for moviegoers to find out more information about films and have discussion.

PALACE IFC in the business district of Central adopted a bright, simple, elegant and hotel-like design, tailoring for the taste of high-income customers in the area. It is a break from the traditional, dark environment in most other cinemas, according to Miss Lau.

The design of Broadway Cyberport won the Design for Asia Award in 2005. Its designer Michael Tsang Wai-yin is a movie-lover himself. He combined the bats' cave element in the Batman movie with the idea of “EASY” cinema, namely, “eventful”, “amazing”, “simple” and “young”, to work out his awarded-winning design.

To keep itself in the lead in business, Broadway Circuit has invested in its human resources management. For five years it has engaged a consultancy to provide training for all the staff, such as customer service courses for ushers and leadership programmes for those at managerial levels.

“If our seats are comfortable, other cinemas can improve theirs right away, but matching against our investment in human resources is not as easy,” Miss Lau said.

The circuit will provide equal training and opportunities for the elderly staff if they demonstrate effort and ability. “The most important thing is that the staff develop a sense of belonging to the company,” she said.

The chief architect behind all those customer-oriented ideas is Bill Kong Chi-keung, whom Miss Lau called the “idea originator”. Mr Kong, who is the Edko Films executive director and the producer of Couching Tiger, Hidden Dragon and Hero , encourages his staff to propose good ideas, even though those ideas may cost money.

He wants to place local film production at an international level to attract foreign investment and to help films in Hong Kong and mainland China develop, Miss Lau noted. To achieve the goals, Edko Films' production and distribution units work with its cinema circuit.

For example, Broadway Cinematheque also serves the function of nurturing new blood and talent for the industry by providing seminars and courses to increase people's interest and knowledge of films. “To plant a tree we first have to sow the seed,” Miss Chan said, referring to the future of the local movie industry.