Ensure everything works before the show starts
Some people have experienced assistive technology that does not work on the day, leading to great frustration. To avoid this, help customers confirm that they can hear the Auracast broadcast before the performance begins and let them know where they can get support if there is a problem.
If I’d been given the option of, ‘hey, do you want to come into this room and we’ll be able to try it live, so you don’t waste time fiddling around when you first start watching the show, you don’t want to miss those vital first few minutes’, I think that would have been really useful initially.”
– Person with hearing loss, using hearing aids
Making sure that that person feels supported, handing out the unit, giving it a test and then also, where they can get help, where they can find someone, is there going to be a steward on the door?”
– Technical Manager, Warwick Arts Centre
Equipment preparation
If customers are borrowing a receiver, ensure devices are charged, working, and clearly labelled. A simple pre-show equipment check by staff can prevent common issues.
You need to be confident that it will work from the moment the curtain goes up, training of staff to make sure that they are handing out devices that are ready to go, that customers know how to adjust volume, and so forth”
– Head of Audiences and Marketing, Delfont Mackintosh Theatres
Pre-show audio
Some venues broadcast audio through the assistive listening system before the show starts. This helps customers test the connection and adjust the volume.
See What to broadcast before the show.
In the auditorium
Venues can use different strategies to confirm that everything is working when the customer is seated in the auditorium.
We really try and go in with the customer, particularly if they haven’t used it before, to set it up for them”
– Groups and Access Sales Manager, Everyman Cheltenham
What we do at the moment is when we hand out a unit, the box office staff let the duty manager know where that person is, what seat they’re sitting in, so that they can just be around – so that at the interval they can check in that everything’s okay.”
– Technical Manager, Warwick Arts Centre
System familiarisation
For some people, it would be helpful to get help accessing assistive listening further ahead of time.
I would love the opportunity to test the system at a time other than show time. The staff at the theatres are always really helpful on the phone with queries and suggest I come a little earlier so the staff on the night can help set me up.
But in fact, 30-60 mins before show start, all the staff are really busy with other customers and none of them really know how the system works. They just reiterate the written information available online. Not their fault. Best of intentions and all that but not much help.”
– Deaf person with cochlear implant
See provide opportunities to ‘try before you buy’.