15 May
2016
15 May
'16
9:54 p.m.
1. Unless one has a trained small staff to work the admission table, I would recommend
going as low-tech as possible.
2. If you MUST have a breakdown between different classes (member/non-member, adults/kids,
etc.) a tally works with reasonable accuracy. If you want more accuracy, consider having
TWO people work the table (especially if lines tend to build): one to do the cash, the
other to take the tally. An alternative would be to use numbered tickets (for a drawing
during the evening) with different colors for different classes. Just be sure to record
the first number at the start of the evening!
3. Consider not bothering with the tally. At the dance I help run, we have adult/youth
rates and don't bother to take a tally. We operate on a basis of trust with our
door-sitters and the mix of adult/youth varies during the year in unsurprising ways -- we
just don't feel like we need to capture that information.
4. Any system can be compromised by crooked door-sitter. They can wink at their friends
and wave them in for no fee. They could pocket some money and not click the tally counter
or put a tick-mark on the paper. Anything!
In summary, I'd say a) don't collect data unless you need it; and b) K.I.S.S !
Dan