Today we embark on a series of articles that continue our dedication to developing strong leadership and teams that drive business success within the cinema industry. The topic of this series is how TRUST – both within organizations and with guests – is essential to business success in the cinema industry.

The challenges facing movie theaters in recent years are no exaggeration. From the pandemic to strikes to the rise of streaming and more, attracting audiences has become increasingly difficult. To thrive in this current landscape and beyond, cinemas must prioritize delivering exceptional experiences that make movie-going a truly unforgettable event. One incredibly powerful way to do this is to build a trusted brand. One that not just attracts customers, but keeps them coming back and telling their friends. 

What’s more, building a Trusted Brand goes beyond just attracting a moviegoing audience to helping you attract and retain top talent in a challenging employment landscape. With your employees as the face of your brand, ensuring they are equipped to deliver exceptional guest experiences every time is critical to your business’ success.

This is a feedback system where team members can provide anonymous feedback about their peers, subordinates, and superiors. Team members complete surveys that allow them to rate and comment on their colleagues’ performance, communication, and emotional intelligence. The results of the surveys are then discussed in both individual and group settings. 

As a leader, you should emphasize that the goal is not to criticize but to help everyone grow emotionally and professionally. Based on the feedback, each team member, including the leader, creates a personal action plan to address any areas of improvement identified. This creates a culture of accountability and continuous development.​

When you think about it, we pay more for trusted brands, we follow trusted leaders, and we buy from trusted sales people. And when it comes to where we work, the 2023 Trust Outlook® global research study  found that the #1 reason people want to work for an organization is TRUSTED LEADERSHIP.

It’s been said that TRUST, not money, is the currency of business and life, and in business the data backs that up.

When it comes to business, the biggest impacts of a company culture built around trust are to:

• Hiring & workforce retention
• Employee engagement & productivity
• Innovation
• Customer loyalty & spending
• Revenue

An article in Forbes Magazine (Sept 2023) notes, “Trust is a fundamental pillar of a positive company culture. When employees trust their leaders and organization, they’re more likely to share ideas, provide constructive feedback and collaborate toward shared goals. It creates an environment where individuals feel comfortable taking risks and contributing their unique perspectives, which ultimately leads to innovation and growth.” 

While that’s a powerful statistic and a great quote, what does this all mean in the real world? Think about sending a text message to someone you trust vs someone you don’t trust. One is fast, easy and doesn’t take a whole lot of thought. The other is slow, deliberate, and quite stressful. 

The same is true in business! Productivity, morale, innovation, loyalty and much more, are so much easier and more effective in a company culture of trust.  

When it comes to your relationship with your customers, trust can be a game changer! Building a Trusted Brand is a competitive advantage and research has shown that when people trust a company:

• 91% chose to buy from them
• 76% recommend them to a friend
• 55% will pay a premium to use them
• 42% share positive experiences online

SOURCE: Edelman Trust Barometer

Imagine you’re planning a weekend movie outing with friends and you’re in charge of choosing the location. You’ve narrowed down your options to two theatres: one you’ve frequented for years and another that’s relatively new that you have never been to.

Decision: In this scenario, where you want to ensure you and your friends have the best possible experience, trust plays a significant role in your decision-making. The familiarity and positive experiences you’ve had at your regular theater make it more likely that you’ll choose it over the new one. Even if the new theater offers some advantages, the uncertainty and lack of trust could outweigh them.

What words, phrases, or pictures come to mind when you think about trust? Do you feel like your company has built a solid culture of trust – both within your teams and leadership, and with your customers?

This conversation is just getting started! Stay tuned for part 2 in this series where we dive into Clarity – the cornerstone of trust – to gain a deeper understanding of the foundations of trust, and how to put them into practice in your theatre’s culture.

CONTENT NOTE: The source material for this article comes from CineTRAIN’s 2-Day Master Class on Team Building. If you’re interested in bringing this dynamic training to your organization (virtually or in person), let’s talk!