Ticket Fees, Again

Davies Symphony Hall

Photo by Lisa Hirsch

Unbelievable: I am a subscriber to San Francisco Symphony (full orchestral sub for 2021-22). I donated during the cancelled pandemic season and this season. I called to swap my ticket to tonight's program for tomorrow....and was told that there would be a $12 fee to swap over the phone for my $40 subscription ticket. That's...more than 25%. I mentioned this and the patron services rep dropped the fee.

SFS, STOP DOING THIS. We can't all stroll to Davies for a free exchange at the box office. STOP PENALIZING TICKET BUYERS FOR WANTING OR NEEDING SOME FLEXIBILITY. The three minutes the exchange took - I looked for a desirable seat before I called - does not cost you $12. Remember that people with chronic illness or who are being treated for a serious acute illness could be among the most affected.

SFS's ticket exchanges policies are buried on an FAQ page, rather than posted on a separate page called, for example, "Ticket Purchase and Exchange Policies," which would be more helpful. Here are the (outrageous) policies:

Exchange Fees: 

• Exchanges are free for subscribers who exchange in person or by mail.
• Subscribers - $12 for each phone or fax exchange 
• Non-subscribers - $20 for each exchange
• Exchange requests for a higher-priced performance or section will be charged the difference.
• Exchange requests for a lower-priced performance or section will be considered a donation or can be applied to additional ticket purchases in the same transaction. 
• All other exchanges of discounted tickets require upgrading to a full-price ticket and paying the difference in price.

This is a great, great way, to DISCOURAGE exchanges, which might be the purpose! It's crap customer service, regardless. Unless you're going on a planned business trip or vacation, exchanging by mail is impractical. Exchanging in person is impractical unless you live or work close enough to Davies that it's convenient. (I don't; even taking Muni from my workplace would cost an hour in time plus two Muni fares, versus three minutes on the phone.)

By the way, I was not amused with the patron services rep telling me they'd had this policy for at least 15 years. SO WHAT? That doesn't make it a good policy.