Sophia Ibrahim has been working as an Information and Sales Assistant in our Box Office for over 7 years whilst studying to become a dentist. Sophia is gutted to be leaving us this September to embark on her dental career as Birmingham Hippodrome have really supported her through her studies. We had a chat with Sophia to find out about her role at Birmingham Hippodrome and some of her highlights of the past 7 years.

Tell me about your job?

I work in the Box Office as an Information and Sales Assistant. In a nutshell, I deal with high volumes of customer bookings, queries and even complaints through inbound calls, e-mails and face to face. No day is the same and the customers definitely make sure each day different.

How long have you been here?

7 years and 10 months on a casual basis.

You’ve been studying whilst working at Birmingham Hippodrome, tell us a little about that?

I started here in 2010 at the same time as starting a degree in Biomedical Sciences. After graduating from Aston University in July 2013, I started my second degree in Dentistry the same year and have just graduated five (long!) years after. I have worked here alongside both degrees and at times it was extremely tough especially with exams but it has helped me manage my time more effectively. The box office staff have been so supportive and understanding with my studies, they have been through the highs and lows of everything with me. They really are like another family to me!

What will you miss the most about Birmingham Hippodrome?

Amongst many things, there are certain aspects I will miss in particular…

  1. First and foremost, the box office team. There are so many characters in our box office, all from different walks of life and all with different strengths yet each person is just as valuable to the team – this is what makes our box office team fabulous!
  2. The Christmas decorations in the main foyer (the Christmas tree and the purple tinsel always make the foyer feel warmer)
  3. The box office buffet – especially Debbie’s samosas
  4. Being able to say that I work here – it’s such a beautiful and prestigious venue

What’s your favourite part of the job?

There isn’t one particular aspect of the job that I favour over the rest. One of my favourite parts of the job is the camaraderie in the office. We all pull together to ensure we deliver the best customer service we can, even through the busiest times. One of my favourite things about being in box office is the buzz of on-sale dates – I love the challenge of how busy the day is!

Describe a typical working day?

Toast runs, numerous tea rounds, ‘naughty table’ buffets and lots of laughter. But most importantly hard work (lots and lots of hard work…)

What show are you most looking forward to in the coming season?

Panto! I always love going to the pantomime because there is something in there for everyone. It’s always a real feel-good performance.

If you could do someone else’s job at the Hippodrome for a day, what role would you choose?

The dessert chef… I’m known to have a sweet tooth in the box office, munching bars of chocolate a day but that was to help me get through the stress of exams!

Fun Fact?

It’s not really a fun fact but the number of times I have asked “What’s your postcode, please?” means I have acquired a ‘skill’ in guessing which area in the West Midlands a postcode correlates to.