Since 2019, voice actor, creative director, and graphic designer Bob West has appeared at pop culture conventions across the country – and has loved the experience of meeting the fans, snapping selfies, and sharing stories of childhood adventures in imagination.
Best known as the original voice of Barney the Dinosaur, as well as the voices of Jasper and Pasqually at Chuck E. Cheese’s, Bob has always tried to give fans at his table every ounce of his attention, and to create a memorable moment for all.
After a number of cons, Bob came to realize that many of the guest handlers at his table were first-timers – having never before volunteered to work at a con, or assisted a guest as they greet fans, take selfies, and sign autographs. And some of those volunteers had only received a few minutes’ worth of training at the beginning of the day.
So while all of his handlers have been bright and filled with positive energy, the finer points of keeping a line moving, dealing with sales, keeping a guest table running smoothly, and building a great fan experience had to be learned by some volunteers through on-the-job training. This sometimes meant holding up the line as the handler learned how to use a Square terminal, or what a “float” is, or how to deal with various policy situations. And it also meant putting the volunteer – and the guest – under additional pressure, while discussing details that would be better left behind a curtain, away from fans.
Bob knew there must be a better way to create a pure, joyous experience for fans and volunteers alike.
So ConLife University was imagined into being!
Now, with ConLife U., promoters, agents and managers can offload the task of repeatedly training new volunteers and staff members. And sign-in monitoring can provide an early warning of no-shows. (But we digress, as usual.…)
We’re hoping the courses we provide will lubricate the gears of your conventions, and increase the joy! 