asinine CM's in WDW today (12/31/04)

[Slosh]

I don't want to push this too far, but I just got off an incredibly busy work weekend and I just ran into a situation where 2 managers were fighting over my reputation; one patronizing me while basically telling me I'm pathetic, the other defending my history and necessity to the smooth operation of the restaurant. all because some customer didn't know/wasnt able to communicate what exactly she wanted. and even that all came down to me being too nice a guy. I accepted a special order on a slow night where the customer or waiter said something like "aww, come on, its not that busy" and then it came back to bite me in the a$$ on a busy night because I refused to do it again.
Is the secret to really just be a stickler to spec and to not do anything nice or above and beyond the call of duty for anyone ever for fear of that?

 

[mkt]

The secret is to let the customer/guest know that you're doing something special for them, and that you may not be able to do it again. Make sure they know you are going above and beyond the call of duty, and that it is not likely you will be able to do this again.

 

[mkt]

however, I forgot to mention.. be very pleasant about the whole thing. Don't make it the point to tell the client that you wouldn't normally do this, but rather drop in there that this isn't something normally done by XXX business. Maybe in a VERY lighthearted tone mention how they should feel special (but this strictly depends on the client, since some may take offense to that). Just some pointers

 

[Slosh]

yeah, my problem tends to be that I'm working through an intermediary (read: waiter) and not only does the waiter claim all the praise for the special treatment, they never bother saying its a one-time thing since its not like they physically have to do anything different. anyways, my situation, not yours. just trying to bring a new perspective to the debate. personally I think everyone here needs to calm their ____1t, if I went with all my first instincts when annoyed in this kind of situation I would have been unemployed months ago.

 

[barnum42]

But is it me, or does Rob seem to encounter all the poor ones?

Not when I visited the parks with him - he'd chat to those he know, including the friends of several characters and would goof around with those he did not know.

Rob's far from perfect (he drives like a French man and is not too bright when it comes to improvising a candle holder), but there is no denying his affection for the Disney parks.

 

[BlizzardCP]

I would write a letter using the names of the managers and people who REALLY bothered you only. The managers should know better and the people who actually had a negative effect on your day should be the only ones who get mentioned by name. The ones who were in bad moods or just not smiling shouldn't be named, just lumped into a group. (I am sure that was your plan anyway) ...

No matter where you work you have bad days, it happens... I would imagine having to work to about 2am on a BUSY BUSY day... that day being New Years Eve, (while all your friends are out making memories) could put anyone in a bad mood. I know I was in a bad mood when I was waitressing on New Years Eve, I tried to be happy, but every little thing a dumb guest would do would annoy me... and I maybe saw 100 people... can you imagine 50,000?

I think the managers are the ones who should really get it... I have had some BAD encounters with managers.. I once asked a MANAGER working in the watch store on main street about a dumbo stapler and he was so rude I wanted to scream... I then asked if they had it at the DTD shop and he said "I don't know, go by and check it out" .... I have had regular employees call over to sister stores AT THE MALL... never mind a manager in WDW... I was sick... I never wrote a letter but I wish I did!
SO write your letter, it will make you feel better... just to get it on paper... get those managers who were lacking magic, but not the hourlys who were bummin on a night that they could be having fun!!

 

[HennieBogan1966]

First to Merlin, I must say Thank You very much for the kind comments and rep points.

Secondly, I have seen a new phrase. CREATIVE COMPENSATION. These comments were made by none other than MKT. I'm wondering what he thinks he deserved for this "alleged" treatment he received on the busiest shopping day of the year at Epcot.

Oh, and another word for CREATIVE COMPENSATION?

ENTITLEMENT!!!

 

[mkt]

Secondly, I have seen a new phrase. CREATIVE COMPENSATION. These comments were made by none other than MKT. I'm wondering what he thinks he deserved for this "alleged" treatment he received on the busiest shopping day of the year at Epcot.

Oh, and another word for CREATIVE COMPENSATION?

ENTITLEMENT!!!

What did I think I deserved? An apology would have been enough. An acknowledgement that they had done wrong and were sorry for it is all I wanted.

 

[mkt]

SO write your letter, it will make you feel better... just to get it on paper... get those managers who were lacking magic, but not the hourlys who were bummin on a night that they could be having fun!!

a Cast Member is a Cast Member, regardless of pay scale. At the end, a WDW CM is there for the guest, and if they can't deal with it, tough. But I agree, it's extremely disheartening when a Blue ID is worse than the yellow. But like I said, if I had to be pleasant on busy days, then other CM's should too as well

 

[EpcotFanatic04]

Woah mkt chill out. I mean, you went on 1 of the busiest days EVER. That doesn't excuse the CMs, but you can expect problems.

 

[tigger248]

MKT, rudeness should never be tolerated. I agree with you that the large crowds should not have made these cm's rude to you. If they can't handle being polite and presentable on busy days, then perhaps they should rethink working with the public. Regardless of your personal issues, you should be able to put on a smile and be courteous to the guests. After all, the guests are the reason the cm's have their jobs.

On my cp, I worked like 60 hours the week between Christmas and New Years. I was exhausted, homesick, stressing about moving out of my apartment, wishing my family could have been with me, dreading leaving my friends and boyfriend and job I loved behind in a week, etc. (I could go on...). However, none of that made me feel the need to be rude to the guests. Sure on NYE, there were places that I wished I could be, but that still didn't change my approach to the guests. I say this because I don't think that the large crowds should be able to be used as a valid excuse for rudeness.

 

[mkt]

MKT, rudeness should never be tolerated. I agree with you that the large crowds should not have made these cm's rude to you. If they can't handle being polite and presentable on busy days, then perhaps they should rethink working with the public. Regardless of your personal issues, you should be able to put on a smile and be courteous to the guests. After all, the guests are the reason the cm's have their jobs.

On my cp, I worked like 60 hours the week between Christmas and New Years. I was exhausted, homesick, stressing about moving out of my apartment, wishing my family could have been with me, dreading leaving my friends and boyfriend and job I loved behind in a week, etc. (I could go on...). However, none of that made me feel the need to be rude to the guests. Sure on NYE, there were places that I wished I could be, but that still didn't change my approach to the guests. I say this because I don't think that the large crowds should be able to be used as a valid excuse for rudeness.

Good CM

 

[Woody13]

Rob's far from perfect (he drives like a French man and is not too bright when it comes to improvising a candle holder), but there is no denying his affection for the Disney parks.

The Brits certainly know a lot about driving and cars! :lol:

For those of you who have never had the pleasure of owning a British car, but want to know what it's like: Next big rainstorm, wait till dark, roll down all windows, leave off lights & heater & wipers and go for a drive. Stop at every intersection and throw out a twenty dollar bill. It's not exactly the same, but it's real close. :animwink:

 

[PhilosophyMagic]

Did I mention I experienced this in less than 1 hour in Epcot? I don't want to imagine what I would have come across had I spent a full day there.

Perhaps if you go on Mission: Space over and over it'll calm your nerves. That's what I do, anyway. :lookaroun

 

[PhotoDave219]

I spent the whole day there and ran into my fair share of difficulties but also realise that they are expecting 80 freakin gazillion thousand people or so .... I'm willing to work within the system despite the trip back to the car.

Its NYE, to recieve Disneylike attitudes one should give Disneylike attitudes. By far the best service i got was teh traffic control people between Mexico and Norway; they managed to get the crowd moving and off my @^#% blanket.

All in all, i had no complaints other than realizing that we missed Bwana Bob all night by less than 50 feet.

 

[kodakcastmember]

I was a Cast Member for many years, and goddammit, like I said before, if I had to give good guest service on the busiest days of the year, there is NO reason that you should get away with not giving it.

I totally agree with you there. Cast Members are paid to give the guests a good, enjoyable experience. It's all about guest service, first and foremost. There have been many times where I have been in a horrible mood, but it is part of my job to put on a happy face and try to make the guest's day the best they've ever had at a Disney park.

 

[barnum42]

For those of you who have never had the pleasure of owning a British car, but want to know what it's like: Next big rainstorm, wait till dark, roll down all windows, leave off lights & heater & wipers and go for a drive. Stop at every intersection and throw out a twenty dollar bill. It's not exactly the same, but it's real close. :animwink:

The twenty dollar bill jibe relates to how much it costs us over here in gas to go from one intersection to another As for the rest, not every British car is an MG.

For the Britons who have not had the pleasure of driving an American car, take a Rover, load it with every toy and then some, plus 6.3 cup holders per passenger. Then (and this is the important bit) remove the suspension system and replace it with stacks of fairy cake. It's not exactly the same, but it will give you a close approximation of what passes for good handling on an American car. :lol:

 

[ogryn]

The twenty dollar bill jibe relates to how much it costs us over here in gas to go from one intersection to another As for the rest, not every British car is an MG.

For the Britons who have not had the pleasure of driving an American car, take a Rover, load it with every toy and then some, plus 6.3 cup holders per passenger. Then (and this is the important bit) remove the suspension system and replace it with stacks of fairy cake. It's not exactly the same, but it will give you a close approximation of what passes for good handling on an American car. :lol:

From a moto-journo over here about the Chrysler 300C : "Have the American's made a car that can actually go round a corner?"

*cough* Aston Martin, Jaguar, Bentley, Lotus *cough*

 

[Marijil]

on behalf of those who work on the walt disney world property:

SHUT THE *%@! UP YOU WHINEY $*%^!!!

cast members are people too. they make mistakes. they have bad days. they are forced to deal with the populations of small cities insisting that they each get treated like a princess no matter what the circumstance.

we're all doing the best we can. even on new year's eve.

are you?

-billy

Isn't this just great?? Walt would love this.

 

[HADESgou]

Prior planning

Prior Planning Prevents ________ Poor Performance

If you know it is going to be the busiest day or days of the year you prepare your employees for it. I say employees because it is my feeling that all of this cm problem started when management started to refer to the cm's as employees rather than cast members of the show. this does not occur in all areas but it happened when I worked there to me. it made me feel less important even though what was being said was true, that I was an employee and a cm. I am not going to go on about the down fall of cm's, well one more thing. "facial hair" don't like it on cm's. it makes most with it look made all the time.
I was there on nye and had a wonderful time and I also saw some people not having a wonderful time. its a crap shoot even on not crowded days, that is probably what is most upsetting to all of us.

Have a Happy New Year