CM’s counting change at registers in front of guests

[TrainsOfDisney]

here’s an interesting bad-show I’ve noticed at multiple counter service locations at Disneyland - CM’s are closing registers at end of shifts and counting change while standing at the register in front of guests.

This looks tacky, and also closes that register for that period of time.

It’s details like this that used to make the “Disney difference” and really show how new management doesn’t get it.

 

[TP2000]

You are right. This is unprofessional and was not something that was allowed in past times, at any business that valued professionalism or courtesy. I have to assume that Disneyland was once one of those classy places that would never dare count out a change drawer in front of customers.

Just the simple act of counting out bills and cash in front of people is tacky. But then you've got the situation where you've closed a register and it's still being used for what would normally be back-of-house operations. Tacky!

 

[TrainsOfDisney]

Starbucks on Main Street closes 30 minutes after the park now as well (was previously 1 hour).

 

[CaptinEO]

Just waiting for the usual defenders to pop in and say how it's fine Disney is declining.

 

[chadwpalm]

Just waiting for the usual defenders to pop in and say how it's fine Disney is declining.

I can agree that counting your till right in front of customers is not only tacky, but also dangerous. I haven't worked in retail for 27 years, but we always counted our tills in the back office.

As far as Starbucks closing early, I would defend it if I knew that they were losing more money paying employees than they are selling beverages, but since I don't go there after closing I don't really know how busy it gets. If there was a lot of demand and they are still closing early, then yeah, that's a silly thing.

 

[DavidDL]

Oh! Oh! I've got one of these to share from my most recent trip to. Only I snapped a photo of it.

I understand the device that her eyes are glued to isn't necessarily a phone (I believe it's what they now use to manage the handicap queue) but I noticed a handful of CMs with what I would describe as either closed or bad body language over the course of the day. Another CM watching the extended the queue for RotR had his arms crossed, leaning against the railing with his eyes to the sky.

If I'd of been caught looking like this by my former area managers I'm sure my * woulda been grass, if you'll pardon the expression. Maybe I'm just being nitpicky? I know deep down a lot of CMs have days where they don't really care (believe me, I've been there) but you're still being paid to at least pretend like you do for the sake of Guests. It just sort of made me sad to see it.

Ending on a positive note; there were a ton of really helpful and wonderful CMs throughout our day, too. I guess those interactions just make CMs like the one pictured above stick out more, though?

 

[socalifornian]

In my experience the cash controller never started their thing until after the location was closed, and the last guest was not only gone but out of sight. If applicable the tarp/door/commercial roll up barrier/etc was also lowered or closed. It was bad Show otherwise. RIP 4 5 keys

 

[Nirya]

here’s an interesting bad-show I’ve noticed at multiple counter service locations at Disneyland - CM’s are closing registers at end of shifts and counting change while standing at the register in front of guests.

This looks tacky, and also closes that register for that period of time.

It’s details like this that used to make the “Disney difference” and really show how new management doesn’t get it.

I was thinking about this, because back when I used to work in retail they always did the counts at the register and only brought the drawers to the back once the customers were out. I'm not sure if this is just a general retail change not specific to Disney, as it was always sold to me as a way to protect employees from accusations of theft (the registers were on camera while there was no guarantee that the drawers would be on camera when they moved to the back office).

So not sure if this is so much bad show and more a change to protect everyone involved, even if it does look a bit tacky.

 

[TrainsOfDisney]

So not sure if this is so much bad show and more a change to protect everyone involved, even if it does look a bit tacky.

It’s bad show no matter what.

You can justify lots of bad show, but it’s still bad show.

But just to clarify - were you saying when you worked retail at Disney? Or retail in general?

 

[Parteecia]

We always took our register trays backstage to count. Back then Disney didn't want to waste any time taking the guests' money.

 

[Andrew_Korenchkin]

It's a shame that morale is incredibly low at Disneyland. Definitely not going to lay the blame on the poor Cast Members who barely make above minimum wage, even if I do understand the criticism. People pay a lot to go there, and it's just unfair to the people whose this one trip to Disneyland may be their only chance.

 

[TrainsOfDisney]

Definitely not going to lay the blame on the poor Cast Members who barely make above minimum wage, even if I do understand the criticism.

My post lays no blame at all on the hourly CM’s - they don’t get any say in such policies.

The complaint is the policy itself and the managers who decided “that’s fine.”

 

[Andrew_Korenchkin]

My post lays no blame at all on the hourly CM’s - they don’t get any say in such policies.

The complaint is the policy itself and the managers who decided “that’s fine.”

Oh no worries, I wasn't accusing you of that. Rather, I unfortunately see it A LOT IRL, as I'm sure you do as well. As someone who has worked in the service industry, I see the frustration that even we deal with in general when we want to provide service to others as a way to genuinely connect with who we serve, but managers and corporate policies even crush our genuine feelings of goodwill and pride towards what we do (which is to help others).

In regards to Disneyland I just wish I, and I'm sure a lot of us in general, had answers to the problems that have made the Cast Member role pretty stagnated, sadly. It's a crying shame how Disney as a company has allowed the Cast Member as a job, and even as a career, to stagnate.

 

[TrainsOfDisney]

I worked a retail job that I loved for years (was my first job… at a railroad museum of course - by the end it got so bad that a lady complained about something that happened with the ticketing and I begged her to leave a trip advisor review because that’s the only thing management cares about so maybe they would actually listen.

 

[Andrew_Korenchkin]

I worked a retail job that I loved for years (was my first job… at a railroad museum of course - by the end it got so bad that a lady complained about something that happened with the ticketing and I begged her to leave a trip advisor review because that’s the only thing management cares about so maybe they would actually listen.

That definitely reminds me, I need to use Yelp a bit more, if only to really put the names out there of people who need it. Although personally I would probably just review everyone in a positive light, LOL.

 

[TrainsOfDisney]

How about this for quality theming!? Not sure if it’s a fan, air purifier?

 

[donaldtoo]

The first time I ever worked retail in my life was at our local mall Disney Store (now defunct) from 8/16/09-10/17/13. For over a year of that time I was a Lead Manager. We always had 2 LMs, an ASM, and an SM. We had 3 registers at the Box Office.
Before Store opening, the registers were reconciled at the box office, and the same after close. But, also, during Store hours of operation, the registers were reconciled after shifts, at the Box Office in front of Guests. I had nothing to do with the policy, as that was miles above my pay grade.
If a drawer was off (under or over) by one cent more than $10, at the end of the night we had to leave a message on the District Manager’s cell phone and send her an email.
I remember our SMs drawer being under by exactly $50 one time. Since I was closing LM that night, I had to report it. When I talked to her the next day, she thought it was a transaction where she thought a Guest gave her a $100 bill, but, actually only gave her a $50 bill, so she gave them back the wrong change, and they didn’t correct her.
At the end of the night, all the cash was sealed in a plastic bank bag with a serial number on it, and locked in the safe in the back office.
If you accidentally forgot to put something in the bag, and had to tear it open and use a new one, you had to account for the destroyed bags serial number.
The armored car came 3 times a week to pick up the bank bags.
Also, as a Manager, one of the first things you did in the morning, and last things you did at night, was reconcile the safe.
Anyway, I once inquired as to the till counting On Stage, and was simply told that upper management wanted the Store managers to be out On Stage as much as possible to promptly take care of any issues that might come up. We could suspend the till count (you prompted the register to do that), and get back to it later.
Funny thing is, the last coupla’ years, or so, that I was a CM there, we all had radio sets for instant communication, but, the policy never changed.
Again, policy that was miles above my pay grade.

 

[SuddenStorm]

We like to talk about the decline by degrees, and the decline in overall service, the removal of the Disney Look. And I think we all understand that there is an upper limit to the level of service we can expect at the pay rates Disney is willing to pay.

But this is something that wouldn't cost any more to do properly. It'd be easy to change the policy around settling your till backstage vs onstage.

The little things like this add up.

 

[TrainsOfDisney]

Anyway, I once inquired as to the till counting On Stage, and was simply told that upper management wanted the Store managers to be out On Stage as much as possible to promptly take care of any issues that might come up.

And that’s my issue with executives and why i can’t work those types of jobs. They have no clue.

It’s bad show and it makes 0 sense.

 

[donaldtoo]

And that’s my issue with executives and why i can’t work those types of jobs. They have no clue.

It’s bad show and it makes 0 sense.

Yea, and during the holidays there was so much cash in the drawers. It took longer to count, and we had to make intermittent withdrawals from the drawers and stash them in the safe.
And, of course, a lot of distractions doin’ that On Stage.