WDW testing Trashcan GPS alerts in Tomorrowland

[MACHA100]

Ran across this article. Surprised I haven't seen or heard anything about it here.

Link: http://www.triplepundit.com/2016/11/gps-tracking-disney-world-causing-employee-angst/

 

[NothingRhymeswithOrange]

This is a great idea. I mean I've never really come across an over flowing garbage at WDW but this should definitely help if this is a "problem".

 

[NYwdwfan]

There's actually a thread already going on this if you want to join the discussion (although it did take me a while to find it and I knew it existed!):

http://forums.wdwmagic.com/threads/janitors-on-call-with-iphones.921857/

 

[MACHA100]

Thanks for the heads up @NYwdwfan . It can be difficult to find where to post things sometimes. Just wanted to share the news. Posted it at the other link so those interested in that news can stay up to date with it. @wdwmagic - feel free to delete this post.
Not savvy on the ins and outs on how to do that, as I am a long time forum reader and first time thread starter.

 

[NYwdwfan]

Thanks for the heads up @NYwdwfan . It can be difficult to find where to post things sometimes. Just wanted to share the news. Posted it at the other link so those interested in that news can stay up to date with it. @wdwmagic - feel free to delete this post.
Not savvy on the ins and outs on how to do that, as I am a long time forum reader and first time thread starter.

Believe me - I had read the thread and had a tough time finding it - sometimes it's a matter of remembering some language from the original posts.

Oh - and welcome to the forum! It's a fun place to hang around.

 

[MACHA100]

@NYwdwfan Thanks for the welcome. I have been reading for about 5 years but finally made an account to access the pics attached to posts.2 years ago.

 

[Creathir]

I understand the desire to retain privacy, but when at work, is there ANY expectation of privacy?

This is fantastic tech and it's awesome Disney is still innovating in key ways like this in order to improve the guest experience.

 

[Goofyernmost]

Privacy is confusing to many people when it comes to business related activity. You should still be able to use a restroom with a high degree of privacy, but, even then there might be smoke detectors, etc. monitoring the air and so on. What people have to figure out is when you sign on the line and allow someone to pay you for your services for whatever time you are there, they have a right to supervise you constantly if they want too. You don't have to stay there, you can always quit if you want to, but, there is no guarantee that you won't have the same thing in your next place of employment. I have been retired for about 6 years now and even when I was still working, toward the end, I had employees come up to me and to my face tell me I was to stop watching what they were doing. I said, OK, pick up you check on the way out. I can't see you when your home. Nice working with you.

 

[ford91exploder]

Technology is not a substitute for management and employees who are engaged and WANT to do a quality job. As to cameras and tracking devices in bathrooms I've BEEN in places where these exist and so far they have been high security facilities where classified items are handled, But if you don't like the level of security no one says you have to take a job requiring a security clearance. The person watching you has one too and if they get caught misusing their access well you don't want to be them.

I'd have problem if this was a retail establishment though because you would attract the 'perv' element who would undoubtedly 'share' pictures on social media for lulz.

 

[freediverdude]

If they have cameras in restrooms that's not cool. Also there's knowing where someone is and keeping tabs on what they are doing here and there, and then there's standing over their shoulder or being creepy about it, and that's not cool either. And I've noticed the tendency towards stepford and creepy getting worse the last decade in workplaces. It didn't use to be like that. Too many people watching over and not enough doing the actual work. That's why I have switched professions and don't work in an office anymore.

 

[Creathir]

If they have cameras in restrooms that's not cool. Also there's knowing where someone is and keeping tabs on what they are doing here and there, and then there's standing over their shoulder or being creepy about it, and that's not cool either. And I've noticed the tendency towards stepford and creepy getting worse the last decade in workplaces. It didn't use to be like that. Too many people watching over and not enough doing the actual work. That's why I have switched professions and don't work in an office anymore.

Yeah, cameras in restrooms is definitely something I cannot imagine they are even thinking of deploying here.

My guess is sensors on the trash cans, water sensor of some sort on the floor, toilet paper roll sensors, maybe a "needs servicing" button for a guest to hit... along those lines.

 

[Goofyernmost]

If they have cameras in restrooms that's not cool. Also there's knowing where someone is and keeping tabs on what they are doing here and there, and then there's standing over their shoulder or being creepy about it, and that's not cool either. And I've noticed the tendency towards stepford and creepy getting worse the last decade in workplaces. It didn't use to be like that. Too many people watching over and not enough doing the actual work. That's why I have switched professions and don't work in an office anymore.

First, there are no cameras in the bathrooms. Don't you think someone would have noticed that by now? Second, you are correct, however, in my 45 year working career I did notice an alarming thing. You had to watch the workers closer because unlike previous generations, the do not consider a job an important aspect of life. Their mommies and daddies are obsessed with never having them leave the nest and therefore have not emphasized the importance of being a reliable employee, if you ask to much they will just run back to mom and dad. They will stop working the moment that they think no one is watching because they consider it the businesses good luck to just have them there.

That comes out every time a worker complains that the are being supervised (watched). Sorry, but if I'm paying you to do a job for me, then I want you to do the job you are being paid to do. Otherwise I am just throwing my money away. And since, like it or not, I control that part of the story, I am not the one that needs to conform. Just as so many have made the statement... (pay me more money and I will work harder) as an employer if you aren't worth more money you will never get it. And if I have to pay others to watch to see if I'm getting what I'm paying for then you are not worth it even more. This problem didn't start this week, it has been slowing building for many years now. I guess everyone is going to have to get used to it until they have shown that they do not have to be watched.

 

[ford91exploder]

Now I can see low level 'machine vision' cameras to detect liquids/foreign objects on the floor, But these would not produce a usable visible image just that at levels 0-100 there is something which is not supposed to be at levels 0-100 and a 'camera' like this would not see anything beyond 10 degrees above the horizon (Floor) , Something like this is a sensor technically not a 'camera' per se.

Something like this along with a 'Press for Washroom Service' button could be very useful in smaller washrooms which don't get frequent use or service.

 

[Nubs70]

What the Industrial Engineers miss by focusing only on full trashcan is what janitorial staff does between trashcan. If the CM is only tasked with trashcans, what happens to cleaning tasks between trashcans?

Instead of performing an ad hoc task, the ad hoc task will be ignored in preference for the scripted task.

I foresee less overflowing trashcans but more litter on the street which will require an additional job classification and labor cost to remedy.

In the end, any cost savings through technology may me eliminated by additional labor.

 

[senor_jorge]

Something like this along with a 'Press for Washroom Service' button could be very useful in smaller washrooms which don't get frequent use or service.

Yeah, that would never be abused in this day and age.

 

[ford91exploder]

Yeah, that would never be abused in this day and age.

It probably WOULD be but if they made it like the Amazon Dash buttons where one press gets you ONE order and cant be pressed again till item is delivered I think it could work, You could make it do the 'DING' when pressed to make people happy in thinking they are calling 20 janitors to the washroom...

 

[CJR]

I'm not saying that there aren't lazy people, but most of the custodial staff at Walt Disney World are the hardest working employees I ever come across. If trash cans are over flowing, instead of cracking the whip more than they already do, they could hire more people. Just a thought there.

 

[The_Jobu]

I'm not saying that there aren't lazy people, but most of the custodial staff at Walt Disney World are the hardest working employees I ever come across. If trash cans are over flowing, instead of cracking the whip more than they already do, they could hire more people. Just a thought there.

I can imagine some MK exec reading this and laughing uproariously at the thought.

 

[Nubs70]

I'm not saying that there aren't lazy people, but most of the custodial staff at Walt Disney World are the hardest working employees I ever come across. If trash cans are over flowing, instead of cracking the whip more than they already do, they could hire more people. Just a thought there.

In fact, you could even expect a reduction in custodial staff. Even if cleanliness increases with no reduction in force, the cost associated with monitoring technology yields a negative ROI. This is poor financial allocation from a financial engineering perspective.

 

[CJR]

I can imagine some MK exec reading this and laughing uproariously at the thought.

That's what happens when people manage a role they've never performed, they believe they're above the work. Go back 20-30 years and management wouldn't hesitate jumping in when it was needed. I'm not saying no managers or executives are like that today, but it's definitely been on its way out.

Keep in mind, I'm not saying there is "a problem", but if there is one, simply cracking the whip more isn't really the solution. It'll likely get an overflowing trash can emptied while another one somewhere else piles up. By tracking work, hopefully they'll use the stats to see where staff tends to be needed most and staff accordingly, without immediately calling people "lazy" in the process. Most custodial staff really are under appreciated and it would be nice to see management legitimately give them the help they need to handle the increased guest volume.