Do the people at the call center get a commission for the dining plan?

[CandleontheWater]

I have been working on our Oct trip, so I've been making a lot of calls to central booking over the past few days, pricing different dates/hotels.

Every time I've called I've gotten the hard sell for the dining plan, and by hard sell, I mean after I've politely declined, they've been pushing back, questioning me about my dining habits and seeming aghast that I would turn down "such a great deal".

It has been really off putting, I think a simple, "no thank you, the idea of doing a sit down meal alone with my two year old is enough to make me want to poke my eyes out with a fork", should be all they need to hear. I don't need then to be sold on the quick service plan, especially when I tell them that I won't get enough use out of the stupid mug.

Anyone else been having the dining plan shoved down their throat? I know its great for some people, but when when I tell them I understand how it works and that its not for me, they really should back off!

 

[TDC Nala]

Unknown if they get a commission but I am sure they've at least been told to push the dining plan. I have even seen posters say that the phone agents have asked them to explain why they DON'T want the dining plan.

DVC always asks if I want the dining plan but they don't push it when I say I don't want it, so they likely haven't been told to hardsell it.

 

[TheRustyScupper]

1) Yes and no.
2) They are not paid a true commission.
3) They get a bonus for sales of any type
. . . they have a monthly sales-dollar-per-phone-call-minute quota
. . . if they make the quota, they get a bonus
. . . the bonus is up to twice their hourly pay
4) This is also why they try to get you off the call quickly
5) They actually lose money for gabbing, since there is no revenue.
6) Plus, it gets tricky.
. . . only the CM that first sold the package get the credit
. . . regardless how long after you upgrade or add
. . . so, the next CM is penalized if you call to add/change/cancel
. . . even when you call to ask questions it hurts them
. . . it brings down the average-per-phone-call-minute

NOTE: This is a high pressure job, If they miss their quota three
times in a year, they can be fired. At the minimum, they can be
automatically transferred to a low-paid job elsewhere.

 

[mousefan1972]

1) Yes and no.
2) They are not paid a true commission.
3) They get a bonus for sales of any type
. . . they have a monthly sales-dollar-per-phone-call-minute quota
. . . if they make the quota, they get a bonus
. . . the bonus is up to twice their hourly pay
4) This is also why they try to get you off the call quickly
5) They actually lose money for gabbing, since there is no revenue.
6) Plus, it gets tricky.
. . . only the CM that first sold the package get the credit
. . . regardless how long after you upgrade or add
. . . so, the next CM is penalized if you call to add/change/cancel
. . . even when you call to ask questions it hurts them
. . . it brings down the average-per-phone-call-minute

NOTE: This is a high pressure job, If they miss their quota three
times in a year, they can be fired. At the minimum, they can be
automatically transferred to a low-paid job elsewhere.

I wonder if all the people on the Discount Codes and Rates subforum who call 20 times a day asking if they have a PIN code attached to their household know that they are penalizing the poor CM who answers their call....

 

[HappyDznyCamper]

I wonder if all the people on the Discount Codes and Rates subforum who call 20 times a day asking if they have a PIN code attached to their household know that they are penalizing the poor CM who answers their call....

The sales per call issue has been discussed before, there are some who don't believe that call centers work like that, and some don't care.

 

[srutko1226]

I paid my final today and had a fella take my call who was really wonderful. If they get nothing after the initial sale, it sure doesn't distract from someone doing their best for you. A big thumbs up for all the CMs who do a wonderful job no matter what!!!!!

 

[TheRustyScupper]

. . . If they get nothing after the initial sale, it sure doesn't distract from someone doing their best for you . . .

1) Most are nice and they are helpful on the phone.
2) PLUS, they are rated/scored on their phone technique.
3) If they fail or are scored low, their bonus can be reduced.
4) A real Catch-22.
5) Be nice, yet get the caller off the phone to meet quota.

NOTE: We know of two phone reps who ALWAYS were above their
quota amount. However, they were stopped from getting the max
bonus. In one case, the CM was scored low because she did not
mention the callers name enough times during the call! And, yes,
there is an actual score sheet with items and point values. This is
also true for the scoring of Front Desk and Concierge CM's.

 

[disnut8]

I think all companies sales people are expected to "push" whatever is the latest thing that is offered. I know my company wants someone to try and sell Item A or Item B. It's like the ever present "you want fries with that?" mentality. I forget the term but it's something like Progressive Selling. Positive Selling? Something like that.

Businesses do it all the time. Ever call up a credit card company to activate the card and then have to listen to all the insurance stuff that you could have going along with it? Same thing.

Disney is a business.

 

[kandb]

That's funny, when I called a few days ago to book a resort for the free dining that is going to come out to the general public on Monday, I told the CM I was only going to stay onsite if I get the free dining but he insisted that I book the hotel with the dining plan. I just did because I can cancel with no penalty if I don't get the resort and dates I want.

 

[HappyDznyCamper]

I think all companies sales people are expected to "push" whatever is the latest thing that is offered. I know my company wants someone to try and sell Item A or Item B. It's like the ever present "you want fries with that?" mentality. I forget the term but it's something like Progressive Selling. Positive Selling? Something like that.Businesses do it all the time. Ever call up a credit card company to activate the card and then have to listen to all the insurance stuff that you could have going along with it? Same thing.

Disney is a business.

The term is suggestive selling, or atleast it was many years ago a my first job.... no fries? How about a milk shake then?

 

[pigletto]

I wonder if all the people on the Discount Codes and Rates subforum who call 20 times a day asking if they have a PIN code attached to their household know that they are penalizing the poor CM who answers their call....

No way. It's their right dontchaknow!?
A few calls.. go ahead. But multiple times, sometimes every day for months and then wondering why the person on the other end of the phone is rude?

Any call centre is the same. They all have an exact science for quotas and certain things they have to say in the call. So someone is potentially listening to them at all times, grading the call. They've been told to push the dining plan in one way or another, and it never sounds particularly natural because it's scripted.
I don't fault them, they are doing as they are required to do for their job. If you get someone particularly chatty or who wants to share more information than seems prudent, they are defiantly banking on the fact that this particular call isn't being monitored.

 

[TDC Nala]

Understood, they get more credit if they sell a dining plan. However, asking a customer who has already declined the plan to explain why they don't want it is a bit much.

 

[fla4fun]

Understood, they get more credit if they sell a dining plan. However, asking a customer who has already declined the plan to explain why they don't want it is a bit much.

Plus if they aren't supposed to keep people on the phone unless they're buying, it wastes time for guests to try to justify their decision not to buy. I usually don't get the hard sell, but I book more online than over the phone, and it's always room only - either AP or Fla Res discounts.

 

[pigletto]

I totally agree it's a bit much, but I would highly suspect that the second push is a requirement not an option. All through my early 20's I and friends worked in call centers for major cell phone companies. The upsell was a requirement, as were "follow up questions". They wouldn't have accepted "well we asked and they said No." And it cost us points on "quality assurance" scores, which in turn affected our jobs.
The pushiness really smacks of their being "markers" to meet for the call. I don't think any of the people working there truly care if I buy the dining plan or not. So they either get bonuses, or more likely demerits for not leading the call in a certain direction.

 

[Sue M]

I feel bad now taking up their time to make payments on my room-only res, but WDW has not put a way to make payments on line for room only, like they do with packages. Wish they would, and have no idea why they don't. Even with room only, I like to be paid in full before we arrive, and make monthly payments to do so.

 

[CandleontheWater]

I had no idea the call centers worked like that, you learn something new every day!

I guess I can now understand why, but still, I don't need to be justifying my dining preferences to some CM over the phone. I think I need to go back to working with a TA, that way I was spared the joy of the phone bank!

 

[padawans]

I feel bad now taking up their time to make payments on my room-only res, but WDW has not put a way to make payments on line for room only, like they do with packages. Wish they would, and have no idea why they don't. Even with room only, I like to be paid in full before we arrive, and make monthly payments to do so.

I wouldn't feel bad about it thats what they get paid to do. Remember its your vacation and your paying Disney. When I am shelling out thousands of dollars for a vacation the last thing I care about is a cms sales quota. Hopefully Disney will develop a system where we can modify are own vacations on line. That would be nice.

 

[Polydweller]

I feel bad now taking up their time to make payments on my room-only res, but WDW has not put a way to make payments on line for room only, like they do with packages. Wish they would, and have no idea why they don't. Even with room only, I like to be paid in full before we arrive, and make monthly payments to do so.

The reason they make room only reservations call is the up sell. There is little possibility of up selling people who have bought MYW already have the tickets and often dining plan. But room only, you can try to up sell them to tickets and dining plan so they have to call so the CM can give them the hard sell spiel. Don't expect that to change any time soon.