Cast member behavior?

[TinkerbellTris]

XTINABELL,
you said it! I totally agree with you. I work Customer Service and have for more years than I can count. I know what you mean. I think you are more patient and more respectful to others when dealing with customer service situations. Well said.

 

[Tovin]

XTinabell, you're a hero to customer service people ever. 4 years at Wal-Mart working the service desk convinced me I needed to quit. I couldn't take the everyday rudeness of people who I was trying my damndest to help.

I get people at my new workplace who switched from 14 years of service somewhere else, because they KNOW I will provide the level of service they want.....THOSE people make my *life* not just my work, wonderful.

=)

T

 

[eatmypixiedust]

XTinabell-I agree with you too. I work in inside sales and believe me, there have been times when I wanted to lash out at a customer but I always bit my tongue and just let them yell and scream at me. I never yelled back or raised my voice. Sometimes they try to sound intimidating or they think that by raising their voice it will get them what they want (just like a little child). Kindness is a 2-way street.

 

[PattiPB]

I wasn't there, but I'll go out on the limb and say flat out: It didn't happen.

Not only didn't it happen, your sister has profanity on the brain! The CM said "Chuck---drop the rope!" or "Duck---that crazy cursing guest threw a churro at you!" Make a little sense, I hope?

After a multitude of visits to DL and WDW, I am comfortable saying that not every CM shows the magic every single time. I am also comfortable saying that not one CM has committed a termination offense (like cursing) in my presence. Not one time.

It's no Utopia, but the only truly poor and tasteless behavior I've ever seen at a Disney park has come from guests.

YMMV---but I doubt it.

 

[Albort]

At WDW the cast member running the lemon ice stand decided to carry on a conversation with someone on his cell phone while there was a line of like 6 people including myself dieing of thirst. I was in front and I asked him if was gonna take our order, he told me to wait. Hhahahaha so we all stepped out of line after I told him he was rude and stupid and if he worked for me I'd fire him. I also informed him, he had terrible customer service. Probably didn't faze him but I felt better.

um, like in DCA, we have phones in carts. We use them to call back for supplies. I dont know how WDW runs their carts, but at certain times, we do have to call back while there is guest in line. I been yelled at by my managers for not calling in stocks. I always thought to put the customers ahead but my managers say in order to sell, you need stock. It doesnt matter how long your line is, CALL FOR STOCK! Possibly they use cellphones to call back for stocks?

 

[disney-super-mom]

After a multitude of visits to DL and WDW, I am comfortable saying that not every CM shows the magic every single time. I am also comfortable saying that not one CM has committed a termination offense (like cursing) in my presence. Not one time.

It's no Utopia, but the only truly poor and tasteless behavior I've ever seen at a Disney park has come from guests.

I am VERY certain that the CM that I talked about in my earlier post said ****. It's the one and only time I've ever heard a Disney employee cuss. And, they DID appologize right away for it. We just chocked it up as the 2 CMs being young and full of spit-n-fire (at the most they were 21 years old). Sometime in the future they'll be dad's themselves, talking about why so-and-so cussed around their little ones.

And as far as truly poor and tasteless behavior.....yep, we've seen lots of that come from guests too!

 

[Scrap'nPatty]

I have 22 years in retail.(Same company)

It would not surprise me that anyone cussed.
It happens all the time where I work and yes I correct them right away.

Disney is a company that is there to make money. period!

Walt (from what I have read)had high standards and expectations.
But he is gone and the investers and company men/women/stock holders have a different agenda. Again...it is about the bottom dollar for profits.

Customer service has changed over the years. The motto "The customer is always right" was just that, a motto one of the companies back in the 50's came up with to draw in customers from the compitition.

The customer is NOT always right(concerning problems). 95% of the time they are wrong. Even though they don't realize it. 3% are full of BS and trying to get everything for nothing.

Just today I checked out this elderly lady and 3 times asked for her member card, only to be ignored and then snapped at. Her statement to me was in a very rude tone saying..."I think you better rering this order, your prices are wrong" On the 4th time of asking for her card I said in my most polite but very loud voice(incase she had a hearing problem) "Mam I still need to scan your card before the prices adjust". She looked at me nasty, then in an almost embarrised tone.."Oh, thats rights right" She was clearly ticked off that I had to correct her as a "Customer is always right" and prove she was wrong for being mean to me.

I have watched the world change so much over the last 22 years.
I remember a time when checkers thanked their customers. I rarely receive a thank you from anyone taking my money.

I see customers who tap their finger nails just because they have 1-2 people ahead of them in line. Everyone wants their stuff NOW with no waiting.
People just do not know how to wait in a line or talk to other humans in a kind manner. These same people are unaware of the presures employees are put under each and everyday by their supervisors.

People/customers are not right, they are rude.
Employees are not grateful for the customers because their company only cares about the bottom buck. If companies planned more appreciation days for employees and customers, everyone would feel better about life.
Even a thank you to the employees now and then would be gladly accepted.

Cussing is NOT acceptable in public.
When I see a customer yelling at a clerk or just being rude, I will say something. It is uncalled for. If I have a rude clerk, I will ask why she/he is having a bad day. They are people too.

I can not count how many of my customers have come to my aide with unruly people. I thank each and everyone of them for stepping up and calling that jerk what he is and pointing out how rude he sounds. It is something I am not "suposed" to do.
But cuss at me and that changes the whole game.
I will show you the door with out your purchase.

Once a customer becomes abusive we have the right to defend ourselves.
After all these years of crabby people, health problems and the erge to slap stupid people, I am lucky I have never been in trouble at work.

Now if the customer complains in a polite manner, I will give you the shirt off my coworkers back ( no one wants to see ME shirtless)

I would say Disney trys to set standards for their employees. (Other companies can take lessons from them) But a human can only take so much from customers or fellow employees before they blow a gasket.

Working at Disneyland/world is only a job for the majoriety. Those cities rely on these companies to supply jobs.They too need to feed their family.

I sware if I have one more person tell me I should find another job, I may scream. People don't understand how hard it is to find a job that pays well enough to raise a family on. I am in need of a change, but would be happy if they would shift a few of the lazy employees so I would not need to do the job of 2.(Another reason I get cranky)

Last I heard, Disney pays just min wage. It can then take years to get hours close to full time. Even some management don't get full time with bennifits.
So as the saying goes..."You get what you pay for."

Now if you put me in a 3x5 metal box with no airflow and crabby customer after customer, I don't think I would be nice to anyone either. I would get fired the first week.

Sorry this was so long..I had a tough work week. Even after 22 years I was cut down to 17 hrs this week!! How is that for employee appreciation?

ohh, I feel so much better now.

Thank you all for letting me vent!

Patty

 

[disneegrl4eva]

I can see what you are saying, Albort. I have worked many years in customer service, and I have been cussed at, yelled at, degraded, even had things thrown at me!! But I have never, ever, as you say, gone off on the customer. They are the ones who pay me, the same is true at DL. Those people spend a ton of money and a fortune of time planning and pin a lot of hopes on having a magical trip. I just think that by the nature of working at a Disney resort, the CM's should go above and beyond to deal kindly with the guests, because when they let it get to them and cop an attitude with one person, that trickles down onto other's who are not a part of the problem. Of course, the same should be said for guests!!! What kind of person goes to DISNEYLAND and starts cussing and yelling are disregarding a DL employee? That's very hard for me to understand.

My main question is: is there still no one who witnessed this 'incident'? I really am curious if it happened the way my sister's friend remembers.

I dont believe for one minute that a cm was using curse words...yelling across the hub maybe but cursing no Im sorry I dont think so

 

[Gwene65]

meh, its hard to explain. For some reason, Disneyland is not hiring as much as they use to than firing/quiting rate. I am only starting to see the some new hires coming in now in the ODV department. aka, we are asked to work double time.

For the Fireworks, kudos to crowd control. ITS A HUGE MESS. For one, these Cast Members are screaming at the top of their lungs getting guest to follow their orders so they can move people as quickly as the possibility can. But guess what, guest never listen. guest think they own the park blah blah blah. kinda how it feels.
Thats all i got to say.

Exactly how I feel. I have worked crowd control countless times for Fireworks and Fantasmic and there is always someone who feels they are above the rules, thus making it harder for us to do our job. As for shouting obsceneties, who knows.

 

[TinkerbellTris]

Hey Albort,
I know you guys call in for supplies, that would have been fine if that was what he was doing. However it was a personal call. I stood there long enough to here him tell whoever was on the phone what time he got off work, and what his plans were after work. He even went so far as to let them know he was hot, and the day was long and boring, and so on. It was then I told him how he has no customer service. I have been in line a DL at a cart when a CM has been on a phone for supplies, and I stand patient you gotta get supplies to service us customers, that never bothers me. It was his personal call, and the fact he told me to wait so he could carry on about how hot it was outside. Trust me, DL and WDW CM behavior does differ, I've noticed differences in Customer service levels in many aspects between the two. Sometimes DL is better and sometimes WDW is better it all depends.

 

[Mtnman44]

I guess this clears that up!

I dont believe for one minute that a cm was using curse words...yelling across the hub maybe but cursing no Im sorry I dont think so

 

[tirby]

Not to but in and I have no opinion whether or not tis happened. But I will say that in my experiance even if someone is rude in language some people have no clue because they were raised withthe **** as a part of everyday conversation. Now would I say something? Maybe but it would need to be polite from me.... Waiting in line for lemonaid... I might say something but there are other stands in the park.... I tend to try to defuse insted of ignite...
I cant wait to get to DL so I can talk with CM's while waiting in line... Maybe I am the only one all day who has had anything positive to say. ( I'll bring my own MAGIC for them if need be...
Better that they remember the one nice one as opposed to the rudest guest of the day!!!

So to Albort and all the other CM's, See you soon (if I can figure out where you are) and have a MAGICAL day!!

 

[eatmypixiedust]

I dont believe for one minute that a cm was using curse words...yelling across the hub maybe but cursing no Im sorry I dont think so

 

[Alex2kMommy]

Count me among the skeptical.

I also worked in Customer Service many years, and while I agree that long hours and unreasonable, rude customers really take their toll on a person's patience, it's rare that an employee will totally lose their cool. And I did not ever work for Disney, who I am sure has more stringent behavior expectations than the places I worked.

I also agree with the OP's thinking that had something like this actually happened, there would be more of a fuss about it. It would have been a BIG DEAL, and I'm sure complaints would have been logged.

I'm not saying it couldn't possibly have happened, I just think it unlikely. As another poster said, when two CMs used inappropriate language in front of guests, they sheepishly apologized immediately. The OP's sister's friend's scenario sounds very blatant and aggressive and directed at guests, way over the top, and totally different.

Our one experience in DL (so far!) was not 100% magical every single time we encountered a CM, but overall it was professional and courteous. There were a few who did their job just fine but were not overly friendly (we joked privately that their customer service skills needed a tune-up), but there were even more CMs who were truly enthusiastic, so incredibly gracious, and very memorable. That, my friends, is what Disney is all about!

ETA: I will add that we did have one very poor experience with a self-proclaimed CM before the fireworks. However, she was in the park as a guest, and we had no way to confirm if she actually was a CM or not. I was skeptical of that as well, because she was so incredibly mean to other guests near us. I didn't think an actual CM would be rude to a guest and then be foolish enough to identify him/herself as a CM! However, had she kept up her poor behavior, we would have had no problem getting security to deal with her.

 

[Albort]

I cant wait to get to DL so I can talk with CM's while waiting in line...

So to Albort and all the other CM's, See you soon (if I can figure out where you are) and have a MAGICAL day!!

haha, come talk to me, i get soo bored when i dont have a line ^_^ espically at DCA. ITs soo boring there sometimes.

 

[tirby]

haha, come talk to me, i get soo bored when i dont have a line ^_^ espically at DCA. ITs soo boring there sometimes.

So are you willing to give up your secret location!!??
Fair warning when my 15 year old som starts talking you might NEVER get him to quit!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Well I'll be looking for you in 60 days

 

[kc10family]

haha, come talk to me, i get soo bored when i dont have a line ^_^ espically at DCA. ITs soo boring there sometimes.

My question is... do you visit the parks when you are not working AND do you stand in line for autograph?

About the topic of this thread. I have had one cm who I was not happy with in all my trips to DL. He made (yes made) me and my DH do what I thnk was unsafe to us and others.
We had been sitting next to the walkway rope off for the fireworks. My gilrs (10mths and 3 1/2 yrs old) had enough and we decided we should take them back to the hotel and see what we could from our room. We had two strollers and two kids. Well being next to the rope (and I mean we sat right at the place they ropes off for the walk way) we figure we could just ext via the walk way. The cm told us no we had to walk to the front of the crowd and use the walk path infront of the crowd. But sir we are right here at the walk way. (cm said)-No this is not a walk way and you will need to take your family through the crowd. I could believe we had to hold strollers above peoples heads and ensure our toddlers followed while we made our way through the crowd.
Once we got to the Large walkway, I asked for a supervisor because I felt what we did was SO unsafe for everyone. The supervisor agreed that what we did was not safe and went to find out why that walk way was not being used for a walk way. With in seconds it was opened for whatit was intended.
Now...I did as the cm asked even when I thought it was wrong, but they know best I thought. BUT next time I think something is unsafe I will ask more questions and ask to see a team lead or supervisor before I do what I thought would be unsafe.
Tha is about the worst thing I can say a cm has said/did in all our trips.

 

[AllJackedUp]

You know, I am ashamed to admit that profanity has really become so ingrained in American culture, people don't even consider it "swearing". I have stood in grocery store lines, been at sporting events, walking in the halls when my son attended public school, at Starbucks and yes, even waiting in line at theme parks when I have had my son with me and heard everything from the ****, to **, to **, to multiple combinations of those words. These people didn't even bat an eye...and some times I'm shocked at these words coming out of young children or teenagers, especially some sweet-looking girl. She might look like a princess but swears like a pirate!

I think it's a sad comment on our society that we have become desensitized to these words and some people (and I must say, I have had this problem in my own family, when relatives sometimes visit...) just get into the habit of using the **** as their favorite adjective.

I think what you have to remember, especially at DLR, is that a larger proportion of these employees are high school and college age and don't really buy into the whole "Disney" spiel. I'm sorry...but that's just been my experience over many, many trips. At WDW, you have a lot more retirees as CMs and they came from a different time period. Honestly, I can remember back when "longhairs" weren't really encouraged to even visit the park and hippies were hassled on a regular basis. Hard to believe, but it's true.

I think it was an unfortunate event to have witnessed but alas, it's just another sad comment on where our society is headed.

 

[AZMickeyfans]

As a former WDW CM I know the stress that the job has. Yes, it is great to work in the happiest place on earth but people on vacation are CRANKY!! Sometimes I would think (as a girl of 20 years) why are you even here if you are so unhappy? there were many people that didnt seem like they were having fun. Even 3 years ago when I was a guest I had my 3 year old daughter with me. She was skipping about 5 feet in front of us so excited to start her day at DL. Well this was just right after the park opened and an older man about 75 almost ran her over in one of those Electrical scooter things. He then YELLED at her to watch the **** where she was going and said didnt you see me you little twirp. I have to admit I was in COMPLETE SHOCK at this and I just stood there dumbfounded like it didnt happen. I was trying to process this. He just gave me an annoyed look like "reign in your child" and went on. It took me about 1 minute to fully realize what happened. My daughters day was ruined. You know how sensitive children can be. It was 3 hours before she really smiled again. Honestly what I really wanted to do was chase after him and show him a piece of my mind but like I said I was in shock and I try to be a good role model for my kids. There will always be bad people out there and its how we handle it that shapes us.

I can't remember an incident in my 7 years where a CM cussed or even got out of line with a guest. I remember lots of times when they would flood to the back of the stock room to vent but we never did that "on stage". I always wanted my day to be just as magical as I expected the guests day to be so I tried to find the good in people and find the small things like the smile on a childs face seeing the parade or when an adult found the perfect souvenir to take home to loved ones. I held on to the little things that we could do to exceed the guests expectations. I would always smile when I walked out and greeted everyone with a friendly hello. Somedays it WAS hard to do when a guest would yell about the time of the fireworks OR that we didnt have it in his size. I had to learn to let it roll off my chest and that the next guest doesnt have that problem so they should be treated with a smile and a warm greeting even though I might be upset inside.

With it being Disney sometimes the guest expectations are SOOO high. And rightfully they should be but its hard to meet everyones needs all the time. I think its how you choose to handle the disappointing situations that arise. For instance IF that was a CM that cussed I really wish someone would have reported it and maybe they did. A person who can fly off the handle that easily should not be working in customer service and especially not at Disney.

Yes, I had complaints when I worked there. When it comes down to it it's not perfect like most jobs aren't. Today though 14 years after my first day as a CM I realize it REALLY was the best job in the world!

 

[Dukland]

I think more often than not it's the guests that are rude. I have been to DL twice as a grownup, and do not remember one negative CM interaction. I remember being in the candy shop in ToonTown (buying candy for my 19 month old to keep him from eating it off the street). Some guest starts going off on a CM working the counter because the guest felt that she had been next. There was no line, though, the counter was a big circle. The guest was just too impatient.

I was taken aback, and I remember thinking, "Hello!! Happiest Place On Earth ring a bell?"

I have a hard time believing CMs would shout profanity across the hub. I remember on our first trip as a family, going up to a vendor for a pop. There was no line, and more than one CM there, as the vendor was getting an ice refill. One of the CMs paused in their conversation to address my dd. "How are you, Princess? Are you having fun today? Love your beautiful curls! Have you seen Ariel yet?" She was wearing an Ariel dress at the time. Several CMs throughout the park referred to her as Princess. When the CM helping her into the Jungle Ride referred to her as some other little nickname (can't remember what) my dd said to me, "He didn't call me Princess!" She wasn't bothered or upset. But the point was she noticed all the wonderful attention she got from the CMs.

So I really don't believe they shouted an ****. Tired and cranky? Oh, yeah! Shouting profanity? No way!