FB enforcement meltdown--that was sight to witness!

[WDSearcher]

Suggesting that this tactic has probably worked for them before does not necessarily make it a conspiracy theory. It doesn't mean that they went around the parks throwing fits at one ride after another. I'm pretty sure some on the ball CMs would have caught on to that.

It means that they have found this to be a successful way of dealing with similar situations in life, perhaps trying to return something after the return period was over. Or showing up at a crowded restaurant on Friday night without a reservation. Or taking more than 20 items through the express checkout at the grocery store.

When I said "conspiracy theories" I was talking about the folks who believe that this is a huge problem pervading the streets of WDW. It happens, yes. But probably not nearly as much as some people think. This is one instance that happened at one moment in time. Maybe this family does this all the time, but even if they do, I suspect it's with varying levels of success. I know places -- grocery stores, department stores, rides, attractions -- where no amount of hissy fit will get you what you want.

My point was that when put up against the overwhelming majority of people who are behaving themselves at WDW, the number of rude people who do this kind of thing is probably remarkably insignificant. As, coincidentally, are the people themselves.

 

[KellyNY]

I would simply have told my managers my side of it, and they'd have stood behind me. But I pretty much knew going in that the guy wasn't going to take it to that level. He was hot and angry and wanted to yell and needed someone to remind him that he was talking to another person, not some audio animatronic with no feelings or sense of selfworth. A big part of customer service is knowing when someone can be reasoned with and when you just have to let it go.

I am glad that your manager would support you, as for knowing how people would react, esp. when they are at the point of screaming, sorry, you never know for sure. My DD worked for major retailer, she was telling me what she was witnessing every day, cashiers complex had about 10 cashiers and security was called all the time and this is the place where "customer is always right" and people would be fired on a spot so cashiers were keeping their heads down. Some people just know no limits, that is all.

 

[DarthMama]

Batteries.

I thought it was pixie dust?

 

[WDSearcher]

I am glad that your manager would support you, as for knowing how people would react, esp. when they are at the point of screaming, sorry, you never know for sure. My DD worked for major retailer, she was telling me what she was witnessing every day, cashiers complex had about 10 cashiers and security was called all the time and this is the place where "customer is always right" and people would be fired on a spot so cashiers were keeping their heads down. Some people just know no limits, that is all.

But that's the fault of the business. It's the management that needs to change its policies to allow cashiers to speak up when it's necessary. Of course people are going to take advantage of a business where they know that no one is going to speak up for fear of their job.

As for know how people would react ... yes, sometimes you can know for sure, when "knowing for sure" is what you're trained to do. I'll agree that you can't be sure of everyone -- there's always a wild card somewhere. But sit and watch the GR people sometime. The good ones know exactly who they can reason with and who they can't, and they treat them accordingly. It's their job to know who's going to blow and who's not, and most of the GR people do that very very well. I got to a point where I could tell within a few sentences whether the person yelling at me was for real or just venting. There are characteristics of both that are pretty easy to see once you've done it enough.

It's exactly like dealing with a toddler having a tantrum. You know which are the real meltdowns and which ones are just drama.

 

[Dubb]

Batteries.

I know this is. It was a jab and this guy and another poster that, for some reason, were under the impression that neither used electricity.

 

[WDSearcher]

I thought it was pixie dust?

Common mistake.

Pixie dust gets stuck in the many moving parts of the electric parade, and so it can't be used in that application. Likewise, when pixie dust gets wet -- as it would in the water pageant -- it turns into kind of a gloppy mess, which messes with the motors on the floats.

Batteries are used in these cases, although I suppose you could make the argument that the batteries are run by pixie dust. I've never really understood how batteries work ...

 

[PeterPanic]

I would simply have told my managers my side of it, and they'd have stood behind me. But I pretty much knew going in that the guy wasn't going to take it to that level. He was hot and angry and wanted to yell and needed someone to remind him that he was talking to another person, not some audio animatronic with no feelings or sense of selfworth. A big part of customer service is knowing when someone can be reasoned with and when you just have to let it go.

In the words of the Cowardly Lion..."Ain't dat da trut"!

I am glad that your manager would support you, as for knowing how people would react, esp. when they are at the point of screaming, sorry, you never know for sure.

That is also true but if you've done this stuff long enough you develop a sense based on body language and sometimes just looking in their eyes, as to the degree of problem you have. Yelling is only the external action, the trick is having a feel for the internal action. That is what carries it further. I work in a business that dealt with every imaginable socioeconomic segment of the population. I am not a hero and actually have never been in a physical fight in my life, but my instinct lead me. I have seen possible explosive reactions before they exploded and have stood toe to toe, eyeball to eyeball with others and had no harm come to me ever. I instinctively reacted in varying ways without much thought. Maybe I was just lucky, but I do believe you develop that sense over time.