Isn't this weird?

[schwaa]

I called earlier today to price a vacation at the All Stars Movie resort. Jasper, the CM, asked if I had stayed there before. I said, "No.", so Jasper asked if I had stayed at any of the All Stars, and I said No. So he said, let me tell you a little about these resorts (as the CM's have done before), and so he starts to descrbie the All Stars by saying:

"They don't have room service, they don't have health clubs, they don't have sit down restaurants, but the Movies has a Food Court and you get unlimited Disney transportation".

Is that a proper way to describe a resort? Do you think he was trying to get me to stay at a Deluxe? I was pretty annoyed when he did that, it's so undisney to do something like that. I did call back to make the reservation and another CM gave me a proper description of the All Star Movies resort, and she did not mention anything that it did not have.

 

[mkymouse4ever]

Sounds like Jasper has had 1 to many phone calls today!

 

[katrina1122]

I indicated I was interested in getting the best value for my dollar, that this was for our first anniv, and that my dh has never been to disney before...hence what were the best deals. She went on to say, well obviously you won't want to stay in a value resort, they aren't a place i'd want to stay for an anniversary or for a first time visit. So then I said, well i've stayed on resort 2x both at deluxe resorts and the next thing I knew that's all she'd price me, because "once you've stayed in a deluxe you can never go back!" Heaven forbid....well I did get prices from her with AAA discounts on all room types but I didn't book anything. Maybe they are having a hard time booking deluxe rooms or something?

 

[ducklite]

With the FTP I think a lot of people upgraded to deluxe resorts, so I do'nt think that's the problem. Perhaps they've had too many complaints from guests about the limited services available at teh value resorts. I do find it odd that they would preface the entire conversation that way. It's probably not a bad idea to warn people in advance, but there are certainly better ways of doing so.

Anne

 

[J. Thornhill]

Did you mention having stayed at WDW before in a moderate category or higher? Could he see your past and current reservations in the system? I see from your signature that you've stayed at the moderate level. Perhaps this rather unorthodox description was just his way of "warning" you that you may not find at the All-stars the amenities to which you've become accustomed.

I do agree though, that he could have been slightly more diplomatic. I don't think he would have tried the same approach with a first-timer. That being said, he may very well have been trying to get you to upgrade.

Jonathan

 

[disneyvoice]

I'm wondering if the Value Resorts have been all booked up due to FTP? If that's the case maybe they are trying to get people to decide on their own to stay at a moderate. If the Value resorts are all booked up do they have to offer you an upgrade to a moderate for the same price? I know that they will do that on other cruise lines. If you want the bargain basement priced cabin but they are all sold out they will upgrade you to whatever is available at the same price just to get you booked. Does Disney do something similar?

 

[schwaa]

I didn't mention having stayed anywhere before. He was mentioning things that only deluxe resorts have (room service, health club). I've never stayed at a deluxe, so he couldn't have seen that in his computer. I thought it was very undisney to describe their resorts by saying what they don't have. Besides, who is going to call about a value resort at $77 and say "Oh wait, your right I need room service and a health club, so I will pay $289 for a deluxe resort". If he really wanted me to upgrade, he should have said:

"We do have the ASMovies availabe for $77 a night, but wait, I can offer you the Polynesian for $159 a night which would have two sit down restaurants, full room service, and a hot tub".

Then I would have said "Bring it on!"

 

[hookedup]

I thought your post to be very interesting personally.
I work for a travel company and our office has a very large central reservations center. I have been recently monitoring our phone calls for quality control purposes. I cringe when I hear some of the things that our agents tell our customers.
As customers we know what a big difference it makes getting a helpful, positive and knowledgable reservations phone agent. Just the way things are said - in a positive or negative tone.
It could be he was relaying information that they have been emphasizing to their agents, but he obviously was not going about it well.
I hope that they are monitoring their agents too (I am quite sure they are) and he will get some better training in this area. We call it "Upselling 101" at our office.

 

[BobF58]

Sorry, posted in error.

 

[swilphil]

I don't know if the CM make any kind of commission or bonus for what they book, but I'm sure the powers that be at Disney want to make as much money as possible when it comes right down to it. I did a lot of research online to get prices for a room. Then I called to ask about the teacher rate requirements before I booked the Dolphin. They gave me the online price over the phone and were very helpful.

If you feel strongly about it, you might want to call back and talk to a supervisor about what you were told originally.

 

[Jen D]

He should have found a way to convey that info while putting a more positive spin on it. But Disney newbies might be surprised if they book AS by the lack of amenities-- for some the term "resort" implies certain things-- like restaurants and room service.|

 

[Scoootch]

Originally posted by disneyvoice
I'm wondering if the Value Resorts have been all booked up due to FTP? If that's the case maybe they are trying to get people to decide on their own to stay at a moderate. If the Value resorts are all booked up do they have to offer you an upgrade to a moderate for the same price? I know that they will do that on other cruise lines. If you want the bargain basement priced cabin but they are all sold out they will upgrade you to whatever is available at the same price just to get you booked. Does Disney do something similar?

Not to my experience they don't

Any time I've tried to book at the less than deluxe resorts paying cash and they were all booked up, I was simply told that they were completely booked up and then told what other more expensive resorts WERE available . Unfortuneatly, I think it's just one of the many areas that Disney seems to be slipping. Don't get me wrong, I'm a die hard WDW fan and will most likely always continue to frequent the place. However, even I as a WDW lover have to admit that it's gone down hill a bit in recent years from the way things used to be Hopefully what the OP'r experienced was just a severe lack in training and won't happen too often. I know if I experienced the same I would have been quite put off.

 

[PugLover]

Originally posted by Jen D
He should have found a way to convey that info while putting a more positive spin on it. But Disney newbies might be surprised if they book AS by the lack of amenities-- for some the term "resort" implies certain things-- like restaurants and room service.|

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My thoughts exactly. People hear the word motel and they think the bare bone basics. People hear hotel and they tend to think that is better than a motel. People here the word resort and they usually expect the very best!

Poor selling on the CM's part but perhaps he was just trying to make clear it was labled as a resort without the usual resort ammenities.

As for the CM that told the poster... "I wouldnt want to stay at the AllStars on my anniversary trip"... Totally and 100% uncalled for an unecessary. Again, a prime example of very poor selling skills. A more appropriate response by the CM would have been... "The AllStars are a fun group of resorts and we have hundreds of thousands of guests that enjoy them each season. Since this is an anniversary trip may I recommend a more private/quiet/secluded resort that may fit your budget?"

Poor service really angers me. Guilting people due to budget constraints or personal preferance is totally unacceptable.

 

[DrTomorrow]

In a past life, I sold appliances (before the Big Box takeover) and we were supposed to push Service Contracts. That put us in the position of spending 10 minutes explaining to a customer that the high quality of the product they were considering makes it worth the extra $$$, then, after I closed, I had to point out how often that product breaks down, and how expensive it is to fix. Talk about a tightrope....

 

[jordanyosh]

The manager to Cast Member ratio is pretty large. When I worked at DL, the ratio was 150:1 in my area. People who interviewed well and got hired were not always the best CMs. It does take time to weed the bad seeds out because of the high ratio of CMs to managers. Any feedback on performance that we get via the guests is crucial in evaluating CMs and disciplining poor performers. So if there are problems like the ones encountered in this thread, the managers definitely want to know. Believe me;they do.

 

[twinmomplus2]

We mustn't forget that when you call and they ask for your personal info like phone number, they are accessing your prior history of where you have stayed prior. When I was unhappy at CSR, and called CRO to move properties, The first thing the CM said to me was I see you usually stay a deluxe. As she was obviously looking at it on her screen. In that case when you have an established pattern, I think it would make since to lay it on the line for you. I had a Wilderness Lodge ressie, and opted to go To CSR. Now if they had said to me, We see from your history, You usually stay deluxe and you may prefer that level...... I would not have changed. I enjoy a little honesty. I would like them to lead me towards where I will be happ. its a bussiness boon for them in the long run. If you are Happy you come back. If you are really happy ... you may come back alot. Did I mention trip number 4 in a year is coming up!!! And you all should know from my posts, I always end up bringing alot of extra family members, Again more business foR Disney.

 

[katrina1122]

As I posted above I had a similar odd phone call, but they had no idea where I'd stayed before because both times I've stayed on resort I was with either my parents or my friends and it was under someone elses name, plus I was at a different address, phone number and I was not married then....so to them I was a brand new WDW customer and I was given the same poor service and hard sell for a deluxe resort...I had to divulge that I'd stayed in deluxe resorts to calm her down about how great they were. So that theory isn't fully correct.

 

[twinmomplus2]

As I said in that case, (an established pattern) This makes since. If true you do not have an established pattern, Then I would assume you are correct, they are attempting an upsell to a deluxe. We agree we love Disney. But, it is a business! And I do agree with a prior poster, Resort implies, room service, valets, etc.. The CM needs to get his information conveyed with a lighter delivery.

 

[PamNC]

Sounds to me like he was trying to get you to stay at a moderate or deluxe but had a weird way of doing it.

PamNC

 

[grinningghost]

A horrible method of "upselling" if you ask me. If that had been me, I would have really been offended by that schpiel. I would love to stay in a moderate or deluxe, but our financial status requires us to book a value resort. We love the All Star Resorts. In truth, you do get alot of bang for your buck there. Jasper needs a serious lesson in tactful customer service.