Just got back - disturbing theme....

[La2kw]

I would like to make a comment about this generation and their expectations/work ethics. We have no one to blame but ourselves. We learned our work ethic from our parents, and they're learning from their parents. If we hand them everything, they expect everything to be handed to them. If we give them a free ride, they expect the rest of the world to give them a free ride. Are they all any different than their parents, who want the latest everything, find everything to be passe in a matter of months, and want nothing but the best, even if that means charging everything? It's like blaming the media -- they wouldn't put trash on TV and in magazines if it's not what we, the public, wanted and expected.

FWIW, I'm just as much to blame as the next guy -- I just think we should start to take some of the responsibility back on ourselves instead of always blaming the next generation. (I'm 42, so I feel like I'm sort of in the middle).

I agree. Just look at these boards. So many of us want something for nothing at WDW, then complain when things don't go the way we think they should. Does this carry over to our daily lives? People want free room upgrades, free cruise cabin upgrades, all ten room requests met, free dining, the best reservation times for their free dining (even though there are people there actually paying for their food), etc. The list goes on. These are the adults posting on these boards, not the kids. If kids are learning these things, it's coming from their parents.

The "good old days" were never the present. Things all look better as you look back on the past. We tend to forget the problems that may have occurred in those "good old days".

 

[La2kw]

What amazes me with posts like this is that people fail to remember that cast members are people, individuals, with their own quirks, opinions and attitudes. Disney, as a company, does not and can not "control" of minute of the behavior of each individual CM. Although I am certain that should a CM continiously "act up" they would be reprimanded or let go, they are not "babysat" every minute of their working day.

Everyone has a bad day. Who knows what may have happened or could be happening in these people's lives? Maybe their mother just died, maybe they have a sick kid at home, maybe they are going through a divorce, maybe they had repeatedly been approached by rude and obnoxious guests and they had reached their breaking point.......

Not to mention the fact that we don't know what it's like to work for Disney. From what I understand, the pay isn't that great, and the customers are very demanding. Not to excuse poor work ethics, but you get what you pay for.

 

[Kurby]

its very interesting how many of you accept poor service. it's becoming the norm

i'm not just revering to 3 cm's in a weeks vacation.

i'm talking about in general - the lack of professionalism in all kinds of business is definitely on the rise.

business trying to make more money by hiring less people makes for a stressful environment when 10 cm's or operators or cashiers or sales staff are doing the job of 14 or 15 people.

and while we are ALL grateful for having our jobs we ALL save up our hard earned money to take these vacations or shop for those shoes, jeans, food, toys for our kids etc and sorry but when i'm standing in a line that's 8 deep with 3 or 400 dollars worth of groceries and there are 4 cashiers but only 2 are checking through customers and 2 are gabbing about tomorrow nights keg party or last weeks exam that the think they flunked or that their babysitter brought some guy to their house and they caught them on the sofa i'm going to get angry.

first off - that's what you have breaks for - to get a coffee, go to the washroom and gab to your coworkers about your private/personal crap. you are NOT being paid to stand at your counter, in the middle of the isles, and discuss your life you ARE being paid to do your job.

yes absolutely people have horrible days of course they do and no it doesn't make it easier when there are so many layoffs that they aren't opening as many cash desks as they should but that's the reality and you (the ones who do it) standing around not doing your job aren't making it any better.

it's also an attitude of if a customer dares asks for help some not all but some ask as if we are disturbing them - heaven forbid we ask someone in customer service for some actual service.

 

[kaytieeldr]

and while we are ALL grateful for having our jobs we ALL save up our hard earned money to take these vacations or shop for those shoes, jeans, food, toys for our kids etc and sorry but when i'm standing in a line that's 8 deep with 3 or 400 dollars worth of groceries and there are 4 cashiers but only 2 are checking through customers and 2 are gabbing about tomorrow nights keg party or last weeks exam that the think they flunked or that their babysitter brought some guy to their house and they caught them on the sofa i'm going to get angry.

I don't know where you're shopping, and I realize you're using the supermarket as an example - but I've never seen this. If there are register lines open (usually indicated by lit numbers/signs) customers should be using all lines. If there are not registers open, well, that's an issue with the facility, NOT with any individual employee or group of employees.

 

[ophelia]

heaven forbid we ask someone in customer service for some actual service.

It's impossible to give good customer service when you are the only person in a department working a certain shift, or if the company you work for gets rid of a bunch of employees and deosn't replace them. I think people in the US have got to rethink what customer service means. Live with the fact that you are not going to be waited on hand and foot like people did in the 1950's. Times change.

 

[soupy11]

its very interesting how many of you accept poor service. it's becoming the norm

i'm not just revering to 3 cm's in a weeks vacation.

i'm talking about in general - the lack of professionalism in all kinds of business is definitely on the rise.

business trying to make more money by hiring less people makes for a stressful environment when 10 cm's or operators or cashiers or sales staff are doing the job of 14 or 15 people.

and while we are ALL grateful for having our jobs we ALL save up our hard earned money to take these vacations or shop for those shoes, jeans, food, toys for our kids etc and sorry but when i'm standing in a line that's 8 deep with 3 or 400 dollars worth of groceries and there are 4 cashiers but only 2 are checking through customers and 2 are gabbing about tomorrow nights keg party or last weeks exam that the think they flunked or that their babysitter brought some guy to their house and they caught them on the sofa i'm going to get angry.

first off - that's what you have breaks for - to get a coffee, go to the washroom and gab to your coworkers about your private/personal crap. you are NOT being paid to stand at your counter, in the middle of the isles, and discuss your life you ARE being paid to do your job.

yes absolutely people have horrible days of course they do and no it doesn't make it easier when there are so many layoffs that they aren't opening as many cash desks as they should but that's the reality and you (the ones who do it) standing around not doing your job aren't making it any better.

it's also an attitude of if a customer dares asks for help some not all but some ask as if we are disturbing them - heaven forbid we ask someone in customer service for some actual service.

But we are HUMAN....we can't possibly have discipline.....

This thread is funny, some on one side think that being human makes us unable to be professional, while others realize that if your on the clock getting paid, put on your work face and get things done. I am on the side that vacationers should not have to put up with shoddy service at any point of their trip. It is not too much to ask for 100% great customer service.

You might not get it, but it is ok to expect it.

 

[Buckeyemouse]

I’m pretty sure I’ll be crucified for my opinion. I remember seeing CM’s twenty years ago that were tired, bored, cranky, etc... but it didn’t reflect on my vacation. Amazingly there are still CM’s today that are the same way. It is not because the youths of today are spoiled because if they were truly spoiled they wouldn’t be working at all. Thing are different because of technology, value changes, etc... I’ve been teaching for 25 years and I seen more changes in styles and expectations of children than attitude etc...

The kids today are expected to be able to perform educationally better today than at any time in our history. I see them volunteering more, and working harder and achieving more than any other generation in our history. They have to because they must solve problems that our forefathers and us have created.

Unfortunately, for the OP the manager should have been nearby and corrected the situation. That is where the real problem lies.

 

[TheRustyScupper]

I don't know if the management of Disney is lacking as well. I am sure they don't hold their organization to the same standards they did years ago.

1) Boy, are they!
2) There are many of us "older" CM's.
3) We know what work is and try to do our jobs.
4) And, to help guests enjoy their stay.
5) But, you would be surprised at the lack of ability and training of managers.
6) They do not know how to manage or develop the younger CM's.
7) Thus, service suffers.

NOTE: As opposed to popular believe, WDW does not train their managers well at all. People are surprised at the manager's lack of training. (They have even abandoned the famed methods in "The Disney Way" manual.) They get training in procedures, but not how to handle subordinates. I even had a conversation with Weiss and he negatively commented on the "younger" managers.

 

[Kurby]

It's impossible to give good customer service when you are the only person in a department working a certain shift, or if the company you work for gets rid of a bunch of employees and deosn't replace them. I think people in the US have got to rethink what customer service means. Live with the fact that you are not going to be waited on hand and foot like people did in the 1950's. Times change.

please go back and re read the entire post of mine - i did say that "business trying to make more money by hiring less people makes for a stressful environment when 10 cm's or operators or cashiers or sales staff are doing the job of 14 or 15 people."

i also said "yes absolutely people have horrible days of course they do and no it doesn't make it easier when there are so many layoffs that they aren't opening as many cash desks as they should but that's the reality and you (the ones who do it) standing around not doing your job aren't making it any better."

and the entire sentence you quoted was it's also an attitude of if a customer dares asks for help some not all but some ask as if we are disturbing them - heaven forbid we ask someone in customer service for some actual service." not just the few words.


and finally right at the very beginning i said that accepting poor service has become the norm.

no it's not the 1950's and that wasn't all that peaches and cream either - women didn't get great service back then. they were treated like children "ohhh you sure you want to buy that maybe you should go home and ask dh. you can't get a loan for a car but your dh can blah blah blah.

is there really something wrong with providing good service???

and before anyone else misquotes me - yes i do receive good service - most of the time and no i'm not going to go write glowing reviews when i do - it is their job to provide good service that's what people are paying for and that's what employees are being paid to do.

now if you go over and above i will fill out comment cards or speak to a manager and say how wonderful the service was

when have we become a nation of must pat people on the back for doing their job?? you want a pat on the back do more then your job don't tell me that's not your department. walk me over to where the thing is i'm asking about, find someone to help me, get on the phone and find out the answer to my question don't just say i don't know try over there.

 

[RabFlmom]

its very interesting how many of you accept poor service. it's becoming the norm

i'm not just revering to 3 cm's in a weeks vacation.

I'm talking about in general - the lack of professionalism in all kinds of business is definitely on the rise.

business trying to make more money by hiring less people makes for a stressful environment when 10 cm's or operators or cashiers or sales staff are doing the job of 14 or 15 people.

and while we are ALL grateful for having our jobs we ALL save up our hard earned money to take these vacations or shop for those shoes, jeans, food, toys for our kids etc and sorry but when i'm standing in a line that's 8 deep with 3 or 400 dollars worth of groceries and there are 4 cashiers but only 2 are checking through customers and 2 are gabbing about tomorrow nights keg party or last weeks exam that the think they flunked or that their babysitter brought some guy to their house and they caught them on the sofa i'm going to get angry.

first off - that's what you have breaks for - to get a coffee, go to the washroom and gab to your coworkers about your private/personal crap. you are NOT being paid to stand at your counter, in the middle of the isles, and discuss your life you ARE being paid to do your job.

yes absolutely people have horrible days of course they do and no it doesn't make it easier when there are so many layoffs that they aren't opening as many cash desks as they should but that's the reality and you (the ones who do it) standing around not doing your job aren't making it any better.

it's also an attitude of if a customer dares asks for help some not all but some ask as if we are disturbing them - heaven forbid we ask someone in customer service for some actual service.

I work retail after years of teaching. The book goes both ways. No one doing customer service should have to deal with customers questions and requests when we are in the bathroom using the facikities. No customer should be opening any door in the building that says employees only. No customer should be going into the employee lounge to get someone on break to tell them where to find an item in the store. It happens all the time. Customers want less expensive prices on things they buy. Yet when they walk in a self serve store( which almost all bigger stores and companies offer now) they want the service that stores gave when stores were privately owned and took you to the merchandise,stayed with you till you decided,and then rang you up to get the commission for selling you the stuff. It is a different world. Customers got what they wanted and now all you hear are complaints. Complain loud enough, change the facts a little , and corporate might just override the store personel or even fire them on the spot.
I often found that customers in one store were too lazy to walk down the line to the last cashier waiting for someone to come to their line and then would complain to management that it was taking too long to check out and then leave their stuff on the counter.
We used a number system at the jewelry counter because our prices were so good we were always busy. We would then have people complain about waiting in line even though additional sales people were called over. Rudely, loudly they would show their impatience so the customer you were showing the expensive diamond to, would get flustered and you would lose the sale. If I suggested that perhaps they would be happier shopping at Wesches or one of the major jewelry stores if they didn't have time to be patient and wait their turn, some would get huffy and comment on how much more it would cost. Exactly! No lines, no waiting, the customer gets to choose where they shop.

As for the people not working at the ice cream place-sounds like it might have been at the changing of the shift time. We don't even have 11 people working in the large major department store that I work at all the time all day long. Actually it is against the law for anyone to do work off the clock and grounds for firing because the government comes down so heavy on any corp that is found guilty of working employees off the clock. I would think possibly 4 people and a manager might man the shop at most.
That would account for the people. They could have been trainees being told what to do which takes time to get them going, too. Sometimes even though it looks like employees are just shooting the bull, they are relaying what the next shift is responsible for doing. Not being the OP none of us really can defend or not defend the employees. If there truly were 20+ people in line and no one else helping them, then one of the 20+ should have asked one of the ones in the store not doing something to help the cashier and girl scooping the ice cream. Even if they couldn't because they were off the clock, they should have found someone who could.

 

[ophelia]

when have we become a nation of must pat people on the back for doing their job?? you want a pat on the back do more then your job don't tell me that's not your department. walk me over to where the thing is i'm asking about, find someone to help me, get on the phone and find out the answer to my question don't just say i don't know try over there.

It sounds like your problem is with the way companies are now training their employees. Most companies simply don't these days. When I worked at JC Penneys a few years back I wasn't trained at all. I was expected to know where everything was at without being told. If I tried to get a coworker to help me it was almost impossible because they were busy also. It is not the workers fault if there are not enough employees or not enough training.

 

[maxiesmom]

To the OP, sorry that you experienced such things. They should have handled the situations better.

All i can say is that we are all human and I for one have screwed up. High pressure can do alot to you. I can't imagine what kind of pressure people that work at Disney have, especially when you encounter guests with the "I want", " I deserve", "I am entitiled to" attitudes.

Remember that although you are on vacation, for many of the CM's, this is only a job to them. Yes they should be grateful to have a job, but they are not robots, they are human. I complain about my job. They don't see your vacation as anything more than another day at work.

Perfectly said!!!!!

 

[graygables]

They don't see your vacation as anything more than another day at work.

But as CMs, we should, and yes, we are trained to see your vacation as more than a day at work. Sadly, however, the training doesn't always stick which, IMO, is where management needs to step in and re-inspire.

 

[disjointed]

On our last trip during March break, I was talking to a CM (I had seen him quite a few times around the hotel) and he was telling me that the managers were really mean to the CMs. I'm not sure if it's true or not.

We also noticed similar CM behaviour as the OP posted, and we could only conclude that they've slowed down on their training and don't have as many managers as they used to.

Regardless, I'm sorry about your experiences and hope you still had fun!

 

[Princess MaryPoppins]

However, are you really surprised? The generation of kids/young adults coming up have very little experience actually working to get something. They think they are entitled to everything. Most have iphones that mom and dad pay for and have a full load at college that mom and dad pay for. I am dissappointed that Disney would accept these kinds of people with poor work ethics but you really don't know until they actually work. I guess Disney just has less to work with these days. I don't know if the management of Disney is lacking as well. I am sure they don't hold their organization to the same standards they did years ago.

I absolutely disagree with what you are saying and feel very offended about the sweeping generalisations you are making about young people today. I worked there and you wouldn't believe where some of the people who work there have come from! Some of the 'kids/young people' that come over from places like Jamaica, Puerto Rico etc have never had the opportunity to work before, live in poverty at home and Disney have given them the opportunity to learn and develop their skills to help them in life! I worked with a girl who sent socks back home to her family in puerto rico with some of her wages! People from different cultures have different attitudes and ways of working which are different in their countries - and have to learn to adapt! If Disney didn't give these people the opportunitity...there wouldn't be a park for you to come to!

I bet you all have bad days at work where sometimes you don't act in your normal way for one reason or another, but just because its Disney World doesn't mean people have any less problems! Now im not making excuses for bad behaviout by any cast member because I do believe as a CM, that i had the disney magic and always gave exceptional service and often got annoyed with fellow CM's who didn't pull their weight. But i quickly realised that some of the people had never had hte opportunity to work before and didn't understand the concept of team work! So cut some people some slack, they are there to learn as well as provide wonderful service for you on pretty much slave labour! It annoys me that some guests think they are totally above CM's and can speak down to them like they are scum of the earth just because you have paid a lot of money to go there. Yes I go there on vacation and accept very high standards just like you, but look beyond the american culture and values of which you are accustomed to and think a bit more....!

 

[Kurby]

On our last trip during March break, I was talking to a CM (I had seen him quite a few times around the hotel) and he was telling me that the managers were really mean to the CMs. I'm not sure if it's true or not.

see this is what i'm talking about - it is totally unprofessional for a cm to bad mouth managers be it true or not.

it makes the cm look bad.

is it a case that if you're picked on you pick on someone else? there is no valid reason why a cm should say anything about another person in the company - non at all.

if i'm in a restaurant and i can clearly see that it's very busy all i as is that our server just say they are doing their best to get our food to us as soon as possible - i'm not blind i can see it's busy

what i don't want is for them to start bad mouthing the manager for not having more people on staff or tell me that the cooks in the back are fighting again or that some stupid newbie dropped plates and they had to clean it up.

just i'm sorry we're a bit busy tonight i'll get you're mean to you as soon as it comes up. it's not their fault if it's taking longer just acknowledge us.


i'm not the cm's friend - don't talk to me about your bad day save that for your dh/dw mother friend or shrink

 

[ophelia]

i'm not the cm's friend - don't talk to me about your bad day save that for your dh/dw mother friend or shrink

During my time as a cashier I had to endure total strangers telling me their life stories. Believe me it goes both ways.

 

[Kurby]

so 2 wrongs make a right?

i drive a school bus and the parents aren't always the nicest but does that mean that i can turn around and bad mouth them to all the other parents on my route?

i worked in retail and in offices and there isn't one job out there that is perfect 100% of the time. there are issues in all jobs in all cities

no i smile say good morning and move on.

and because customers yack and yack about their personal live does that mean you turn around and tell the next person what a jerk your boss is?

no you are more then free to bad mouth your boss and all the customers you want to your friend and family but not to the next person in line.

we all have to put up with plenty of crap in our jobs but we don't take it out on the next person.


if you are having a problem with a customer call your manager and ask for help - that's what they are for and if they aren't doing their job - talk to their manager. everyone has someone higher then them and if a manager isn't doing their job and is getting lots of complaints trust me they will be dealt with one day or another so why put your job on the line?

and the unfortunate truth is that you as an employee can't say to the customer shut up i don't want to hear it but they can - sorry but that's it.

they can't be fired for being customers but you can as the employee

 

[RooRach0906]

Everyone is entitled to there own opinion, yes, so I am going to give mine and I will bring up past posters but I am not flaming you, I am giving my opinion on your opinion.

I do think my generation and the ones under me, with a few exceptions, expect something for nothing. I went to high school with a lot of students who were handed everything (car, cell phone, ipods, college and so on) and they still expect everything. I did not and decided not to go to college, so I have worked in retail since I graduated and yes sometimes customers drive you nuts, sometimes they yell at you for no reason (this does happen), but it is your job, you accepted it, and so you deal with it. You complain in the breakroom, or outside of work. I was always annoyed with the co-workers who were rude and mean to customers, but yet they always got the promotions to management postions because they had education. (I do not mind that I did not get promoted, I want to make that clear) I think that is also why people aren't trained as well as they should, because of bad management.

I always was nice to customers even when yelling at me. I was once walking to the breakroom because I felt really sick and a lady stoped me to ask where something was I started to tell her and passed out. I am not perfect and I am sure they was a time that I was not as happy as I could have been and I know there have been times I upset customers purely on accident, but I think that if you decided to take the job and it requires customer service you give it no ifs ands or buts. You smile and try to go above and beyond for customers regardless of how you are feeling or what is going on.

Customers can get banned from stores for being rude to employee. I have worked at two different stores where it happened.

To me those 3 incidents would not have been acceptable no matter where I was. I would report it to a manager, but especially in Disney, I would expect more from the CMs.

They should be happy to have jobs. I know many who would be happy to take anything just to have some money coming in.

Again, this is just my opinion, and if yours differs then you are entitled to it.

 

[cinderella73]

Well I dont believe its ever okay to be rude to people that havent done anything to you .

But you know its sooo hot down there right now and people get downright nasty when its hot ( not to mention crowded). Even if some of the employees have the luxery of working in AC most of them deal with guests all day that just came in from a overcrowded hot line. They get nasty to the CM's then the CM's get nasty with the guests . Its a nasty cycle.

Thing I like to do to to someone being nasty or having a bad day is smile and say " Rough day huh?" . They will either smile , explain , and do a complete 360 or get even worse. If they continue I just make a note of their name to report to guest services. But I usually cool down by the end of the day and dont turn in it. Unless its really really bad.

If someone got so mad I was still angry enough to report them at the end of the day they must have really deserved it.

I report the good ones as well . I want the people that really do go out of their way to know how much it means to us. Those I dont want to ever forget to turn in. I did once and its still killing me. In fact I have to find the guy when I go back so I can remember his name.

But next time someone is being rude just throw them a genuine compliment or thanks ( for whatever they didnt do wrong) and watch their faces. Most of the time you just completly turned their day around.