More accurate info here than Disney...a minor rant

[DrTomorrow]

[...]That's really the crux of the problem: WDW offers so much that it is unreasonable to expect any front-line employee to have all the information a guest may want. Beyond that WDW's offering are so heavily scruitinized online that the CM's servicer faces a crucible that practically no other customer-facing organization in the world faces.

This is a great point; I suspect that Disney's policy documents are quite often very similar to bills passed by the legislature - no one person knows everything that's in there.

A few more notes regarding k5thbeatle's seemingly reasonable comments:

1. Disney is known for changing things on a sometimes-daily basis: to expect CMs to know the flavor-du-jour is, IMHO, unrealistic.

2. Disney loves to be vague about policy - it gives them enough wiggle room to try to satisfy everyone while offending no one. However, that same vagueness works against CMs when a guest tries to pin them down.

3. Disney also loves to be near-random in their enforcement (see mugs, refillable; occupancy, maximum; fastpass, expiration of). Once again, while this can add to guest experience ("Your birthday was 8 months ago? Sure, you can still have a Birthday Button if you want one"), it makes it difficult for CMs who do know the correct policy to interact with guests ("Whadaya mean you won't let me on because my fastpass expired 2 hours ago? A gal at another ride let me use a fastpass from the day before - you got a problem?")

Sadly, Disney uses its CMs as the 'buffer' zone between guests and corporate policy; sometimes the CMs hold the line ("I'm sorry, your son isn't 44" tall so he can't safely ride this attraction") and sometimes they are just overrun (Not challenging guests at the refill stations with 7-11 / Circle K / StopNGo plastic cups). I'm sure that CMs are given conflicting objectives: "Make sure guests follow the rules" vs "Don't upset a guest".

Regarding policies: I'm with Ted (of "Ted and Holly" fame). As a youth, I worked at a restaurant chain (Bill Knapp's, sadly now out of business). This place had no beer/liquor, hired mostly the 16-23 crowd as cooks and servers and the Holy Book was the "Tan Policy Manual". It could answer (almost) every question, yet for one simply restaurant operation it was 4 3-inch binders in size - and new/replacement pages came almost daily from the Commisary. I shudder to think what the policy documents must look like for Disney - even one tiny business area (reservations at Beach Club) must be a nightmare, having to take into consideration "how to link three rooms on two consecutive reservations when one is DVC on points through MS and the other is cash through CRO with different people checking in on different days, using different credit cards yet still not wanting to have to 'check-out then re-check-in' when the first reservation lapses".

One other thing: the intensely focused scrutiny of the Internet (DIS, AllEars, etc.). For all of you who have a job - with industry, raising a family, caring for parents, whatever - think of this: how would you feel if there were several hundred (several thousand?) people all watching how you perform - and comparing notes with each other? ["Yeah, I called DrT yesterday and he took 3 hours to return my voice mail." "Tell me about it; I had to get a quote from him last month and there were 3 typos; plus, it had an old policy that someone else told me had changed".] While I love Disney - and the DIS, and all you folks - it's a hobby, a relaxation. However, some DISers remind me of the Simpson's satire of "Star Trek/Star Wars" geeks at a convention: "Mr. Shatner, in episode 34, when you toggled the 2nd switch from the left on your command chair, it started the self-destruct count-down. Yet, in episode 52, we clearly see you flicking the same switch, and there was no self-destruct. Clearly, there was a bridge refit between those episodes - please tell me the shipyard where this took place".

However, I'll be in WDW tomorrow, and I've got my CM Appreciation Cards already printed out, so to you all!

Be well!

 

[bicker]

2. Disney loves to be vague about policy - it gives them enough wiggle room to try to satisfy everyone while offending no one. However, that same vagueness works against CMs when a guest tries to pin them down.

It's not just Disney -- most customer-facing businesses are that way. And moreover, it's a reflection of what customers want. Customers punish companies that are totally up-front and direct about the limitations and restrictions. Customer reward companies that are vague and diplomatic about limitations and restrictions.

One other thing: the intensely focused scrutiny of the Internet (DIS, AllEars, etc.). For all of you who have a job - with industry, raising a family, caring for parents, whatever - think of this: how would you feel if there were several hundred (several thousand?) people all watching how you perform - and comparing notes with each other?

Bingo. I remember back before the PIN code -- there were a lot of problems at CRO that stemmed specifically from the fact that folks were sharing discount codes online, codes that were specifically targeting specific demographics. The Internet, single-handedly, destroyed the ability for a marketing department to do its job without resorting to something drastic like PIN codes.

While I love Disney - and the DIS, and all you folks - it's a hobby, a relaxation. However, some DISers remind me of the Simpson's satire of "Star Trek/Star Wars" geeks at a convention: "Mr. Shatner, in episode 34, when you toggled the 2nd switch from the left on your command chair, it started the self-destruct count-down. Yet, in episode 52, we clearly see you flicking the same switch, and there was no self-destruct. Clearly, there was a bridge refit between those episodes - please tell me the shipyard where this took place".

Thanks for the laugh!

 

[k5thbeatle]

Dining reservations CMs aren't in the same department as the restaurants. As a matter of fact, in many cases they're taking reservations for restaurants that aren't even Disney-owned. Similarly, restaurant servers aren't in the same department as the hotel, who offer things like the Dining Plan. That's really the crux of the problem: WDW offers so much that it is unreasonable to expect any front-line employee to have all the information a guest may want. Beyond that WDW's offering are so heavily scruitinized online that the CM's servicer faces a crucible that practically no other customer-facing organization in the world faces.

Agreed! It is definitely not comparing apples to apples when comparing to Disney to other businesses in regards to this aspect. Disney has grown and evolved such that they have their own unique problems, different from even similar businesses like other theme parks. Still every successful business must have a certain level of accountability from their employees?

Now about that job opening to run Disney...

 

[bicker]

I think the CMs are practically ubiquitously accountable for the jobs they do. While the labor market is very tight in Central Florida, Disney tends to get the best of the best for most positions. They do an incredible job. They provide more accurate information than their contemporaries anywhere else.

 

[k5thbeatle]

Dining reservations CMs aren't in the same department as the restaurants. As a matter of fact, in many cases they're taking reservations for restaurants that aren't even Disney-owned. Similarly, restaurant servers aren't in the same department as the hotel, who offer things like the Dining Plan. That's really the crux of the problem: WDW offers so much that it is unreasonable to expect any front-line employee to have all the information a guest may want. Beyond that WDW's offering are so heavily scruitinized online that the CM's servicer faces a crucible that practically no other customer-facing organization in the world faces.

Agreed! It is definitely not comparing apples to apples when comparing to Disney to other businesses in regards to this aspect. Disney has grown and evolved such that they have their own unique problems, different from even similar businesses like other theme parks. Still every successful business must have a certain level of accountability from their employees?

Now about that job opening to run Disney...

 

[bicker]

Hmm... well Summer is reruns season.

 

[k5thbeatle]

Hmm... well Summer is reruns season.

Oops...I goofed!