Nasty & Judgemental CM - 14 Day Hold

[novdisneydreams]

So ---- Back when Free Dining started I had called to check out rates, etc for August and while I wasn't ready to book that day, the (very friendly!) CM said that they could book and do a 14 day hold ... the deposit would be due in 14 days, if I changed my mind I should call and cancel. We realized that August wouldn't work and decided that September would be a better possibility, so I called to cancel that reservation on either the 13th or 14th day, I don't remember which. It wasn't a problem, that CM was friendly, too and seemed genuinely sad for us that we were cancelling the trip. Fast forward to this morning when I decided to check rates on the websites, saw that POP was still available for my September dates, and since the FD promo is ending two weeks from today, I called to put a hold on a reservation (waiting to make sure that DH can get the days off for this trip as well as wanting to finalize the budget before actually taking the plunge ) So I get this CM ... he was actually not that nice from the get-go, but he was trying, I think, bantering about the weather in NJ, etc. He also went on and on about seeing that I had checked on these dates before, and how they see everything in their computer system. I had told him very clearly first thing that I wanted to do a courtesy hold, and he said in a snotty voice "Well, that depends ..." Next he asks if I want airfare and when I say no, I'm booking it myself, he starts in on a very snotty "Well, are you sure , we should definitely check it because rates are good right now, I'll just do that after we see if there is even a room available." So then he finds my dates, tells me the price, etc. Says should I book that? I say again that I'd like to put a hold on it. This is when he got really nasty! The conversation went like this: (and imagine his voice in the snottiest intonation that you can - and I was honestly being as polite as possible)
CM - Well, I can put a hold on it until ten 'o clock tonight , but thats it.
Me - Oh really, they aren't doing the two week holds anymore?
CM - Well NO - not for this! This is a free promotion, you know. We don't do holds on promotions where something is FREE.
Me - Oh, is that new? Because I had a two week hold for an August reservation and I thought...
CM - (Interrupting me mid-sentence) YES, but that was canceled for non-payment!
Me - (Ok, maybe I did get the teensiest bit upset here) NO, actually it was notcancelled for non-payment, I called and cancelled that when I realized that it wasn't going to work for us. I need to make sure that my husband can get the dates off and I'd like to do a two-week hold.
CM - (arguing with me - VERY snotty )Well, we don't like to do them on promotions, you know if you just pay the deposit it will go right back on your credit card if you cancel. Thatshould give you plenty of time to secure those days off.
Me - (in total shock that I was being treated like this ... was my husbands schedule and /or my credit card even his business? I felt like I was being spoken to by one of those bill collectors that you see on 20/20 when you see an expose on how abusive they are to people) I'd prefer ...
CM - OK, I'll see if it will go through... (keyboard clicking)...it went through, we aren't supposedto do this but just this once, I'll hold it for the 14 days. (then in a monotone sing-song voice, like he was just absolutely disgusted with me). POP , 2 adults, 2 kids, deposit is due on 6/24, and if you don't pay it, this will definitely get cancelled. Your confirmation number is ...
Me - (VERY calmly) Thank you.
CM - So you don't want me to do airfare? What about dining reservations - (super snotty here) or are you going to wait on that too?
Me - I'll take care of that later, thank you. Is this system going to lead me to the survey now?
CM - (suddenly nicer) Ummm...yeah. Tell them that (said his name) needs a raise.
Me - (YEAH, right!) Thank you .

Now - heres the thing ... what the heck was wrong with this guy???? Even if they did change the hold policy (does anyone know if they did?), did they add an adendum to the employees instructing them to be really nasty if anyone tried to do one? I am just floored. This guy was extremely unkind to me. I'm suspicious as to whether this reservation number is even going to work. What a way to treat someone. I am so sad that a Disney CM could act that way to me. He acted like I was a criminal or something. I can't understand why it affected him if I was putting a hold on a reservation or paying for one in full. Its sort of taken the magic out of this trip for me. Anyone ever have an experience like this?

 

[Gabrielle]

Too late now I know, but the best thing to do upon those rare occasions when you encounter a CM like this on the phone is to <politely> hang up and call back. There are way too many nice ones available.

 

[livndisney]

OP,

please call back and ask to speak to a supervisor. Please let them know what this CM said, give them his name. Sounds like he could use some retraining or atleast a good slap upside the head with some pixie dust .

 

[kathie859]

"A slap upside the head with some pixie dust"....

 

[simonkodousek]

Call and demand to speak to a manager. Tell him or her this guy's name, and tell exactly what he did...

 

[TheyCallMeTiggs]

Call and demand to speak to a manager. Tell him or her this guy's name, and tell exactly what he did...

No need to give the CMs name. Everything is in their system, including who took the call/ressie. I once had a very nasty CM give me incorrect info. about HDDR and when I questioned her, she actually hung upon me. This was after the ressie was supposedly made, but it made me nervous, and I was left not knowing if I had the ressie at all.

I called back, asked for a supervisor, he went into the system, saw the ressie and the CMs name and said he would make sure that she was spoken to (not those exact words). The supervisor reassured me that I had the HDDR ressie. Fast forward months later when we got to Pioneer Hall, we ended up with a great table on the floor in the 1st row, dead center.

Don't know if the supervisor actually had anything to do with that, but I'd like to think that he did.
Call back, someone will listen.

 

[MouseyMin]

The reservationist CMs are getting rated on how much money they pull in per hour, I believe, or something similar. So he was probably thinking something along the lines of "I just spent X number of minutes with that woman and didn't even pull in $1."

However, after seeing how you were treated, I would have done everything I could to NOT pay anything during his phone call - he certainly doesn't deserve it. Hanging up is a good option - however, for a company that prides itself on its customer relations, it's certainly a sad state of affairs.

 

[novdisneydreams]

a good slap upside the head with some pixie dust

Thanks so much for the laugh - I needed that this morning!

I did think about calling back, but I am not going to ... I am truly non-confrontational, I can't imagine what this guy would have done if someone had called and got nasty back at him. I DID take the customer service survey and give him "poor" on most ratings. I feel kind of bad about it, I never do that - I always try to give people the benefit of the doubt, but this CM really got to me. I think its hard with Disney because you call expecting kindness and cheer and when someone is mean - whammo! It really shocks you.

I was wondering if they were on commission or something and the PP cleared that up for me. Maybe it was at the end of his hour or something and he really needed to pull in the $. I also wondered if maybe they HAD changed the policy (which would have been fine, of course a courtesy hold is just a courtesy and while it is very nice of Disney there is certainly no reason why they would have to do it), but I am thinking not since no one has seemed to have heard about that and plus in the end he did give it to me. I did think for a moment about just paying the deposit, but then I thought why should this guy bully me like this?

Happily, I checked online & my reservation is there and correct

And ultimitely the good news is that DH is putting in for the vacation days and we are (hopefully!) going to Disney

 

[Feralpeg]

I'm not trying to justify his poor behavior. There is never an excuse to be rude, but I know CMs who work for Disney's central reservations. They have, IMHO, the worst job at Disney. It is extremely high stress. They work under a quota system. They are monitored continuously and get points against them if they do not produce. I know one CM who finally had to quite. She was literally peeling skin off her hands and arms due to nerves. You couldn't pay me enough to work there. Also, remember that some of the reservation calls go out of state to other companies. Not everyone you get is a Disney employee.

 

[G8r4evr]

The reservationist CMs are getting rated on how much money they pull in per hour, I believe, or something similar. So he was probably thinking something along the lines of "I just spent X number of minutes with that woman and didn't even pull in $1."

Its sad that Disney is encouraging the CM's to be salespeople above being helpful

 

[tinabheart]

They are monitored continuously and get points against them if they do not produce.

I'm really surprised by this. I'm a pretty talkative person, but I almost dread calling and booking reservations, because I can NEVER get off the phone with these people. Not complaining, because they have always been very, very friendly, but they talk forever! Everytime, I feel like I've heard their entire life story by the time I've gotten off the phone. I don't think I've ever been on the phone with them for less than 45 minutes! It's too bad the OP had a bad experience, I guess there's always one in the bunch like that. I agree, that there are so many good ones, that if I had a problem, or felt like I didn't think I was talking to a knowledgeable operator, I would end the call, and call back.

 

[Lynne M]

I'm not a complainer by nature, at all.....but I would call and ask to speak to a manager and put in a complaint about this guy.

Don't think of it as complaining, or being confrontational. You are doing Disney a favor by helping them weed out people like this. He's going to drive customers away. Believe me, Disney doesn't want to have customers driven away.

 

[grannyminnie]

I'm not trying to justify his poor behavior. There is never an excuse to be rude, but I know CMs who work for Disney's central reservations. They have, IMHO, the worst job at Disney. It is extremely high stress. They work under a quota system. They are monitored continuously and get points against them if they do not produce. I know one CM who finally had to quite. She was literally peeling skin off her hands and arms due to nerves. You couldn't pay me enough to work there. Also, remember that some of the reservation calls go out of state to other companies. Not everyone you get is a Disney employee.

I'm really glad you posted this! It makes me want to be more understanding myself with the people who help me plan my Disney vacations!

 

[magicmouse2]

Sorry this happened. Hope you do call back and speak to a manager.
I am curious how they are targeted on $s - once a deposit is paid on a package do they get credit for the whole package price ?

 

[Alicnwondrln]

I'm not trying to justify his poor behavior. There is never an excuse to be rude, but I know CMs who work for Disney's central reservations. They have, IMHO, the worst job at Disney. It is extremely high stress. They work under a quota system. They are monitored continuously and get points against them if they do not produce. I know one CM who finally had to quite. She was literally peeling skin off her hands and arms due to nerves. You couldn't pay me enough to work there. Also, remember that some of the reservation calls go out of state to other companies. Not everyone you get is a Disney employee.

yeah this is all true
you can tell they really want you to put down a deposit.

 

[nbodyhome]

They do need to pull in revenue - but that is no excuse for how he talked to her. I would talk to a supervisor with the name. It is easier to be nice to someone and make money than it is to be rude.

I also agree that it is a tough job. I am not sure if it's the toughest at Disney, but they can also make pretty good money now in it (if they are good at sales). When I worked there, you didn't get anything extra - just talked to every week if you didn't produce enough. (nicely)

 

[Alicnwondrln]

thats to bad I would do the survey and send an email with the name if its still bothering you
they have a very stressful job now but thats an excuse

 

[Karnak]

The reservationist CMs are getting rated on how much money they pull in per hour, I believe, or something similar. So he was probably thinking something along the lines of "I just spent X number of minutes with that woman and didn't even pull in $1."

Wow! I love these boards. I sure didn't know the CMs on the telephone making reservations were paid in part based upon how much money the reservations were worth to Disney.

Interesting.

 

[nbodyhome]

Wow! I love these boards. I sure didn't know the CMs on the telephone making reservations were paid in part based upon how much money the reservations were worth to Disney.

Interesting.

Yes, it started a few years or so ago. There are still very good CM's at Disney - but they aren't supposed to spend lots of time on the phone, and there are some aggressive ones as well. If you have a problem, ask to speak to someone. If you get a great CM, ask for the compliment line. They do work hard and I try to give compliments anytime they are due (the compliments go into their file).

 

[branv]

Wow, how unprofessional. Sorry you had to deal with that, and be treated so condescendingly! I'm sorry the job is stressful for them, but there are other jobs if one doesn't like to do sales. It's certainly not for everyone.

Yet another reason to use a TA They're commission too, yet in using DU and another WDW oriented company, I've never been pressured or talked down to.