Starting to hate calling for ADR's

[swkmom]

Every time there is a post where somebody got treated rudely by a reservationist, the excuses come out.

1) Give them a freakin' break, the job sucks and they're not paid much.
2) Give them a freakin' break, they don't have time to chat with you.
3) Give them a freakin' break, it's your fault you couldn't make up your mind the first time you called.
4) Give them a freakin' break, you're taking up so much time that Disney will have to raise ticket prices for the rest of us just to accommodate people like you.
5) Give them a freakin' break, their job is not to plan your vacation for you.

While I wouldn't fault a reservationist for not being chatty, isn't it enough that they shouldn't act put upon when you ask for a reservation change, or that they ought to know basic information such as the fact that Raglan Road takes ADRs? I had to talk a reservation agent into checking on the computer, since she was absolutely certain that Raglan Road didn't take ADRs. I knew they did because 1) I read it here and 2) I have friends who were able to make one on another trip. But anyone who didn't know that, and spoke to this lady before I did, didn't get their ADR and probably had to wait around on a weekend night, just to find out that the people getting in before they did actually had ADRs.

I totally agree with this post, just stumbled on this thread this evening and began to get a little irritated. I get tired of people making excuses for customer service workers that are rude. I have worked as a waitress (3 years) and a customer service rep for a health insurance company (4 years). I now am a social worker. I must say when taking these jobs I knew I would work with the public and had to be nice, yes sometimes it is difficult to put on a happy face but if you take a certain job it should be done to the best of your ability. But, I must say, if I can work with parents who abuse their children and be nice to them then certainly a Disney CM can do the same for someone making ressies for dinner. Just my 2 cents.

 

[KJHawley]

I get tired of people making excuses for customer service workers that are rude.

Let me tell you a story. I work as a customer service person every day. I am nice to every person I talk to. Yet, for whatever reason, many of the people I talk to every day are rude to me. Maybe they're just having a bad day. Maybe they're frustrated because they couldn't find what they want. Maybe- and this is my main theory- that people get very antsy when they spend their hard-earned money, and they want everything to go perfectly.

Anyway, I had just had a long day with some awful customers, and I decided to do some shopping on the way home. I was several minutes into a conversation with an employee when I suddenly realized I WAS ACTING JUST LIKE THE SHOPPERS THAT BOTHER ME! Not that I did anything particularly rude, I was just your typical American shopper- demanding, impatient, snippy, and unhappy. How did that happen so quickly? How could I go from someone who was tired of being treated badly, and turn into someone who was treating others badly, in a matter of minutes?

I realized that something is inherently wrong in the way Americans shop. It reminds me very much of the type of interaction you'd see between a wealthy person and a household servant, or even a master and a slave. You may think I'm overdoing it, but the next time you're in line somewhere, and you have some time to observe some customer interactions, ask yourself this:

"If I were that customer, would I treat someone I knew that way? What if that employee looked up, and I suddenly realized that the kid I was yelling at is my next door neighbor? Or a relative, or even a member of my family? Would I still treat them that way?"

I quickly became appalled at my own behavior. For some reason, we as Americans think it's okay to treat retail employees badly. You'd never treat your own family members that way, because you love them. You'd never treat casual acquaintances that way, because you know them- and at least, your bad behavior would come back to haunt you. You wouldn't treat strangers on the street that way, or they might punch you in the face! But for some reason, retail employees can be treated badly. You can yell at them, but they're not supposed to yell back. You can be snippy at them, but they can't be snippy back. Why? MONEY. If you don't like the way you're being treated, you'll just shop elsewhere! Managers and company owners can't stand that, so they let it continue. So, retail employees everywhere are treated like dirt, just so shoppers can have someone to look down upon.

So, I try a lot harder to be a better shopper now. I try to point it out when I see that "shopper: attitude (like here on this board). Like racism, sexism, or any other form of inappropriate behavior, the best way to get rid of it is not through a law- it ends when the people who are displaying that behavior get negative feedback about it from the people around them. So, I guess I'm "defending rude customer service", if you want to call it that. I guess I'm just some "crazy writer from Ohio". I guess you just can't understand what I'm talking about. I hope some day you will.

On a lighter note, I've used the phrase "Ugly Americans" to describe how some people act when traveling. Check here to read some funny stories:

http://www.ricksteves.com/graffiti/archives/ugly.html

 

[Texa]

I personally have never encountered a rude CM. I've encountered some more efficient or personable than others, but never any I would consider rude or wrong in any way.

Rudeness should be considered unacceptable behaviour, period. It doesn't matter if its the customer service worker or the customer themselves. I've seen excellent customer services workers who have diffused an agitated customer, but I have also seen a customer, who by sheer cheerfulness and warmth, who has charmed an otherwise rude and unprofessional service worker. It goes both ways.

 

[diannaneglia]

I have to admit...I have called for many different reasons and so far I have only had friendly people...well maybe one time I had somebody that was all that thrilled but overall I have had people who have been over friendly...it has been great...sorry to hear all the horror stories...hope I don't encounter any of these unfriendly people cause for the money we are spending, I would not be able to hold my tongue to someone unfriendly!

Good luck!

 

[hollandopolis]

No but you implied that the only thing CM's are there to do is to book reservations not answer questions....You can not have one without the other...Maybe you need to read your post again...

We are reservation sales agents. 60% of what we do IS answer questions...but we are here to plan your vacation, of course we have to answer questions to do that.
You are acting I said I hate answering questions...I don't. 75% of those questions are followed by reservations being made. I understand and hopefully other agents understand that not everyone is a Disney expert and I expect people to not know everything.
I STILL get people that don't know that there is a restaurant in the castle and are shocked and happy to hear that but are SHOCKED it's booked up for next week.
They ask over and over and over and over again...and I explain...over and over and over and over again.
It's all good though...'cause I was once like that. I understand.

 

[KJHawley]

hope I don't encounter any of these unfriendly people cause for the money we are spending, I would not be able to hold my tongue to someone unfriendly!

Why is it okay to be rude to people to whom you have given money?

Or, why is the opposite NOT true. In other words, what if someone who ISN'T a Disney employee is rude to you? For example, they cut in front of you in line, bump into you or push past you intentionally to get to an attraction? Hold a beach chair at a pool for several hours when they're not even there? Cut in front of you at a parade, when you got to the parade site several hours early to get a good seat? Do you usually hold your tongue in these situations?

 

[Texa]

KJHawley,

I think you are an awesome and passion advocate for customer service employees and truly admire your you dedication. However, I think that sometimes on a message boards it's easy to misunderstand the intentions of a post, especially if you already feel defensive about the situation.

I think (hope) that people here on the message boards have tremendous respect and admiration for the CM's who work Disney (in my case, ENVY!). I don't think anyone single out a customer service worker simply because they are customer service. I think it is human nature to react to ANYONE whether service worker, line cutter, or parade space stealer, who is intentionally rude to you.

On the other hand it sounds like you have mastered the ability to react with honey over vinegar and I commend you for that. For some of us, me including, we are still working on it. But please let me assure you that it is not a conspiracy against SERVICE WORKERS, disney or otherwise. It is just the unfortunate state of the world today. (the world, not just the US, trust me on that one.)