Tensions rise at Disney Reservations Center!!!

[Stitch Inside]

Every complaint issued here about Disney can be said for just about every other corporation in the US today. Look around you -- customer service is a thing of the past. You go to Best Buy -- there are bratty teenagers standing around, chit-chatting with each other instead of helping customers. You go to Walmart -- the cashier is talking on the phone and doesn't greet the customer. You go to McDonalds -- the cashier doesn't know the product she's selling, and if you ask a question that requires her to think "outside the box," she gets all flustered and confused.

What's amazing to me these days is most times, after I make a purchase at a dept store or a grocery store, I am the person who says "Thank you" to the cashier, instead of the other way around.

Perhaps it's not Disney with whom we should be upset. Perhaps it's the overall work ethic the average employee these days.

But like someone said, if the demand is there, it does not really matter (sadly) the lack of customer service. People will still go to Best Buy and Walmart because the products are cheaper than their competitors. People will still go to McDonald's because it's fast food at a decent price. For every disgruntled customer who has hung up on Disney, there are 10 more patient enough to wait and be on hold and to spend their money. Disney has no worries. Even if it loses the magic, it will always have a client base. The Disney name sells itself.

Linda

and

 

[punkin]

I also have some problems with Unions, but if you think 14 hour days are a thing of the past...look around. I don't know anyone who works 8 hours a day anymore. At my old job, I was expected to put in at least 12 hours daily and that's when we were not under a deadline. On deadline weeks, I have worked 20 hour days with a nap in the back room for 3 days straight.

 

[Luv2Roam]

The CRO situation has always puzzled me, since we lived in Omaha for around nine years. Omaha is a LARGE area for telemarketing.
These places are not known as being the the best paying. And who really "wants" to be a telemarketer -- whether it is incoming or outgoing calls?
The MANY businesses in Omaha are known for bending over backwards and making jobs fun, playful and flexible. Their big sell is the employee writes their own hours. CRO seems to be the opposite. And you think it would be the other way around -- Disney/fun; Others/No.

 

[TDS373X]

I guess I feel lucky. I called just this past Saturday about 4pm and got a fabulous CM named Shastalee.I think my call lasted maybe 10 minutes tops including hold time which there wasn't any. I got the AP ressies I wanted asked a couple of questions. She even knew that I'd moved in the past 6 months. She did ask if I wanted to do any PS which I declined. I got off the phone and was completely happy. I guess we'll see when the paperwork comes this week but I've already paid the deposit so I wouldn't think they could screw that up.

 

[Pigsty333]

So perhaps we should start posting the names of those who are rude, clueless, etc. and then we can hold them accountable.

Once their names start to show up on complaints, something will be done. However, if you keep your mouth shut and say nothing, then nothing will change.

 

[Stitch Inside]

So perhaps we should start posting the names of those who are rude, clueless, etc. and then we can hold them accountable.

Once their names start to show up on complaints, something will be done. However, if you keep your mouth shut and say nothing, then nothing will change.

Do they use the same name each day? Or do they have a list to choose from? Today I'll be Ariel, tomorrow I'll be Cruella and Suzy can be Ariel.

 

[Santa]

Do they use the same name each day? Or do they have a list to choose from? Today I'll be Ariel, tomorrow I'll be Cruella and Suzy can be Ariel.

You know that some of the CM's at call centers outside the U.S.A are probably using dial-up.

 

[Got Quattro?]

Unions are there to counteract management who, despite their inability to spell or type coherent responses, treat their employees as chattel.

it's a freakin internet chat board with cartoon icons everywhere. Spelling never counts.

 

[njchris]

What awful management decisions. Great way to improve moral.... NOT.

While there are rude CM's... and ones that don't sound happy.. usually this is a sign of BAD management, not just bad CM's.

It will probably get worse before it gets better.

 

[undertheradar]

Disney pays so poorly that many leave for higher paying jobs in any other field. Perhaps taking money from the corporate salaries in Burbank and spreading them to the actual "frontline" CMs would create a much better work environment. CMs still sleep in cars in Orlando because they do not earn enough to get by. Disney pays so poorly that they recruit labor from outside the USA. Many CMs leave Disney for higher paying jobs at Universal. Remember that many of the CMs are forced to work crazy schedules to get full time status- it's not a "happy" place to work.

 

[jpeltier]

I have to say at least the Cms speak English.Please don't flame me but I don't care if they're PhDs -half the time I can't understand the overseas call center people.If I ask them to please repeat themselves they get haughty.Talk about bad call center experiences!Try talking to the American Express or Chevron call center people-- you'll want to kiss the feet of even the most incompetent Disney CM.

 

[the kabuki]

I have to say at least the Cms speak English.Please don't flame me but I don't care if they're PhDs -half the time I can't understand the overseas call center people.If I ask them to please repeat themselves they get haughty.Talk about bad call center experiences!Try talking to the American Express or Chevron call center people-- you'll want to kiss the feet of even the most incompetent Disney CM.

Hah, try calling Dell customer service. Never once have I understood them!! I'd ask them to repeat themselves, but I'm not sure they even speak English

 

[bugsy]

The beatings will continue until morale improves. [QUOTE)
That's what I always tell my "guys" at work when they
are preparing for a meeting with "The Big Guy" ! It has
become a bit of a company mantra! glad to see I am not the only
"twisted" one on the DIS!

 

[ExPirateShopGirl]

it's a freakin internet chat board with cartoon icons everywhere. Spelling never counts.

The irony of a venue where we communicate solely by the written word... and yet spelling (or the reasonable attempt thereof) doesn't count?

If it makes you feel better to think so...

 

[DAWGPOUNDAJ]

Less than half of the general disney call volume is taken by an actual disney employee. They have outsourced to external call centers. that's why you sometimes get people on the phone who act as if the have no idea that a mono-rail is.

It cost far too much money to ramp up additional volume support for calls. the cheaper and better buisness option is to higher an external agency to do overflow. But you do suffer on the customer service issues.

That is very true. I've worked at a call center for the L.A. Times and the N.Y. Times and I'm in Cleveland! They find the cheapest option availableto them and use it.

 

[DisneyWisher]

To me part of the problem is that you have to give them ALL your information just to check for availibility. I called Sunday just to see if they had FL rate rooms at CR for 3 days in April. I had to give them my number, confirm my address, my e-mail, how many were traveling (I've brought a lot of people with me, children, BF, niece, nephew, and friends) Had to go through the list of who wasn't traveling this trip with me. Yes, I did tell her DD11 and I were the only ones before she started asking "well, what about this one, how about this one..."*editing this is* She also said "oh, so you've been here at least 30 times now and you were just here a couple weeks ago".

Sometimes you just want to check to see whats available and discuss it with the family before you make the ressie.

Seems like if she just checked and said "no, sorry we don't have rooms available there" it would have gone faster. After taking my info then checking to find out they didn't have the room I wanted, I said "thanks for checking, have a good day" and we hung up.

Just seems like they are wasting time sometimes. IMHO.

 

[Puffy2]

DisneyWisher, Absolutely!

They ARE wasting their time. I asked the woman I spoke with, "why do we have to go through all this? I just want to know if you have a AAA rate for those dates, if you don't , I'm not booking anything." -
response "Well, this makes it EASIER, so you are in the system (I'm already in the freaking system) - so it will be FASTER next time"

FASTER??? Who are they kidding?

Other chains keep up with some personal info too - you give them a frequent guest number, your info comes up and BAM, you're done. It doesn't take 30 minutes!

 

[cocowum]

LOL Ever see the foamy cartoon depicting Dell's customer service! It's hilarious! http://www.illwillpress.com/vault.html Click on the link and its in the second row down, the farthest to the right. This sums up my experience with Dell Customer service quite nicely!

OMG that was soo funny I have tears rolling down my cheeks!!

Thank you for sharing that

 

[mommykds]

I must be in the minority because I had 2 nice CM's. The first made my reservation, the second one I had to call to add an extra day. They were quick & curtious. I got my confirm with everything listed correctly. Now I just have to do the PS..hope I get lucky with the CM's then!

 

[cjsmith]

DisneyWisher, Absolutely!

They ARE wasting their time. I asked the woman I spoke with, "why do we have to go through all this? I just want to know if you have a AAA rate for those dates, if you don't , I'm not booking anything." -
response "Well, this makes it EASIER, so you are in the system (I'm already in the freaking system) - so it will be FASTER next time"

FASTER??? Who are they kidding?

Other chains keep up with some personal info too - you give them a frequent guest number, your info comes up and BAM, you're done. It doesn't take 30 minutes!

I love this one. I love when you punch in your phone number to make it quicker and then the CM answers and you still give it to them along with every other piece of info just to see if they have any availability. And with a last name of Smith, it still takes them forever to find me in the system! Then I have to confirm the members of my party, address, and email address before they'll even look for me. It takes just as long as the first time I called and had to be put in the system.
While we're at it...I hate having to answer all the questions before you even get to a CM, like have you ever visited Disney, how many times, have you been at least once since 1999? It gets alittle tiring to keep answering the same questions especially when we're paying for a long distance call.