WDSearcher
DIS Legend
- Joined
- Aug 20, 2002
- Messages
- 11,793
As a CM, it's disheartening to see that threads are started specifically to talk about the things we're doing wrong. Yes, I know ... there are also threads about how CMs are keeping the magic and about how character experiences made people cry, but it's the fault-finding threads that get to me. Think about your own job and what you do ... how would you feel if, every day, you went to a public forum and read about how you weren't perfect or about how your company disappointed someone today? It can get to you.
If you're on a week-long vacation to WDW, you encounter thousands of WDW CMs before you head home. Someone wrote that they had two disappointing encounters during their last vacation -- TWO! Out of how many contacts with CMs? I know that it's Disney's fault for having set expectations so high in the first place, but come on. Spend a week anywhere in the world and you'll find at least two people that don't meet your expectations.
I work in a company that has 55,000 people. With that many people. there are bound to be bad seeds. Disney could have the toughest interview standards out there and there would STILL be bad CMs. Why? Because no one walks into an interview with a crappy attitude or a rude demeanor. They want the job. No one walks into an interview saying, "Oh ... and I like to pick my nose, and will likely do that on the job", or "I really don't like selling drinks, so I'll probably be rude to customers." They put on their best behavior and seem like ideal CMs. They lie about their experience. They say yes to a job they don't want instead of asking if there's anything else. Many, many times, it's not until someone is hired that you discover that they're not really suited for what they've been hired to do. But by that point, there are a whole batch of union or company rules, procedures and regulations that make it hard to simply fire someone. It's not like Disney hires people who they know will be bad CMs.
Again ... I know that Disney has set high expectations, and that we've shot ourselves in the foot by doing so, but please look at your whole vacation experience and balance out the good and the bad. And then please complain to Disney about the bad. Don't just vent on a bulletin board, write it down! Explain where the behavior happened, and when, and who. Report every single rude CM you encounter, because, trust me .... we CMs don't want the "bad guys" around either. But also ... please ... report every single above average CM you encounter too. Because those are the people who need to be encouraged to keep going. And those are the people who are often overlooked, because Guests think, "Well ... he's just doing his job."
If you're on a week-long vacation to WDW, you encounter thousands of WDW CMs before you head home. Someone wrote that they had two disappointing encounters during their last vacation -- TWO! Out of how many contacts with CMs? I know that it's Disney's fault for having set expectations so high in the first place, but come on. Spend a week anywhere in the world and you'll find at least two people that don't meet your expectations.
I work in a company that has 55,000 people. With that many people. there are bound to be bad seeds. Disney could have the toughest interview standards out there and there would STILL be bad CMs. Why? Because no one walks into an interview with a crappy attitude or a rude demeanor. They want the job. No one walks into an interview saying, "Oh ... and I like to pick my nose, and will likely do that on the job", or "I really don't like selling drinks, so I'll probably be rude to customers." They put on their best behavior and seem like ideal CMs. They lie about their experience. They say yes to a job they don't want instead of asking if there's anything else. Many, many times, it's not until someone is hired that you discover that they're not really suited for what they've been hired to do. But by that point, there are a whole batch of union or company rules, procedures and regulations that make it hard to simply fire someone. It's not like Disney hires people who they know will be bad CMs.
Again ... I know that Disney has set high expectations, and that we've shot ourselves in the foot by doing so, but please look at your whole vacation experience and balance out the good and the bad. And then please complain to Disney about the bad. Don't just vent on a bulletin board, write it down! Explain where the behavior happened, and when, and who. Report every single rude CM you encounter, because, trust me .... we CMs don't want the "bad guys" around either. But also ... please ... report every single above average CM you encounter too. Because those are the people who need to be encouraged to keep going. And those are the people who are often overlooked, because Guests think, "Well ... he's just doing his job."
But, it was true; she was awesome, and we made sure she knew how much we appreciated her great attitude. I wish I had had a CM thank you note to give her, and I still need to e-mail her name to guest services to let them know how great she was.
