Off the clock? No time for guests' questions

[airlarry!]

Raidermatt...great analysis! A well-thought out post.

However, I'm thinking that Sir Show is correct here. How many CMs have I encountered at the parks that well beyond their 'duty'? 90% of them are fantastic people who believe in The Show. The other 10% wouldn't care anyway....

This means that the Suits won't be limiting the Magic...cause Johnny CM is still going to answer Guest's questions--it is part of the reason he works at WDW, right--but what might be hit is one more slap at morale.

 

[raidermatt]

gcurling, if you WERE paid for walk time, under the reasoning that you are in costume and therefore expected to uphold your company's excellent reputation for customer service, wouldn't that be a source of pride?

And if the policy were changed, how would you have viewed it? THAT'S what I'm trying to get at as the biggest impact of a decision like this. You're right, its probably not a major deal in and of itself. Most CMs have pride in what they are doing and won't change. However, the policy just sends the wrong message, and newer CMs will have that much less committment.

I see this as different than requiring CMs to wash their own costumes. That saves money, and does put more burdon on the CMs, but it has no direct impact on customer service. Management can still claim to be more committed to service than anyone else, but they are just aligning their practices to the industry standards. The walk-time change does directly impact service, and I'm sure CMs can all figure out the difference.

 

[raidermatt]

His Airness-

I understand where you are coming from, but here's the thing...

90% of them are fantastic people who believe in The Show. The other 10% wouldn't care anyway....

Let's say your percentages are correct, and 10% provide adequate service while on duty only because its their job. Well, now that 10% does not need to even PRETEND to believe in the Show when off-duty but in costume. Under the previous policy, management could still hold their in-park guest interactions to the company standard. Now, management is saying they know 10% will disappoint guests in the park, but they would rather save the money.

Its a bad message that can have a bad long-term effect.

This means that the Suits won't be limiting the Magic...cause Johnny CM is still going to answer Guest's questions--it is part of the reason he works at WDW, right

Again, only if he's part of the 90%. And if management is sacrificing service in such a direct manner, the 90% surely can shrink over time.

 

[OnWithTheShow]

Studios, Animal Kingdom, and EPCOT cast members are allowed to take their costumes home with them as well as the water parks and resorts. The only work location that does not allow it is the Magic Kingdom. There are also two cast entrances to the Studios. One to the right of the entrance turnstiles and one through the costuming building by the Television(cast) parking lot. Cast members are also required to clock in and out at the time clock closest to their work location. I know at my previous work location the time clock was located along the backstage route I would take from the costuming building so answering guest questions while of the clock was never an issue for me. But just to put this in perspective, myself and many other cast members I have worked have at times sacrificed our breaks to answer guest questions and resolve issues. This is a clear example how most of the cast at WDW is a "special type of person", one who gladly will go out of his/her way to help the quest no matter what management tells them.

 

[Bob O]

The policy sends the wrong message and as time goes by i think you may see less CM'S going the extra mile to help people. If i wasnt being paid and the company felt it wasnt worth paying me to do it i wouldnt go the extra mile while off the clock, i would follow the companies rules and if a customer had a question i would explain the company policy.
How long is Johnny CM going to anwser the questions when the company keeps playing games with him??? Eventually enough will be enough.

 

[raidermatt]

Show- I didn't mean to imply that CMs were suddenly going to stop caring about customers when off the clock. I still believe Disney CMs provide top-notch service, and until I experience a trend in the other direction, I will hold to that belief.

However, I don't think the walk-time decision supports the providing of superior customer service, and that's why I think its at least a questionable move. Current CMs probably won't change much, but new CMs will never know that management considers service important even if the CM is off the clock.

I don't think the decision is the death-knell of Disney service. I just see it as a negative. Hopefully its an isolated decision.

 

[Peter Pirate]

Well Bob, you just proved that you're not CM material...(But I don't believe I'd be either). The point is that most of the CM's will not care about the Manageent-Union Agreement and WILL continue to act in a way that makes them so special (a point I believe I made first Mr. air! - No offense Show)...As for if this happened at Universal...What a joke. Nobody holds Universal to any standard at all. They're second tier and that doesn't warrant the sometimes unscroupulous nitpicking that hound Disney's every move...If it did, you'd hear a lot more from us 'Disney apologists' about the fact that Universal & Sea World raised their rates this year and who didn't??? Oh, that would be Disney...

Lastly, I do agree with Matt, this certainly isn't positve news, but it's barely news at all...


BTW, that "I said it first" comment was humor...Lame, perhaps but sarcasam at its least...

 

[hopemax]

I have a couple questions regarding the former policy.

How much walk time was paid to begin with?

And, how did a normal shift work? If your shift was 4 hours, was it 3 hrs 40 min at your position and 10 minutes or whatever walking time each way? Or was it 4 hours and then 10 minutes or whatever so your actual work time was 4 hrs 20 min?

 

[Another Voice]

So the call from the front cars is that it’s okay for Disney to treat customer service just like all the other theme parks, knowing that all WDW cast members will “make up” for it out of the goodness of their own hearts.

Riiiiiggggghhhhhtttttt………

What is to prevent my evil twin from walking across Dino-Rama and telling Joe Tourist exactly where he can stick his camera? Since it’s now “his time” I, er, he can pretty much do whatever he wants in or out of costume.

I mean this could really be fun. After a hard day stuffing people into little Norwegian long boats, I can now stop in at Germany (in costume) and knock back a few beers. And forget about waiting to get backstage before lighting up, I’ll just make use of the smoking area. Maybe I’ll just stick around park for a while and see if there are any hot chicks (they all like the canoer’s costume). Unless I’m doing something that would cause a regular guest to get kicked-out, there’s nothing Disney can do to stop me once I’m “off the clock”.

And even if it’s only 10% of the cast members who will take advantage of this situation, which answer is going to be remembered by the average guest:

a) “The three o’clock parade will start at three o’clock today. Enjoy the rest of your stay.” nine times

Or

b) “You stupid moron – what time do YOU think the ******* three o’clock parade starts!!! They grow them stupid where you’re from, don’t they?”

With pay comes the ability to control. THAT’S the secret of Disney; setting and enforcing the standards. It’s not finding 55,000 people with the soul of a angel and the heart of a grandmother that are willing to work for $6.35 an hour. If that was the case walking into a shopping mall or a fast food outlet would be a pleasant experience. Disney is selling that control that makes its standards possible for nothing but pocket change.

Back in the day I had a cast member suspended because I overheard him tell a guest “I don’t care, I just work here”. Today I guess all I could do is simply agree with him.

 

[redpants]

To help put this situation into better perspective--CMs have NEVER been paid to walk TO their work location. They were only given 20 minutes at the conclusion of their shift to return to the Costuming location and exchange their dirty clothes for clean. So--any amount of time they have spent answering questions while on their way to work has always been voluntary and unpaid. If a CM's shift started at 10am, then he/she was expected to be dressed and ready at their work location at 10am. They were considered late if they had punched in at 10am and were still walking through the park/resort.

In addition, the "loss" of walk time occurred from 1996-1999, (except MK), so this is not a new policy at all.

 

[redpants]

To help put this situation into better perspective--CMs have NEVER been paid to walk TO their work location. They were only given 20 minutes at the conclusion of their shift to return to the Costuming location and exchange their dirty clothes for clean. So--any amount of time they have spent answering questions while on their way to work has always been voluntary and unpaid. If a CM's shift started at 10am, then he/she was expected to be dressed and ready at their work location at 10am. They were considered late if they had punched in at 10am and were still walking through the park/resort.

In addition, the "loss" of walk time occurred throughout the property from 1996-1999, (except MK), so this is not a new policy at all.

 

[OnWithTheShow]

WDW cast members are not allotted walk time to and from their location (the sole exception may be at Magic Kingdom, cant really remember) You are expected to report to your work location and clock in at the scheduled start time of your shift and depart at the scheduled end time. I have no qualms about this arrangement because it is no different than a company not paying for your drive to work. Also cast members are supposed to travel backstage to and from their work location keeping the time spent onstage to a minimum. Just another reason why this isnt Earth shattering. Also I am quite dissappointed at Voice's comments about cast members. To assume that the standards have reached or are even moving towards that level is simply ridiculous. I believe this whole issue simply stems from Mr Hoffa Jr sending a memo telling Disney that if the cast cant make it to work on time then look out for the shady looking characters with baseball bats in line to get a picture with Mickey.

 

[airlarry!]

This memo is junk. There has got to be times when a cast member is still in costume and is walking around on stage. Pay those cast members their walk around time, for Walt's sake.

Let them be good-will ambassadors to the tired, the hungry, the weak, and the heavywallet-less.

Let them answer a few more times where the Back to the Future ride is, or why the Spiderman atraction isn't in Frontierland.

That's the CMs I'm talking about. We're not talking a huge amount that will break the company. We're talking about Magic. Show. Stage. Walt's image of the Young, Friendly, Facial Hairless, Helpful Cast Member.

 

[Another Voice]

Good customer service just doesn’t “magically” appear. It has to be constantly worked on, it has to be constantly taught, and it has to be constantly expected. And even then it’s really hard to maintain.

This board is composed of two groups. There are those people who only experience WDW as a guest. They come to see the show and are dazzled by it. And that’s the way it should be experienced by the audience.

There are others here that are looking behind the curtain, people who know or want to know how the magic works. It’s a very difference view. Instead of razzle and dazzle, it’s a picture of incredibly hard, but rewarding, work.

Some dismiss this issue because they don’t see the problem. The show goes on, the lights remain bright and all is good. But the others understand how delicate the illusion is. For some the cast member is there to close the lap bar or the cash register drawer. The others see the day to day grind of getting thousands and thousands of people to do a mind numbing job with amazing care.

I’m sure many have never stopped a tired cast member in the parking lot and asked where the McDonald’s is. So the issue of how a cast member will respond is no big deal. But then many have never been singled out as “the guy in the tie” for a guest’s angry tirade and verbal abuse because of what some other cast member has done. It’s one thing to enjoy the show; it’s another to be responsible for it.

So is the twenty minute walk time going to be an issue for the average guest? I hope not. But for others it is a very disturbing sign. The ramifications of a corporate policy that says “it’s not worth $1.45 for you to be helpful” can not be good.

 

[Planogirl]

I have never worked for Disney but I have certainly been in customer service. And it's difficult, extremely difficult at times. It's very hard to keep your spirits up, to keep that smiling customer service facade in the face of whatever the customer throws at you. I can't begin to imagine how hard it is for many of the Disney CM's. Then, when a benefit is taken away or some of your good work is devalued it just becomes that much harder. A good attitude and work ethic is paramount and how can a memo like this keep from damaging both of those traits?

 

[Bob O]

The CM's will care about the Union/Management problems as they relate to their work enviroment/pay scale and now wdw is telling them we dont want to pay you for doing what you did before. And now if the CM acts aloof/non-caring when asked a question how is that going to help the guests experience at wdw. AV/Planogirl made great comments how this could affect the CM's interaction with guests while not on the clock. If i wasnt getting paid because wdw didnt feel my service was worthwhile i would i follow their memo to the letter!!!
This is just another example of wdw caring alot more about the bottom line than the guest experience.
And i wouldnt consider Universal second tier in the least!!!

 

[Pigglets-pal]

So a lot of people here are saying that the CM should stop and answer questions from the guests and be nice on their own time?????? Will this not make them late by punching in late thus getting docked in pay??? Cuts down on their lunch break??? Lets face it once one guest stops a off duty CM and the CM is nice enough to answer questions just as soon as the CM finishes other guests will do the same. Do you thing the CM's boss will believe the CM that he or she is late because they were being nice to guests and helping them....guess what......NOT. My nephew was a CM in college and this happened all the time. How many of you that are hourly workers will work on your own time "for the company". Disney should give them paid traveling time through the parks and if this was the case the CM's probably would be happy to help anybody out at any time. But not today with Ei$$$$ner at the helm.

 

[doubletrouble_vb]

In Disney's defense it would seem that the vast majority of cast members don't transit across the park any significant amount of time before clocking in and out. Therefore...don't pay everyone for providing a customer service benefit only a few provide regularly.

At the same time it seems that rather than eliminating walk-time they could have looked at it and restricted it. Make it just five minutes, only during park hours and only for jobs in certain locations. Or if that's too much...give the CM's a big bright OFFDUTY pin they can use to transit across the parks. Half the people will respect it and go elsewhere, half the people won't.

But for all you people who think the CM's will give the service anyway...how would you feel if your employer expected you to go above and beyond every single day? There is a point where you are supposed to be PAID for your work. Never mind if these CM's gladly sprinkle a little free pixie dust your way...this is fundamentally wrong.

 

[Judge Doom]

My concern would be that CM's would still answer questions BUT since they are not supposed to managment would punish them for violating company policy. Then if it keeps happening...possible termination...for what...providing good customer service...

 

[EUROPA]

Originally posted by Judge Doom
My concern would be that CM's would still answer questions BUT since they are not supposed to managment would punish them for violating company policy. Then if it keeps happening...possible termination...for what...providing good customer service...

The memo goes on to state that cast members are permitted to help guests when they aren't getting paid, "but this is on a totally voluntary basis.

??