Employees difficult to understand

During most of my visits this summer I've noticed that many, if not most, of the overseas employees have poor english and are difficult to understand. I thought one of the requirements was that they had to speak decent english?

Now, I've been there enough times that I know the rules and the spiel. However, if I were a first time visitor, I would say: "Huh?!"

One recent one that comes to mind was the gal, I think she was from Singapore or Vietnam working the train (Wildcat area) on Friday night. Couldn't understand a WORD she said.

That same night, my kids and I were at that hat place not too far from Pagoda gift shop. Someone came up to the employee who was working and asked her how to get to the Demon Drop. She did not understand a word he said. He repeated himself 2 or 3 times, and then finally I told him where it was.

Was Cedar Point desperate for help this year? Did they not have as many applicants?

When you are paying minimum wage, it is probably hard to find a reliable work force in the area. At some point, if Ohio doesn't repeal its minimum wage law (which supposedly will have the minimum wage go up each year), I think the parks will find it harder and harder to find qualified people locally, and will have to keep looking overseas for hardworking college kids.

Even though parks are exempt from the new minimum wage, they have to be competitive with it to attract workers.

-Sam

When I first saw the title, I thought this was another one about the 'squawk box' or the way people hold the microphone in their mouths.

My favorite incident was the Ocean Motion, where the lady with a STRONG European accent called it the 'wishy- washy'

As for the minimum wage and amusement parks, it's difficult. First thing you look at is the cost of the bare minimum amount of people needed to operate your park, or what some call 'skeleton crew'. Then you realize that in order to effectively and efficiently operate, you need many more. Most people don't want to make minimum wage/or have a good paying job. Where do you look for labor?

You might assume paying a higher wage could bring in more reliable employees.

Perhaps that would be a correct assumption, but I'm always seemingly in the minority when I say they need to pay more.

I think more money may make some difference but I think it needs to be more than that. They need to completely modify the employee experience.

Housing: Much of the housing is sub-standard, making a college dorm look like Club Med. I've said it over and over but things really never change. I know you don't spend a lot of time in your room but the time you do spend should be comfortable. Most college dorms these days have internet access, air conditioning, etc and the same can't be said for some of the CP housing. What could be one of CPs greatest allures is still one its greatest liabilities.

Supervision: There needs to be more training of supervisors. What generally happens when a supervisor position is vacant is that a "good employee" tends to get the spot. Well, that is great. But, a good employee doesn't necessarily make a good supervisor and if there is little training it only makes matters worse. A supervisor can make or break a year for an employee.

Career Development: It is safe to say that some employees go to work at the Point in order to pursue a career in the amusement park business. The company is large enough now that they could (and probably should) have some type of management training program for those who might want to pursue a career. The other thing they could consider doing is working with Firelands CC or another entity to offer a summer curriculum at the park for college students who might want to earn some credit hours.

The foreign worker program has been a "stop gap" measure that, to this point, has helped to fill positions not taken by American kids. But, as I've also said before I don't think that is a long term solution and all it takes is for some global economics (or security issues for that mattter) to shift and suddenly that well will run dry.

Does money matter? Sure, to an extent. But it is foolish to think that would solve all of the ills.

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My favorite incident was the Ocean Motion, where the lady with a STRONG European accent called it the 'wishy- washy'

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That is so funny! A couple years ago, when my family and I rode Ocean Motion, there was a man working it from another country (I don't know where) and he called it the "Orsh Marsh".

I figured pay was a factor on who worked there and why. I know that some there speak pretty good english, while like I said before, others do not.

Earlier in the season when my husband and I ate at Panda Express, the asians that were working there spoke very very good english...they didn't need to repeat themselves to us or anything.

I suppose, too, that part of the reason is that this day and age the younger adults are lazier that normal. Some of them just don't want to work.

As an old(er) lady, I wish I could work there now! Of course, they'd have to pay me more than minimum wage and it would be a bit of a drive, so they'd have to probably pay me a lot. LOL

Dang it...I messed up on the quote again...ARGH!

The international students can work later in the year too. So, they don't lose them in August and September like the kids from the US. The ones I experienced on Saturday had an accent, but I was able to understand them all.

We asked a couple questions and they didn't understand us though. I'm thinking that's a bigger problem. When those kids are in charge of guest safety and stuff, they should be able to understand what a guest is saying.

I agree 100%. They should be able to understand everything.

Don't get me wrong, I am not against the international students. I feel they deserve a chance, just like anyone else. But like you said, it's a problem when they can't understand.

^^ - but think about the number of people who are American and mumble and use slang and it becomes somewhat understandable that they could have trouble understanding what you say.

Sunday night there was a girl from the UK working on Dodgems. Not only was she a great ride op, she told everyone to "have a splendid evening" when we got off the ride. I don't know why, but hearing that made my day. :)

You would need to hear that after getting off of Cedar Point's Dodgems; their Dodgems suck!

Nothing like a 30 second ride on the slowest dodgems cars in the world.

Usually the UK employees aren't the ones I can't understand. It's most of the other ones.

What are you expecting with dodge'ems? 40mph go-karts?

I listen to europeon radio you could say... (techno shows hosted from over seas) so I am pretty used to the accents.

Who would of thought Ibiza sounds like "Ibeefa" pronounced.

Have you ever ridden the Dodgems at Geauga Lake??

Nice speed, fewer cars....and a great ride!!!

I am not expecting go-karts, but I do expect a decent ride. My family and I haven't ridden the Dodgems at Cedar Point ever since we've discovered how great the ones at Geauga Lake are.

They could alaways bring back the auto speils. LOL

I am pretty sure that amusement parks were given an exemption from Strickland with the minimum wage increase.

A guest misunderstanding a safety direction due to poor communication on the employees part could be very tragic and very costly for the park. But, like what was said earlier, until you make Cedar Point "the" summer job for college kids, it's going to be like that.