Exceptional Customer Service - Need your Help

Good people of the pointbuzz,

I am working on a training session for customer service that will relate the level of service found at amusement parks (commercial environments) to municipal parks (public environments).

I am asking you to share stories of EXCEPTIONAL customer service you have received at the Point or any other amusement park in your travels.

I have a foundation because I have worked at several parks but I'm looking for some unique examples. Since you all are 'professional' amusement park customers I think your expecations are higher to meet. So, I think your examples of great service will be impressive.

Here is an example: A guest to IoA reported that they lost an item during the course of the day. This guest happened to be from the UK so when they left they figured it was gone. Said guest left his name and address but figured it was a futile effort. Several weeks later, to his surprise, arrived a package shipped postage paid from IoA and inside was his item. More impressively, the item was from Walt Disney World and had the mouse on it.

Thanks in advance for your help.

I don't know if this is what you are looking for but....

I'd taken my son to CP on a Saturday in late July when he was 6 years old (1992). It was 91 degrees at 11 am and as we were outside the ticket booths waiting to meet up with friends, I got dizzy and had tunnel vision. I sat down and rested my head between my knees and in less than a minute I was attended by two CP employees who called first aid. They carried me through the gates to a cart because I couldn't walk on my own, and another employee spoke calmly and lightheardly to my 6 year old son. In fact, first aid even gave him some juice to drink and kept him entertained while they were taking care of me.

I've always been especially impressed that without my son or I asking for assistance, they were right there immediately after I'd sat down, and dealt with my son in a way so as not to frighten him in what could have been a very frightening situation.

Oh...and I lost a cell phone on MF a couple years ago. I reported it to the ride ops and to lost and found, but really wasn't sure I'd get it back. Sure enough, they called me the next day to tell me they'd found it and mailed it back to me. (believe it or not, it still worked).

Sorry, I don't have an exceptional story to report.

However, after reading your post, OldCper, I have to say that I am really impressed with how the situation with you and getting dizzy/tunnel vision was handled. To me, this is a shining example of great employess.
*** Edited 7/13/2006 8:31:36 PM UTC by Coasterfury***

A lot of employees at CP do a great job at looking friendly and approachable to ask questions or whatever you need. Being friendly is key to customer service. Many places don't even bother to push that and it shows.

I think it's about 50-50 at the park. About 50% want to be there, and you can tell, and the other 50% don't and you can really tell.

That being said, I think that anyone who wants to be there is going to give the guest exceptional customer service, while those that don't are never going to give that exceptional service. The problem at the park is that the general guest comes in direct contact with more people who don't want to be there than that do, being in food, merchandise, and admissions. Ride operators tend to give a good experience to guests, especially on major attractions, but guests don't really come in much contact with them, other then having their restraint checked.

Even just something to personalize the experience for the guest is nice. My best experiences in food have typically been when the employee talks to the guest/us a little bit, asking us how our day is, where we're from, and how often we visit is. That's what leaves a positive, lasting impression.

Ok,

I'm not looking for gripes. We've all had bad service at one time or another. I'm looking for the things that make you want to write a letter of PRAISE.

For instance. You can have a clean hotel room. One story out of Disney had a family with 3 girls who each came to the resort with their own teddy bear. Each night they got back from the park the housekeeper had the bears set up in a different "scene". One night they were at the table playing cards, another night they were sitting down with cookies and milk.

The kids loved it and the parents didn't have to drag the kids back to the room...the kids were looking forward to it each night.

I saw a guy talking on his cell phone while he was about to take off on TTD and someone came up to the track and asked him if they could hold his phone through the ride.

His restraints should have been released and he should have been escorted off the ride.

noo..i even had video of another one talking, and when he returned to the station, the phone was still in his hands.

And he should have been removed from the gene pool.

*** Edited 7/13/2006 9:09:04 PM UTC by JuggaLotus***

I can let you know what it's like to be from the employee's side of the story. Last year, I worked on the midways doing group untility (the guys who take out the trash).

It was a fairly warm day and i was changing the cans on the Dragster station, when out of my sight, I had a guest pass out. After telling the ride ops to call first aid, I started fanning her with one thing at my disposal: a folded trash bag. Needless to say, the guest were quite pleased with how quickly and smoothly the whole staff reacted.

Nice going Hopman...and thanks for keeping it on topic.

We were standing in line at a concession stand on the main midway a few years back, my daughter was standing next to me. Just then, this Jackass who was walking by, lost his basketball he was dribbling, he stepped on my daughters foot trying to get a hold of his ball. After I got done yelling at him for being such an ass, the girl working the concession stand gave my crying daughter one of those large swirly lollipops free of charge because she felt bad about what had happened. Very Cool!

We just returned home from visiting CP. On Wednesday it was pouring down rain and my group which included my 7 year old was huddling at the Speed Zone Shop. When one of CPs police officer walked by, she said it was raining too hard for my daughter to be out there and she helped her squeeze into the store instead of standing outside.

Also, during the ERT of TTD wednesday night, we were stuck with the dilemma of not knowing what to do with my daughter (who is only 48" and can not ride TTD) Should we hassle the other riders with Parent Swap? Anyways, they let her sit by the fence of the unloading dock and when it started raining, they took care of her and let her sit in the booth with them. How cool is that?! I really appreciated it as I love TTD, but didn't want to hassle with the parent swap during that ride time!

^ that is pretty awesome.

It's almost sad that this is all it takes for me but...

I just like it when people use common courtesy. Pleases, thank yous, and you are welcomes are very nice, especially when we are buying stuff. A nice smile and "hello, how's it going?" "Have a nice day!" are always great too!

mom2acoasterchick said:
We just returned home from visiting CP. On Wednesday it was pouring down rain and my group which included my 7 year old was huddling at the Speed Zone Shop. When one of CPs police officer walked by, she said it was raining too hard for my daughter to be out there and she helped her squeeze into the store instead of standing outside.

Which officer was that? There's one of them on the force that's been there for a while who's always very sociable and kind. In the morning as guests are waiting for TTD before it opens, she goes down the line and verifies everyone knows what they're standing in line for, why the ride isn't open yet and answers questions and makes suggestions for guests' visits. That right there is exceptional customer service.

*** Edited 7/14/2006 5:02:36 PM UTC by DBCP***

When it was pouring I was at the Speedshop by TTD and they only had small ponchos. So they went through everything they had and found 3 fullsize ponchos that are stored in this small bag and when you open it up and pull out the poncho out of the bag, the bag becomes a pocket on the front.

Also there was a guy in front of me on TTD and the ride op made sure the seatbelt fit.

When I was getting off MF a ride op helped me with the tricky seat belt.

Also, the second to last row on corkscrew on the white train was closed off so the ride op made sure they held the ride so I could find a seat.

Yes, the ponchos with pockets are the new ponchos...

One time I was at Macaroni's with about 15 friends, and someone asked for a cup of water with lemon. The waitress came back and and said that they didn't have any lemon, but that they had called over to the the food distribution center, and they would send some right over.... and sure enough they did.

DBCP,

I didn't get her name as I was absolutely drenched. But it was the black female officer. It was funny because my daughter looked scared to death as she just grabbed her and said "it was raining too hard for her" LOL... then I think she saw how scared my daughter was because I heard her say... "Its ok honey, Im a police officer". then she made room in the shop for her! She was great!