Quick GS question

For those in guest service, do you guys get many complaints and if so how do you handle them. It seems like a tuff job, just wondering thanks. (possible future employee)

Being an Admissions employee, I understand that you're probably referring to the Guest Services office, but it comes to mind that *every* job at Cedar Point will involve guest complaints at one point or another. Dealing with complaints would be difficult for you if you're the type of person that takes such things personally. It can also be frustrating, especially if the guest is highly emotional and/or singly focused on the one form of compensation they are expecting to receive for whatever difficulty they have experienced. The best thing you can do is remain calm and polite, and utilize your resources. If you're not in a leadership position, this may involve finding your Assistant Team Leader or Team Leader so that they can speak with the guest. At that point, the situation is out of your hands; you no longer have to deal with it and you can move on.

The first few guest complaints you must deal with -- especially if they are particularly nasty -- may bother you for a while, but after a time you get used to it. Dealing with complaints becomes just another aspect of your job, and although it's not often pleasant, can actually turn out great if you can find a compromise that satisfies both you (by following park policy) and the guest.

I'll let Jason, Tyler, Lance, and Caroline talk about the actual Guest Services office since it's their specialty. ^_^

------------------
~Lee~

Group Sales ATL '01
Group Sales TL '02
Park Admissions Zone 5 Supervisor '03
Park Admissions Supervisor '04
----------------------
"The greatest leaders don't take credit for their actions; they don't have to."

Good answer Lisa, I couldn't have said it better.

Like Lisa said, all positions in the park I'm sure receive their fair share of complaints. We're all in the business of guest service. Sometimes, some of the more challenging problems are sent to the Park Operations Office (and Town Hall) or the Guest Services office.

Does anyone watch the show Airline on A&E? If you want an idea of what working in Guest Services is like, then watch that show. It's the best.

In Guest Services, until a host is very familiar with park policy and has observed some tactful problem solving, they won't be placed in the position of helping a guest in that manner. They have more important things to be doing.

Anyway, as much as I loved working in Guest Services, it's not for everyone. Like Lisa said, it is important to not take things personally. The best thing to do is listen, identify the problem, and present possible solutions. It is also impossible to make every guest that comes in happy, sometimes it just doesn't work.

And our next comment will be from...

------------------
Tyler
2001-2004 Park Admissions

Sorry, we go by height...

I guess I will be the next to add my two cents in….. I agree with what Tyler and Lisa have both said above. Just because the office has a big awning above the door that says Guest Services doesn’t mean other employees within the park do not receive complaints or for that matter compliments. Although, sometimes the Guest Service office is the only place that they might know of to, so we do get a lot of situations throughout the day. A lot of what we do it learned through observing the supervisors and team leaders in the office. At least that is how I really learned a lot. A lot of situations you deal with in the office have been dealt with before, or are similar. However, your approach to handle the situation does have to vary from guest to guest. First and for most, you have to listen to their problem….sometimes that is all they want, just someone to listen to them. From there you explain to them either park policy, or alternatives to their problem. There are cases where they don’t like our answer, and that is unfortunate, but there are some instances where we can’t do much for them. However, we do try to the best of our ability to accommodate them.

If you’re thinking about working in Guest Services at Cedar Point, I will tell you this, it is a tough job. Sometimes it isn’t fun. You have to know how not to take things personally like Lisa said. Guest often view you as the person that can fix any and all of their problems, which often times you can, but there are times when you can’t…and then that is when they get mad. But remember, even though they are yelling at you, and it may sound as if they are mad at YOU….you have to remember that it isn’t YOU that they are mad at, but the situation.

I know that was kind of long, complicated and confusing…but it does require a lot to work in the GS office. And there a lot of times that we have a lot of fun in there, whether it’s be between co-workers (birthday parties in the back room!) or just by making the guest happy…it’s a very rewarding job.

------------------
2002 Guest Services
2003 Guest Services TL/Sup
2004 Park Admissions Sup
*** This post was edited by J-Bird 3/9/2004 3:27:02 PM ***

Thanks, actually I am the supervisor in Guest Services at another park, which will remain nameless. I just wanted to see what you folks thought. I went to the office one day at CP an older lady helped me, she was very nice. Anways thanks for the replies.

Tyler is totally right about Guest Service's being just like that show "airline". It is so similar it is eerie! Especially the episode when they had to deal with blackout.

Some people think that if they complain enough, they will get whatever they want. This is not the case with CP. There are rules, and CP sticks by them. All we can say at GS is "Would you like a comment card?" After that, it is out of our hands.

------------------
Guest Service's Host, '03
CP & LE Train Crew, '04

Yes, tell them what they can do and what the park policy is. I once talked to a guest at my park for 15 minutes without saying no, or you can't. She, (like you said, wanted something for nothing) I sent her home with a smile and comment card.