A few days later, my wife overheard a similar conversation in the Polynesian’s club-level lounge.
For guests that stay in club-level rooms, they get access to a lounge that serves continental breakfasts and various snacks throughout the day. On this particular morning, my wife was in the lounge fixing a plate for herself when she overheard another guest ask a cast members for a glass of pink lemonade.
The cast member responded with regret that pink lemonade wasn’t available, but my wife overheard her informing the guest that pink lemonade was available in the snack bar located in the resort’s main building.
Gold Star #1: The cast member wasn’t able to satisfy the guest’s request, but she was able to immediately offer a solution. Well played!
If you guessed that the conversation ended there, you were wrong.
Upon hearing that pink lemonade was available at the snack shop, the guest then asked the cast member if she would go pick up a bottle of it for him.
(My wife, being the wonderful woman that she is, decided to hang around and hear how this played out because she knows how interested I am in learning from Disney’s customer service practices!)
The cast member politely responded to the guest by saying that she and the rest of the cast members serving the club-level guests were supposed to stay stationed within the building.
Gold Star #2: The cast member had a neatly prepared response to a difficult question. My wife said that she didn’t hesitate at all and maintained complete composure. Bravo!
At this point, the guest became a little testy and asked: “If I go to the snack bar and get the pink lemonade myself, will I have to pay for it?”
Without skipping a beat, the cast member responded politely by telling the guest that he would be responsible for paying for any snacks or beverages he would enjoy from the snack bar.
Gold Star #3: I’m guessing that most people would have responded with a snide or sarcastic remark, but the cast member took the high road instead and stayed in character. That’s the sign of a real pro!
At this point, my wife said the guest became visibly agitated and commented to the cast member: “With the price I’m paying for my room, I should have access to whatever kind of food or drink I could possibly want!”
Still cool as a cucumber, the cast member replied: “Sir, I understand your frustration. However, I also understand the price of our rooms is structured so that our guests can enjoy a complimentary assortment of foods and beverages that most people enjoy. While we don’t have the facilities to store every possible food or beverage option, we don’t think anyone would be willing to pay the price that we would have to charge in order to provide that level of service.”
Star on the Customer Service Walk of Fame: The cast member empathized with the guest and also helped him understand why his request wasn’t going to be met in the manner in which he hoped.
In a world where people routinely try to abuse the notion of: “the customer is always right,” being able to set reasonable boundaries can make the difference between profit and loss. Whether we’re in a soft economy or a thriving one, that boundary is important for all of us in executing exceptional customer service.
