Comment Cards - The Hard Sell

[meliscan]

It boggles my mind that they still do this via paper. Seems like it would be so much easier to tabulate if they did it electronically.
I work in marketing and we such small returns on most of our surveys that I always try to fill them out. I have done as Princess Schmoo has done in the past. I have filled out a larger comment section with the room stationary. I have even received postcards from guest services thanking me for my input. I have heard of other hard sells with the survey but that hasn't been our experience but then again my husband can have a forbidding stare.

 

[chuff88]

It boggles my mind that they still do this via paper. Seems like it would be so much easier to tabulate if they did it electronically.
I work in marketing and we such small returns on most of our surveys that I always try to fill them out. I have done as Princess Schmoo has done in the past. I have filled out a larger comment section with the room stationary. I have even received postcards from guest services thanking me for my input. I have heard of other hard sells with the survey but that hasn't been our experience but then again my husband can have a forbidding stare.

I think a lot of why we don't get them is that my mom and I are the only ones in our party and we generally give off a vibe that we're having a great time, and we're always very reassuring whenever the service team apologizes for any kind of "mistake" (aka, our assistant server had a Coke ready at our table for me every night but one on our last cruise, and the one she didn't it was because we got there RIGHT when they opened and she just hadn't gotten there with it yet). I think they have us pegged as not needing a hard sell.

 

[Kwami]

It boggles my mind that they still do this via paper. Seems like it would be so much easier to tabulate if they did it electronically.

They do both. After about half of the cruises that I've been on with DCL, they sent me an email with a longer, electronic survey.

 

[Sakura1017]

Has anyone just told their server that we know about the comment cards. Please do not pressure us on how we rate you. We will rate fairly based on your performance during the cruise?
I feel like that is like spa services scenario, tell them upfront you're not interested in the uncharge products.

 

[Chipmunkmaniac]

Has anyone just told their server that we know about the comment cards. Please do not pressure us on how we rate you. We will rate fairly based on your performance during the cruise?
I feel like that is like spa services scenario, tell them upfront you're not interested in the uncharge products.

each and every time. I just tell them the first night: I've cruised with DCL a lot. I know about the comment card and will tell you when things aren't 'excellent' for me so you can solve it and just laugh. And most of the time it helps. Only last October on the Fantasy it didn't. They also just had the same conversation each and every night: Is this your first cruise, which country are you from. By the 3rd round of these questions we started making up answers cause they clearly didn't listen

 

[knewton64]

Just off Fantasy (10th cruise). Server and assistant each gave 5-minute spiels about comment cards the last two nights. About the importance of Excellent over Very Good. One said they needed the rating to get a promotion and to be able to send money to their sick mother. Rest of my table mates were embarrassed. It was very uncomfortable to sit through. One said it amounted to begging. I joked ‘what happens if they don’t get an excellent rating do they get thrown overboard.’

I’ve never seen it that hard before. Usually they mention a little bit and that’s it. State room hostess didn’t say anything. The thing is both of our servers were excellent and I was going to give them that rating anyway. Has something changed? Or was it just these two in particular or is this a trend? I’ve never seen such desperation before. It was indeed begging. And I noticed on the comment card they don’t ask anymore if you felt pressured into giving your rating. Interesting.

THE SCENE: DINNER ON DISNEY WISH; OCTOBER 2019
DAY TWO AT DINNER:
*
...... straight out of a Stephen King novel when the Head Server asked the obvious Newbie DCL Guest to the right of me "How is you meal" and was told "It is Good."
*
My heart just fell to my feet in .01 seconds as my head bowed as I was trying to disappear as quickly as I could as sure enough, out came verbiage from the Server that would be just ripe for a Stephen King novel in his attempt to goad the now in shock Guest to change his answer.
*
*
With that, thank you for this thread as I have been busting my rear to get where am I am at with all aspects in life and unless I get talked out of it by fellow cruise DISsers come this November onboard the Fantasy,
I really just desire to enjoy my first time use of a veranda (and skipping 2nd seating dining altogether) while only focusing in on my Room Attendant and Room Service.
*
I hear one peep out of anyone about surveys and its all zeros for everyone of the comment card.



T.T.F.N.
&
Cheers Y'all

 

[Dug720]

Has anyone just told their server that we know about the comment cards. Please do not pressure us on how we rate you. We will rate fairly based on your performance during the cruise?
I feel like that is like spa services scenario, tell them upfront you're not interested in the uncharge products.

As I said above, I will politely explain that I know how the system works, I will NOT hold the taste of the food against them since they are not cooking it, and that if there is an issue, I will let them know at the moment or shortly thereafter so they can fix it. Reiterate that I know how the system works and I'll take care of them. So far that has worked. (The one time I did have to listen I was stuck at a table with others (because this was pre-covid, the ship was full, and they didn't have tables pulled apart into A and B now so I had to share - our server walked me to the table the second night and said "I know you know how it works. I hate that you have to hear it."

I've never had luck with the "NO SALES PITCH!" on my intake form in any of the spas. And since they are supposed to READ those to know what we want/need, I'm not going to lead with that verbally and suffer the consequences in how they do the treatment. And once it's over there is no stopping them. So I don't bother with spa treatments on ships anymore. I get much better massages on land anyway.

 

[ladyofthetramp]

I plan to just tell our head server on the first night that we already know about the importance of the survey, and while we don’t mind at all them checking throughout the week to make sure our needs are being met, being at all harassed about the survey and excellent ratings will prevent me from giving any excellent ratings I shouldn’t have to do that, but I’m also not going to sit through a lecture from my servers on my vacation

As I said above, I will politely explain that I know how the system works, I will NOT hold the taste of the food against them since they are not cooking it, and that if there is an issue, I will let them know at the moment or shortly thereafter so they can fix it. Reiterate that I know how the system works and I'll take care of them. So far that has worked. (The one time I did have to listen I was stuck at a table with others (because this was pre-covid, the ship was full, and they didn't have tables pulled apart into A and B now so I had to share - our server walked me to the table the second night and said "I know you know how it works. I hate that you have to hear it."

^^^ all of this. I let the servers know from day 1, if there are any issues at all with the service, I will let them know. I feel like I should and give them a chance to correct it. I also let our servers know if we are in a rush to get to a show or trivia or if we are dining elsewhere for the evening-common courtesy. I also take a bit into account their effort. We are easy going. One evening a huge party next to us was just giving our servers alot of trouble. At the end of our service we sort of hung back to chat with them and let them know we understood they were having a bad night- it just relaxed them around us and how we handle things that may come up. I also let them know that I am a comment card person. I fill it out using every blank space, mentioning by name, those who gave us great service, adding extra pages, if necessary.

 

[maryr1oz]

As a complete cruise newbie, could someone let me know when and where this survey is completed? Do you have to complete it in front of the servers? Or hand it directly to them? Can you just not complete one?

Thanks!

 

[PrincessShmoo]

As a complete cruise newbie, could someone let me know when and where this survey is completed? Do you have to complete it in front of the servers? Or hand it directly to them? Can you just not complete one?

Thanks!

You receive the survey form in your room at the end of the cruise (night before last). You may or may not fill it out, as you wish. You fill it out when you want, and drop it in the survey box (usually located near Guest Services).

 

[maryr1oz]

You receive the survey form in your room at the end of the cruise (night before last). You may or may not fill it out, as you wish. You fill it out when you want, and drop it in the survey box (usually located near Guest Services).

Thankyou!!

 

[gatordoc]

I add this quote to many surveys I fill out. I know it’s not likely read and almost certainly ignored, but it makes me feel better.
“Excellent firms don't believe in excellence -- only in constant improvement and constant change.”
Tom Peters,
writer and management consultant

 

[TXDCLfan]

I wish that Disney would make it company policy that there is to be no mention of the comment cards to the customers.

 

[Cheburashka]

I might just start ignoring the comment card.

 

[squirk]

I started sending an email in advance of my cruises to Guest Services (Guest Communications?) stating that we did not want the “Excellent” spiel.

I’m not sure if they actually took it to heart, or if it was just coincidence, but we haven’t gotten the pitch in the three cruises since I started doing that.

I feel for the servers, and I know how hard they work, so I always tip generously, but this “emotional blackmail” stuff is crap.

 

[European]

You receive the survey form in your room at the end of the cruise (night before last). You may or may not fill it out, as you wish. You fill it out when you want, and drop it in the survey box (usually located near Guest Services).

Isn’t it the last night? I remember always filling it out very late at night or during our last breakfast.

 

[LoveDaisy]

I have not cruised DCL but I am kind of shocked by this. They are bulling guests and everyone just goes along with it? Has anyone mentioned it to DCL corporate offices? If people are dreading going to dinner (others have mentioned this on this thread) because of this things are far from excellent. I’m honestly shocked people are ok with this.

 

[kateandy08096]

If I start to get harassed I plan on simply saying if you want the excellent rating I want excellent service. Plain and simple.

 

[squirk]

I have not cruised DCL but I am kind of shocked by this. They are bulling guests and everyone just goes along with it? Has anyone mentioned it to DCL corporate offices? If people are dreading going to dinner (others have mentioned this on this thread) because of this things are far from excellent. I’m honestly shocked people are ok with this.

Nobody’s OK with it. But DCL has manipulated the situation whereby the narrative is that anything less than “Excellent” splashes back on your server, who is working their *** off and has no say in how the system works.

We can cry “foul,” but if the narrative is true, I personally am not going to ding my server who’s working for a few dollars per hour + tips because the food itself wasn’t awesome. Hate the game, not the player.

As I mentioned earlier, my way of pre-empting the whole thing is to send an email to Guest Services in advance. So far, it’s worked. No uncomfortable spiels, no pressure, no guilt trips.

 

[ruadisneyfan2]

We always tell them that we've heard it before and no need to explain, but then again, we've always had excellent service. Maybe we're just lucky.
I think the reason the survey asks about food temp is to determine whose "fault" it is when a guests receives a plate of lukewarm food. If the cooks put hot steak on a plate, straight off the grill, then immediately cover it, and it sits there for 15 mins while waiting for the server to deliver it, then that shouldn't reflect on the cook.

I am also disgusted with the constant barrage of surveys in every aspect of life. It's in every store I shop.
I work in a hospital (breast imaging) and every month during staff meetings, the comments that people write in are read aloud. Any time a patient specifically mentions someone by name in a compliment, that person gets a Meal Ticket to our cafeteria. This is an incentive for us to make sure we introduce ourselves to our patients. Still, when someone is about to get a mammogram, they are usually quite nervous and only comprehend about 1/2 of what we're saying. Also, speech is sometimes muffled with wearing masks. I say "Hi, I'm Patti" but on the way out they say, "Thanks Maddie!" Oh well...