PARK 5, NC
First Contact: Automated machine. Chose operator.
Answering phone: Female.
API: Stated question.
Staff: Um, we do for, like, the canopy tour, you have to be in between 70 and 250 pounds. And it’s not that the lines can’t hold over 250. It’s just that, like, it becomes a hazard for the person doing it after that point, just because you are your own braking system, and it’s harder to brake if you’re over that.
API: OK. Well he’s right around that. But surprisingly enough, he’s a pretty fit guy. I guess I should weigh him beforehand and if he’s over, then I guess it’s a no-go situation, huh?
Staff: Yeah, I mean, like, unfortunately, yeah.
API: Do you guys weigh people or is it based on what we tell you?
Staff: No, right, yeah, like, it’s kind of your own discretion. But I mean, if he’s, like, more than five over that’s probably not a good idea.
API: OK. That makes sense. I’ll have him weigh himself when he gets home and after the holidays just in case, Ha Ha!
Staff: That’s a good idea. I hope he can come!
API: Thanks, me too.
Rating: 4
Comment: Like, If I lie and say he’s 200 lbs, then it’s our bad, eh?
PARK 6, TX
First Contact: Female.
API: Stated question.
Staff: We do, unfortunately. Um, 275 pounds and 6’8” are our restrictions.
API: OK. He’s just under both of those so he should be able to do everything?
Staff: Yeah. We have our challenge area and then our zip line. And he can do all that!
API: Great. Glad he can do everything.
Staff: Sure thing!
API: Perfect.
Staff: And now we have a harness that is actually plus size. And most people can, that are in that size and that weight amount, can wear them. But occasionally, we have guests whose weight isn’t as well proportioned on them to where it’s really hard to get into one of the plus-size harnesses. In that case we do have one other harness that we can use. It’s not as comfortable, but it’s a bigger harness. But we can always go to that, if we have to.
API: That’s good to know you have a bigger one if needed. Thanks again, glad I called.
Staff: Anytime. Have a good day!
1 Comment
This is an interesting article covering customer service, and potentially a useful assessment of customer service styles and responses. However, it is always easy to be enthusiastic for a guest if they can go on the tour be it because they are under the weight limit or size limit. It is much more difficult to enforce a size or weight rule in a way that is upbeat and enthusiastic. Guests who call for reservations typically want to go, and telling them they can not go is hard for the guest to hear and for the customer service staff to relay. This would have been much more useful if API had consistently adjusted the fictitious guests’ weight to just always be right over or right around the weight limit or waist size limit. That way each customer service agent would be dealing with the same issue, how do you politely let the guest know that they may not be able to go on the tour. That is a customer service challenge. Telling a guest they can go is pretty easy. the way in which this was written many of the customer service agents had the easy job of saying “sure you can go!” – admittedly some did it more enthusiastically than others, but the point of the article seems missed if only some agents are confronted with a guest who is in fact “on the heavier side” according to each courses definition of that statement.