Staff Vs Written Warnings

[koolkidsyd]

ok than, i have a announcement,im only 17 i started working at Wonderland when i was 14, i worked in Guest Relations, Than Park Services, an i worked there until september 2004. and before you ask why i was working there so long after closure, it was because i was working under contract with wonderland sydney and ABI Group Leighton as a cleaner, an the contract that i was working under was not due to expire when the park closed. therefore i stayed on, untill wonderland cancelled the contract. there were four other park services staff who also worked under this contract, (mainly night staff)

[DaptoFunlandGuy]

I think Joz's second comment there was spot on the money of what i was trying to say. Yes, attractions does get the abuse when you can't ride and such, but so long as you're within the restrictions, and obeying the rules, the only time you heard from your ride operator was when they were spieling at the start and end of the ride.

AlexB, if you worked in the Attractions Department, maybe you might have a leg to stand on... How is a F+B staff member going to have more contact with guests when they're flippin burgers in an outlet? You just can't justify that comment. What about Ride Ops that deal with guest injuries, complaints, and most of all the responsibility for the safety of hundreds of people who enter their ride? Theres a lot more to it than 'sittin behind a panel'. And if you were seen, throwing the ball and 'ripping' out the microphone out of his hand, you should have joined that guest in being ejected from the park. That is misproper conduct from a staff member. Being in a high 'contact' position in Retail/Games you should be professional in your actions. Possibly switching off the microphone from the main might have been more appropriate.

As Joz said, im not talking about the burger flippers, but the service people. the same as the games staff, and the retail staff...... their entire job is face to face with a guest, not just if they're annoyed with a ride. I was stating that half of an ops job was behind a panel, pushing buttons, as opposed to food and retail that are face to face all the time. there was no main switch for the microphone, the only off switch was on the microphone, in his hand.

[koolkidsyd]

Hey i was still working In ops, i didnt just sit behind control panels

[Daniel]

What the friggen hell are you talking about old son? Stop dribbling and go read a dictionary!

[koolkidsyd]

Daniel, Instead of just winging about everybody why dont you actually join into the conversation, all you do is winge and make childish comments.

[scott]

While I do agree that he should join in on the conversation more I think he makes pretty valid complaints.

[Richard]

There are a set of Community Guidelines which it is expected every user at Roller-Coaster.com.au reads and follows. koolkidsyd, I suggest you read them. They are found here, and linked to at the bottom of every page.

[ScReAMmachine!]

As Joz said, im not talking about the burger flippers, but the service people. the same as the games staff, and the retail staff...... their entire job is face to face with a guest, not just if they're annoyed with a ride.

Attractions staff are responsible for speiling and advising guests with showtimes, directions etc. like retail and f&b staff. Remember one area of an Attractions staff member's job includes ushering at the various shows and appearances throughout the park.

I was stating that half of an ops job was behind a panel, pushing buttons, as opposed to food and retail that are face to face all the time.

Ok so a attendant speils to the customers before they enter the ride, greet them as they enter, guest relate as they perform their safety checks, speil prior to dispatching the ride, speil whilst the ride is in motion (oh yeah and somewhere in there, they press those buttons), speil as the ride is completing its cycle, guest relate as harnesses are released and as guests leave the ride. Again Oh and this doesn't include unexpected face-to-face dealings with ride breakdowns (guest relating out the front entrance, and those guests on the ride)

there was no main switch for the microphone, the only off switch was on the microphone, in his hand.

Sorry, I was thinking of the connection at Coin Pitch. Nevertheless the microphone had to be connected to an outlet, hence removing the microphone from the socket would have worked just fine. AlexB, don't jump on these forums and discredit other employees positions when you honestly don't have the experience (or knowledge) of other people's jobs. In your position you would have experienced a high level of face-to -face interaction, however so do the attractions staff

[DaptoFunlandGuy]

Scream, you have given a great description of the "job description". I am referring to the tasks actually performed by most Ride Operators, as opposed to Ushers, I observed at Wonderland. While there are exceptions, I am referring to the majority. So this "spiel" load "spiel" safety "spiel" running "spiel" stopping etc is rubbish. Most Ops I observed would read out the mandatory safety checks, and start the ride. this Spieling is not direct interaction with guests either, as the spiel could be read from a black room 20 kms away, and still have the same effect. DIRECT INTERACTION WITH THE GUEST, FACE TO FACE, FOR THEIR ENTIRE JOB. Show me how an OP achieves that? If you read correctly, I was at SPEED PITCH not COIN PITCH. The Amplifier for the microphone was over the counter, which, from his position, was behind him.

[Bussy]

DIRECT INTERACTION WITH THE GUEST, FACE TO FACE, FOR THEIR ENTIRE JOB. Show me how an OP achieves that?

Guest relating for an entire day because of a ride breakdown. I had to do this several times during my time at Wonderland and I can tell you that it would be 10 times harder than taking money off people for games they couldn't win. If you had ever stood in one place telling probably 1000 or more people in a day exactly the same thing and quite often you would have a about 20 people in front of you. That group would be made up of 5 or 6 separate groups and even though you had said that the ride was 'temporarily closed' and said it loud enough that everyone could hear you and you could see that they had heard you each of the 5 or 6 groups would still come to you and ask exactly the same question. It was a huge pain in the arse. "The Bus is now leaving for Baffle Group, Queensland"

[DaptoFunlandGuy]

Guest relating for an entire day because of a ride breakdown.  I had to do this several times during my time at Wonderland and I can tell you that it would be 10 times harder than taking money off people for games they couldn't win.  If you had ever stood in one place telling probably 1000 or more people in a day exactly the same thing and quite often you would have a about 20 people in front of you.  That group would be made up of 5 or 6 separate groups and even though you had said that the ride was 'temporarily closed' and said it loud enough that everyone could hear you and you could see that they had heard you each of the 5 or 6 groups would still come to you and ask exactly the same question.  It was a huge pain in the arse.

several times during your time.... but did you do it EVERY day? and that is my point. Also - every single game at the park was possible, be it through luck or skill, and I have already posted a full list of all of the games in the park elsewhere in the forums. Ever stood in one place telling 1000 or more people the same thing? "20 cents to play, only 20 cents here today, right here at coin pitch, test your luck, land a coin on the table and win yourself a fantastic prize, come on folks, only 20 cents to play here today, grab your prizes, win your partner something nice, prove your skill in between your thrills, right here at Coin Pitch" Ok - so say you're on Ampol's Autos... not EVERYONE wants to ride that, so on a quiet day, yes, ill give you a 1000. But that same day on Coin Pitch - We would face more than 5000 guests, and we would do it every day. AND, when we had finished that spiel, we would then have to spiel the rules individually to each player as they lined up to play, repeating it several times in the space of 5 minutes. I dont claim that games and retail and food had an EASIER job than Ops, but face to face guest relations, while I am stereotyping with the "sitting behind the panel pushing buttons", it is nevertheless an overstated truth, in comparison to the retail or food staff.

[ScReAMmachine!]

several times during your time.... but did you do it EVERY day? and that is my point.

The answer to that question is YES. I don't conclude with that answer because I "observed" ride operators, because I actually have the experience in that area.

Ever stood in one place telling 1000 or more people the same thing?

Again, the answer to that question is... wait for it... YES "We do apologise, but for reasons beyond our control the XXXX is not operational today. We do suggest however that you try....." Alex, if you were 'working' and saying those speils to 1000 people, I very much doubt you would have the time to listen and observe the ride operators considering the closest ride to coin pitch (Bountys) involves the operator communicating with EVERY rider (50 on a maximum load). This involves telling guests to fasten seat belts, push on their harnesses to ensure they are locked etc... Why won't you hear that on the microphone? Because the Op speaks to guests on a one-on-one basis. Bussy, would you agree? I also 'observed' staff but unlike you Alex, that was part of my job.

[rappa]

It is obvious to anyone reading this thread with an objective point of view that Alex is right here. NO I didn't work at WL but I have spent a fair amount of time at parks in my life and I am by no means a stupid man... He is not saying that Ops don't talk to guests he is saying it does not make up as higher percentage of their job as it does for game attendants. Yes when you have to talk out the front of a closed attraction this would change but that was not your job all day every day. Checking restraints is also A LOT different to convincing punters to come and give you money and play... Why is it that ex WL employees are so bloody touchy about their jobs?

[koolkidsyd]

I reckon, i think that we should just leave it. Otherwise this forum is going to go on and on, about staff posistions!.

[DaptoFunlandGuy]

As usual Clint, you put it into words that I simply did not think to say... but you are right. Scream - im not saying I observed the ride ops while i was working. Many a time i spent time before and after my shift, during my lunch break, and even days off walking around the park. So, in essence, observing them as much as a usual guest would. and even with the casual observation of a guest enjoying the park, i can still make the observations I have made.

[joz]

Yeah, I've stopped myself from commenting several times since the around in circles thing is kinda boring I'll leave it open in case someone else wants to join the carousel.

[koolkidsyd]

How did we get on this topic in the first place?.

[Bussy]

Weeeeee the carousel is so much fun. I agree with Scream on this one (funny that considering we worked together for so long). A lot of the guest interaction was done on a one on one basis and Bounty's is a perfect example of this. You would tell people what to do via the microphone but then you would have to go and tell (usually 75%) of the people on the ride directly what you had just said over the microphone. On rides like Bounty's, Bush Beast, Snowy, Dodgems and Demon you are looking at 2-3000 people a day on each ride (normal 7 hours), and that doesn't include the people who choose not to ride but still come to the ride (another 100 or so per day). Alex your coin pitch spiel, although very impressive, would not have been directed on one or two people, but the general crowd in the area. "The Bus is now leaving for Coinville, South Australia"

[joz]

Yeah, spruking is not dealing with guests. Try being the guy on Snowy getting 6 guests into a group every 30 or so seconds, loading the boats, telling people to put seatbelts on and answering guest quieres. THAT is dealing with guests.

[DaptoFunlandGuy]

the coin pitch spruik was in reply to the spruik regarding the ride being closed. you asked if i've had to say the same thing over and over again all day - such as when a ride is closed, and you are guest relating, i was pointing out that yes - i have done that. you list the top capacity rides at the park as saying the spiel and individual guest relating, not ALL of them... But the bottom point is simple - gamesfront service food staff are 100% face to face relations. Operations are not. yes, you still do face to face stuff, but nowhere near what a games op would do.

[T-bone]

This discussion seems to be going around in a huge circle, going no-where. Just like if you were stuck on the road which goes around parliment. One big circle.

[Bussy]

Yeah it is Paul and that statement has already been made. "The Bus is now leaving for The Circles, NSW"

[rappa]

Well I think probably the only person who can really comment acurately here is Joz given he has actualy in the position of going from foods to attractions... Then again Rabid beats you all because as a photographer he is 100% face to face all day every day

[T-bone]

Good ole joz and rabid.

[koolkidsyd]

I think we should just come to the solution that all staff interacted with guests equally, i worked in park services and also worked in guest relations at turnstiles, on a school day when there were hundreds of school kids coming through turnstiles, you are currently saying "scan you ticket walk through" scan you ticket walk through" every two guest that went through the turnstiles you would say that line again, to avoid a jam in the que.I think that is interacting with guest!, but i do agree operations staff had alot of interaction with guest, and im not just sticking up for operations because i worked in that department.