Parking Tolls

[KingsIslander]

This makes me so mad. Okay, so our season passes that include parking only scan once per day. When they park the first time, we give them a parking receipt that MUST be used if they want to reenter the parking lot. Doesn't matter that it's a season pass with parking, they MUST have the receipt or pay to park the second time. However, they can go to a ticket sales window and have the parking refunded. Also, this is new this year- they used to scan multiple times per day last year. The way that the guests act can only be described in one way:

I am SO SICK of dealing with these people. I can't change the fact that you need to keep that receipt. The main thing that I try to tell them is that parking is $12 (which will be refunded), but replacing their season pass (we don't hand it back until they pay or present another season pass which hasn't been used that day) is $15 which will NOT be refunded. This usually helps, but a lot of them get mad and start yelling at me anyway. The thing that really gets me (and this is an SET) is when they drive off without paying, I keep the pass, and look later to see that one of my coworkers replaced it for free.

I honestly don't know what to tell these people anymore. I am NOT going to get written up because I let them through. They know they need to keep the receipt, but they decide that they're just going to do whatever they want because THEY have season passes so THEY must know everything. I am also so sick and tired of the position that management is putting us in. I don't think it's worth it arguing with a guest. Our training tells us never to argue with guests. But that's exactly what happens when they make season passes only work once per day at parking!

I'm sorry this is such a rant, but I have to vent before I snap at someone. :mad:

[Goofyernmost]

This makes me so mad. Okay, so our season passes that include parking only scan once per day. When they park the first time, we give them a parking receipt that MUST be used if they want to reenter the parking lot. Doesn't matter that it's a season pass with parking, they MUST have the receipt or pay to park the second time. However, they can go to a ticket sales window and have the parking refunded. Also, this is new this year- they used to scan multiple times per day last year. The way that the guests act can only be described in one way:

I am SO SICK of dealing with these people. I can't change the fact that you need to keep that receipt. The main thing that I try to tell them is that parking is $12 (which will be refunded), but replacing their season pass (we don't hand it back until they pay or present another season pass which hasn't been used that day) is $15 which will NOT be refunded. This usually helps, but a lot of them get mad and start yelling at me anyway. The thing that really gets me (and this is an SET) is when they drive off without paying, I keep the pass, and look later to see that one of my coworkers replaced it for free.

I honestly don't know what to tell these people anymore. I am NOT going to get written up because I let them through. They know they need to keep the receipt, but they decide that they're just going to do whatever they want because THEY have season passes so THEY must know everything. I am also so sick and tired of the position that management is putting us in. I don't think it's worth it arguing with a guest. Our training tells us never to argue with guests. But that's exactly what happens when they make season passes only work once per day at parking!

I'm sorry this is such a rant, but I have to vent before I snap at someone. :mad:

Curious...if a season pass is supposed to be good for any number of parks per day (w/receipt) what possible difference does it make. Without a receipt it would normally be considered a first entry. I see absolutely no difference or logic behind the rule. What am I missing. No wonder they get upset, the rule sounds stupid and you are their first line of complaint. Solution...become part of Management then you can make stupid decisions and someone else will have to take the heat for it.

[KingsIslander]

There's two reasons:
1. People were getting multiple cars in with their passes, which is not allowed. They were having one car park and wait in the drop-off area while they get their car in, then they'd walk out to the drop-off, get in that car, and use the pass again. When there's a receipt, we can see that it's only been 5 minutes since they entered, but with the pass, we didn't know. The back of the passes actually stated that the parking was valid for one vehicle per day (on the newer ones, anyway).

2. Employees were taking $12 from the guests, then scanning their own ID instead of entering paid parking into the computer. This meant their lane count would be correct, but the guests couldn't reenter, since they didn't have a receipt, and the employees could pocket the money. They were also allowing multiple cars through on the same pass by scanning it multiple times.

Bonus: It also mirrors the fact that their passes are only valid once per day at the turnstiles. Handstamps are required for reentry. (This is because scanning a pass counts you toward attendance for that day. Having a handstamp and reentering means we hit the "Reentry" button, so you're not counted twice.)

It was a stupid decision, but I can see both sides of it. We also have been telling them to make sure they hold onto the receipt if they plan on leaving the parking lot and coming back.

[shilohmm]

It was a stupid decision, but I can see both sides of it.

IMHO a lot of companies make stupid decisions because they're trying to deal with people who've been ripping them off. Not to discount random stupidity, but it's amazing how much stuff that sounds stupid actually has a fairly logical rationale behind it.

[avengador1]

We don't get a receipt when we use our annual pass for Disney. All we do is show it and get waved in. We can also park hop on the same day just by showing our annual passes.
Regular guests will have to pay to park, and they get a receipt which they can use to get "free" parking at any of the other parks on that day.
Universal prints out a complimentary parking receipt for our annual pass. They also usually ask to see my driver's license, along with the annual pass, before they print out the parking receipt. If someone were to try and re-use my receipt they would probably ask them to produce a driver's license and annual pass before they would let them in. If they tried to run the ticketing station they would be stopped by security, which is usually directing traffic just pass there. They also have police nearby to handle any real trouble makers.

[hhsrat]

.
Universal prints out a complimentary parking receipt for our annual pass. They also usually ask to see my driver's license, along with the annual pass, before they print out the parking receipt.

I've never been asked for a drivers license to park with my annual pass at Universal. (Granted, my AP is one of the "old school" ones, back when they still printed the annual passes on plastic cards, and there was a photo on the card)

[kurtisnelson]

It was a stupid decision, but I can see both sides of it. We also have been telling them to make sure they hold onto the receipt if they plan on leaving the parking lot and coming back.

It sounds like a horribly inconvenient solution by the park that is angering their repeat customers who are used to a different system. I'd be telling them that they should go talk to guest relations if they have a problem with the policy, but that you have no recourse at the parking booth. Or just always get your manager when they start complaining.

[Goofyernmost]

There's two reasons:
1. People were getting multiple cars in with their passes, which is not allowed. They were having one car park and wait in the drop-off area while they get their car in, then they'd walk out to the drop-off, get in that car, and use the pass again. When there's a receipt, we can see that it's only been 5 minutes since they entered, but with the pass, we didn't know. The back of the passes actually stated that the parking was valid for one vehicle per day (on the newer ones, anyway).

2. Employees were taking $12 from the guests, then scanning their own ID instead of entering paid parking into the computer. This meant their lane count would be correct, but the guests couldn't reenter, since they didn't have a receipt, and the employees could pocket the money. They were also allowing multiple cars through on the same pass by scanning it multiple times.

Bonus: It also mirrors the fact that their passes are only valid once per day at the turnstiles. Handstamps are required for reentry. (This is because scanning a pass counts you toward attendance for that day. Having a handstamp and reentering means we hit the "Reentry" button, so you're not counted twice.)

It was a stupid decision, but I can see both sides of it. We also have been telling them to make sure they hold onto the receipt if they plan on leaving the parking lot and coming back.

Thanks for taking the time to explain it...it makes sense on one hand but seems to me to be terribly cumbersome. With the computer world the way it is today, it seems like someone could devise a better system.

[KingsIslander]

It sounds like a horribly inconvenient solution by the park that is angering their repeat customers who are used to a different system. I'd be telling them that they should go talk to guest relations if they have a problem with the policy, but that you have no recourse at the parking booth. Or just always get your manager when they start complaining.

We don't have supervisors out at tolls. We can call for one, but it takes a while for them to get there, and it means that the guest would just drive off while we were using the phone. I'd feel worse for them if we didn't tell them that they had to keep it. Also, if they have a 2012 pass, it *does* say on it that the receipt is required for reentry.

Side note: I feel like I'm playing Frogger when I'm trying to cross the lanes at tolls. It's so great.