Free pin promotion is the bain of my existance.
Posted: Tue Jan 06, 2009 9:47 am
Right now every guest who pays to park gets a coupon for a free pin redeemable at one location in each park. The Magic Kingdom's location is Uptown Jewelers, one of my shops. The coupon is only good on the date issued and is only for specific pins we keep behind the counter and are not for sale. The guest doesn't get to choose the pin, it is what ever pin we have at the moment.
Working back in pins is hell right now. Guests come up with their coupon and we give them the pin. Very simple and straight forward one would think, but no. Guests get upset they don't get to choose the pin, they get upset if they don't like the pin, they get upset when we refuse to take an expired coupon, they get upset when we tell them they can't be given a second pin.
We tell the guests who don't like the pin they are welcome to trade with any CM wearing a pin lanyard. It says clearly on the coupon that it is only good on the date printed on front, which is always that day's date. They give the excuse that they didn't know about the coupon until the next day. If they would actually look at what they are given they would know about it. The coupon says "FREE PIN!" on front in big letters.
We are also getting some guests who hear about the promotion later and say they left the coupon in their car and ask if they can get the pin. We have to apologize and tell them "no". These pins are all inventoried, we have to have either the pin or a coupon, that's why we can't give a second pin to a guest (I'm sorry it'll upset one of your kids but there's nothing I can do) and why we can't just give one away.
Working in the front of the shop is also annoying right now. Have to direct a LOT of guests that come in to the back counter to redeem the coupon. I've learned to spot the coupons a mile a way and can almost direct the guests in my sleep.
Being in another shop only helps a little. I've had people come up to me at the cart nearest the Castle and ask "is this where I redeem this?" I want to say "IDIOT! Read the back and it says "Uptown Jewelers! Does this cart look like a jewelery store to you?" Instead I politely point them down the street to Uptown. I don't even have pins for sale there!
I was talking to a friend who works in the Emporium and they're also having issues with this promotion. Guests come in there thinking that is where they go to get the pin and then get mad when they are told to go across the street.
The biggest issue with this is that guests aren't reading what they are given. If they would look at their parking stub they could see that a coupon is attached. If they would read the coupon beyond the words "Free Pin!" they would know where to go to get the pin. They would also know the coupon has to be used on the date issued and is not valid after that.
Seems to me this promotion started as a way to get rid of a lot of pins cluttering up the warehouse or something. I can't wait until it's over.
Working back in pins is hell right now. Guests come up with their coupon and we give them the pin. Very simple and straight forward one would think, but no. Guests get upset they don't get to choose the pin, they get upset if they don't like the pin, they get upset when we refuse to take an expired coupon, they get upset when we tell them they can't be given a second pin.
We tell the guests who don't like the pin they are welcome to trade with any CM wearing a pin lanyard. It says clearly on the coupon that it is only good on the date printed on front, which is always that day's date. They give the excuse that they didn't know about the coupon until the next day. If they would actually look at what they are given they would know about it. The coupon says "FREE PIN!" on front in big letters.
We are also getting some guests who hear about the promotion later and say they left the coupon in their car and ask if they can get the pin. We have to apologize and tell them "no". These pins are all inventoried, we have to have either the pin or a coupon, that's why we can't give a second pin to a guest (I'm sorry it'll upset one of your kids but there's nothing I can do) and why we can't just give one away.
Working in the front of the shop is also annoying right now. Have to direct a LOT of guests that come in to the back counter to redeem the coupon. I've learned to spot the coupons a mile a way and can almost direct the guests in my sleep.
Being in another shop only helps a little. I've had people come up to me at the cart nearest the Castle and ask "is this where I redeem this?" I want to say "IDIOT! Read the back and it says "Uptown Jewelers! Does this cart look like a jewelery store to you?" Instead I politely point them down the street to Uptown. I don't even have pins for sale there!
I was talking to a friend who works in the Emporium and they're also having issues with this promotion. Guests come in there thinking that is where they go to get the pin and then get mad when they are told to go across the street.
The biggest issue with this is that guests aren't reading what they are given. If they would look at their parking stub they could see that a coupon is attached. If they would read the coupon beyond the words "Free Pin!" they would know where to go to get the pin. They would also know the coupon has to be used on the date issued and is not valid after that.
Seems to me this promotion started as a way to get rid of a lot of pins cluttering up the warehouse or something. I can't wait until it's over.