Page 148 - The Apple Experience

salesperson. But many companies reset the clock, especially in the areas of
phone and tech support. Amazon, Symantec, AT&T, and many other brands

will let you know what the wait time is when you call for help. AT&T and

Amazon phone reps ask customers for permission before putting them on

hold and will get back on the phone every minute or two to offer a status

update. Visit the support page for Symantec, which makes the popular

Norton antivirus suite of products, and the wait time is clearly posted on the

website for its 24-7 phone support (Amazon offers this as well). Think about
it. What would leave you feeling better about the conversation, sitting on

hold for six minutes or being told up front that the wait time will be six

minutes? The latter, of course.

Disney has more experience than any brand in creating smiles. But as

many of the 30 million visitors a year to Walt Disney World can tell you, the

“happiest place on earth” experience can be compromised by standing in

long, long lines. The smartphone era has bred a generation of impatient
guests, and Disney is constantly working on its customer service to stay

relevant and to improve the overall experience.

Disney technicians and Imagineers (the folks who come up with ideas for

new rides and attractions) have had to develop ways to keep people informed

and entertained during their wait. Although Disney doesn’t use the phrase

“reset internal clocks,” it’s exactly what they do when they dispatch Captain

Jack Sparrow to entertain people when a line gets too long. Yes, there is

actually a nerve center under Cinderella’s Castle with flat screen TVs

showing wait times at all the attractions. Technicians will even launch
miniparades to keep guests occupied or to siphon people to a less-congested

part of the park. If a restaurant is too busy, technicians will dispatch

“greeters” to hand out menus to people in line. They are even experimenting

with offering short video games (about 90 seconds in length) to keep people