As we discovered in What Samantha Knows, MIC Key™ Snap V1 I8, guests have told Disney that when they INTERACT with Disney Cast Members. They expect those cast members to be knowledgeable. That’s a problem. The volume of information its guests expect its cast members to know is overwhelming. With parade, show and fireworks times, transportation options and schedules, food selections for every possible diet, where specific merchandise can be found, the knowledge required to assist guests is seemingly endless.

So how do you provide that information when the cast member is brand new? This photo shows a College Program cast member, likely just beginning his semester at Walt Disney World, greeting guests in front of a broken down Big Thunder Mountain Railroad ride. The sign he is holding shares the relevant guest information for him.

It’s an example of planning and foresight. Knowing that the ride will eventually break down, and that the guests will, in response, ask very specific questions, Magic Kingdom management created signs with the answers for cast members to hold. The sign serves the dual purpose of providing instant information to the guests and alleviates the new cast member from having to learn a specific piece of information until it is relevant.

What about you and your organization? Do you throw your new employees receive adequate training before they are thrust into customer facing situations? Do you know what questions your customers usually ask? Do you have the answers ready and available for those new employees? And, when a customer has a problem, do your frontline employees have the ability to answer questions and solve issues on the spot? They should.