It used to be, that real hard currency was king.
I still don’t travel without it. Ya never know when you will need to tip or feed a parking meter.
But even parking meters these days take credit cards, PayPal and Rubles.
Recently, cash has become persona non grata in many places. Last year I tried to pay for a meal with cash at a Washington, DC restaurant and they bluntly told me they only accept credit cards.
What?!
I asked if they wanted to be paid for the delicious meal. The manager said yes, but it needs to be a credit card.
I did not ask again. I dropped 3 one hundred dollar bills on the table and walked out.
Never been back
Had I been asked to pre-pay, I would have had to find another restaurant.
Contrast that experience with Disney.
I just checked into the Grand Floridian ahead of my DSNi Boot Camp and was walking through the gorgeous lobby when I noticed one of those old-time penny squishing machines.
You know, the one where you drop a penny in one slot and a couple of quarters in another and the machine squishes the penny into the shape of Mickey Mouse.
As I have told you before, Disney is the MASTER at EXTRACTING MONEY FROM YOUR WALLET and making you happy at the same time.
They know how to eliminate all BARRIERS to the sale
No quarters for the machine?
No problem
In the case of the penny squisher, they have added a credit card accepting device for you to pay for your penny.
Oh wait….. No penny?
No problem.
The machine has its own stash to dispense.
Barriers to the sale eliminated.
This is but a small example of how Disney removes the barriers to sales and service.
They are fanatical about it. For Goofy’s sake, they did it to a penny squishing machine.
Let’s pry a few more dollars from their hands!
Of course the penny machines are placed strategically throughout the resort; the front desk, the bus stop, and the monorail station. All places where guests have nothing to do except wait.
But that strategy is for another day.
I am heading out to the parks right now to do some further “investigating, surveying & studying”. Tough job, but someone has to do it
