2.25.2008

Donald Duck dispatched to Walter Reed

No, it's not a George Saunders story. It's the truth. And it's outrageously stupid. I guess the solution to cronyism is picking cronies with better pr. Trademarked cartoon characters are optional.

The oft-cranky Disney cartoon character, wearing his blue sailor jacket and cap, was in a palpable rage. His webbed feet had lifted off the ground, his beak was gaping, and his white-gloved hands were tightly clutching an old-fashioned two-piece telephone.

"We can clearly see he's frustrated," said Kris Lafferty, a trainer for the Disney Institute who was leading workers at the Northwest Washington hospital last week in a four-hour seminar on customer service. "Why do we think he's frustrated?"


My guess is he's frustrated because he got sent to fight in an ill-conceived war where he was grievously injured. Then, when he got home, he was given substandard healthcare by a privatized veteran's hospital that was better at making money than treating his injuries and keeping the facilities sanitary.



But I'm wrong. Turns out he's pissed because his orderly didn't sit through a three hour, presumably govt-subsidized Disney commercial.

Considering the business-side understanding of customer-service- a necessary expense to be kept minimal- this is particularly odious. The problem isn't rude telephone operators.

2 comments:

Grendel said...

'A year after a scandal erupted over the long-term treatment of soldiers at the hospital, the Army has turned to Disney for help. "Service, Disney Style" is newly required for all military and other government employees at Walter Reed.'

cfp said...

Yeah, I guess I buried the lede there. Sorry. My blogging skills are rusty.