If Disney ran UK immigration and Heathrow I wouldn't have waited for 45 minutes in a disorganised shambles of a queue, in a grotty area with nothing to do but concern myself whether I am standing in the right area to get out of this as quickly as possible. I also wouldn't be reading notices which try and convince me that the reason for the long queues is because we have tightened security by asking more questions - a notion blown out of the water when the only words shared (when I finally made it to the desk) were "can you remove the passport from the holder - because it makes it easier for me!" And not one clue that we are hosting the Olympics. This was my greeting when I returned to the UK recently through Heathrow Terminal 5.
Disney would ensure appropriate staff scheduling of a team of well trained professional and welcoming people motivated by targets that drive the right behaviour and based on easily forecast demand. They would making queuing interesting and entertaining telling the story of our rich heritage and vibrant culture to maximise future sales. They wouldn't allow HSBC to provide adverts extolling the virtue of Michelin Starred restaurants in Japan.
Heathrow operating like this is an embarrassment - rude immigration officers, huge queues and not one sign, poster, brochure, video or mention of the fact that people are welcome to the host city of the Olympic Games 2012. Someone needs to get a grip and realise that In this the year of the London Olympics and the Diamond Jubilee we could do so much better and still preserve the professionalism of the agency and the security of our nation.
The space all the way from the doors of the plane through to airside arrivals and visa versa is marketing manna from heaven (as it is at every UK ingress or egress point). Disney and indeed anyone with half a brain would be selling what we have to offer to today's and tomorrow's guests - building a legacy and maximising the value of the Olympic investment.
“Take tourism seriously” - what a joke! Tourism is clearly not taken seriously and this abject failure is saddening. We need to act now before we miss the opportunity of a generation.
Being miserable faced, hardly speaking and inhospitable is not professional and secure it is simply rude and missing the sales opportunity of a generation is a criminal waste of the other investments we are making.
Any similar experiences of our welcoming immigration service?
What would you do if it was your marketing space?
We used to own a few restaurants in the USA, one actually located on Disney property. You are correct Disney wouldn't allow it to happen.
There was a downturn in trade in trade in central Florida, with tourism greatly affected by the US immigration service with their equal amounts of rudeness, lack of interest in their 'customer' so much so that Disney's trade was obviously affected.
So much damage did they do to one of the areas key incomes that Disney were called in to train them. They all had to attend the Disney Institude and the results were immediate! We have such a lot to learn from service offered from across the pond, Disney are masters at their trade. We too can offer amazing service here in the UK, but our foreign visitors have to get through our first line of service defense & a couple of inputs from the mouse wouldn't hurt a bit. Check out Jim Sullivan HM immigration - you may actually enjoy i!
Thanks - Great to hear US did something about it. The first issue is accepting there is an issue - I don't think the Immigration / border control / Home Office understand there is a problem and neither do they understand their role on behalf of the nation.
Without acceptance at the top it would be a waste of Jim or Mickey's time. Meanwhile I and many others would love to "Disney" the waiting spaces - what a story could be told.
How much would it really cost to get some large flat screens and stitch together video reels from tourism organisations and businesses around the country to illustrate what a vibrant varied country visitors are entering - while they wait for process immigration?
My daughter could stitch the videos together and I bet interested parties would pay for the marketing opportunity to get their "product" shown to the vast number of visitors passing through.
Just a little bit of joined up thinking and a little imagination - we don't need an imagineering department to get this done.
Just a little bit of desire to take advantage of the London 2012 opportunity afforded our nation!