Disney And The Lessons In Customer Relations

Among the many Disney businesses that deals directly with the public at large are mainly its famous theme parks. These are the places where people go to spend a fun-filled week or days, usually with their loved ones or close friends.

Disney developed these places all in the name of entertainment, filling all the senses of the park patrons with top-notch and unique kind of fun. Since these are the showcase businesses of Disney, this is where all their vaunted customer relations would come into full play after some hard training sessions done on their people.

Face to face customer interaction

Most companies require their employees to know the company’s “mission statement”, or to come up and create one for themselves. However, very few employees know or even understand what mission statements actually say or mean.

At Disney, the company spent time training their employees on basic customer care. When a guest shows signs of being in need, the Disney attendant stops at what he is doing and offers to help.

Show signs that you are looking for something and chances are a Disney employee will appear before you and asks if he can help you find what you are looking for.

‘Plussing”

Walt Disney himself coined the word “plussing”. He defined it as “giving people a stellar entertainment experience ‘plus’ constant improvements on it.”

This is the down-to-earth frame of mind where people never rest looking for something better. If something can be improved on, it is improved right away.

When the Euro became the official currency in Europe, Disney immediately changed the name of his European park from Euro Disney to Disneyland Paris.

He did not want his park to have a name associated with money or commerce. Moreover, the uniqueness of the European Disney world would have been “diluted” (and easily forgotten) had it acquired the same name or affiliation as the Euro.

Attention to small details

At Disney, the attention to details is unequalled. John Hench, a former employee, wrote: “What’s our success formula? It’s the attention to infinite details, the little things, the minor picky points that others just don’t want to take the time, money or effort to do.”

Mornings at Disney offices, guests hear upbeat and energetic music. In the evening, the music is changed to decidedly mellow tunes, in deference to guests who are presumed to be tired after a long day.

Disney had invested much time and energy working on this during the company’s long preparation for its theme parks. Aids, such as background music, are one of the things most usually forgotten, or never having been thought of in the first place.

All guests are VIPs

The best gauge on this is how Disney personnel treat guests, specially those with disabilities. Each one is assured of a comfortable stay, at the very least.

Riding public transport is never easy for people who cannot walk. At Disney, the attendants want to make sure that guests with disabilities can turn their trip into something positive or at least neutral.

With Disney’s brand of customer relationship, is it any wonder how the company had grown to its present size?