Introduction
Walt Disney's name has been synonymous with magic, wonder, and exceptional entertainment for generations. But beyond the beloved animated films and iconic characters, there's another aspect of Disney that has kept millions of people coming back year after year: their legendary customer service. In "Be Our Guest," the Disney Institute reveals the secrets behind this extraordinary success, offering insights into how Disney creates unforgettable experiences for its guests and maintains its status as a leader in the entertainment industry.
This book summary will take you on a journey through the key principles and strategies that Disney employs to deliver world-class service. From the company's unique approach to understanding customer needs to its meticulous attention to detail in every aspect of the guest experience, you'll discover how Disney has perfected the art of creating magic for people of all ages.
The Quality Service Compass: Disney's Guide to Excellence
At the heart of Disney's approach to customer service is the Quality Service Compass, a framework that guides every employee in delivering exceptional experiences. This compass consists of four key elements that work together to ensure that guests receive the highest quality service possible.
Compass Point 1: Guestology - Understanding the Customer
The foundation of Disney's service strategy is a deep understanding of its customers, which the company refers to as "guestology." This involves carefully studying guest expectations, preferences, and behaviors to tailor every aspect of the Disney experience to meet and exceed those expectations.
Disney's commitment to guestology is evident in its approach to family vacations. Through extensive research, the company discovered that families visiting their theme parks primarily want two things: to enjoy quality time together and to escape the stresses of everyday life. Armed with this knowledge, Disney has been able to shape its offerings to perfectly align with these desires, creating an environment where families can bond and create lasting memories.
Compass Point 2: Quality Standards - Setting the Bar High
Once Disney understands what its guests want, the company establishes clear quality standards to ensure that every interaction and experience meets those expectations. Disney has defined four critical quality standards that guide all of its operations:
- Safety: Ensuring the well-being of all guests is the top priority.
- Courtesy: Treating every guest with warmth, respect, and personal attention.
- Show: Maintaining a cohesive and immersive environment that aligns with Disney's themes and stories.
- Efficiency: Ensuring that all facilities, systems, and employees work seamlessly to provide a smooth experience.
These standards are so deeply ingrained in Disney's culture that employees (or "cast members," as they're called) instinctively prioritize them in their decision-making. For example, if a cast member is about to begin a show but notices a lost child, they will immediately attend to the child's safety before starting the performance. This unwavering commitment to quality standards ensures that guests consistently receive the best possible experience.
Compass Point 3: Delivery Systems - The Three Pillars of Service
Disney's approach to delivering high-quality service relies on three interconnected systems:
- Employees: Cast members receive ongoing training and feedback to maintain the highest standards of performance.
- Setting: Every physical environment, from hotels to theme parks, is meticulously designed to immerse guests in the Disney experience.
- Processes: Disney develops streamlined, efficient processes to ensure a seamless guest experience.
The company pays extraordinary attention to detail in each of these areas. For instance, even the doorknobs in Disney hotels are designed to look like they've stepped out of a fairy tale, enhancing the overall magical atmosphere. Similarly, Disney has implemented clever solutions to common guest problems, such as developing a system to help families easily locate their cars in the vast parking lots after a long day at the park.
Compass Point 4: Integration - Bringing It All Together
The final compass point focuses on integrating the three delivery systems to create a cohesive and consistent guest experience. Disney uses an integration matrix to ensure that important elements, such as courtesy, are reflected across all three systems.
For example, when considering courtesy:
- Employees are trained to be polite and helpful.
- The setting might include "recognition cards" for guests to acknowledge exceptional service.
- Processes could allow guests to designate VIPs within their own party, adding a personal touch to their experience.
This integrated approach ensures that every aspect of the guest experience aligns with Disney's core values and quality standards.
The Power of Purpose: More Than Just a Slogan
Disney's famous declaration that it is the "Happiest Place On Earth" is more than just a catchy marketing phrase. It's a powerful statement of purpose that serves multiple functions for the company.
A Promise to Customers
By articulating a clear theme or purpose, Disney sets expectations for its guests and makes a promise about the experience they'll have. The company's stated purpose is "We create happiness by providing the finest entertainment for people of all ages, everywhere." This simple yet powerful statement:
- Defines the goal (creating happiness)
- Outlines the method (providing the finest entertainment)
- Identifies the target audience (people of all ages, everywhere)
This clear purpose helps guests understand what they can expect from a Disney experience and challenges the company to consistently meet or exceed those expectations.
A Mission for Employees
Equally important, this statement of purpose serves as a unifying mission for all Disney employees, regardless of their specific role. It helps cast members understand that they're not just doing a job; they're part of something larger and more meaningful. This sense of purpose can be incredibly motivating and helps to align everyone's efforts towards a common goal.
Disney reinforces this concept by referring to customers as "guests" rather than using more impersonal terms. This simple linguistic choice encourages employees to treat visitors with the same warmth and hospitality they would extend to a guest in their own home.
Creating a Multisensory Experience
Disney understands that a truly immersive and memorable experience engages all of the senses. The company goes to great lengths to create environments that appeal to sight, sound, smell, taste, and touch, ensuring that every moment at a Disney property is filled with wonder and delight.
The Power of Smell
One of the first things visitors to Disneyland might notice is the smell of freshly popped popcorn, even early in the morning. This isn't an accident – Disney deliberately uses scents to create a warm, inviting atmosphere that immediately puts guests in a positive mood.
Visual Impact
Given that the majority of our sensory receptors are in our eyes, Disney pays particular attention to the visual aspects of its parks and properties. Even seemingly minor details, like the color of directional signs, are carefully chosen. For example, Disney World uses purple and red for its signs because research showed that these colors were most easily remembered by people.
The Soundtrack of Magic
Sound plays a crucial role in creating the Disney atmosphere. The company carefully selects music and ambient sounds to match the theme of each area and to evoke specific emotions in guests. Even behind the scenes, Disney uses sound to inspire its employees. For instance, in Hong Kong Disneyland, the system that dispenses costumes to cast members plays the magical "Tinkerbell jingle" when the process is complete, signaling the transition into their character roles.
Taste and Theming
Disney's attention to detail extends to its food offerings as well. Menus are carefully crafted to match the theme of each area of the park. In Frontierland, guests can enjoy hearty, rustic fare like roasted turkey legs, while those strolling along Disney's BoardWalk might indulge in classic seaside treats like salt water taffy. This thoughtful approach to food not only satisfies hunger but also enhances the overall immersive experience.
The Magic of Touch
Finally, Disney recognizes the importance of tactile experiences in creating lasting memories. The company incorporates interesting textures and interactive elements throughout its properties. One clever example is the use of hidden water features in unexpected places, delighting children (and adults) with surprise splashes and sprays.
Understanding Guests Through Surveys
To maintain its high standards of service and continually improve the guest experience, Disney relies heavily on customer surveys. These surveys go beyond simple satisfaction ratings to gather detailed information about guests' demographics, preferences, and emotional states.
Demographic Insights
By collecting demographic data, Disney can tailor its offerings to better serve specific groups of visitors. For example, when the company discovered that 25% of Disneyland guests were international visitors, with a significant number coming from Brazil, they took action. Disney trained Portuguese-speaking employees in Brazilian culture and customs, allowing them to better accommodate large groups of Brazilian visitors and even encourage their tradition of group sing-alongs.
Emotional Intelligence
Disney's surveys also delve into psychographic information, helping the company understand guests' emotional states, needs, and expectations throughout their visit. This knowledge allows Disney to anticipate and respond to guests' changing moods and energy levels throughout the day. For instance, knowing that guests are often excited upon entering the park, thrilled after riding major attractions, and exhausted by the end of the day helps Disney design experiences and services that align with these emotional states.
Mastering the Art of Queue Management
One of the biggest challenges for any theme park is managing wait times for popular attractions. Disney has developed a three-pronged approach to address this issue, ensuring that guests have the best possible experience even when lines are unavoidable.
1. Optimizing Operations
Disney carefully manages its facilities to minimize wait times wherever possible. One innovative solution is the Extra Magic Hours program, which allows guests staying at Disney resorts to access certain park areas earlier or later than the general public. This not only provides a special perk for resort guests but also helps distribute crowds more evenly throughout the day.
2. Optimizing Guest Flow
Rather than dictating a specific route through the park, Disney allows guests to explore at their own pace. To help visitors make informed decisions about which attractions to visit and when, the company provides tip boards at central locations. These boards list current wait times for major attractions, helping guests plan their day more efficiently. Interestingly, Disney slightly exaggerates these wait times, ensuring that guests are pleasantly surprised when their actual wait is shorter than expected.
3. Optimizing the Queue Experience
Recognizing that some waiting is inevitable, Disney focuses on making the time spent in line as enjoyable as possible. Many popular attractions feature pre-show entertainment or interactive elements in the queue area. For example, guests waiting for the Muppet Vision 3D show are entertained by a 12-minute pre-show featuring various Muppet characters on television monitors. This approach helps time pass more quickly and keeps guests engaged even before the main attraction begins.
The Importance of Continual Improvement
Throughout "Be Our Guest," one theme becomes clear: Disney's commitment to continual improvement. The company never rests on its laurels, constantly seeking ways to enhance the guest experience and stay ahead of changing expectations.
This dedication to improvement is evident in every aspect of Disney's operations:
- Ongoing employee training ensures that cast members are always up-to-date on the latest service standards and techniques.
- Regular refurbishments and updates to attractions keep the parks fresh and exciting, even for repeat visitors.
- Continuous gathering and analysis of guest feedback allow Disney to identify and address issues quickly.
- Embracing new technologies to enhance the guest experience, such as the MyMagic+ system that allows for more personalized interactions and smoother logistics.
By maintaining this focus on improvement, Disney ensures that it continues to create magical experiences for generations of guests.
Final Thoughts: The Magic of Disney's Customer Service
Disney's approach to customer service is truly magical, not because it relies on tricks or illusions, but because it is built on a deep understanding of human nature and a genuine desire to create happiness. The principles outlined in "Be Our Guest" offer valuable lessons for any organization looking to improve its customer experience:
- Understand your customers deeply and use that knowledge to shape every aspect of your service.
- Set clear quality standards and ensure that every employee understands and embodies them.
- Pay attention to every detail of the customer experience, from the broadest themes to the smallest sensory inputs.
- Create a strong sense of purpose that motivates employees and sets clear expectations for customers.
- Use data and feedback to continually refine and improve your offerings.
- Think creatively about common challenges, like waiting times, and find innovative solutions.
While not every company can (or should) try to replicate Disney's specific approach, the underlying principles of exceptional customer service are universally applicable. By focusing on understanding and delighting customers, setting high standards, and continually striving for improvement, any organization can create its own kind of magic.
As you reflect on the lessons from "Be Our Guest," consider how you might apply these principles in your own work or business. How can you better understand your customers' needs and expectations? What small details could you improve to enhance the overall experience? How might you inspire your team with a clear sense of purpose?
By embracing the spirit of Disney's legendary customer service, you too can create experiences that leave your customers feeling like they've just visited the "Happiest Place on Earth" – no matter what business you're in.