The Quality Service Difference
By Rilous Carter, Vice President
Disney's Hollywood Studios™ Special Events
The inventory could be identical, the displays and designs the same… but when two companies compete, one factor will determine which will earn a customer’s business. History has shown it’s usually the organization that understands how the art of service can lead to customer loyalty.
Perhaps more than any other organization on earth, Disney is dedicated to fine-tuning the process of delivering exemplary guest service. Each day at Disney’s Hollywood Studios™, Vice President Rilous Carter sees the company building upon decades of success through the consistent delivery of what is known the world over as the magic of Disney.
THAT CERTAIN SOMETHING
Soon after entering the workforce and getting comfortable in my role, I began to notice that each customer brought something unique to our business. That “something” was their individual wants, needs, and emotions. Since then, I’ve become convinced that when a business fails to address the expectations of their customers, it’s likely they can expect to lose their customers’ business.
Consider, for instance, where you shop, dine, and vacation. I’d imagine that even if you have a soft spot for a certain place, product, or experience, it’s doubtful you’d return to it if the staff consistently dismissed your needs or failed to meet your expectations. The importance of providing exemplary personal attention is the cornerstone of what is practiced from executive levels to the front lines throughout every Disney Resort, restaurant, shop, and ship around the world. Should that message be compromised, there’s a chance that our legendary service – where we strive for perfection, but will settle for excellence – would be lost.
At Disney, that is not an option.
CONSISTENT SERVICE
For a destination that encompasses an expansive 40 square miles and includes four Theme Parks, two Water Parks and 24 owned and operated Resort hotels, many in attendance at Disney Institute programs are surprised to learn that the ultimate Walt Disney World® Resort product is not mouse ears or park tickets. Instead, it is… service.
And for a reason.
Throughout our history, the one element that has defined Disney and set us apart from the competition is our high level of service – so we’re anxious to maintain that. But in an organization that includes a workforce of some 150,000 people throughout the world (more than 58,000 in Orlando alone), ensuring a consistent level of service experience at every Disney destination is clearly a challenge. So how do we do it?
The same way you can.
First, we let our Cast Members (in your case, employees) know that we appreciate what they do. They know that we’re sincere because they see that every leader leads by example. Furthermore, we emphasize that to maintain our position at the forefront of family entertainment everyone within the organization has the responsibility, as well as the privilege, of building upon Disney traditions and heritage.
HARNESS YOUR HERITAGE
There’s an oft-used maxim that when you find something that works, you stick with it. In a sense, that’s what we’ve done with our approach to quality service. Processes put into place during the early days of Disneyland® Resort not only set the highest standards for service, but helped establish a consistency of service delivery that has pleased generations of Guests.
This isn’t by chance. It’s because of what every Cast Member learns.
Part of Walt Disney’s legacy was establishing the very simple, yet highly effective, values of Safety, Courtesy, Show, and Efficiency. To this day, at each Theme Park we make sure that every Cast Member is aware of, and adherent to, these long-held quality service standards. By doing this, they not only feel a bit of Disney heritage in their hearts, they become part of the Disney Story. In turn, they’re committed to delivering the level of service that management and our Guests have come to expect.
I agree that not every company shares a story like ours, but every company certainly does have its own story. Take a moment and think about your own organization. Have you leveraged your heritage to create a common bond among your employees? Are you continuing the traditions that initially set the trajectory for success? If not, then consider them untapped resources.
BEHIND-THE-SCENES...AND OUT IN FRONT
There’s another aspect of service delivery that deserves attention: The role of support staff.
Lacking direct encounters with customers, some behind-the-scenes team members at many organizations feel removed from the day-to-day activities of an organization and assume they have little, if any, effect on either service delivery or the outcome of the business.
On the contrary. Here at Disney, everyone at every level of the company knows that an exceptional guest experience is contingent upon an unbroken flow of quality service.
While our team leaders may not be serving our Guests directly, they know that their role helps in serving the people who are. By following the same standards expected throughout the company, a service bond connects our leaders to our front line and our front line to our Guests.
I’ve had fellow business leaders ask how we do it. How do we channel our diverse lines of business, people, and products towards the ultimate goal of creating magic? It’s actually very simple.
We listen.
People need to know that their roles are important and that their thoughts have merit. By simply taking time to listen, the chain of excellence leads to our goal: The delivery of the magic of Disney. So we let everyone know that their ideas count and that what they do matters. When they do, they deliver service that exceeds expectations.
Align your entire team with the shared values of the company, and it confirms the importance of everyone.
YOUR MOST PRECIOUS RESOURCE
One of Walt Disney’s most memorable observations is that “You can dream, create, design, and build the most wonderful place in the world, but it requires people to make the dream a reality.”
Think about that in your own organization. Whether you manufacture pencils, repair cars, or sell insurance, in the end your potential is largely limited by the service or product itself. But when you add people to the equation, the possibilities increase exponentially.
The bottom line? People are your most precious resource.
At Disney, individuals perform better because they are around others who are equally committed to service. As long as we continue to place the right people in the right roles, those people will continue to make dreams a reality for our Guests.
So take some time to examine how service delivery is set up within your organization. Are your people performing better because they’re around you?
Rilous Carter is vice president of Disney's Hollywood Studios™. Visit disneyinstitute.com to learn more about Disney’s Approach to Quality Service.
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