Whether you’re a Disney lover or only know offhand about Disney World and Disneyland, odds are you’ve heard a little about “Disney magic.”
They’ve made an art of going above and beyond for customers, not simply satisfying them, but delighting them. That’s how they have generations of families who return trip after trip.
I was thinking about that recently, and wondering how we could put that Disney magic into action for clients in other industries. How can we infuse a little magic into our everyday franchise routines?
Interestingly enough, there’s actually a book written about how this magical touch can be implemented within a hospital setting. I think it could easily be tweaked to apply to our work, too.
Here’s a look at the basic tips offered up in the book, “If Disney Ran Your Hospital: 9 1/2 Things You Would Do Differently.”
- Redefine your competition and focus on what can’t be measured. I thought this line from the book was really helpful: “At Disney, we take a much larger view of competition. The truth is, our competition is anyone our customers compare us to.”
- Make courtesy more important than efficiency. By shifting your emphasis to courtesy, you’re aligning with what customers actually want you to focus on.
- Regard customer satisfaction as fool’s gold. Look to build loyalty instead of seeking satisfaction; satisfaction can be fleeting, but loyalty is long-lasting.
- Measure to improve, not to impress. The ultimate purpose of asking for your customers’ feedback should be to find ways to streamline your services or product and make your franchise stronger.
- Decentralize the authority to say yes. Silos within your franchise operations can lead to customer frustrations and a lack of efficiency. Broaden and open up responsibilities to get things done.
- Change the concept of work from service to theater. Your business might not be in the entertainment industry, but your employees’ ultimate goal should be to create an experience that exceeds customer needs.
- Harness the motivating power of imagination. This one’s pretty self-explanatory. Imagination is the fuel that helps us improve and grow, no matter what job we’re in.
- Create a climate of dissatisfaction. You may be wondering why on earth you’d want to create dissatisfaction. Well, that’s not really what this chapter was about—it’s about using a known dissatisfaction to fuel the imagination and lead to optimal solutions. Much like Walt Disney did when he used his distaste for other amusement parks to spur the creation of Disneyland.
- Cease using competitive monetary rewards to motivate people. You still want to recognize the people within your organization for doing exceptional work, but it’s important to seek out ways to disconnect that recognition from financial rewards. Both can be part of the employee experience — they simply don’t need to be tied together.
- Close the gap between knowing and doing. I love this quote, “Disney does all the same things everyone else in their field does, but Disney does them more consistently, especially under pressure and over a long period of time—the qualities that separates champions from the rest of the pack.”
Ready to create that Disney magic in a franchise of your own? Get in touch today to learn how we can help you find your ideal franchise!