Customer Service – The
Disney Way
Disney has a lot to teach us about making people feel
special. In this presentation we will learn a few of their
strategies for creating raving fans!
Customer service is a helping
profession.
At Disney, we’re helping
people – and that’s a noble
calling.
Why Disney?
THE modern model of customer
service
 Largest single site employer in the world
 Lowest employee turnover rate of any
major company in hospitality industry
Intriguing, interesting, fun
“You can design and create, and
build the most wonderful place in
the world. But it takes people to
make the dream a reality."
-Walt Disney
A Little Disney History…
Disney Traditions:
Employee (Cast Member)training begins with
a course called “Traditions” which educates
the Cast Members about the company’s
history and its legacy of superlative Guest
service.
More Disney Traditions…
 Hire for attitude
 Commoners are kings and kings
are commoners
 No air conditioning in Disneyland corporate
offices
 Company leaders act like Guests
 Control environment/control situation
 Network of arteries below ground (office
deliveries, Cast parking lot, garbage removal)
Other Disney Traditions:
Special Event Principles
 Food & drink
 Overlapping schedule of events
 Music
 Activities for children
 Something free to take home
(Ex: free Mickey ears; free photos)
Disney’s Success Secrets
Disney’s success can be summed up as
follows:
1. Legendary attention to detail
2. Exceed people’s expectations
3. Theme, theme, theme
4. Be guest-centered
Disney’s Success Secrets
1. Legendary attention to detail
 Trash receptacles & Disney
Dip
 Guests with special needs
(food allergies)
Disney’s Success Secrets
2. Exceed people’s expectations






Housekeeper
Tooth
Pacifier
Cell phone charger
Magic Moments
Take 5’s
Magical Moments & Take 5’s
Magical Moments
Take 5’s
 Family of the day
 Replaced spilled ice
cream
 Animal Kingdomassistant
conductors
 Children dance in
parade
 Letter from
Mickey
 Autograph
requests
Disney’s Success Secrets
3. Theme, Theme, Theme




Guests (w/Capital G)
Cast Members (w/Capital C & Capital M)
Onstage/Backstage
Textile Services
Disney’s Success Secrets
4. Be guest-centered
Based on Guestology -the study of what guests
like and don’t like and want and don’t want.
Guests greatest desires:




Make me feel special
Treat me as an individual
Respect me and my children
Be knowledgeable
7 Guest Service Guidelines
 Be Happy…make eye contact and
smile!
 Be like Sneezy…greet and welcome
each and every guest. Spread the
spirit of Hospitality…It’s contagious!
 Don’t be Bashful…seek out Guest
contact!
7 Guest Service Guidelines
(Cont’d)
 Be like Doc…provide immediate Service
recovery!
 Don’t be Grumpy…always display
appropriate body language at all times!
 Be like Sleepy…create DREAMS and
preserve the “MAGICAL” Guest
experience!
 Don’t be Dopey…thank each and every
Guest!
A quality guest experience
+
A quality cast experience
+
Quality business practices
=
The future
What If these were UIS’ Success
Secrets?
(How Would UIS Look/Be Different?)
1. Legendary attention to detail
2. Exceed people’s expectations
3. Theme, theme, theme
4. Be guest-centered
Brand: Disney & UIS
A brand is a promise an organization makes & keeps to its constituents. It is
a reputation, determined by an organization's important audiences, not the
other way around. A brand is always true & important, &, if you're lucky,
distinctive.
Disney
• Legendary attention to
detail
• Exceed people’s
expectations
• Theme, theme, theme
• Be guest-centered
UIS
• Teaching-focused Academic
Experience
• An Abundance of
Opportunities to Collaborate
• A Right-sized, supportive
community
• A Tradition of Educating
Public Servants and Leaders
Best of luck as you create
greater service in your own
area. And here's to making
the magic in your own
departments!
References
• Creating Magic by Lee Cockerell
Doubleday Publishing, 2008.
• “Customer Service: Disney Style”,
PowerPoint presentation by Mike
Jones, Instructional Communications
Systems, Madison, WI