A few days later, my wife overheard a similar conversation in the Polynesian’s club-level lounge.

For guests that stay in club-level rooms, they get access to a lounge that serves continental breakfasts and various snacks throughout the day.  On this particular morning, my wife was in the lounge fixing a plate for herself when she overheard another guest ask a cast members for a glass of pink lemonade.

The cast member responded with regret that pink lemonade wasn’t available, but my wife overheard her informing the guest that pink lemonade was available in the snack bar located in the resort’s main building.

Gold Star #1: The cast member wasn’t able to satisfy the guest’s request, but she was able to immediately offer a solution.  Well played!

If you guessed that the conversation ended there, you were wrong.

Upon hearing that pink lemonade was available at the snack shop, the guest then asked the cast member if she would go pick up a bottle of it for him.

(My wife, being the wonderful woman that she is, decided to hang around and hear how this played out because she knows how interested I am in learning from Disney’s customer service practices!)

The cast member politely responded to the guest by saying that she and the rest of the cast members serving the club-level guests were supposed to stay stationed within the building.

Gold Star #2: The cast member had a neatly prepared response to a difficult question.  My wife said that she didn’t hesitate at all and maintained complete composure.  Bravo!

At this point, the guest became a little testy and asked: “If I go to the snack bar and get the pink lemonade myself, will I have to pay for it?”

Without skipping a beat, the cast member responded politely by telling the guest that he would be responsible for paying for any snacks or beverages he would enjoy from the snack bar.

Gold Star #3: I’m guessing that most people would have responded with a snide or sarcastic remark, but the cast member took the high road instead and stayed in character.  That’s the sign of a real pro!

At this point, my wife said the guest became visibly agitated and commented to the cast member: “With the price I’m paying for my room, I should have access to whatever kind of food or drink I could possibly want!”

Still cool as a cucumber, the cast member replied: “Sir, I understand your frustration.  However, I also understand the price of our rooms is structured so that our guests can enjoy a complimentary assortment of foods and beverages that most people enjoy.  While we don’t have the facilities to store every possible food or beverage option, we don’t think anyone would be willing to pay the price that we would have to charge in order to provide that level of service.”

Star on the Customer Service Walk of Fame: The cast member empathized with the guest and also helped him understand why his request wasn’t going to be met in the manner in which he hoped.

In a world where people routinely try to abuse the notion of: “the customer is always right,” being able to set reasonable boundaries can make the difference between profit and loss.  Whether we’re in a soft economy or a thriving one, that boundary is important for all of us in executing exceptional customer service.

When my family was checking into the Polynesian Resort at Disney World last week, I happened to overhear a conversation going on next to me between an irate guest and a Disney cast member.

After a few seconds, I realized that the guest was complaining about a temporary outage of the resort’s Wi-Fi network.  At one point, he yelled at the cast member: “How do you expect us to stay connected to the rest of the world if your Wi-Fi network is down?”

(It should be noted that Wi-Fi access is complimentary at all Disney World resorts, so it wasn’t as if the guest got charged for Wi-Fi access during the outage.)

Being in the presence of an irate guest wasn’t the reason I decided to “inadvertently” eavesdrop on the conversation.  Instead, I was curious to hear how the cast member handled the situation.

As I expected, the cast member was very calm and apologetic for any inconvenience the guest experienced from the temporary Wi-Fi outage.  What I didn’t expect was that the cast member issued a credit to the guest for that inconvenience.

At this point, I was so entranced with the interaction that I totally tuned out the cast member that was trying to handle my family’s check-in.  He evidently asked for my cell phone number and I didn’t respond.  He was having one of those “Bueller?….Bueller?….Bueller?” moments until my wife nudged me.

Here’s where things got interesting!

After the guest finally left the area, I watched the cast member to see his post-interaction reaction.  I was expecting for him to either roll his eyes, shake his head in disgust, or even let out a sigh of frustration.

At that point, the cast member immediately started typing on his computer (I’m assuming he was processing the credit he promised).  The whole time he typed, he had a big smile on his face.  It wasn’t a smirk, but it was a genuine smile.  If I read his facial expression correctly, he appeared to be happy that he did something that restored harmony for that guest’s visit.

As the next guest approached his desk, he greeted them with a warm smile and a heartfelt “Aloha!”.  It was clear that the previous guest didn’t break his spirit or will to carry out his mission of providing exceptional customer service.

Think Outside the Park

Disney prides itself for offering exceptional customer service at its theme parks and resorts.  However, the takeaway from the interaction I witnessed is deeper than just an example of how to offer exceptional customer service.

In our careers, it’s inevitable that we’ll have to deal with irate customers.  It’s our job to handle the situation in a manner that’s congruent with our company’s values and customer service policies.

The question we need to ask ourselves is whether those irate customers cause us to grow dissatisfied with our job or are they mere blips on the radar screen that pale in comparison to the love we have for our jobs?

After dealing with an irate customer, do you immediately vent to a co-worker about how unreasonable that person was?

After dealing with an irate customer, do you sink into your chair and wonder how much longer you can put up with your job?

After dealing with an irate customer, do you fantasize about going back in time so you can give that person a piece of your mind?

If your answer to any of those questions is a resounding, “Oh yeah!”, then you may be one of the 71% of American workers that a Gallup survey estimates to be dissatisfied with their job.

It was clear to me that the cast member didn’t let that guest get under his skin.  Instead, he appeared to be happy that he helped a guest get back to enjoying his vacation.

The world is full of irate customers and life is too short to let them get under your skin.  If you’re not in the 29% of Americans who love their job, maybe it’s time to say, “Arrivederci!” to your current job and, “Aloha!” to one you can love.

“Hey Derek, how’s it going?”

“Things are great.  I’m wrapping up a few things today and then I’m heading out of town tomorrow for vacation.”

“Let me guess…you’re going to Disney World again?”

“Guilty as charged!  How’d you guess?”

“I had a 50/50 shot between Disney World and Disneyland!  Wait a second, how old is your daughter now?”

“She just turned seven months old.”

“Why are you spending all that money on a Disney vacation if she’s not going to remember it?”

—-

That’s a conversation I had a few years ago with a colleague.  Truth be told, his reaction wasn’t terribly unique when I think about the people who’ve told me that a Disney vacation is a waste of money for children under the age of 5.

As consumers, we tend to look at our buying decisions in one of two dimensions: either commodities or services.  I see a third dimension that many people overlook: experiences.

The last commodity I bought was a necktie.  Did I truly need that necktie?  No.  I already have a few dozen neckties hanging in my closet.

The last service I bought was a tree-trimming service.  Did I truly need to hire a professional to trim the tree in my front yard?  No.  I could have climbed the tree and done it myself.

The last experience I bought was a trip to Disney World.  Did I truly need to take a vacation at Disney World?  No.  I could have just taken a week off from work and hung out around my house.

That being said, why did I make the three buying decisions mentioned above?

I decided to buy the necktie because my daughter saw it at the mall and said: “Daddy, you need this for your business meetings.”  A few days later, I suited up for a meeting and decided to wear the new tie she picked out (she was so happy to see it).

I decided to hire the tree trimmer because I was afraid that my lack of tree-climbing experience would lead me to breaking my neck after falling from three stories.  After the crew left, I took my daughter out to ride her bike and she was happy to have me with her (fully operational).

I decided to go to Disney World for my last family vacation because I wanted my wife and I to see our daughter soaking in everything that Disney World has to offer.  A few days after that trip, I spent hours marveling at the pictures I took of her (each of which captured a huge smile and tremendous sense of joy).

Think Outside the Park

Where do you fit on the three dimensional scale of consumer buying decisions?  Are you offering a commodity, a service, or an experience?

If you feel as if you offer a commodity or a service, how can you shift your mindset toward offering an experience?

You don’t sell mobile phones, you enable people to stay connected to their friends and loved ones.

You not a bookkeeper, you free up your clients’ time so they can pursue their passions.

You’re not an architect, you unlock the doors to your clients’ dream homes.

When people question my decision to take my daughter on a Disney vacation, I ask them their opinion on a good age that I should start to take her.  Then I’ll ask them on their opinion on a good age to start hugging her, giving her kisses, and telling her that I love her.

My daughter may not remember the hugs, kisses, and times that I’ve told her that I love her, but I wanted her to have those experiences as early and as often as possible.  The same goes with the experiences from a Disney vacation.  My wife and I get so much enjoyment from Disney vacations that we want her to experience that type of love as well.

Find the emotional common denominator between your profession and your customers.  That’s how you move away from offering commodities and services and toward offering experiences.

Copyright 2012 DisneyMBA.com

Right before my last trip to Walt Disney World, I was having lunch with a friend and he asked if I was excited about my upcoming vacation.  (What a silly question!)  My friend then told me that he was planning to take his family on their first Disney World vacation very soon.

I love hearing stories or seeing home videos of parents surprising their children with a trip to Disney World or Disneyland, so I asked if he wanted me to bring back a souvenir that could help him spring the good news on his family.

Without skipping a beat, he replied, “How about a set of Mickey Mouse ears for each of my kids?”

My friend had never been to a Disney theme park, but he knew about the mouse ears.  That puzzled me for a second, but I quickly realized that those souvenirs are iconic symbols of a Disney vacation.

From a business perspective, do you see the challenge here?

Once you’ve sold a pair of those iconic mouse ears to a guest, will there be a need for them to buy another pair?

Maybe if they get lost.  Maybe if they get damaged.  Maybe if a young guest outgrows their first pair.

Those reasons seem perfectly logical.  However, Disney discovered a way to entice guests to consider buying more than one pair of mouse ears by creating new varieties to choose from.

If you look below, Minnie Mouse and Tyra Banks each have a set of mouse ears that have the iconic shape, but feature new flair in their styling.

Copyright 2011 Gene Duncan, Walt Disney Co.

Think Outside the Park

Customers crave the “familiar,” but customers also crave the “new.”  Therein lies a challenge for businesses.  Will your customers remain loyal with the status quo or do your customers need new offerings to keep their interest alive?

I can go to the Magic Kingdom and easily buy a set of classic Mickey Mouse ears.  If I’m feeling adventurous, I can opt for a set that has a similar shape to the classic mouse ears but with a new twist (e.g. a Kermit the Frog theme).

I can go to my local sandwich shop and add a Coca-Cola classic to my meal deal.  If I’m feeling adventurous, I can opt for a Black Cherry Vanilla Coca-Cola instead.

This idea doesn’t have to be limited to consumer products (e.g. Mickey Mouse ears) or food items (e.g. Coca-Cola products).  It can also apply to service businesses as well.  Let’s connect the dots:

Financial Services – While online and mobile platforms are all the rage for banking and investments, there’s still a market segment that prefers having a live human being to assist them with their finances.  Even though your company’s website may be chocked full of helpful information, it’s easy for people to get overwhelmed when it comes to their finances.  The benefit: this give you a chance to make sure your clients are receiving a level of service that will keep them loyal to you.

Real Estate – While the internet makes it easy for homebuyers to browse available listings, there’s still a market segment that prefers to look at homes in real life.  Even though every active listing can be found online, potential homebuyers can easily get distracted with the process.  The benefit: pounding the pavement with a client can help you better understand their desires and hopefully ease the process of finding their dream home.

Consulting – While e-mail makes it fast and easy to get deliverables to clients, there’s still a market segment that prefers having a tangible file to read and review.  Even though the files you send over e-mail can easily be printed, there’s something about getting a hard copy of a document.  The benefit: handing your client a hard copy of a deliverable (along with sending an electronic copy) gives you an opportunity to wow your clients a second time and creates a sense of importance about the work you’ve done for them.

While it’s tough to be everything to everyone, it’s easy to identify certain core products that can stand the test of time.  As you can see from above, the same can be said about core business practices of service providers.

If you have other ideas of how to apply this principal, please feel free to comment below.  Or if you want to really wow me, send me a hand written note!  (wink wink)

 

 

As my neighborhood Borders bookstore was slated close, they mounted a large sign on the building that read: “Liquidation Sale.”  I’m always up for a good sale, so I decided to stop in and pay my last respects.

When I walked in, I was shocked to see what looked like the aftermath of a natural disaster.  Inventory was haphazardly strewn on tables, chairs, and even the floor.  The cafe was gutted and the lights were shut off.  Even more surprising to me was the pile of fixtures with bright orange price tags affixed on each piece.

I’m not sure why, but my mission to hunt down some bargains came to a screeching halt when I noticed that they were selling ALL of their fixtures.  The bookshelves that housed their precious inventory, the lounge chairs, the cafe equipment, even the cash registers; they all had price tags.

In the midst of this madness, I closed my eyes so I could picture what this store looked like in its heyday (before Amazon.com and the iPad, Kindle, and Nook).  In that mental picture, all I could recall was an overwhelming sea of books and magazines.

As I opened my eyes and came back to reality, I walked over for a closer inspection of the fixtures because my curiosity had gotten the better of me.

The bookshelves were in bad shape (and surprisingly rickety).  The tables and chairs had been severely worn.  Even the cafe equipment looked out-of-date and in need of significant repair.

Am I implying that the demise of Borders could have been prevented if they took better care of their fixtures?

Nah.

Am I implying that there is a lesson to be learned?

Absolutely!

Every time I walk through a gift shop at Walt Disney World or Disneyland, I really enjoy the overall experience.  While there’s plenty of merchandise for sale, it seems like there’s more to the experience than just that.

Since the merchandise in these gift shops is vibrant and fun, Disney obviously realized that there should be an equal amount of whimsey in the store itself.  The fixtures and displays play a critical part in creating that feeling, so everything looks custom made and designed to fit in with the overall theme of the nearby surroundings.

Think Outside the Park

Do you think guests at Walt Disney World or Disneyland consciously notice the fixtures in the gift shops?

Nah.

Do you think guests at Walt Disney World or Disneyland would be more interested in buying a souvenir if it helps them to remember the feelings they got from being immersed in a story?

Absolutely!

Small details can make a huge difference.  Disney nails this idea in so many ways; even with simple things like gift shop fixtures.  Let’s connect the dots for our own careers and businesses:

1) Lawyers: How do you think your clients would feel if your legal documents were printed on flimsy paper with creases and ink smudges?  Even if the analysis on the paper was brilliant, they might get distracted by the low quality deliverable.

2) Doctors: It’s hard to avoid hearing news about medical breakthroughs and the technology supporting such efforts.  If your office has antiquated machinery and equipment, your patients may get the wrong impression about your skills.

3) Contractors: How do you think your customers would feel if you put a brand new roof on their house, only to leave them with a yard full of errant nails?  It’s easy to pick up the big stuff, but the little pieces of trash can really get under a customer’s skin, literally!

4) Restauranteurs: How do you think your customers would feel if they saw a faint lipstick stain on an unused glass as they sit down for their meal?  If the dishwasher didn’t clean it enough, run it through again before putting it on a table.  If it’s a permanent stain, toss it in the trash.

5) Grocery Stores: How do you think your customer would feel if they had to push around a rusty shopping cart as they picked out their food?  I know they are super expensive, but I assure you that it’s cheaper to replace shopping carts than to replace lost customers.

As I observed the people that were scavenging through the pile of dilapidated fixtures at my neighborhood Borders, it was clear to me that they were business owners on the hunt for items to use in their own stores.

Contrast that with the customers who frequent sites like MouseSurplus.com (a site that sells retired furniture, fixtures, equipment and other goods from the Disney theme parks).  These are people who want to own a piece of the Disney magic.

If you threw a career yard sale, who would show up?  Devoted customers or bargain-hunting competitors?

Copyright 2012 DisneyMBA.com

My DVR is setup to automatically record shows flagged with either “Walt Disney World” or “Disneyland” in the description.  (Shocker!)

Something that was automatically recorded a number of times was an episode of the reality show that followed a family with twins and a set of sextuplets (the two-part episode where they took a road trip to Disney World).  I won’t say the name of the show, but I will say that it aired on the cable network that started as an educational channel before it switched to mostly reality shows.

While I can’t remember a lot of the details of their visit, I do remember one particular segment – their praise of the strollers available for rent at Disney World.

I’ve had the pleasure of renting these strollers in the past, so I was shouting “Amen!” from my couch as they explained why they liked the strollers so much.  They’re clean, smooth to push, they turn on a dime, and they’re very comfortable for children to ride (or nap!) in.

Essentially, Disney found a way to make the opportunity cost of renting one of their strollers far less than the effort required for guests to bring their own strollers from home.  Brilliant!

Think Outside the Park

A stroller is a possession that’s rather personal.  Why is that you can walk through any of the theme parks at Disney World or Disneyland and see about the same number (if not more!) strollers rented from Disney compared to the number of strollers that guests brought with them?

To entice me to rent something from you (when I already own such a product), you have to:

1. Offer a product that’s either comparable or superior to the one I own;
2. Offer greater level of convenience for me to rent from you than bring my own; and
3. Offer the product at a reasonable price.

I have a portable GPS unit in one my cars.  Why don’t I bring it with me when I travel and rent a car?  (Because I prefer renting cars from Hertz that have the reliable, easy-to-use, and affordable NeverLost system already installed.)

I have a bicycle in my garage.  Why don’t I bring it with me when I go to the beach if I like taking an occasional ride down the boardwalk?  (Because the bikes I can rent on the boardwalk are a decent quality, they don’t take up any space in my car, and they’re cheap to rent by the hour.)

When I worked at one of the Big Four accounting firms, I had access to the most robust tax return software available on the market.  Why didn’t I use it to do my personal income tax returns even though I was allowed to?  (Because I didn’t have a complicated return and TurboTax was easier to use, more convenient, and cost next to nothing.)

Disney’s stroller rental business provides solid proof that consumers are willing to spend money on conveniences.  As our lives get busier, and our days seem to get shorter, most people welcome the idea of buying anything that makes life easier.  I know I do!

How have you been able to create separate revenue streams from convenience offerings at your place of business?

Copyright 2012 DisneyMBA.com

When I stay at the Polynesian Resort in Disney World, I have a ritual each afternoon where I’ll hang out on the balcony of my room and enjoy the sights and sounds from this tropical-inspired oasis.  As I sit there, I soak in the tranquility of the resort and savor the fact that I’m in one of my favorite places in the world (the whole world, not just Disney World!)

On one of those precious afternoons, I happened to look down at the path next to my building and noticed a groundskeeper driving up in a large golf cart.  Sure enough, the groundskeeper stopped his cart on the pathway near my balcony and started unloading his tools.  At first glance, it appeared that the tranquility I had been experiencing was going to be interrupted.

Just as all of the tools and equipment were laid out across the walkway, two resort guests (a father and his 4-5 year old son) came around the corner in the direction of the groundskeeper.

The father kept a slow pace next to his son, who was walking with the aid of a gait trainer (a u-shaped walker).  They obviously just came from the nearby pool because the father was wearing swimming trunks, flip flops, and had a colorful towel draped around his shoulders.  The boy was covered with a Winnie the Pooh hooded towel (the hood had Winnie’s golden face and two little nubby ears on top).

As the boy approached the partially blocked area of the sidewalk, the groundskeeper stopped what he was doing to clear a path for him.  The father assured his son by saying, “It’s okay, take your time.”

As the groundskeeper put his tools down, he greeted the father and son with a hearty, “Aloha!”  (The standard greeting of the cast members at the Polynesian Resort)  “Are you guys enjoying your visit?”

After the three of them talked for about a minute, the groundskeeper reached into his pocket and gave the boy a Mickey Mouse sticker before they continued on their way.  As they passed by my balcony, my gaze was fixated on how happy the father and son seemed.  The boy had a huge smile on his face as he paraded down the sidewalk; proudly clutching the Mickey Mouse sticker.

I can’t explain why, but I got really emotional at that moment.  Seeing how that groundskeeper stopped what he was doing so he could spread some cheer to that boy was really touching.

As I turned my gaze back to the groundskeeper, he was able to get a few minutes of work done before a family with three children approached the area where he was working.

The groundskeeper stopped what he was doing to clear a path for the family.  “Aloha!  Are you guys enjoying your visit?”

Sure enough, he stopped what he was doing to have a conversation with this family too!  Not only that, but he reached into his secret stash of Mickey Mouse stickers and gave one to each of the children before they continued on their way.

That’s when I realized that I had just figured out the reason why Disney World is such a magical place to visit: the cast members.

Think Outside the Park

The groundskeeper’s interaction with the differently-abled boy first struck me as extraordinary.  As I continued to observe him, it became evident that he treats everybody in same “extraordinary” fashion.

Do you find yourself reserving your “extraordinary” service for a particular type of customer?

If so, you have an untapped resource that you could be sharing with the rest of your customers.  In fact, playing favorites may actually backfire on you.  Here are some examples:

1)      If a celebrity becomes a client of your law firm, resist the urge to devote all of your resources toward serving him/her.  If one of your non-celebrity clients sees a declining level of service, they may look for another firm to handle a large case that’s coming around the bend.  Low-volume clients can become high-volume clients virtually overnight.

2)      If you spot a well-known critic being seated in your restaurant, resist the urge to treat her like she’s the only customer in the house.  You may not realize that you’re slighting the customer at the next table – a person who has 100,000 followers on Twitter.  Today, everyone with a social media presence (e.g. Twitter, Facebook, Google+, YouTube, etc.) is a published critic.

3)      If a well-dressed customer walks into your boutique, resist the urge to chase a large sale by serving as her personal shopping assistant.  You may not realize that the other customer in the boutique (wearing jeans and a t-shirt) is a millionaire and is not shy about spending money when he gets attentive service.  If you’ve read “The Millionaire Next Door” by Thomas Stanley and William Danko, you’ll recall that outward appearances are often poor indicators of someone’s financial wealth.

Some may argue that giving 100% of your energy 100% of the time will burn you out (the old “tortoise and the hare” objection).  Based on what I’ve seen at the Disney Parks, positive energy is a renewable resource.  When you give it off, it comes back to you in spades.

What started as an apparent interruption to the tranquility I was experiencing at the Polynesian Resort, actually ended up being an interruption of my business practices.  I now try to be a little more like the sticker-wielding groundskeeper and give everyone 100% of my attention and affection.

(P.S. Thanks for joining me again!  If you want to know what we’ll be talking about next, please click here.)

Last week, we talked about how the cast members at Walt Disney World and Disneyland place such a strong emphasis on cleanliness.  We even talked about how the executives embrace this concept by picking up trash as they walk through the theme parks.  As a guest, I see that as a true embodiment of “leading by example.”

This week, I’ll shed a slightly different light on the cleanliness factor at the Disney theme parks.  Let’s start with a pop quiz:

Who is the most famous person to have ever been a “Sweeper” at Disneyland? 

To the best of my knowledge, the answer to that trivia question would be none other than John Lasseter (you know…the Pixar guy who always wears awesome Hawaiian shirts!!).

I recall seeing an interview where John mentioned his time working as a cast member at Disneyland.  While he thoroughly enjoyed being a skipper on The Jungle Cruise, he also carried a fondness for his job as a Sweeper in Tomorrowland.

Prior to hearing this interview, I thought of the Sweepers in a very one-dimensional sense.  I only saw them as key players in keeping the theme parks spotless.  John’s reason for enjoying that job was that he got to regularly interact with the guests during the day.  Further, he saw his role as being integral in the overall guest experience at Disneyland.

When guests need directions, I’ve seen sweepers help them find their intended destinations.

When guests want a photo of their entire group, I’ve seen sweepers offer to take their pictures.

When guests want to know when the next parade will be happening, I’ve seen sweepers tell them the time AND show them the best viewing locations.  (For those of you keeping score, that’s customer service topped with anticipation of the customer’s needs!)

While their role of keeping the parks clean is tremendously important, they also serve as brand ambassadors that are empowered to deliver the level of service guests come to expect from the Disney theme parks.

Think Outside the Park

If you manage front-line employees, do you empower them to be ambassadors of your organization’s brand?  Further, have you trained them to seek opportunities that can enhance the experience your customers get?

Here are some examples to consider:

1)      Cashiers.  These employees shouldn’t be merely thought of as money-handlers; they’re the icing on the cake.  If you bake a moist and fluffy cake, but cover it with icing that’s bitter and stale, the cake is ruined.  For a fun experiment, evaluate your interest in returning to a restaurant or store solely upon the interaction you have with a cashier.

2)      Receptionists.  Have you ever visited an office where the receptionist is frantically answering and transferring phone calls?  You either get the sign-in sheet pushed in your direction or the index finger salute telling you to wait a minute.  If your office is that busy, hire more than one receptionist so the in-person visitors don’t feel like second-class citizens.

3)      Service Providers.  If you’re gutsy, have your employees do some benchmarking of their own.  If you’re the managing partner of a law firm, my guess is that the lawyers in your practice may not have had much experience in being law firm clients.  If they all practice something like international trade law, pay for them to each hire an estate planning attorney of their choice.  If they hire a slime ball, hopefully they’ll learn how not to treat their own clients.  If they hire the best lawyer in town, hopefully they’ll learn how to treat their own clients like a best-in-class attorney does.  It may cost you a few bucks to send your employees out on these missions, but the education they’ll get will be priceless.

It’s easy for employees to get lost in their job duties.  No matter where each employee falls on the totem pole, they all should have one duty in common: being a brand ambassador.

(P.S. Thanks for joining me again this week!  If you want to know what we’ll be talking about next week, please click here.)

Yesterday, I was driving out of my neighborhood and noticed that somebody’s newspaper was lying in the middle of the road (still in the bag).

Earlier today, I drove out of the neighborhood and, you guessed it, the newspaper was still in the same place (although it was severely flattened from being driven over probably dozens of times).

Seeing this pitiful sight reminded me of something I saw on my last visit to Walt Disney World.

While I was sitting on a bench in Epcot, I happened to see a woman carelessly toss a napkin to the ground as she walked through the park.  After about 20 seconds, a “Sweeper” came by and swept it into his trash bin.  (“Sweepers” are cast members that walk around the park hunting down litter with a broom and oversized dust pan.)

The Disney theme parks are kept impeccably clean considering their vast sizes and the fact that thousands of people visit each day.  That being said, you’d probably think that it would take an army of Sweepers to keep the theme parks so clean, right?

While there seems to be a lot of Sweepers throughout the theme parks, the remarkable thing is that all cast members can be seen pitching in on litter patrol.  Ride operators, guest relations staff, gift shop employees, and virtually every other type of cast member that walks through the theme parks can be seen picking up trash.

Even the executives that walk through the theme parks typically carry a pistol-gripped grabber tool that they use to pick up trash.  (You almost feel the need to do a double-take when you see cast members in business attire on the hunt for litter.)

Think Outside the Park

I’ve never seen an employee handbook for the cast members at Walt Disney World or Disneyland, but I’m guessing there has to be something in them about helping to maintain the cleanliness of the property.

As a guest, it’s plain for me to see that the Disney cast members are very vigilant about keeping the theme parks, hotels, and all other facilities pristine and trash free.  What strikes me the most about this effort is that the executives are not exempt. They appear to hold themselves to the same set of standards when it comes to trash.

If you have managerial responsibilities in your career, do you lead by example when it comes to the core values and standards you want your employees to live by?

If you expect your employees to treat customers with respect and dignity, do you treat your employees with that same level of respect and dignity?

If you ask your employees to work overtime in order to meet a deadline, do you also put your personal life on a temporary hold so you can help the team?

If you preach the importance of ethics, is your own moral compass pointing in the right direction?

The phrase “lead by example” has been somewhat diluted in the business world.  However you choose to define it, keep in mind that even the smallest actions can set the tone for your ability to motivate others and establish a corporate culture.

(P.S. Thanks for joining me again this week! If you want to know what we’ll be talking about next week, please click here.)

(P.P.S. – I go around my neighborhood every few weeks with a box of trash bags and a grabber tool like the ones Disney executives use around the theme parks.  That newspaper will be properly disposed of later today!)

Last week, we talked about the way Disney World and Disneyland cast members give VIP tours around the theme parks.  From there, we brainstormed about ways we can incorporate similar practices into our own careers.  In case you missed that lesson, you can click here to read it.

This week, I want to continue the discussion on how Disney entertains VIPs by taking a stroll down the Rue Royale (also known as Royal Street) in Disneyland’s New Orleans Square.

Here you’ll find winding streets and buildings that resemble the architecture of this area’s namesake.  This little corner of the park is home to many shops, restaurants, and the world-famous attraction “Pirates of the Caribbean.”

In the midst of the hustle and bustle of New Orleans Square lies a hidden hangout that very few people have ever been able to enter: Club 33.

Behind an unmarked doorway on Royal Street lies a members-only restaurant that serves lunch and dinner in an atmosphere that rivals the best restaurants in the world.  Despite the incredible food, ambiance, and history of Club 33, I’m sad to say that many people are fascinated with the fact that they serve alcohol in the otherwise alcohol-free Disneyland theme park.

According to this article (click here), Club 33 is one of the top 10 places in the world that “you can’t go” along with the infamous “Area 51.”  Surprisingly, I didn’t see the CIA headquarters in Langley, Virginia on that list.  (I guess that shows you just how hard it is to get into Club 33!)

I’ve been trying for years to just get on the waitlist for membership at Club 33.  With each request that I’ve made, I get a delightful letter that thanks me for my interest in membership, but regretfully states that no additional names are being accepted for their waitlist.

Despite not being able to obtain a membership, crafty people like me have been able to dine at Club 33 by having connections to members.  (I’m sorry, but I’ve promised to not reveal my source!)

Think Outside the Park

Prior to the internet age, I’d argue that Club 33 had a tiny sliver of the exposure that it has now.  In fact, I first heard about this exclusive establishment by reading a Disney-themed blog about five years ago.  (My mother-in-law was a Disneyland cast member in the 1970s and had never heard of Club 33 until I asked her about it.)

Social media platforms like Facebook and Twitter are giving people a forum to share information around the world that would have previously been reserved for a small circle of friends and family.

Use these tools to your advantage!

You may not have a members-only club for a select group of customers, but don’t let that discourage you.  Let me demonstrate:

1)      Johnny manages a restaurant and connects with his customers through a Facebook fan page.  One of Johnny’s regular customers convinced him to cater her office’s holiday party even though his restaurant doesn’t offer catering services.  She goes out of her way to make a post about it on the restaurant’s Facebook fan and raves about the experience.  What should Johnny do if he gets a call from someone who saw that post and wants him to cater one of his parties?

2)      Jane sells cars and helped a customer make a special order from the factory when he couldn’t find the exact car he wanted.  (Car dealers hate doing this!)  The customer was so happy with Jane that he sent out a tweet to his thousands of Twitter followers that said: “@JaneThe SuperCarSalesWoman special ordered my new Dodge Challenger Drag Pak when no other dealer wanted to. Buy your next car from her!”  Even though special orders from the factory may be a very undesirable way to sell cars, what should Jane do if a dozen people see this tweet and reach out to her for help in special ordering a car?

Customers who are enthusiastic about a brand will jump through hoops (and pay extra!) if they feel as if they can get access to something that otherwise may seem to be unobtainable.  While Johnny and Jane shouldn’t try to gouge customers that want that extra level of service, they should be mindful of the fact that they are likely to be less price-sensitive than the average customer.

Don’t be afraid of the customers that want a little extra.  They may challenge you to perform at a level you’re not used to, but before long you’ll have a legion of super-fans that’ll be banging down your door for your exclusive offerings.  (Or in my case, constantly writing letters to get on a waiting list!)

(P.S. – Thanks for joining me again this week!  If you want to know what topic we’ll be discussing next week, please click here.)