A lesson in leadership that I sent to the Disney Cast Members a few years ago. It is still relevant.
We all need to remember when we deal with one of our Guests, to take the time to make the emotional connection. Products can always be duplicated or, at least with enough money, can be replicated to some degree.
The one thing that sets Disney apart from the rest of the world is the emotional connection that we make with our Guests.
We make a huge difference in our Guests’ lives in so many ways.
It really is the emotional connection with us that keeps our Guests coming back year after year after year. This is the reason that the Disney Vacation Club business is so strong. People want to own a piece of this wonderful place. Did you know that 50 percent of all new Disney Vacation Club sales come from current owners? That alone is a testament to the strength of this “magical” place.
High Guest Satisfaction scores are not enough to ensure our future. These scores certainly do help keep our Guests coming for some period of time . . . but the real reason that people stay with us throughout their entire lifetime is that they have an emotional connection to this place and to us, the people who come to work every day to serve them and to be friends with them.
When people have a strong emotional attachment to something or to someone, they find it very difficult to leave.
This is why I continue to tell you week after week how important it is to treat our Guests like family and like friends when we engage with them.
Remember that being just friendly and courteous is not enough. True engagement is when we make them feel special . . . and when we treat them as individuals . . . and when we show total respect for each individual and for children in particular . . . and last, but not least, when we are knowledgeable and we can help them have an excellent experience while they are here.
When our Guests walk away knowing our names or something about us and when we walk away from an engagement with one of our Guests and we know their names or something about them, then we are on the way to developing an emotional attachment.
I read an article recently that ended with the following quote: “It should be obvious. Satisfaction without engagement is a trivial pursuit.”
This is one of the most important things that we must all learn how to do a lot better to ensure that we will not simply prevail, but thrive! . . . Lee
And remember that it all starts at the top…..Do your associates see you creating emotional moments for your customers?
TERESA JACOBS FOR ORANGE COUNTY MAYOR……HONEST, TRUSTED, SMART
AND NOT PART OF THE GOOD OLD BOY NETWORK IN ORLANDO!!!!