Wednesday, June 18, 2008

learning from the mouse

Walking through Orlando Airport, it was fun watching how the main Orlando help desk and Disney personnel guide arriving visitors. As tired family after tired family stumbles into the baggage claim area, both the help desk and Disney employees with clipboards firmly but nicely engage with a "Can I help you?" followed by a very concise set of instructions and directions to the next stage in the arrival process. Clearly, if they waited for new arrivals to ask for help -- or spent excessive time with most guests -- there would be a massive backup at the help desk. By reaching out and providing guidance to nearly everyone, they catch most people who need help before the guests even know what to ask for and maintain a really high throughput. High volume and high touch customer support at the same time. I bet there are other businesses that could benefit from their approach.

24 comments:

Dave Rickey said...

Yeah, the classic CS problem is that by the time someone contacts CS, they're usually already frustrated, tired, angry, or some combination. Makes it difficult to make the CS experience a good one.

--Dave

Nikki Merson said...
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
K.C. said...

Yes, been there witht the Orlando experience. They have that down to a science in there. Most of the families that are there just have no clue what is going on..

Your observations were right on point..

Great blog.. Kayce

Brooxi said...

Congrats for being named a blogger of note!!! Cheers!

Rinkly Rimes said...

I am an Australian Grandmother, new to Blogging, but I was drawn to your Blog for two reasons. You've chosen the same lay-out as me and I have been to Orlando. Not only BEEN there but had all my documents stolen there! I write Everyday poems under the title Rinkly Rimes and I think I'll write one about that experience next!!
Brenda Bryant

Alex said...

Disney sure has the CS down to a science. Its a little overwhelming for locals but you can see the difference when you visit other parks or hotels.

miss said...

top blog,, nice

Katman said...

I've heard good things about customer service by Disney both in the US & in Paris. Weird that we should be taking lessons from a cartoon company. There is an irony to it :-)

top blog btw

Teri said...

Hmm, I've never been to Disneyland but considering the number of people who go through there, I suppose they would need to have customer service down to an art. They probably save themselves a tonne of grief by being that efficient!

Debajyoti Dutta-Roy said...

Disney = True Entertainment Value + Best Business Ideas ....went there way back in 1991 ...must have added more features.

BTW, since u travel a lot by air....any idea how hi aviation fuel's gonna spike up ?

William Wren said...

great observations. disneyland is thouh outside the laws of the land and escapes much burocracy this way

Quotes 4 thought said...

Well I wanted to say that my girlfriends family always goes to disney land every summer. They will admit that they love how they handle CS down there. But you would assume with that big of an attraction they would. You might even go as far to say disney world is its own planet. But I would have to say what would you expect it has such a great attraction there that it should have a great cs staff or else they would be sitting on their hands hoping for the best

High Power Rocketry said...

: )

Cynthia and Lauren's Blog said...

I work at a large company store, potentially a rival of Disney, and customer service is the number two thing pushed on us. Number one is upselling. Although personally, I tend to put CS first. Without a customer there would be no one to upsell to!

Anyway, congrats on being a Blog of Note! You should check out my page! :)

Sigma_Onyx said...

I work as a CSR for a major satellite company here in Las Vegas and I can say from experience that Dave is right people are angry and fustrated when they need help...I really wish more companys implemented a preemptive approch to customer service and I think that the world would be a better place...

Anonymous said...

I've Been the tired Family Getting Off The Plane 5 Times Now. Our Family Loves Disney. However. The Airport We Went To. (It Was Weird had A Shuttle that Connceted The Landing Area to The Main Airpot) Hard Terrible CS we Waited 30mins To Get On The Magical express because they Were Still Sorting Coustomers. But I guess Most people Didnt want To Listen, Who Knows.

Great Work

Mercedes said...

It isn't just arrival that Disney has CS down packed, but pretty much any aspect. Amazing for the amount of people they serve.

allaboutattitude said...

No wonder Disney is a dream for both kids and adults

Nina said...

hey, awesome blog!

i'd love some feedback on my own, thanks!

http://halfapersonblog.blogspot.com/

Kelly said...

I like this idea. Reaching out in customer service seems to always make for a better experience - on both sides.

Anonymous said...

Disney, Orlando, and Florida as a hole has been doing this for years and it's true, they have it down to perfection, WAY TO GO FLORIDA!

Carennedy said...

The mention of Orlando's Airport brings back nightmares. After our disney trip we were stuck in the airport for 3 days. The customer service agents at the West Jet desk were terrible, compared to Canadian Customer Service West Jet agents. It was a tiring, frustrating, and disappointing end to a wonderful vacation.

No one at the airport went out of there way to help or make it easier. Agents would sit on their cell phones talking to friends and ignore us -- We were stereotypical polite Canadians but at one point I'd had enough and demanded management to no avail.

I have no desire to return to the Orlando airport anytime soon and West Jet needs to rethink it's contract with the American Airport customer service agency they use.

Casey said...

This is an interesting point. The company I work for has a relationship with Disney and we try to collaborate with them on perfecting customer service, but I was unaware of Disney's airport attendees. I was just in Orlando two weeks ago, but I used the Sanford airport and not the primary Disney-bound destination one.

I think I can learn a lesson here that I can apply to my own customers.

Captain Mary said...

Disney is all about customers, thats how they stay succussful. Its a nice place and they make you feel at home. I love florida or should I say North Cuba. Fun and diversity.