Inside the Magic Kingdom – Lesson 4

Several years ago I read the book “Inside the Magic Kingdom” by Tom Connellan for a project I was working on for a client. Recently I picked up the book again and had a hard time putting it down!  There is so much wisdom in this book on how to provide extraordinary customer experiences every time.  For the next seven weeks I am going to share with you the seven lessons outlined in this book.  At the back of the book Tom has provided questions for each lesson that each reader can apply to their own situation and I will include them as well. The book gives the readers permission to use the information provided proper credit is given to the author. 

Continued from previous week…

LESSON 4

Everything walks the talk.

Not only does everyone walk the talk, everything walks the talk.  The equipment, facilities, trucks or anything that represents your company should walk the talk.  The gold leaves on the carousel are painted with 23-karat gold paint.  Most people would not know the difference but the staff are reminded by this what we do for our customer is the most important thing of all.  One of the points made in the book was very revealing… “a lot of managers would be shocked to find out how little their employees believe management walks the talk.”  The key as described in the book is turning common sense into common practice. 

Questions for discussion with your team:

1. Remember the gold leaf paint on the carousel.  What messages are being sent to our associates/employees about the value of customers?
2. Keeping in mind the importance of things unseen, in what ways could we remind employees that customers are “pure gold?”
3. Imagine that everything in our company walked the talk.  What would that look like?
4. What’s the one thing that could be changed so that it did a better job of walking the talk?

Inside the Magic Kingdom

Several years ago I read the book “Inside the Magic Kingdom” by Tom Connellan for a project I was working on for a client. Recently I picked up the book again and had a hard time putting it down!  There is so much wisdom in this book on how to provide extraordinary customer experiences every time.  For the next seven weeks I am going to share with you the seven lessons outlined in this book.  At the back of the book Tom has provided questions for each lesson that each reader can apply to their own situation and I will include them as well. The book gives the readers permission to use the information provided proper credit is given to the author. 

Continued from previous week…

LESSON 3

Everyone walks the talk.

If you are like me you have most likely had the experience of going into a business and received inconsistent treatment.  They use the term “aggressively friendly” at Disney.  All staff are trained to stop everything when they see a guest in need. (I wish the staff would do that at the home reno store when I am standing there looking confused and not sure what to do – lol)  The Disney culture says Everyone walks the talk always!  The real point here is more about the way you do your job.  Think about this statement: “Every time a customer comes in contact with your company, you have an opportunity to create value.  Capitalize on that opportunity and you win.  Waste it and you lose…it is a simple as that!  The guest is always in charge.

Questions for discussion with your team:

1. Think about the way people do their jobs here.  Could we adapt the “aggressively friendly” concept to our company’s environment?
2. How might we expand customer service from a department to a tradition?
3. How could we individually do an even better job of “walking the talk” than we do right now?
4. What does “walking the talk” mean around here?
5. How would a customer’s experience be different if everyone here “walked the talk?”

Inside the Magic Kingdom

Several years ago I read the book “Inside the Magic Kingdom” by Tom Connellan for a project I was working on for a client. Recently I picked up the book again and had a hard time putting it down!  There is so much wisdom in this book on how to provide extraordinary customer experiences every time.  For the next seven weeks I am going to share with you the seven lessons outlined in this book.  At the back of the book Tom has provided questions for each lesson that each reader can apply to their own situation and I will include them as well.  The book gives the readers permission to use the information provided proper credit is given to the author. 

Continued from previous week…

LESSON 2

Pay fantastic attention to detail.

I know from personal experience when a company I am involved with pays attention to the smallest details it makes a huge difference for me.  It truly permeates everything. At Disney, the horse headed pitching posts that line the streets are repainted every night, no exceptions. Not only are they repainted every night, the starting time is based on the temperature and humidity to make sure the paint is dry by the next morning.  Truly attention to detail is part of the Disney culture and this is only one small of example.

Questions for discussion with your team:

1. What details get in the way of our being easy to do business with?
2. What details could be improved to keep our customers coming back?
3. What details in our workplace could become hitching posts?

Inside the Magic Kingdom

Several years ago I read the book “Inside the Magic Kingdom” by Tom Connellan for a project I was working on for a client.  Recently I picked up the book again and had a hard time putting it down!  There is so much wisdom in this book on how to provide extraordinary customer experiences every time.  For the next seven weeks I am going to share with you the seven lessons outlined in this book.  At the back of the book Tom has provided questions for each lesson that each reader can apply to their own situation and I will include them as well.  The book gives the readers permission to use the information provided proper credit is given to the author. 

LESSON 1

The competition is anyone the customer compares you with.

When I first read this concept I thought, how can that be?  In the book talks about how the same people that call your organization also call other companies and people are always comparing whether they realize it or not.  Quote from the book “If someone else satisfies customers better than you do, no matter what type of business, you suffer by comparison.”  Literally everyone competes in the world of customer experience and satisfaction.  It is the same whether you are talking about an internal or external customer.

Questions for discussion with your team:

1. Recall a situation where you were very impresses with the level of service you received.  How did it raise your expectations of other companies?
2. How does our company’s service compare?
3. Who are our direct competitors?
4. Who else might our customers compare us with?
5. What does that suggest about how we might change the way we do business?

Why gratitude makes you a better manager?

By Wendy Woods

Makes you more empathetic.  People with a strong disposition toward gratitude have the capacity to be empathic and to take the perspective of others (McCullough, Emmons, & Tsang, 2002). Empathy is one of the skills required for Emotional Intelligence which accounts for 80% of success at work.

Leads to greater optimism and positive emotions within your team.  Grateful people report higher levels of positive emotions and optimism (Emmons & McCullough, 2003) which is easily transferred to others by mood contagion (Roland Neumann,2000)

Leads to greater employee loyalty. In 2001 Michael McCullough found that interactions that involved an expression of gratitude encouraged the other person to behave in a loyal manner.  In a recent survey carried out by Susan M. Heathfield, fifty-five percent of the respondents said that praise and attention from their supervisor would make them feel as if the company cared about them and their well-being.

Quick & simple ways to express gratitude to your employees:

Say thank you every opportunity you get.  It seems like such an obvious expression of gratitude but it’s often forgotten or overlooked. Employees tell me time and again that all they want from their boss, and colleagues, is a simple thank you. Make sure everyone hears those words from you often.

Praise their contributions. Everyone appreciates genuine praise regardless of their position and level of success. Make sure your employees know you are grateful for their contributions; don’t keep them wondering.

Let employees know that their work contributes to the organization’s overall success. The need to feel connected to a larger cause is very important to most employees.  Believing that “the mission or purpose of my company makes me feel my job is important” is a primary motivator, according to the authors of 12: The Elements of Great Managing by James Harter and Rodd Wagner.

“Gratitude is the best attitude.”  ~ Author Unknown