Monthly Archives: December 2013

 “Inside the Magic Kingdom” Continued from previous week…

LESSON 7

Xvxryonx makxs a diffxrxncx

During some of my programs I include the paragraph below in an exercise that has very positive results. Often after we read this paragraph I ask everyone what it means to them.  I get varied responses and they all agree with the message that everyone makes a difference.  Usually the groups are small enough to have everyone go around the room and tell each other why they are important and what they appreciate most about each other. 

In many instances I can see that people are moved by what they are acknowledged for.  I have had people come up to me after the program is over and say they were surprised (and delighted) to know they were appreciated.

XVXRYONX MAKXS A DIFFXRXNCX

Somxtimxs I gxt to thinking that what I do doxsn’t mattxr.  But whxn I start thinking that way, I rxmxmbxr my old typxwritxr.  Most of thx kxys workxd finx most of thx timx.  But onx day, onx of the kxys stoppxd working althogxthxr.  And that rxally mxssxd xvxrything up.  So whxn I’m txmptxd to say I’m only onx pxrson, it won’t makx a diffxrxncx if I don’t do this quitx right, I rxmxmbxr my old typxwritxr.  Thxn I say to mysxlf “I am a kxy pxrson and nxxdxd vxry much.

We will debrief this session with some creative ways that people can acknowledge each other on an ongoing basis, and these are some of the suggestions:

·         Thank you notes when someone does something special

·         Buy a coffee (or tea, soft drink) for someone who has helped you

·         Have candy or treats available for spontaneous acts of kindness

·         Compliment when you see someone doing something great

·         Send an email to a person’s boss telling them of something special colleague did

·         Have a mascot (appropriate to the organization and culture) that is awarded weekly to the person who went the extra mile the most

The take away from this short exercise is to acknowledge each other for even the small things and this will go a long way to building a supportive team culture.  I encourage everyone to look for ways to acknowledge each other everyday.

Questions for discussion with your team:

1.    How often does good performance go unrecognized?

2.    In general, what’s the positive-to-negative feedback ratio in our company/plant/department etc?

3.    How could we improve that ratio?

4.    What is your individual ratio of positive-to-negative feedback?

 “Inside the Magic Kingdom” Continued from previous week…

LESSON 5

Customers are heard best through many ears

One of the ways that organizations measure their level of customer satisfaction is through surveys.  While this is a great way to obtain valuable feedback it is recommended that the customers be heard by many different ways.  In the book they refer to this as multiple listening posts. These posts are about the company listening to customers as opposed to listening to oneself. At Disney they use the term aggressively friendly.  When I first read this I thought it was interesting and when I remember my own experience at Disney World, it was definitely the case.  Some of the listening posts suggested include: posts that allow you to take immediate action, after service surveys, phone surveys and walking around and speaking with customers.

Questions for discussion with your team:

1. How can we “put on our ears” to track customer satisfaction?
2. How could the process of gathering feedback be more creative and fun?
3. Remember the impact of immediate action.  How can we improve our response time?
4. Identify and list aspects of our job(s) that involve customer contact. (Best used for a homogeneous discussion group.)
5. What formal or informal listening posts are we not using that we could be using?
6. How could we become more responsive to our customer needs?

 “Inside the Magic Kingdom” 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?”