Writer’s Note: For those of you looking for part II of a Muggle-Born’s Guide to the new Wizarding World of Harry Potter at Islands of Adventure, I must apologize. My muggle-born was under the weather and not able to help me in preparing this article in a timely fashion for publication. We promise that we will have the article soon.
Two years ago I printed an article titled, “How Many Cast Members Do You Interact With Each Day,” which detailed the number of times there was some transaction with a Disneyland Resort cast member, and how many of those transactions actually became interactions. They also noted how these transactions involved the four Disney Keys (or Standards) of Safety, Courtesy, Show, and Efficiency.
This week, I had an opportunity to return to the “Happiest Place on Earth.” I thought it would be interesting to compare it with an experience I had about two years ago. The hope would be that more transactions would be interactive. When I say interactive, I mean that you are truly connecting in some one-to-one way with the guest. In years past, we have often told people attending our customer service programs that, on average, a guest will have some 65 opportunities with a Disneyland Resort cast member. In the previous experience, I actually had some 76 transactions over the course of the day. But the number of transactions is not as important the number of interactions. Those interactions are often what really generates long-term customer loyalty, and is the reason cited by many guests as why they enjoy their experience at Disneyland. In that situation I only had six interactive experiences out of a total of 76 transactions. Surprisingly, as i reviewed them, I remembered every single one of those experiences.
I was with colleagues at Disneyland this time, so I used this as an opportunity to again see the ratio of interactions to transactions. For one full day at Disneyland park, I invited everyone not to not initiate conversation, but wait for the cast member to do so. I also asked that no one wear a pin lanyard or a celebration button indicating a birthday, anniversary or first time at the park.
The results were striking. We had some 54 interactions, but only a handful of times did anyone provide an interactive experience that was beyond what we would consider a rote spiel or transaction. I find this such a contrast to what cast members are taught with the Disney Service Basics. Those fundamental service behaviors stress the following:
“I project a positive image and energy.”
- Smile
- Look approachable
- Look happy and interested
Or this Disney Basic:
“I go above and beyond.”
- Anticipate needs and offer assistance.
- Create surprises and Magical Moments
Please understand, we’re not saying this does not occur. It just seldom occurs proactively. There were some exceptions. The Jungle Cruise skipper asked guests where they were from. When one mentioned they were from Tucson, he took the time to introduce the desert-home guests to water on the side of the boat. The day before, we engaged in a conversation with Oscar, a long-time cast member at Carnation Cafe. He was delightful and generous in his attention with us. Two days before, legendary Disneyland cast member Maynard hosted the introductory spiel at the Enchanted Tiki Room. The dialogue was not necessarily interactive, but it was wonderfully memorable.
Yet nothing caught our eye more than Fantasyland cast member Paula. Her job was to board and dispatch guests on Peter Pan’s Flight. She was so engaging that it was striking, in contrast to the rather mundane performance of everyone we had encountered all day (even the individual at disembark on Peter Pan’s Flight), she offered an interactive and memorable exchange. In a 10-15-second boarding experience she ensured all of the Disney Keys of Safety, Courtesy, Show, and Efficiency were brought to life. She was a marvel to observe. Clearly she gets it. But where is everyone else? Why don’t more cast members do this? Their day would pass by so much quicker and they would enjoy their work more fully. Our group stood outside of the attraction afterwars and kept talking about how really magical that experience was.
I’m not saying that Disneyland Resort cast members don’t come to life when you come to them with a concern. I know hundreds and hundreds of stories where that occurs—with memorable results. But they really don’t invite that interaction proactively. From this experience, we have the following observations for any service industry:
1. Be proactive! As an employee, seek out your customers and anticipate opportunities to provide assistance. You will be surprised how much more enjoyable delivering customer service will be.
2. Provide Tools! Disney uses many tools to help cast members to engage with their employees. Pin trading is one such example. It helps you to have an interaction with cast members who have a lanyard, as well. The buttons that celebrate an anniversary, birthday, or first time in the park is another tool. Having your hometown listed on your name tag is still another. Those kinds of tools in your organization will likely be different, but will help your employees to engage with customers. That said, remember, none of those tools are very helpful if you don’t act proactively as an employee.
3. Design for Interactive. The best example of this was “Celebrate! A Street Party.” Designed to collaborate with the whole “What Will You Celebrate?” initiative, the idea behind this entertainment was to bring you into the celebration. When I viewed the experience last night, I was surprised by what I saw. In comparison to the “Move It! Shake It! Celebrate It! event at the Magic Kingdom at Walt Disney World, I thought aspects of “Celebrate! A Street Party” were really good. The floats were more approachable than the tall gift boxes found at the Magic Kingdom, which strand and isolate characters, like Sebastian and Genie, from what is going on below. Like the performers at the Magic Kingdom, the performers at Disneyland Park were very energetic and into their role.
But only some 25 percent of “Celebrate! A Street Party” invites the guests to come out and be a part. The rest is watching the performers do some dance number. They were great dance numbers, but this is not the purpose of a street party. This contrasts with “Move It! Shake It! Celebrate It!” which spends at least two-thirds of the time with guests out in the street. Moreover, the only guests at Disneyland Park that are out on the street are children (sometimes mothers helping their child). Everyone is invited, but that’s not what happens. The end result is very different than what you get at the Walt Disney World Resort, where nearly everyone comes from off the sidelines and joins the fun. There is no sense that adults are really being asked to be a part of the celebration at Disneyland Park. I came back to my hotel and watched several videos online. Again, Disneyland Park’s show seems to really only draw children. Why?
The answer was largely brought to my attention. As I was observing “Celebrate” I turned to notice a stilt dancer pointing right at me. For a moment I thought he was going to invite me to come out onto the street and join the party. Instead, he invited me to clap along. It was a fun interaction, and one of the few I experienced that day. But it could have been so much more. Why didn’t that individual invite me to come out and play?
Please understand, this isn’t a comparison with the Walt Disney World Resort. I think Disneyland Park does so many things well. I thought the park was beautifully maintained. I was struck at how many restrooms were decades old in terms of their tile and other fixtures, and, yet, they looked clean and polished as if they had been put in the week before.
But this article is about interaction, and how really essential it is that employees be proactive about being interactive. This is Disneyland’s greatest opportunity. And it doesn’t any real cash investment to make it happen. You just have to make those Disney Basics we spoke of a must. Imagine that if over half the interactions in a day were sincere, proactive moments of interaction?
And as always, remember this is not about Disney. It’s about your business! Do your people really interact with the customer?
Walt always said, “You can design and create, and build the most wonderful place in the world. But it takes people to make the dream a reality.”
Here’s to making the magic in your own organization!
