It All Began with a Mouse...

The title of this post is actually a quote from Walt Disney himself, when asked to reflect upon the vast Disney empire shortly before his death in 1966. While Disneyland was successful, Disney World was 5 years from opening and EPCOT was just a few sketches on paper.

But Disney didn't coin the term "Imagineer" for nothing.

The magic that Disney brought to the world was summed up in this phrase: "My business is making people, especially children, happy." More than a statement, it was the basis for Disney's mission as a business; it represented what the company stands for and why it exists. Changing just a little over the past 60 years, it is The Walt Disney Company's service theme:

We create happiness by providing the finest in entertainment for people of all ages, everywhere

So to close out this week of the "process" of Guest Services, there is no better place to go than the Disney Company and look at their practical magic for creating the best know guest experiences in the world.

Practical Magic

Disney has a simple definition for quality service - exceeding your guests' expectations and paying attention to detail.

The Disney WOW! Factor is exceeding guests' expectations

• Paying close attention to every aspect of the guest experience
• Analyzing that experience from the guest's perspective
• Understanding the needs and wants of the guest
• Committing every element of the process to the creation of an exceptional experience

At Disney, the word Guest is always capitalized and treated as a formal noun.

Quality Service Cycle - the Practical Magic of Disney

• Service theme - a simple statement, shared among all team members, that becomes the driving force of the service
• Service standards - the criteria for actions that are necessary to accomplish the service theme
• Service delivery systems - vehicles used to deliver service
• Service integration - each element in the QSC combined to create a complete operating system

Sounds complicated, doesn't it? It is, and should be - at least from your perspective. Spend a lot of time getting it right. Set up all the process you need to make it work. Implement your process. Evaluate it rigorously, and change it when necessary. Guestology, as Disney calls it, is both an art and a science.

But to the guest, it should all appear effortless.

Company's coming - are you ready to welcome guests in your church?