Disney Still The One To Beat On Customer Service

So the Frenchmans are back from our annual pilgrimage to the house that Walt Disney built in Florida and I usually come back with some marketing factoids that I notice that Disney Corp does better than anyone else.  This year was no exception, but pretty much the marketing tips centered around customer service, marketing, and defending your competitive turf.  Seriously, year after year I don't really looks for these things, but as is the case with Disney they pretty much smack you in the face with their marketing prowess.

1. Personalized Service That Makes You Feel Special - After the second full day in the park which was spent at The Animal Kingdom we went to one of our favorite restaurants Boma.  Boma is the only dinner buffet we will ever go to because the food doesn't sit at all in chafing dishes, the food is unique, and is brought out fresh as soon as it is finished cooking.  We noticed the head chef TJ making the rounds in the dining area and he stopped by our table when we told him how special we thought Boma was.   Next thing we know TJ sends out a special plate of ribs and a version of mushroom tempura for us and then later on he sent us a dessert he made for us.  We didn't realize it but evidently Disney considers him their best chef and he refuses to go anywhere else but Boma.  He said we have a new friend at Boma and we should ask for him next time we come in - I can only imagine how many people TJ has told that to in a year.
2. Pirate and Princess Party In The Rain Shows Their Training - So the last two times we went to Disney we paid an extra fee (yes) to go to a special party at the Magic Kingdom at night.  They close the park early and then in order to enter the party you need this special pass.  Sure they hand out cheap beads at special locations marked via an X, but the park is virtually empty and you can walk on rides as often as you want with no wait (unlike Magic Hours).   This year it started to rain about 2 and half hours into the party chasing us and a bunch of other families.  However, the Cast Members went right along with their jobs and business not even flinching when the rain was slamming them.  Personally, I thought it was a masterful example of their training and the focus of their employees;  I think 99% of companies would crave for that level of dedication.
3. They Listen to Customer Feedback - One of the many complaints over the years with Disney Dining was that they didn't have your typical reservation system and you were often seated within 15-30 minutes of check-in which most people (your truly) complained about; it always reminded me about that Seinfeld skit (taking a reservation is easy, holding the reservation is what counts).  This year I noticed that they took no walk-ins and we were always seated within 2 minutes of checking in.  Clearly someone figured out that the old reservation system was upsetting the people who planned in advance while walk-ins were treated on the same level unlike any other restaurant scenario (tough luck).  Not saying it is right, but that's the way reservations work outside Disney.  BTW - they also improved the Magical Express service, but more on that below.
4. Protecting Your Customer From The Competition - On the way back to the airport (we took a cab to spend more time in the park), I noticed that the cab driver was not taking I-4 back so I asked him why not.  He explained that as part of their Disney training, they are told not to take I-4 back to the airport because the other highway is just as short and you don't take the customers by Sea World or past Universal billboards.  I thought this was brilliant on Disney's part but what I thought was even more amazing was that this cab driver had Disney training.  According to the cabbie, Disney's Magical Express, the cabs that are found on property, as well as any limos you may rent are all owned and operated by Mears Transportation.  You remember Mears, don't you?  They were the bus transportation company that you thought Disney put out of business with Magical Express.  Nope.  They are the exclusive ground transportation for Disney.  Talk about a) getting a sweet deal for both companies b) making sure that the Disney customer is cared for to and from the airport c) making it seem that Disney does not have complete control over you, when they ummm really do.  Brilliant!

There weren't many things to complain about.  Heck the concierge had access to the latest radar readings to help us make an informed decision about spending extra money to go to a water park.  Since Disney seems to have their Mouse Ears up - here are three things I'd like for them to fix for me besides lowering the cost....

• Equip people with some sort of text message, social network space, early warning system so that we can make informed decisions regarding which park to travel to.  One day Disney Studios was invaded by a cheerleader competition swelling the park population so I could be heard mumbling "I used to like cheerleaders..."
• Instruct parents that every kid that has ever been to a Disney park has been cute at least once in their life.  I was so annoyed with a father who let his younger kids sit in a wheelchair row with the look back to the crowd of "look how cute my kids are I can't control them".  EVERY KID IN DISNEY HAS BEEN CUTE AND YOUR LITTLE CRITTERS ARE NO DIFFERENT (actually the complaint is to please leave the wheelchair accessible rows open until instructed by a cast member.  No person who can sit there should have to ask someone who should not be there to move)
• More butter and less margarine.  One day for breakfast at the counter service location in the hotel (a deluxe one) I decided to have pancakes.  All I could find were some chemical enhanced butter substitutes which really upset me.  Come on Disney.  How much money do I need to pay per day to have a friggin pat of butter.

PardonMyFrench,

Eric

(BTW - if I seem off tonight it is because I had to put my 15 year old cat to sleep today.  RIP Puglsey)

Comments

[cat training in 10 minutes]

Sorry, we can't have a dialog where one side of the conversation gets to make up the terms. As much as we need to have a conversation about the rights and obligations of cyclists and motorists, we can't do it without a common language. And if motoring advocates refuse to distinguish between "I want" and "you must", then we don't have a common language. When Michael, the writer you quote, says "signal", "obey the signs", "use lights at night", he refers to requirements the law imposes. When he demands that...

[Cat Care Information]

Some folks believe that newborn kittens, just like newborn humans, find comfort and security in the sound of their mothers’ and their siblings’ heartbeats. That the heartbeat, real or simulated, improves their chances for survival. I can’ t help but believe that this must also be true for the rest of us, including, if not especially, the elderly among us. There is comfort and healing in the very heartbeats of those we love,— spouses, children, grandparents, lovers, pets— and the closer to the heart we keep...

[Disney Website]

Thank you for an excellent Disney article and I'm very sorry to hear about your cat. Recently we had to put down our 17 year old dog.

All the best to you,
Chris

[disney store merchandise]

yes i am so sorry. I have to agree with you on disney customer service. they are so good.