The Business World is a Stage

This past week I attended a conference in Orlando with my husband.  One morning, though I’d rather have been frolicking around the happiest place on earth, my husband encouraged me to attend a presentation by a speaker who shared what he learned during a 20 year career at Disney.  One of the speaker’s key points was viewing business through the perspective of the customer.

We always hear about the importance of customer service. Yet countless examples indicate forgotten and neglected customers. Employees act like they don’t want to be there. Repairmen require you to be home for a crazy length of time in the middle of the day. Restaurants are dirty. Business representatives are rude and unresponsive.

Such businesses are not focused on the client. Their employees have not bought into the idea and importance of customer service.

But what if we were different?

Walt Disney mastered the art of perfecting the customer’s experience. Most cast members (employees) at Disney work by his example. They smile, pick up litter, and do whatever it takes to set the stage for an amazing and memorable experience.

Although most of us aren’t running theme parks, we can still focus on the customer. We can make them feel that their business is wanted and appreciated. We can be respectful and responsive. We can create an office environment that is comfortable, clean, and professional.

In the end, we are all like Walt Disney. We are selling experiences too. And good experiences keep customers coming back.