In the realm of services marketing, their are companies that don’t have any idea what they are doing, and then their are those that just get it and do a great job. Among those that got it right is Disney and the experience of guests at their parks. For the past 50 or so years, Disney has established itself as one of the leaders of the entertainment world. From their iconic “mouse ears” to their ability to crank out musical child stars such as Britney Spears and Christina Aguilera, Disney has always been associated with providing the best in entertainment.
But how does Disney do it?
Their are many reasons as to why Disney has become so successful, but among the major reasons for their success is their attention to services marketing. Disney believes in providing the customer or guest the best experience they can possibly have. For example, when entering a Disney theme park, guests are not just entering an amusement park, they are entering a ‘magical place’ as is the motto in the photo above. Disney believes in making every effort to make the guest feel like they are part of something special. Disney even addresses there workers as ‘cast members’ not employees.
Not only does Disney pay close attention to its customers, but Disney also does a great job with there servicescape.This is an important detail that all businesses should think of. When a customer is going to your store, the customers first interaction with your business does not start when they enter the store, but when they first see it. Having the appropriate setting and physical environment has a direct correlation to the experience the customer has. Looking at Disney, not only do they ‘say’ that you will have a magical day, but the setting and decor make you feel like you are.
Going back to the role of the Disney cast members, they play one of the most vital roles in their parks. Not only are they necessary in the day to day operations of their parks, but cast members are important in the personal interactions with guests. Most guests would agree that they have had positive experiences with Disney cast members. One of the ways to assure that the quality of the service being provided by employees is at its best is to implement a good training program that will allow employees to not only learn basic operations but also to learn the company culture. Employees that understand the company culture will be able to better serve the customer.
While Disney is a great example of a company that understand the importance of services marketing, some companies still don’t. Many will tell you that it just costs too much to train and put in the time to make sure they are doing a good job. In all honesty, this is true. It is also true that it costs more money to acquire a new customer than to retain one. Also, that an angry or unsatisfied customer will tell on average 12 people negative things about your business and happy customers will tell 5 people positive things. In the end it may come down to a numbers game and what is most cost efficient, but companies should remember that while the motto “customers are always right” may not always be true, it doesn’t mean you shouldn’t try and provide the best service possible.
