Friday, December 31, 2010

2 Be our guest: perfecting the art of customer service

Toastmaster of the day, dear fellow members and most welcome guests. Good afternoon.
Opening-
Long time ago, Mr. Disney brought his 2 daughters to amusement park, where was dirty and dangerous, Inspired him making the whole new park, where guests can join in different atmosphere.
In 1971, Walt Disney World (WDW) resorts opened in Orlando, Florida. This is the biggest Disneyland in the world. There are around 60,000 cast members(employee) work here. They compose in 4 theme parks, 2 water parks, 1 shopping avenue, more than 27 resorts and 300 restaurants. How the big amusement park makes 70% guests keep coming back? The reason is the “quality service”!
Today, I want to share how Disney makes magical moment.
Disney like to say ”pixie dust” ,to make magical moment. It’s a kind of service. There are 4 elements to complete quality service cycle:service, cast member, stage-setting, process & integration.
Disney is the first one invent ”Guestology”, they focus on guests’ need , feelings and emotion. So, knowing the customers is important. Disney set the tone, guest want the happy and unforgettable memory in Disneyworld, so they work hard on completing this goal!
As the cast member, the first day you worked in Disney, need to take the class –Disney Tradition in Disney University. One of principles for cast members- Disney quality standards: safety, courtesy, show & efficiency.
Safety-There is noting more important than safety. Safety begins with cast members. Before launching the ride, need to be checked over and over again.
Cast member respects everyon,like when you show the direction, need to use 2 fingers to point, or bring them to the right place. Mr. Walt Disney said “we love to entertain kings & queens, but everyone here is a V.I.P.”, Cast members is on the stage, they are the actress or actor, so need to performance well. The are also the host to welcome guests.
Follow the quality standards, come out Disney service basics, if the organization or person can put the basics in mind, will perform the good service –
1. You need to smile all the time, look approachable, look happy & interested, model the disney look, keep conservations positive.In Disney All the cast members should follow the “Disney Look”, tidy costumes, no dying colorful hair & nail polish, no weird make-up, only wear black or white shoes.
Disneyorld is a stage, so all employee is actor/actress.
2.Try to make eye contact & smile, engage in guests interaction, treat guests as individuals, greet and welcome each guests, thank all guests & invite them back.
3.preserve & protect the magic, provide excellent show quality & safety, perform role efficiently by reducing hassles & inconveniences.
4.Offer anticipate needs and assistance, create surprises and magical moments, provide immediate service recovery.
You can notice that Disney focus on service and cast members a lot, coz he thinks they are the most important elements.
He once said- “You can dream, create, design and build the most wonderful place in the world…but it requires people to make the dream a reality.(-Walt Disney.)
I remembered one day morning, I heading to work by change the bus, on the way to resort, only me on the bus, the driver know I rush to work, so he dropped me off the back-stage. That really surprised me, and this was not the first time, other driver also provided me the same exceptional service. That is what Disney wants to make-the "Wowing guests."

2. The magic of stage-setting
Besides magical cast members, also needs wonderful place to create joyful environment. The element of stage-setting including – architecture-design, light, color, material of carpet, music, fragrance, food…etc. When you walk in Disney parks, you can see each decoration has its meaning. They are go-well with the theme. Even the restroom has special fragrance.” Like the adventure land and fantasy land in magic kingdom, the floor, outfits of cast members are matched together. You won’t see the Buzz Lightyear show up in Winnie's home!
3. The magic of process
Parade and fireworks are the distinguished feature in Disney Park. before the show, cast members will set the line of viewing place, ask guests move to safe place. The Cast members know the smooth process in each show or ride, such as the process of emergency, like fire. While working in resorts, we have service process, such as speaking the theme to each guests: welcome home. Remember when I worked in the resort, hurricane came, we published the emergency call list to each cast member and hand out the essential information to guests. We need to make everyone safe.
Cast members try hard to make magical moment to guests, not only give stickers to children, like in the crowded park, you can use your tickets to get fast-pass, then come back on time, you can save the time of waiting. Some attractions in Disney is popular, you might need to wait 120 minutes. Therefore, Disney design some interactive game, you won’t feel bored while you waiting in line. Some people might be have experience of parking in the big parking-lot and forget your parking place, so Disney design the cute sign to remember easily,show you the parking-space and provides train bring guests from parking-lot to the park back and forth.
Those are the examples of the magic of process.

At the beginning, I mention there are 4 elements in Disney quality service cycle: service, cast member, stage-setting, process & integration. The integration means combining these 3 elements: service, cast member, stage-setting & process, it will come out this service matrix- We take Disney Vacation Club as example. Disney Vacation Club is the club you can purchase the points to have ownership of several Disney resorts. So, you can map out the matrix like this: I take some to illustrate:
*Safety & Cast members--“Safe D start with me.”
*Show & stage setting-- Smelling, tasting, listening…etc.

I just summarize some tips of Disney quality service. People might be wonder how can these elements keep each cast member on the right track? I think "the continous training" is the key, they have complete interior tutor training system and training for each levels. Take me as example, I almost had 180 hours training, including OJT in 6 months. If you want to know more about the perfecting the art of customers service of Disney, you can read this book. And it may give you the inspiration for work and for yourself. Toastmaster of the Day.

1-My Childhood & English Learning

Good evening everyone. My name is WEIYU.
It’s my honor to introduce myself in this meeting.
The meaning of WEI is books made of leather and YU is the name for Chinese brush. The reason my parents gave me the name with book and pen is that they want me good at reading and writing. However, I prefer watching cartoons and animations, especially Disney one.
I also like to see the musical, such as Jekyll and Hyde, the phantom of the opera and Lion king. I enjoy the breath-taking stage settings and touching story.
My dream is traveling around the world and eating delicious food but gain no pounds. I have several stories about me want to share, due to the time limit. Today, I’m going to share my childhood and my English learning story.
I born in a historical town, where is popular recently because of this movie- MONGA(艋舺). My parents owns men’s clothes stand at night market next to Longshan temple(龍山寺). Since I was 7, I need to help them set up the stand after school till 12. Later on, they rent a shop to expand the business and instead of stand-setting.
Due to MONGA is a famous scenic spot, sometimes you need to do the business with foreign travelers. My Dad knows the importance of English. One day, I got the DM from English school, he thought I want to learn then registered for me right away. I started my classes, but I couldn’t speak with foreigners and made my Dad upset.
I try to find out my problem, I told my Dad, ”I think my English poor, the reason is I never been to America!”
Therefore I grasped the chance to America. I stayed in home stay in CA for one month in 16 and was US politics intern in Washington DC for 2 months in 26. However my English communication didn’t improved.
I didn’t give up and kept practicing. I got the internship in Walt Disney World 2 years ago. In order to pursuing my Disney and English dream, I resigned my original job and flied to Orlando as a concierge in several resorts.
Besides working 40 hours a week, I took hospitality management classes in University of Central Florida and Disney University twice a week. I passed the training class and on job training. I still remembered the first day I do on my own, it was Saturday morning. Can you believe that? There were lots of guests occupied the lobby and waited to check-in. I did very slow and couldn’t understand some guests’ request. It was a frustrated moment, I came here so far away to here, but didn’t see any performance.
One day, I found a good way to practice English, is toll free numbers! I called cell-phone company and Disney reservation number, tried to ask more questions to practice my listening comprehension and communication skill in several days. WOW! I improved a lot, even difficult assent.
I just realize that the best way to build communication ability is learning by doing!
Most people know I’m one of the members to run the Far Eastern International Bank toastmasters club. When I was student, my friends invited me join, but I refused, because I afraid to deliver speech in public, even English!
Now, I’m standing here deliver the speech. I never think about that I need to join it and to run the toastmasters club for our company! If we prepare ourselves all the time, then the chance will come to us! Just dare to speak, dare to dream!

3-Christmas Spirit for me

I can’t remember when I start to celebrate the Christmas, although I’m not the Christian. I enjoy the holy song and ornaments with Christmas atmosphere. My family will set up the Christmas tree every year, put everything we like on it. (On Christmas Day, my Dad will put red envelope for everyone!) Not only eating Christmas feast, I prefer reading and watching some movies and stories related to the Christmas.
Today, I want to share you some Christmas spirit for me, which base on the movies I like. for me, Christmas is the time for believing,cherish and retrospection.
When I was kid, I like to read picture book, especially the western one, such as prince save princess’s live, some fairy tales. They always bring me to the fantasy land. Especially the Christmas one, I know being a good kid, I can get the gift form Santa Claus, my daddy!
The polar express is the first 3D movies I saw.It’s talking about the boy who didn’t believe the Santa Claus until he saw him. This movie express the power of believing! Such as the popular book “secret”! If we believe we can do it, and work hard on it, i will achieve my goal. I never see the Santa Claus, but I believe everyone will become other’s Santa Claus, bring cheers and gifts to the person who being nice and good.
In my teenage, I like to song ”walk in the air” , when I listened to the song, it seems like I flying with snowman, dancing in the midnight sky.
This story –snowman, talking about the little boy build the snowman in the snowing morning. At the midnight, the snowman come to live! And play with him, they flew miles away to meet the Santa Claus! The next day, snowman has melt. It is a Pure and simple story, No words, only pictures and music. But I feel the strength of imagination and cherish every moment in my life! No matter I’m up or down, I’ll try my best to see the bright side.
When I grow up, I prefer seeing movie about life and relationship. I think Christmas is a Time for retrospection. In the end of year, I will review what I did in 2010, anything wrong? I need to revise it; anything good? I need to keep it! And make some new plan for this year.
In this movie, Nicolas cage left his girlfriend and went to London for finance business, 13 years later, he became the rich successful bussiness man. On the Christmas Day, when he woke up, something happen! he becomes a family man with children and wife. The wife was his ex-girlfriend. He experienced the life with love from family and friendship, but with low income. However, his heart is full of warm.It’s a good movie for me to rethink my life and rebuilt it! what I want in my life? Money? Love? Or family?
Last week, I took the class of Management by Objectives. Teacher said we need to set up our goal and get the successful, but you need to define your own success. Goal should be specific and measurable. Follow the Christmas spirit, I hope I can make a clear and challenge goal for 2011. I’ll keep believing that everything is wonderful in the future, cherish what I have and retrospect thoroughly what I did in 2010. Wish everyone have a wonderful Christmas!