Many managers and business owners think it takes a lot of time, work and money to create great and memorable customer experiences. Some of that statement is true. Many experiences can be created with training and some planning. While managing Disney Resort properties at Walt Disney World in Orlando, my staff and other cast members (employees) planned events designed to engage guests and create an enhanced customer experience.
Cast members would select a child to introduce a show, sit in the driver’s seat of the monorail as a guest conductor, choose a guest to play a role as an actor in a street show or take part in a special taste testing of a new item on the menu at a restaurant. All of these took place each day and were planned to engage the customer in the experience. It was not just the children and their parents who loved these special moments. Everyone watching enjoys the experience and raves about it when they return home.
However, many of the magical experiences are not planned. They are more spontaneous. The cast members are encouraged to seize opportunities to do something special for guests. My staff called them “Magic Minutes”. For example; walk and escort an elderly person or couple to a location, share and point out a unique fact about the park, replace a spilled drink for free, personally call a guest who is ill, give out a free small sticker book to a child, help a struggling parent with many children maneuver a stroller or create animals out of towels in the hotel guest rooms.
Why are they called “magic minutes”? Because they wow the guest in a minute or less. These random and spontaneous acts create memorable moments. My staff was trained and encouraged to perform these acts each and every day. Think about all those seconds and minutes being repeated hundreds of times a day and all adding up to create magical experiences. It is why I say the “magic is created by people”. It occurs by choice not by chance.
Here are a few tips to encourage your own magic minutes in your business.
1. Make it a point to talk about these magic minute experiences at meetings.
2. Reward and recognize people who do it.
3. Walked around noticing and thanking people for doing it right on the spot.
4. Encourage fellow workers to acknowledge each other doing it.
5. Post customer comments and positive feedback from these magic minutes everywhere.
Many people in my audiences and coaching members tell me it is easy for people at Disney to do it but can that kind of thing happen in my business? The answer is YES! Think about all of the human interactions and contact with your staff that takes place with customers and clients within your business or organization each and every day. Aren’t there opportunities to make people feel special, valued, appreciated, surprised, welcomed, excited, compassionate, cared for, feel important and more? Teach, coach and encourage all people in your business to look for and take these opportunities to seize the moment and create magical minute experiences in your business today.