{"id":2485,"date":"2015-12-07T18:45:32","date_gmt":"2015-12-07T23:45:32","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/digital.hbs.edu\/platform-rctom\/submission\/the-happiest-place-on-earth-the-magic-recipe-behind-disney-parks-70-return-rate\/"},"modified":"2015-12-07T18:49:11","modified_gmt":"2015-12-07T23:49:11","slug":"the-happiest-place-on-earth-the-magic-recipe-behind-disney-parks-70-return-rate","status":"publish","type":"hck-submission","link":"https:\/\/d3.harvard.edu\/platform-rctom\/submission\/the-happiest-place-on-earth-the-magic-recipe-behind-disney-parks-70-return-rate\/","title":{"rendered":"The Happiest Place on Earth: The Magic Recipe Behind Disney Parks 70% Return Rate"},"content":{"rendered":"

It is not surprising that Disney Parks are known as the happy place on earth, as Disney main value proposition is to create<\/em> value for their customers<\/em> by providing them with the best customer <\/em>experience possible, going beyond one can imagine to transform each visit into a magic experience. <\/em><\/p>\n

The magic recipe <\/em>that makes Disney Parks have a return rate of first time visitors of 70%<\/em>? <\/em> Disney focus on <\/em>employees training, customer feedback, real time analytics, <\/em>technology and <\/em>continuous improvement<\/em>. <\/em><\/p>\n

\"PLAID-CLAD<\/a><\/p>\n

Employees Training <\/u><\/em><\/p>\n

The employees are<\/em> a key puzzle piece for delivering Disney customer experience, as they are the face that interact daily with the consumers. This is why Disney dedicated great focus on not only training them but also empowering them to make their own decisions. From its hiring pr<\/em>ocess, to its training, Disney W<\/em>orld is making sure that employees are qualified to provide <\/em>customers with the best<\/em> experience. For example, Disney recruits, selects and trains everyone who works in the company in the same way, from third parties to cast members, recruitin<\/em>g the right people and transmitting them with the<\/em> company<\/em>\u2019s<\/em> cultur<\/em>e is critical for <\/em>success. Every employee from a new VP to House-keeping, full-time or part-time first day starts with a training in Disney Traditions, and then it goes to specific training by department lead by each other\u2019s peers. Understating the company purpose, heritage and culture is critical for Disney\u2019s success<\/em> no matter in which step of the organization pyramid you are.<\/em><\/p>\n

Customer Feedback <\/u><\/em><\/p>\n

Getting to know his guests<\/em> was key for Walt <\/em>Disney to the extent that <\/em>he even <\/em>built himself<\/em> a person<\/em>al<\/em> apartment inside Disneyland, so he could w<\/em>atch guest entering the park and<\/em> see their reactio<\/em>n. Following the belief that customer feedback was a key ingredient in improving his operations and delivering greater value for his guests, Walt made sure that every corporate employee would get out of his desks and go walk the parks. Employees are<\/em> encouraged to talk and listen to <\/em>the guests <\/em>as understanding their needs, concerns, frustrations and happiness is key on deter<\/em>mining which are the areas Disney need to focus on for future growth. <\/em><\/p>\n

\"Disney<\/a><\/p>\n

Real Time Analytics and Technology<\/u><\/em><\/p>\n

Disney focus on<\/em> real time analytics is a critical piece to ensure a smooth operation inside their parks that can hold more than 100,000 guest at a time.<\/em> This is done through an underground bunker called the <\/em>Operational Command Center, where by using high-end technology including video cameras, computer programs or digital park maps and real time analytics, Disney is able to optimize in real time the guest\u2019s flows in order to improve their experience. For example, the Command Center is able to send a Disney Character to entertain the guests if a queue is too long, or route a mini parade too less crowded park areas to attract customers towards that part of the park. Moreover, they even control restaurants, realizing when additional registers need to be open or dispatch menus for people waiting in line. Disney ability to react in real time to data though the use of technology and analytics is key for providing a great customer experience for the guests.<\/p>\n

Continuous Improvement <\/u><\/p>\n

Disney is constantly looking ways to improve itself through innovation. This is clearly illustrated though its latest product MyMagic+, a combination between a wristband and a smartphone app that enables consumers not only to get fast passes for rides and see current waiting times, but also open hotel room doors and even pay for things inside the Disneyworld. Disney is able to provide its guest with this revolutionizing new technologies by the nature of its operation model: the emphasis on consumer feedback, real time analytics, and the empowering of their employees who are constantly encouraged to think outside the box.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Sources<\/strong><\/p>\n

https:\/\/disneyinstitute.com\/blog\/2014\/01\/the-secret-to-delighting-customers-put-employees-first-\/233\/<\/a><\/p>\n

https:\/\/disneyinstitute.com\/blog\/2014\/09\/leadership-lessons-from-walt-disney-perfecting-the-customer-experience\/296\/<\/a><\/p>\n

https:\/\/cdns3.trainingindustry.com\/media\/3532077\/disneypeoplemanagementlessons.pdf<\/a><\/p>\n

http:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/2010\/12\/28\/business\/media\/28disney.html?_r=0<\/a><\/p>\n

http:\/\/www.huffingtonpost.com\/gregory-ciotti\/how-disney-creates-magica_b_7093682.html<\/a><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

\u201cOn a visit to a Disney theme park, a little girl and her mother came to a fenced-off construction site. To her mother\u2019s dismay, the little girl threw her favorite Disney doll, Belle, over the fence. When park staff retrieved the doll, it was in a sorry state, spattered with mud, dress torn, hair bedraggled. Attempts to find a replacement in the shop proved futile: Belle had been replaced by a newer model. So the doll was taken first to a makeup artist, who washed her and styled her hair, then to the wardrobe department, which made her a new dress, and finally to a \u201cparty\u201d with other Disney princesses, with a photographer in attendance. Good as new, Belle was returned to her owner that evening, along with a photo album that showed what a great time she\u2019d had during her \u201cmakeover.\u201d Later, in a thank you letter, the girl\u2019s mother described the moment of Belle\u2019s return as \u201cpure magic.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":651,"featured_media":2486,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","template":"","categories":[468,106],"class_list":["post-2485","hck-submission","type-hck-submission","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-dinsey-parks","category-success"],"connected_submission_link":"https:\/\/d3.harvard.edu\/platform-rctom\/assignment\/the-tom-challenge-tom-winners-and-losers-assignment\/","yoast_head":"\nThe Happiest Place on Earth: The Magic Recipe Behind Disney Parks 70% Return Rate - Technology and Operations Management<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/d3.harvard.edu\/platform-rctom\/submission\/the-happiest-place-on-earth-the-magic-recipe-behind-disney-parks-70-return-rate\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"The Happiest Place on Earth: The Magic Recipe Behind Disney Parks 70% Return Rate - Technology and Operations Management\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"\u201cOn a visit to a Disney theme park, a little girl and her mother came to a fenced-off construction site. To her mother\u2019s dismay, the little girl threw her favorite Disney doll, Belle, over the fence. When park staff retrieved the doll, it was in a sorry state, spattered with mud, dress torn, hair bedraggled. Attempts to find a replacement in the shop proved futile: Belle had been replaced by a newer model. So the doll was taken first to a makeup artist, who washed her and styled her hair, then to the wardrobe department, which made her a new dress, and finally to a \u201cparty\u201d with other Disney princesses, with a photographer in attendance. 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