5 Business Lessons You Can Learn From Disney
For decades, the iconic Disneyland theme park has made kids of every age happy. As one of the most recognized brands in America (and even the world), the Disney brand can teach entrepreneurs a few important business lessons.
Business lessons from Disney
1. Treating customers right makes them crazy loyal
If you’ve ever been to a Disney theme park, you know the customer experience outdoes any other theme park. From the moment you walk in, you feel like part of something special. The park is staffed by people who want to make sure you have a magical time, not underpaid, bored teenagers.
Takeaway: Sometimes we move away from that passion that first fueled us in our businesses, but that’s exactly what makes customers come back for more. Stay away from focusing on your bottom line and get back to simply making your customers happy.
2. Innovating the customer experience draws more customers
Not one to stay stagnant, the Disney brand has continually innovated its offerings. Today, you can download a mobile app that lets you skip lines and check how long you’ll have to wait to ride an attraction. The brand saw the need among its customers and filled it with this solution.
Takeaway: Even if you think you’re doing the best you can, don’t rest on your laurels. Continually get feedback from your customers on how you can improve their experience, then find innovative ways to do so.
3. Empowering employees makes them happy to work for you
Disney is known for empowering employees to make decisions that make for happy customers. Store clerks don’t have to ask managers to offer a replacement for a broken toy, and customer service reps are able to offer extras without getting permission if a customer is unhappy.
Takeaway: Giving your staff the power to act in the best interest of not just your company but also the customer makes them more invested in making your business a success.
More articles from AllBusiness.com:
- Make Your Business Plan Customer-Centric
- 6 Things You Need to Do to Save Your Business from Disaster
- 5 Great Places to Take Your Employees for Team Building
- How to Determine Your Business’s Selling Price
- Can Franchising and Innovation Go Hand in Hand?
4. Going behind the scenes doesn’t ruin the magic
While most people walk through the public area of Cinderella’s castle at Disneyland and take photos, a few get the unique experience of taking a behind-the-scenes tour. They find out the secrets of the castle, which makes them feel like they’ve got the inside tip.
Takeaway: Don’t be afraid to show what’s in the secret sauce if it gives your customers a stronger tie to your brand.
5. If you capture customers as kids, they’ll bring their kids
This may not apply to every business, but suffice it to say, becoming a household name can net you generations of customers, the way it does for Disney. Because the brand is such a nostalgic one, it’s something parents are keen to experience with their children.
Takeaway: Nurture those customer relationships so they’ll bring their friends, their kids, and everyone else back to you.
Apply Disney's business lessons to your business
Disney has obviously gotten things right when it comes to being a successful and burgeoning brand. Apply these lessons to your own business and see what happens.
