Maintaining Customer Service
There are also a number of methods which Disneyland Paris uses to focus on maintaining their exceptional high level of customer service. The first method Disneyland Paris could use to maintain a high level of customer service is by hiring the best possible candidates for the job. This is achieved by Disneyland Paris’s thoroughly conducted and extensive recruitment scheme. The recruitment scheme for cast members focuses on skills and the motivation to work for Disneyland Paris. Cast members become part of the philosophy and by demonstrating a high level of dedication to their jobs; they receive the gratitude of customers and therefore maintain the motivation level. This would be important when maintaining a high level of customer service as customer service depends upon satisfying the customer by meeting and exceeding their set expectations.
Other methods of how Disneyland Paris maintains a high level of customer service focal points are the length of time customers have to queue for the various rides and attractions. In order for Disneyland Paris to maintain the high standards Disneyland have now created ‘fast passes’ which can be purchased by any customer. This ‘fast pass’ system has been developed and is proven to reduce waiting times for attractions by approximately 50% and has received a high percentage rating for satisfaction from customers. It allows customers access to all of the major rides such as Rock ‘n’ Roller coaster starring Aerosmith,’ It’s A Small World’ and The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror. There is also Hopper Ticket’s which can be purchased, these tickets allow customers to have access to both Disney parks whenever they wish.
A further way in which Disneyland Paris could monitor the customer service level would consist of their internal complaints measures. Disneyland Paris has ‘back room’ employees who specifically deal with customer relations and any inconveniences which may occur. Below is a quote from the Disneyland website which highlights the responsibility Disneyland Paris’s ‘back room’ staff will face:
“The team which is directly responsible for guest relations is located in City Hall. The aim of this team is to provide “care” for clients by dealing quickly with customer problems or making special arrangements for groups when required. ”
This is central when trying to maintain a high level of customer service as any complaints whether it be from internal or external customers must be dealt accordingly with and quickly rectified. This would help to maintain a high level of customer service as it would mean that all customers and employees would feel appreciated when their issues have been dealt with. If Disneyland Paris can productively attain this and make customers and employees feel valued then they will be more likely to repeat custom at the Disneyland Paris Resort or be more motivated in their job role. Both of these situations would help to increase the productivity of the work force, increase sales and revenue and maintain a high level of customer service for Disneyland Paris.
An additional method in which Disneyland Paris helps to maintain high levels of customers is by focusing of queues is by providing customers who have not purchased a fast pass with entertainment, therefore making the queuing part of the Disneyland experience. Disneyland Paris also has to maintain the good corporate image of the Disneyland Company as a whole; Disneyland is known for charm in its welcome, efficiency and cleanliness. These standards are being followed by Disneyland Paris. Part of the Disneyland image also comes from communication systems; all cast members are encouraged to communicate with customers whenever possible. Each special customer group has a team, which deals directly with their needs, for example, groups, conventions, school parties, special needs, etc. All cast members are trained to communicate with positive body language and with a smile on their face or in terms of the telephone with their voice. This will help customers feel welcomed and comfortable around cast members, thus, increase customer satisfaction and in turn the high quality of customer service will be maintained. As all cast members are trained to a high standard, they are also all given a handbook on all aspects of the complex, so any cast member should be able to give sales assistance and advice. It is important in customer care that consideration is given to all budgets. At both shops and restaurants you will find a wide variation in prices to meet every pocket. This will help to increase and maintain Disneyland’s high level of customer service as it will give customers a wide variety of quality and prices to choose from which in turn, will make customers feel valued and have all their needs catered for, this consequently, will increase customer satisfaction.
The analysis of customer service quality is of major importance to Disneyland Paris. Therefore, each year Disneyland creates a full appraisal which involves all aspects of the organisation. Disneyland Paris is a labour intensive organisation and therefore assessment of employees is a major part of any appraisal but equally important are aspects such as VFM, maintaining safety, and maintaining the magic. This would consequently be important when maintaining a high standard of customer service as if cast members knew what they had achieved and been given goals and targets to achieve they would be better motivated and in turn would provide a high level of customer service as they would have some purpose at Disneyland. In personnel terms points to consider would be reliability of service, consistency of service, staffing levels, provision for individual and special needs and qualities of the staff. Customer care is therefore at forefront of all the operations of Disneyland Paris, from the development of new attractions and services to the individual attention to detail and specific adaptations and facilities for guests with special needs.
It would also be vital to the success of Disneyland Paris that they monitor the high quality of customer service they provide. In order to achieve this Disneyland carries out a number of methods to monitor customer service. The first an only method in which Disneyland Paris can monitor customer service is by; gathering information from customers about the level of customer service in which had been provided. In order to achieve this and gain this vital information they ask customers to fill out a short questionnaire at the end of their holiday to evaluate their stay in the Disneyland Resort. From this information Disneyland Paris can evaluate what customers on a whole feel and identify areas which they need to improve and which areas they need to maintain. This will successfully monitor the level of customer service provided and help to increase and maintain a high standard of customer service.
Improving Customer Service
After analysing this information about how Disneyland Paris monitor and maintain customer service I have concluded some possible suggestions as to how the current procedures can be changed or altered. Firstly, I have identified that Disneyland Paris could improve the customer service through providing high achieving staff with either bonuses to pay or a range of fringe benefits. These fringe benefits may include a good pension plan or reduced health care. I have identified that as Disneyland are short of money, these are fairly low cost bonuses for cast members to receive, however, these bonuses will help to increase the motivation of cast members as they will feel like a valued member of the team and will generate high satisfaction once these goals and targets have been met, thus, providing and maintaining the high standard of customer service Disneyland offers.
I have also identified that Disneyland could implement a new method of monitoring the level of customer service provided in and around the Disneyland Resort. I believe that Disneyland should introduce regular staff meetings in order to discus how cast members feel the level of customer service could potentially be hindered and set in place methods to ensure these problems do not arise and affect the level of customer service which Disneyland provide. This would be the case as cast members who do the job day-in day-out would be able to spot things which managers higher up may not spot. This would also lead to cast members feeling more valued as they are helping the success of Disneyland Paris as a company not just working for them. As cast members would feel more valued this would lead to an increase in motivated for cast members and in turn would lead to an increase in customer service, thus, maintaining the level of customer service.
Customer Charter
Below is the customer charter for Disneyland Paris. This charter identified seven main areas in which cast members should follow in order to provide a high level of customer service, these seven areas include:
- Be Happy… make eye contact and smile!
- Be like Sneezy… great and welcome each and every guest. Spread the spirit of Hospitality… its contagious!
- Don’t be Bashful… seek out Guest contact!
- Be like Doc… provide immediate Service recovery!
- Don’t be like Grumpy… always display appropriate body language at all times!
- Be like Sleepy… create DREAMS and preserve the “MAGICAL” Guest experience!
- Don’t be Dopey… Don’t forget to thank each and every Guest!
This will be important to the high level of customer service provided by Disneyland as it will ensure that each and every cast members knows exactly what must be done in order to present themselves and act towards customers in order to provided high standard customer service. If this customer charter was not created and cast members did not thank every guest Disneyland could not punish them for this as they would not be aware they had to thank every customer, however, as Disneyland has created a customer charter, there will be no excuses if cast members do not carry out each and every feature of the customer charter. Consequently, providing a good customer charter and ensuring that each and every cast member has seen it and owns a copy of the charter will help to increase and maintain the level of customer service Disneyland Paris provides.
Analysis of Techniques to Improve
When Disneyland Paris monitors and maintains customer service, each person involved at the organisation has a special role to play. For example, managers, cast members and customers will all have different views on the level of the customer service being provided and expected. Firstly, managers will oversee the customer service being provided by cast members and maybe see things that cast members fail to see. If managers observe problems which maybe hindering customer service, they may put precautions in place to try counteract these potential problems. Managers also ensure that customers feel like they are receiving special treatment and they are being provided with an individual service each time they have interaction with Disneyland Paris employees. Secondly, cast members may see things other employees at Disneyland Paris do not see which may hinder the level of customer service being provided and put in place precautions to counteract these potential problems. Cast members must also ensure that they follow the customer charter in order to provide the best possible service to each and every customer to maintain the excellent level of customer service Disneyland Paris provide. Lastly, customers will have different views from managers and cast members about the standard of customer service being provided. Where cast members may feel that they are providing the best possible service, customers of Disneyland Paris may have different views and expectations from Disneyland Paris, depending on a number of things; age, gender, culture, etc. Therefore, it will be essential that Disneyland can monitor the level of customer service being provided by asking customers to fill out a short survey/questionnaire at the end of their holiday. All these points will help to increase and maintain the outstanding level of customer service provided by Disneyland Paris.
This slide shows that Disneyland Paris have thought about what their customers will expect from them and they have put themselves in the position of the average customer and how they may feel towards visiting Disneyland Resort Paris. From this research, Disneyland Paris has discovered that customers have very high expectations of Disneyland Paris and they want to fully experience the magic Disneyland offers. Disneyland Paris has also discovered that customers expect to be pleased and how they will expect to be pleased. There are eight different methods Disneyland Paris has identified in order to please and meet customer expectations, these being; surprises, bringing happiness, bringing refreshment, teaching, helping, thrilling, and making customers feel good/better or like a kid again. All these methods will help Disneyland Paris to increase the customer service they offer and help to maintain their current high standard of customer service.
This slide identifies that Disneyland Paris have discovered what customers will expect from cast members, these things including; making customers feel happy, treating each and every customer as an individual, respecting every customer who visits Disneyland Paris and having knowledge as a cast member, being able to provide customers with any information they may need. Again, if Disneyland Paris manages to achieve these four expectations, they will be able to keep customer service to a high level and increase the level of customer service they currently provide.