In preparing a social media campaign for a Disney Institute professional development program, I evaluated the available materials that the marketing group was providing.  Based on a traditional marketing effort the materials included email, press releases, Word of Mouth and partner promotions.  They had some video but due to the Disney Brand, there were not allowed to be posted on Youtube for sharing by others.

I created my own

I needed more content to share and created slide presentations (for Slideshare)  and blog articles.   I started to track down past attendees of the events to interview them myself via phone or using video.  In order to understand the magic behind Disney and what makes  these professionals evangelists online and off about customer service, the Disney leadership principles and customer experiences I needed to talk directly to a few Disney evangelists.

Of course I used social media to make some connections. I first joined the Disney Institute Alumni Group on LinkedIn to see what everyone was talking about. Then I started to network and ask questions with various people in the Group.  David Balentine was one of my first connections and he said that his experienced at the Disney Institute unleashed a passion in him for customer service.  He believes that everyone has a role to play in customer service and he  writes about on his blog All For the Customer.

David Balentine’s Disney story

David Balentine and Family at Epcot (Photo Credit D. Balentine)

Let me first give you a little background.  David is a general manager of several General Nutrition Centers (GNC) in the Atlanta area. David first visited Walt Disney World (WDW) in August 1972 and then not again until 2001.  After that he had business conventions in and around WDW every other year.  In 2003,  he started taking his family with him.

“In 2009, I already considered myself a Disney geek, downloading Disney podcasts to my iPod, registering on numerous Disney forums and listening to Disney music on the internet day and night. We booked a 5-night stay at the Contemporary Resort. One of the days, we went to Blizzard Beach instead of one of the theme parks. We did not have any dining reservations for that evening so I stopped by the Concierge desk for assistance. I explained to the Cast Member that we didn’t have any reservations anywhere and I understood it was last minute but I wanted to have a special dinner with the family. . . . could he help me? Cary, the CM from the DC area, looked at me and said two simple words that. “Of course.” He was there to help me and how dare I think that he couldn’t help me. He didn’t say those words but that’s what he meant. He found us a table at Le Chefs de France at Epcot and we had a wonderful time.”

When David returned he started to educate himself  about Disney-style customer service. Its no small wonder that continuing educating yourself is one of the leadership principles at Disney.  One of the books he read was Lee Cockerell’s “Creating Magic: 10 Common Sense Leadership Strategies From a Life at Disney.” After reading, he booked a course on Leadership Excellence at Disney Institute in Orlando.  And that one was not his last.

Question and answers

Curious about David’s impressions of that first Disney Institute training, I asked about the details.  The Leadership Excellence course held in  November  2009 was a 3.5 day leadership principle program that closely followed the principles and tips in Creating Magic.  David said that Disney looks at everything surrounding their guest.  From the way the sheets are folded, to the way they clean up the resorts and parks. Cast members are graded on smiling at guests and even picking up any trash they see on the ground.  After reading Lee Cockrell’s book, he wanted his operation, at least what he was responsible for, to run like Lee Cockerell talked about.  He paid for this training out of his own pocket. During the sessions he attended, he found the attendees to be very diverse – large corporate,  insurance businesses , Christian youth home, military, individuals, retail and business to business.

Although David manages two retail stores, he never received formal training on how to be a leader.  While  he loved being in direct contact with  customers,  he was lacking the qualities that are Disney’s guiding lights.  Another concern for him was his lack of a formal degree.

“By the time [the first]course was over, I was feeling like I could run any Fortune 100 company if given the right people and enough time to do the job!” David Balentine

Suggestions for others

David Balentine during training (Photo credit D. Balentine

Its obvious that David is an evangelist for Disney and customer service. He has continued his quest for more education (another key principle in Lee Cockerell’s book) by taking a second and this fall will attend his third course.  His drivers are both personal and professional, but still remains funded out of his own pocket.

“It is my goal one day to be employed by the Walt Disney Company. Until that happens, I am going to take what they have to offer and bring the level focus and energy back and apply it to our operation. There were already some processes in place because we are very customer focused. But there is always more you can do. The courses leave you with a feeling that tells you to get moving!”

Key take aways from a Disney event

David offers the following comments on this Disney training:

• On the Disney Institute site they don’t rank the course as to order, but he would suggest taking the leadership course  last or after some core topics under your belt.
• He felt welcomed but felt personally he was not professional ready to deal with all the topics.
• He has written letters to compliment the programs and the structure.
• Wears a Disney pin each day – to remind him to focus on the customer.

His key take aways were as follows:

• Setting through which your business works (office, retail, warehouse) main delivery methods for message out. Needs to be seamless for getting message out. Use to hit on the sensory details for a brand. Makes the difference when people have choice.

• People – onstage and behind the scenes. Guest never see them, but if they don’t do their job the rest of the organization can fail.

• Process  to deliver the experience they have to offer.

Its clear from the interview I had with David that he was able to embrace the Disney principles at the courses he has already completed in Leadership Excellence and Quality Service.  He hopes to complete People Management in 2011.

What effect has the Disney brand had on your life?

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