Provide Customer Options

Imagine you’re shopping at Bonjour Village Gifts at the Magic Kingdom in Walt Disney World.

Your eyes set upon some very expensive, but very delicate merchandise. You want to make the purchase. But is it worth hauling around? What if you end up breaking it while you’re carrying it from attraction to attraction? You could consider coming back later before the park closed and purchasing it then. But what if you never return to the backside of the park to make the purchase? What are your options?

At Disney, they understand that it can be a pain to schlep merchandise around. Moreover, they know that it may even result in guests choosing not to make the purchase. Therefore, they have an organized merchandise pick up and delivery. With that program they provide several customer options:

1. If there are at least a few hours before the park closes, you may make the purchase and then pick it up at the front of the park–in this case, at the Chamber of Commerce.

2. If you are staying at a Walt Disney World Resort Hotel, and you’re staying through the next day, it can be delivered to your hotel.

3. For a nominal fee, it can be sent to your home via UPS or FedEx.

The premise is simple: Make it easier for customers to do business with you by giving them options. Not just with purchasing merchandise, but with every aspect of the customer experience. It’s what sets world-class organizations apart. Give the customer options that serve their needs. It not only will create a better customer experience, it may just benefit your bottom line.

One more thing! I hope you’re attending D23 next week. I’ll be doing a signing of my book, Disney Hollywood Studios: From Show Biz to Your Biz, as well as The Wonderful World of Customer Service at Disney. Proceeds from all copies that are purchased during D23 go to the Annette Funicello Fund, dedicated to funding research into the cause, treatment and cure of Multiple Sclerosis and other neurological diseases.

Please stop by from 4pm to 5pm at the SaturdaysToys.com Authors & Artists Table. It’s in Exhibit Hall A/Booth A307 just off the main thoroughfare known as “Mickey Avenue. There you’ll see on display–some for the first time ever–awards and personal effects from Annette’s life on display. It’s a definite must-stop during your D23 stay. So join us!