Disney Gets It
“I never get the accountants in before I start up a business. It’s done on gut feeling, especially if I can see that they are taking the Mickey out of the consumer.”
-Richard Branson
I have always been fond of that quote. Find the “Mickey” in your business and keep it in there.
Disneyland
I lived in Southern California when the first Disneyland was being built. I leased a jewelry counter inside Disneyland several years later. As a merchant at Disneyland I had to follow more rules than most retailers do today. Disney knew their customer, and they were not about to let some retailer in the park take the magic away. They have a rule at Disney that says, “You are not allowed to ever be seen out of character by a customer.” That would be a good rule for everyone in business to follow.
Not at Disneyland
Imagine going to Disneyland and seeing Mickey Mouse on break reading a newspaper or talking on the telephone. It won’t happen. They have secret underground tunnels for employees to take their breaks.
Watchful Eyes
As I travel about, I am always on the lookout for examples of people doing it the right way and the wrong way. I call my photo collection “People at Work” and I am always adding to it. Following are a few of my favorites that you would NEVER see at Disneyland.
Reading the news may be important, but not while on the job.
Smoking is not allowed in Hawaii businesses. It’s the law.
Text Messaging has become a very popular activity.
Eating on the job is not cool. Customers are not likely to interupt someone’s lunch to buy something.
Entertainment. Some “salespeople” even watch a DVD while enjoying lunch.
Crossword puzzles require a lot of thought and focus, in this case at the expense of the customer.
Super Bowl Sunday. I’ve even seen special devises rigged up to improve the video viewing and sound.
Multi-tasking is an important talent, and some have it down pretty good.
And the winner is…
The “salespeople” in these photos all have one thing in common, and that’s when someone asks them how sales are, they have the same answer, “It’s so slow.” And it is the truth!
March 8th, 2009 at 6:41 pm
Hello Everyone,
Ron, off the topic a little … (and I don’t want to take away attention from your message) but in most of your photos, the shops shown have very crowded stock presentation. Merchandise seems tightly packed and to trip over itself. Is this good in your book? Is there a customer reason for this? Do customers get to enjoy seeing so many of one item (if lots of people buy, lots will have the same thing) Do customers have easy access to the goods? Stock control? Theft? Is serving several customers at a time easy or possible? Or is this a flea market bazaar style shopping area where itinerant and moveable kiosks are used, say in the middle of the wide avenues of shopping centres and malls? We have those here in SA and I have often wanted to ask the same questions. I am not a shopper who would prefer to shop here, I would rather be served from behind a counter.
Anyway, on the topic, I guess that the Salespeople employed could be of the opinion that if the customer wants something, they are going to ask for it and so it doesn’t really matter if newspapers, crosswords, smoking, eating, TV or having a nap matters much. Do the Managers check on them? Are there regional visits by area supervisors? Mystery shoppers?
Retail sales and selling is not as easy as it seems to many.
Cheers
Lestie
Johannesburg S A
March 8th, 2009 at 6:46 pm
P S You look like Willie Nelson in Watchful Eyes Ron! Or like his big brother… do you sing at all? Hope you are smiling!
Cheers
Lestie
March 8th, 2009 at 8:06 pm
This is unbelievable; just tonight I was at the check out counter in Whole Foods and some woman came over to ask if I was Willie Nelson. She could’t beleive I wasn’t. She kept staring at me.
No I cannot sing a note. If I could I would have blown her away.
Ron
PS
Twice in one day, and never before. I do LOVE Willie.
March 8th, 2009 at 9:01 pm
ME TOO! He is a great great, not just great. Renditions are timeless, lyrics fine, music real music and melodies are thinkable, and then there is the stage presence … ah well, easy on the mind.
Cheers
Lestie
March 9th, 2009 at 3:25 am
Nice teeth. Your picture on Twitter is a good one also. Perhaps many of the vendors of these carts are the owners. Offer to trade them pointers for donations, then you don’t have to claim it on your income tax.
You do not look like Willie, God forbid. You both have graying ponytails and that is where the resemblance ends.
Off topic to last months health forum…Well, guess what? I received a gift in the form of an illness that is a wakeup call. Gout!%$#@&* Painful in my swollen heel. I cannot eat any protein for two weeks so consuming steamed vegetables and fruit is what is happening, and happily my weight is going down and energy is up. Even beans, nuts, coffee and cacoa hurt. As a Bloodtype A, my status is supposed to be primarily vegitarian anyway, but the low blood sugar thing made me want more protein. Now my protein is out and I’m feeling pretty good. No meat or fish protein, no heel pain. It is a gift and the best thing that happened to me as it is a warning sign and I am heeding it. I am hopefully changing from flesh foods. Too much salmon, sardines, chicken, lamb, mussels, turkey and trout gave me gout. I am still in shock.
Just thought I would let you know. It wasn’t the plantar fascitis. Gout! A blessing in painful disguise. Have you had any of these blessings?
March 9th, 2009 at 6:37 am
Hilarious photos. My favorite is the guy in his socks watching the TV. The headphones are a great touch for making sure he’s not disturbed!
March 9th, 2009 at 8:08 am
Oh Runaway…Wake up call is right. God has many ways of protecting the precious salmon, sardines, chicken, lamb, mussels, turkey and trout. Getting gout is a mild lesson. You are smart to let them live. Those that miss the mild messages are delivered more severe ones.
March 9th, 2009 at 8:09 am
I want that job the last guy has. Paid to sleep; heaven on earth!
March 9th, 2009 at 2:27 pm
Sadly, I am afraid that these are owner operators that are too cheap (or stupid) to hire salespeople. They work 12 hour days and thus justify this awful behavior. As for the ones that are employees, all they need is a boss that cares and won’t tolerate such foolishness.
March 9th, 2009 at 7:52 pm
Aloha Ron,
A picture speaks 5,000 words!
I must confess I am also a big fan of Willie Nelson
Char