Disney's 27 steps

While on our adventure to Disneyworld, our "Magical Express" driver had a bit of trivia for us. "What is the most photographed element at Disneyworld?" While many on the bus were guessing the Castle, the EPCOT ball, Mickey, etc. I recalled hearing once what that element was....trash cans. Not necessarily the most glamorous, innovative or creative aspect of the park, but how that came to be is quite fascinating to me.

Once, on a behind the scenes tour, it was a story that really stuck with me. Now I am likely to bungle the facts a bit as it has been a while, but I think you will get the overall concept. I believe this is how it goes...

As Walt Disney was planning the park, he wanted to create an environment which was clean and tidy. Whose business doesn't want that perception? At the time, the trash cans that were readily available were wire mesh. The problem in that is that you can see the trash in the bins, and Walt didn't want that. So his team set out in search of a manufacturer who would be willing to develop a new trash can, one which "hid" the view of trash from guests. After contacting manufacturers from around the country, only one was willing to work to build a better trash can, to Disney's specifications.

That same trash can design is the one that is consistently seen in each of the parks today. And while different finishing techniques are applied to compliment the theme of each park, that trash can remains the same, even after all these years.

OK, so already, there are some lessons there. What about the company who designed the trash can for Disney? How influential was that one person who took the request for a new trash can from Disney. What kind of an impact on the company did that one step of being willing to listen to a potential customer have? What would have happened if the person taking that request really wasn't passionate about their job, engaged in the workplace, empowered to think differently? Who is the person in your workplace that would be fielding that call, letter or e-mail? What would their response be, would you be kicking yourself for years and years to come?

OK, the story continues...

How frequently do you need to place a trash can around the park? Well, many companies would buy a number of them and perhaps strategically place them around the park and be done with it. Not Disney. A master in experiential marketing, it was all about user experience. So how do you know where you need a trash can? Simple, as people are entering the park give them a small wrapped candy. Next, sit back and observe what they do with the wrapper. While observing, it was determined that guests would take an average of 27 steps and if in those first 27 steps they were unable to find a trash can, they dropped the wrapper on the ground.

How do you then reduce the amount of litter in the park? Place trash cans roughly 27 steps apart. It doesn't get much more basic than that. No need for some big elaborate expensive study, survey or consultant. Spend $5 on a bag of candy and take 15 minutes to observe what happens.

Now in some companies, you can imagine the meeting, sitting around a board room table. "Every 27 steps, are you nuts! Do you know what that is going to cost us? Maybe we can put up signs directing people where to find the nearest trash can, since the signs would be cheaper than having an actual can there." But what is the value or a good customer experience? What is the value to your guests of not seeing trash on the streets, of not having gum stuck to their shoes, or increased costs of cleaning and staining on your facades? Disney, forever the master of illusion, knew what this cost was. It was the cost of the peek behind the curtain, a loss of the magic and the dissolving of the illusion.

So what about taking that illusion one step further, meet PUSH the talking trash can:

What about just putting up the signs that were suggested in that fictitious board room meeting? Would you spend the money for a full-page newspaper ad, and then write the words "Trash" and place them randomly around the layout? No.

What are the signs around your facility saying about you? No Parking, Keep Out, Employees Only, Don't Litter, Don't Speed. Are there opportunities to change them to something more customer friendly; Guests Parking, Enter Here, Cast Members Only, Go Green, and Drive Safely.

At one point on our trip, I was standing near one of the bus stops and I took a quick 360° view. Within my line of sight there were no less than 50 garbage cans. They were well maintained, and hid the refuse from view. No paint chips, no remnants of refuse on the closure flaps, just another element in the surroundings.

Do you spend time and energy directing customers to where you want them to go to get what they need, or do you place what they need where they are going to inherently look for or need it?

Take time to sit back and really observe your customer; what do they really want or need, how long will they navigate a site or store to find what they are looking for, how long will they wait in a checkout before leaving, how many minutes or hours will they wait for an e-mail response or phone call?

What is it, in your business, that is the equivalent of those 27 steps?

A matter of perspective

I hope today finds you warm and well! My family and I just returned yesterday from a week in the Magic Kingdom, Disneyworld. The trip was, let's say, an adventure or at least parts of it were. I will recap in a later post, but looking back now, I want to talk in broad generalities.

Overall, the trip was wonderful. It was a time for our family to be together, together with my brother and his family as well, with a surprise visit from an aunt and uncle. We haven't had a lot of time recently to spend time together, and just being with family and experiencing Disney with them was even more magical. Were there bumps along the way, of course. Where there hidden surprises and things we couldn't have planned for, sure. But let's keep some perspective, for this post, let's just talk about the weather...seems like a nice Midwestern kind of thing to do.

When we left home, the weather was cold, in the teens and twenties. Forecasts for Orlando were showing a balmy range of the mid-60s to mid-70s with lows in the 50s. That range tends to be a little tricky, not quite warm enough for shorts, but could be a little warm for jeans. So you pack a little of each and away you go.

When we first arrived, it was beautiful, so nice to see green grass and trees again and while not exceptionally warm, coming from sub-freezing temperatures, it was perfect. We experienced days that were cooler, where we needed sweatshirts and long pants, and yet there were others where we we spent the day at the waterpark in swimsuits without being cold. Variety is definitely the spice of life.

And then we return, and as I check out the WDAY forecast, I am nearly moved to laughter as I see this:

On exactly which planet does -12° equate to "Not So Cold?" Well, apparently North Dakota, with perspective. If you look at the Monday Night forecast the low that night for the Fargo area was -23° (yes people, these are negative numbers we are talking about here....below zero) So, in comparison to -23° below zero, -12° doesn't seem quite so bad, "Not So Cold." But coming from Orlando and temps in the 60s, if I were writing the forecast it would look something like "#%$@ing cold" (feel free to insert the expletive of choice).

So, why all of this talk about the weather? I think it lends itself to understanding a broader perspective on our lives as well. What is the weather in your life like today?

We have all seen the news; economic downturn, layoffs, foreclosures. It certainly seems frigid, but have we seen the worst of winter yet, are we in store for a doozy of a blizzard? I don't think anyone knows for sure, but we can all hope spring is coming.

I think your perspective all centers around your reference point. I believe we all get to choose our reference point, the point by which we all measure how we are today and what our hopes of tomorrow will be.

For some time while facing adversities in my life, my reference point was that of a moment in the NICU with my daughter Hope. At one point I was in the nursery when stopped breathing. Doctors and nurses scrambled to resuscitate her. I watched as she slowly lost her color and more and more people rushed to help. For some time as I watched I began to think, this is it, I am watching my child die. Even now, I am still moved to tears when I think of it.

When I would have a bad day, when I was stressed, worried, or just being a bit self-centered, and someone would ask, "How are you?" I would reflect back to that day, my reference point, and could honestly answer nothing other than "well" because, the challenges I faced on that day were nothing in comparison to my reference point. 

So, what does that mean for my expectations in life? Should anything above that reference point be acceptable? I don't think so, I believe it to only be a point of reflection, not one on which to dwell. You have to experience the lows to really appreciated the highs. You have to experience failure to really appreciated success.

From the very bottom of that valley, it can sometimes be hard to make out that mountain peak, yet it is still very important to try to imagine it, even if you can't see if from where you are currently standing. What is it going to feel like standing on that summit, what will the air smell like, what will your personal sense of accomplishment feel like. Maybe from the summit, you will have a view of an even higher peak. Certainly, the journey may be difficult, climbing that mountain, or perhaps you will stumble upon a ski lift or a rescue helicopter which will briskly wisk you there without effort. The key is to be looking toward the summit, not moping about with your head down in the valley, or curled up in the fetal position. How will you find your ski lift or helicopter, unless you are keeping your eyes open, looking for it.

By keeping your eyes open, you might just find in your time in the valley, that there is beauty there as well. Is there any silver lining within this dark dark cloud? Look at the some of the measures that families are taking to deal with money being tight;

• learning to cook at home instead of eating out
• downsizing houses or possessions
• thinking more carefully about purchases
• appreciating the things that they have more, including jobs
• finding ways to give of their time when they can't give financially
• finding simple pleasures in life.

If you look at the list, these are things that we should have been doing or paying more attention to all along. Are the material things we had been longing for and working so hard for fulfilling us? Has keeping up with the Jones' taken us off track? Are the Jones' kids spoiled brats? Do the know that their parents love them? Have they really spent any time getting to know them? Remember the movie "Citizen Kane," and his longing for "Rosebud?" He didn't take Rosebud with him on his trek to the mountain top, but that doesn't mean you can't.

Much like the weather has it's highs and lows, life does as well. The landscape can be uncertain, unpredictable, but for every winter there is a spring. And sometimes, a 3-day blizzard and temperatures in the twenties below zero are just what is needed to bring families closer together, or to give those who had been hurried, time to reflect on the summits that await them.

Put on your hiking boots and join me as we forge through this valley to find greater mountains, pack your bags expecting a little of everything, keep your eyes out for helicopters, don't forget to pack dear old Rosebud!

Oprah.....again

Thanks to all of you for your feedback and encouragement on the photo on the Oprah site, and the tip of another one that made the gallery, which must have just changed this weekend. And there it is.....photo credit!

Thanks again for the great feedback on making the site. Here are some more photos from the shoot which the winter trees came out of: http://www.ineedchocolate.com/photo-galleries/north-dakota-winter/