(Replay) The magic of Disney. The employee experience of a cast member during the first days at Disney – E4 with Francesca Tempestini

Released date: 18. Janaury 2021

Are you smiling when you are speaking about your former employer? Francesca Tempestini continuously smiled during this smart discussion about her experience at Disney as a cast member.

Francesca Tempestini was an Export Manager. She is an enthusiastic disseminator of Disney approach.

Francesca is sharing following core principles, she learnt at Disney and she is still applying years after she left Disney:

· Place people at the center of everything you are doing

· Put the right attention to the human connections

· Every interaction has a reason

· It is “natural” to listen to people

· Leverage your emotional connection

The Disney Mission (source: https://thewaltdisneycompany.com/about)

The mission of The Walt Disney Company is to entertain, inform and inspire people around the globe through the power of unparalleled storytelling, reflecting the iconic brands, creative minds and innovative technologies that make ours the world’s premier entertainment company.

We discussed that this definition is:

– All about PEOPLE

– About moving emotions

– This is a mission that every company could share! (not only in the entertainment business)

Please remark that:

– Guests is the definition of customers at Disney

– Cast Members is the definition of employees at Disney

Francesca shared her experiences during the first days at Disney with us:

During the selection interview, she mentioned that she was not sure about where exactly to work, therefore she got the opportunity to start a training program, which had lasted for 15 months before she decided where she wanted to work.

The first days were full of enthusiasm and she participated to the first training named “TRADITION”

During this training, Disney make sure that all the relevant information as values, historical data and organizational cornerstones are properly shared.

Francesca states, that this training is really important because it gives to the cast member a clear perspective on what to do, what are the expectations and to ensure that there is an aligned “FIT”.

It’s very well known that cast member in the Disney parks have three main tasks.

– Make the job you are hired for

– Take care of the guests

– Take the property clean

These are “natural” values! if you are working for Disney or not, there are simple tasks that should keep in mind.

Afterwards Francesca shares some interesting interactions with some guests

– “The stroller story”

– “How to keep bees busy in the Disney parks”

With following learnings:

– Pay attention to details and go the extra mile

– Empower employees to completely fulfill their duties

– Be passionate about what you are doing

– Internal information sharing among cast members is a key success factor

– It is not “because of Disney” – everywhere you can leverage the Disney approach

– Take care of the guests (it is not about spending millions of dollars)

At the end Francesca shared her GOLD NUGGET:

– “Just keep swimming (Nemo)”

– “Just keep swimming (Nemo)” Francesca Tempestini on the CX Goalkeeper Podcast
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Thank you Francesca!

Francesca contact details:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/francesca-tempestini-cx/

Transcription:

Gregorio Uglioni 0:04
Ladies and gentlemen, welcome today to CX idea by Greg. It’s a magic moment with Francesca with us. Ciao, Francesca.

Francesca Tempestini 0:14
Hello, ciao.

Gregorio Uglioni 0:16
thank you, Francesca. It’s a pleasure that you are here with us with all the people following this this webinar, this discussion. And can you please elaborate a bit what you’re doing?

Francesca Tempestini 0:30
Of course, I work in a company at the moment have been working there for seven years, and I take care of experts. So I have an, I am an Export Manager.

Gregorio Uglioni 0:39
Oh, thank you. Thank you very much. And we spoke about customer experience in our LinkedIn interaction. You are our CX experts really passionate about that? Can you perhaps also elaborate about this passion?

Francesca Tempestini 0:56
Absolutely. It’s not I’m not an expert. I’m a lover. So I do love the CX context and, and everything that has to do with that. But that is linked to my previous job, which was a great job, which taught me a lot introduced me to the subject. And then from there, even though now I take care of the other things, I always have that touch of customer experience into that. So it’s really something that very actual, especially because today, I don’t know if we can say that today is the same day. So we are recording this into the sixth day, which is a very actual theme in everything we do.

Gregorio Uglioni 1:36
Sure, that was something that I want to mention at the end, but for sure we can mention. Sixth of October today is customer experience date. And it’s really a big, big pleasure to having you here. Somebody that worked at Disney. It’s not it’s not it doesn’t happen so often to have somebody but before we dive in, in in the business topic and your experience together with Disney, perhaps also one question about you, how can you ensure to have satisfactory life, work life balance?

Francesca Tempestini 2:08
Well, I always try to have to do something that I like, and to ensure to have it in my week, routine, and especially my daily routine, whether that is sport or learning some new skills, so trying to have some extra time, even if it’s just half an hour, to go deep into something which might be Sikhs or digital marketing, which I’m studying at the moment. So I always have to have that. So learning and reading, of course, you need always have to go abroad in my head and, and have this connection.

Gregorio Uglioni 2:43
Thank you, Francesca. And now we’ve come really to the big topic. I can say that you were a cast member of Disney because employees at Disney are named liked cast member. It’s not about being an employee employed. But it’s it’s it’s more. And then let’s elaborate a bit a bit about about that. If I look on your LinkedIn profile profile, I see that you wrote they’re enthusiastic disseminator of the Disney approach can collaborate a bit on that.

Francesca Tempestini 3:17
Of course, well, when I was at Disney, because yes, I was a cast member prod cast member been there for five years and I worked in customer relations and different roles. I was a guest relation that was in the guest service. I was onstage and backstage. So I worked directly with my with my guests with my costume. And as well, I in the last part of my career, they I took care of reservation centers, or the reservations at the reservation center. And they took care of the problem linked to booking that they were made with this name. So what I’ve been taught there his absolutely the essential keys of the customer relations because you place the people at the or sorry, at the heart of everything you do. So whether it’s your client, whether it’s your coworker or your leader, you never forget you’re talking to people. So you take you give the right attention to all the aspects of human connections. So trying to understand what you’re thinking, why they’re doing it, wherever interaction has a reason. So this is something that it definitely has been taught to me like to everyone else, right from the beginning, first of all, from the first two days of training that we have, and then it has been taught to me most to me until other people like with me, because I went into a special training of 200 hours, which was dedicated to customer relations. So when after I left Disney I, I kept having this attitude of taking care of people. Because to me was so natural. I mean, whenever they was into the training, every aspect looked so obvious, of course, you take care of wherever around you. And of course, you listen to them. And of course, you try to solve problems, I mean, sounds so natural. So he actually became part of my personality. And I, I couldn’t avoid to apply it to everything as I was doing. So even in my actual work, I do that. So, bit, but then I realized that it’s not just something that I acquired and decided to translate. This is something that since scientifically has been taught by Disney, especially by the Disney Institute, to, to customers are coming from very different working environments, from banking, to automotive, to hospitals. So this new approach, so the idea of having customer experience at the center of a working relation is something that is not specific to this day, but it actually is transversal. And can work has to be applied to, to every every business field. So this is what this is my interest at the moment. And even in my actual work. I try to translate my little knowledge of business and customer experience into what we do, which has nothing to do with entertainment. But yet, everything that revolves around employee Assyrians, or the way that you take care of whoever have cast of whoever talks to you, is something that can be enhanced.

Gregorio Uglioni 6:49
Thank you, Francesca. It’s really, really interesting. And perhaps before we deep dive in your experience with, with Disney, let’s close the eyes for the next three seconds and think about Disney. And that’s easy for me. It’s great to see you laughing. And and I think if we speak about Disney, it’s really about emotion, I have small son, and he is really a fan of Disney, even if he doesn’t know what Disney is. I, for example, one of his. And, and it’s really great. And I think also if we think about the mission, why Disney is here, and I’m, again going to read that the mission of these days to entertain, inform and inspire people around the globe to the power of unparalleled storytelling, reflecting the iconic brands, creative minds and innovative technologies that makes ours the world’s premier entertainment entertainment company. It’s about entertainment, it’s about moving emotions. And I think this is clear stated, also from your laughing when you’re speaking about that, you have really a lot of energy. And you’re spreading that around. I really liked it. Let’s let’s start from the beginning. Why did you apply for a job at Disney?

Francesca Tempestini 8:17
Why not? I mean, I came across the announcement that they were doing selection in Italy. And at the time, I was looking for a job. So I said, Okay, I’m on it. I was just looking, I thought it was going to be a summer job. So it was going to be a funny way to spend my summer. And especially because I’ve always been in two languages I speak five at the moment. So that was a great opportunity to well, at the time I spoke for I learned my my fifth over there. So it was a fine opportunity to to speak with people from coming from all over the world. So I said, Okay, I’m gonna I’m gonna go that for that.

Gregorio Uglioni 8:56
Okay, and I’ll watch the selection process. It’s something specific that you really remember about that.

Francesca Tempestini 9:04
Yeah, so Well, it was a very crowded plays a huge place. And the characteristic they were looking for were first of all, no three languages. And then they were offering position in three different fields. And none of them was actually really of my deep interest. One was working on the ride and other one was into merchandise and then in food. I wasn’t really sure about what to choose, but I thought, okay, but this one is going to be summer, whatever is gonna get whatever I’m going to do it, it’s going to be fun and fine. So I accept. I went into it with this period. And when I passed the one to one selection, the lady understood that I didn’t really know what to do, and she proposed me a particular contract, which was, which gave me the possibility to switch jobs to go into the three of them and spend five months In each of them in have a transversal training, they talked for about 200 hours, that will give me more an overlook of other capacity, abilities and skills that I would need. In whatever I would choose after this, this 15 months were leading me toward a diploma in in tourism that was Secondly, he’s recognized that the French state, the French state, so I decided to go for that. So after 15 months, I had to choose one of the three instead things when different, or I could leave, I decided to say, and I applied for my Felisa Guest Relations.

Gregorio Uglioni 10:41
Okay, it’s really interesting. And perhaps let’s go to the next question. And in customer experiences, almost clear that their first impression, it’s what’s count most, because it’s the first time that you have an interaction with the company, I try to relate this sentence this information to also your first day business, our your first day at thesis, what did you do?

Francesca Tempestini 11:07
A grade of course, they were full of enthusiasm. So what do you see here is what actually was there right from the beginning. And it’s always there all around you, either you are a cast member or a client as a guest. You are into these enthusiasm. So Well, the first two days, we did everyone that goes into Disney goes into a special training that is called tradition. So we are the companies presented to us. So they give us the values and the main ideas, or besides the historical background of how everything started with a mouse and was well Disney, and who are the CEO at the moment. So all this introduction, what is Disney into because it’s not only the theme park, but you have a lot of variety of other activities. So we have this first introduction. And now we go, we start right from there, from what are the requirements that you that you have to apply to the benefits you can receive. So it is really a nice way to set who they are, who you are, and see if you can fit into. It’s nice, because it gives us right from the beginning, the perspective, okay, so nothing is hidden, everything is clear. And and then you are actually taken by hand, step by step, and everyone is welcoming you wherever you’re doing. Whenever you switch to one place to another, you always have this welcome this new introduction to this new place. So you never feel lost, or without knowing what you are expected to do you know exactly what you’re expected to do. And this is something that I love. And this is something I’m trying to introduce in in the job I’m doing at the moment.

Gregorio Uglioni 13:02
Okay, Francesca. And I think there are three main tasks that you have when you’re working on this. But also the one moment something is, ah, oh, somebody see, this was only an example, about the three tasks that make a cast member of Dave three main task number one is do the job that you are our eyes for number two, take care of the guests. And number three, keep the property clean. And I wanted to have it on the proper place next to me and not more, and therefore I did sorry for the job. But I wanted only to ask you, as the these three tasks that you add are the three main tasks that you add?

Francesca Tempestini 13:48
Absolutely. But I think everyone has this task at Disney and I think this will have to do task everywhere you go. Because you always have to take care of the business your heart for and you’re paid for other people, you’re actually trying to buy or sell something, and people around you and the property who likes to work in a very place no one. So if you have to spend 40 or 50 or 60 hours in the same place for a week. Don’t you want that to be the cleanest place ever? I mean, we I bring flowers to my place to my working place and try to recreate a very relaxing environment. So yes, this is what you do a distinct and what what I like is that everyone does it. So you see the duty manager walking, walking around the park and picking up trash and and that becomes something natural to you too, because you they lead by example. So they don’t command you to do things but they just do it naturally. So you look at them and bam. I mean, people that work for you and you just say naturally.

Gregorio Uglioni 14:58
I think that’s the It’s clear. And this is an important message not only for us, but also for the future generation to take care about other people’s because at the end, we are in businesses, human to human, we are working together, we are working with other people. And therefore, it’s extremely important to follow these principles. And as we are doing at home to keep our own clean, and washing, everything that needs to be washed. That’s something that we should do also also in the office during our business hours, because at the end, we are always in contact with with other people, I think. And I was really impressed about the stories that you told me that you wrote me really, really long stories really, really interesting. I can remember something about these about the story. Do you want to share them with the audience, please?

Francesca Tempestini 15:51
Why not? Well, we were discussing about customer relations and the importance of having this giving attention to, to your call member or co worker or or your clients. So the first about the stroller is, well, it was scary at the time. It’s funny now. So I was at the Philly at the time I was I was working in the in this place where they will bring all kids last kids in the park, waiting that five or 10 or 15 minutes that the parents come up to pick them up. So normally, we will have kids with 3456 years old. That day, personal security arrived with a with a stroller, and a toddler, and which was something very unusual. And actually the first time I first did my first thought was okay, what am I going to do now? How am I going to interact and ask questions and ask where you was? What am I going to do? And especially when parents come up? How am I going to be sure those are his parents, you could not recognize them. So what struck me in that occasion was that a lot of people, the news of this little rhyme to Baby Care spread very quickly by radio. So I had duty manager on plays the head of security, my management was there, everyone was there around me. So I was not alone. In moment of need, I was not alone. But most important was really struck me was that no one actually took decision at my place, and decided to set me aside because I was really the last person without with all those ads in front of me. When the parents, which was just a couple of minutes after that arrived. They let me speak so according to my procedure, because I was the one on duty there. So I knew what I had to do. Only once I took my decision and I talked to these people and I we had this inter interaction. Eventually they they took care of the rest of the situation. So they took care of the of the what was left with without interfering, rescuing me with their presence. But without interfering with this was really boring, it was a really good lesson for me because it gave me the idea of not only letting your co worker alone, not even if you are in charge, not because you’re in charge, you have to always take decision other places, let them do and just be there to reassure them and to make sure that everything was mostly that was a really, it was a good moment for me. And the second one if that was it’s related to, to the to the client. So I have this Souvenir this person walking into guests relation when I was working, and she was very, very annoyed, because something was happening with the bees. I see them she was saying I see the water flying into these houses in the trees. And they disappear. What do you do with the bees? I didn’t know. I never noticed these houses. So I just reassured her and and then I started my investigation. And I discovered that we have a program and we have a department that takes care of animals and I asked what that was and it was a very natural way to keep the bees not to kill them. Absolutely. But just to keep the bees occupied eating something while in a specific areas which were very close to two kids, for instance, but it was all very natural. So I found the answer. And I gave the answer to this lady with just relax. Just okay. I can I guess I can understand it. Okay, thank you for your time. And that was really nice. Because first of all, you have a wired question posed to you. And you just don’t, don’t panic. And you go look for the information. I mean, you don’t you cannot have all the informations in the world related to work. So you go look for information to someone else and you So, of course, this, let the lady be relaxed about what this needle is because many times, you might happen to have hard feelings about a company because they say something, but instead to do something else. So you might mislead your customers if you do not give the right answer, or at least not pay the right attention to them. If I could just say, Okay, what? What, why do you need to know that you have the right scope, enjoy the time, enjoy your day and leave the bees alone. And fish either way, I could have done that in a nice way I could be persuasive enough to let her understand that that was not our business. But why should have done that? I mean, she asked me a question, illegitimate question. And I just found the answer. That was it.

Gregorio Uglioni 20:52
It’s a really nice example. And we can speak about quite a lot of learnings, the three main learnings that I take with me, it’s first of all, empowering the employees, if I look at the first experience that you had, your management was there, but you were elite for the topic and trying to, to find a solution for this family. And it was for sure not the best situation for the family that day yet. And if I think a bit about the second story, two main learnings that I think are relevant to share is the first First of all, is taking care of details. Because as you said, there was a program also around the bees, nobody, nobody could think about it. But these days looking really at these details and try to find solution. And the last one that I want to share this is the passion that employees castmember have in order to provide solution, better experience to the guests of this past, this is really key, as you said, You could have said, Who cares, they are not, we are not going to kill them. Let’s go next and enjoy the part. But you add the passion about that you wanted to find that down. And I think this is something that Disney brought to you through all the trainings that you have during during the period with Disney. And for sure. It’s also based on on your experience, and what you wanted to do and to go the extra mile.

Francesca Tempestini 22:20
Even the fact of I’m sorry to interrupt you, asking my colleagues definitely will know something about the bees. And this sharing of information. So whenever we were I worked in a in a team of 100, or around 100 people. Of course, not all the same time. But we could have different we I could see someone and not see him again for next two weeks, because there were so many. But we had this priding of information, and everyone knew what the other was doing, or the other was dealing with, or wherever you had a problem, or just not a problem, like in this case, and little question that you didn’t know how to deal with, you will just go and randomly ask anyone, and everyone wants to help because you can learn because now they learned as well about the bees and the animal department. So everyone has to learn from the other. So this idea of not working into silos of not working just by yourself, but understanding that you are surrounded the people that are here to help. They’re there to help the at the client. And do they help, they’re there to help you. Because if you work better, they work better. Because I could have said I don’t know, I’ll talk to my colleague, and just leave the matter with someone else. So that could have gone gone on for a long time. No, you just you ask help. And then and people around you how it’s how everything sounds usually I know. And whenever I try to explain these things to people around some would say okay, but that was Disney. It’s obvious. No, it’s not. And it’s not because it’s Disney that it cannot be done in in hospital or in a bank or anywhere else. We are all costumers in any in our everyday life. And I’m sure we always have a story of things that turned bad and they gave us a bad impression of that service or that specific place in which we were so why not? It’s not complicated. It’s not impossible to bring the Disney approach into everydays life or of every work we do. So that’s the disease to they deserved for have been done it for the last 30 years. Now you have all this customer experience and customer and experience managers that actually give examples and ideas of how to do that. So this is really something very actual.

Gregorio Uglioni 24:54
And Francesca, you can always interrupt me with such great inputs and what you’re saying to do to continue, it’s also what you did about the BS, it was not, it didn’t cost 1000 views or $1,000, something like that, that you were spending a huge amount of money, it was only your passion, looking for solution and trying to supportthe kind of lifestyle.

Francesca Tempestini 25:21
That wasactually, my time

Gregorio Uglioni 25:23
And therefore, I think also, this is an important learning that if you want to go the extra mile, it’s not always always about spending money and giving gifts, but is to care about people. And that’s what we discussed first, earlier about caring about the guest caring about the customer. And exactly, this is the point. If Disney can do that, then also the companies can do that. That’s my view

Francesca Tempestini 25:50
Oh, you’re right, absolutely.

Gregorio Uglioni 25:55
We went through your employee experience your journey. And I think the question that I wanted to ask it, so why did you leave with Disney if it was so great.

Francesca Tempestini 26:06
I had so unfortunately, then real life comes and I had family problem families to take care of. So I had to leave. And once I came back to my country, I kept dreaming about Disney everyday for many years, because it was not something I wanted to it was a decision I had to take, I do not regret it because it was the right thing at the time. But of course, I left my heart there. And as I’m talking I have these Neilan with me my head and I have, I’m surrounded by things I have the castle there and surrounded by things about me. And I always thought I go there very often. Because my actual job brings me to France every three four months. And there is always a weekend this next scene and I go and see my friends and especially because it’s a refreshing time it’s a really it’s a place it’s a happy place and with younger hearts of all ages come and relax and play and low things together. So that’s not really it’s not because I was cast member there I have enough of it No, I will never have enough. And I was going I was going there. I was planning to go there a couple of weeks ago but then situation in France change and I had to renounce for too long because I didn’t want to create panic in my actual work when I came back but at the moment right now Disney is going into a very Disney cast members are going into a very tough time and I know that there are 28,000 sparkle of this magic around the world I mean, these new cast members that have been laid off for everyone knows why so they are looking of course for another employee at the moment so it will be I think a very good asset for whoever wants to work with customer experience and have someone that is dedicated to customer experience and experience management because at Disney we have customer experience in our blood it’s something that has it is a feel that it’s given to us from the first day but that it becomes it flows natural in all cast member so if I can use this channel, since we’re talking about customer experience to pass imagine to be do not consider people that work into entertainment just entertainers where you have a lot of you have more than 500 different words in just in this non Park then you have many more if you consider the Disney has a multinational company. So you will find a very good asset for for your new for new jobs wherever you’re looking at or to an ex cast member.

Gregorio Uglioni 29:02
I think this is really an important message Francesca thank you that you’re sharing that with us. Yes, we read in the news. It’s really tough time not only for Disney, but also for for a lot of other companies due to the to the COVID-19 situation. And I think if you’re really looking for people for that fit into the blood, for sure. These are really good people that did a great job for older people being there therefore, it’s really an important message. And and thank you for sharing that through this this Chairman, if we can help somebody. It’s really key to do that. If you are looking for customer experience experts, please contact Francesca she has quite a lot of contacts there. And we have quite a lot of people looking for for new jobs for new opportunities. And this is extremely important. And this was the main part of our discussion. We are coming to an end For the last two or three questions, what’s your preferred book? What you’re reading at the moment?

Francesca Tempestini 30:09
Well, I, I like many things. Of course, I like comics. There’s the comics. Not only though is of course, even the kind of comics, but at the moment, I am really, I’m actually reading something fun. No, it’s not funny. It’s funny. What I’m doing is because of a friend of mine, isn’t He is a writer and he’s he gave me this new book that is going to release in a couple of months. So I’m a sort of, how is it called? Me, Mr. reader, so I’m just having a preview of this of this crime book, trying to see if people would like it. So I’m reading this crime book, which I can’t say, but that is it’s an Italian crime. But at the same time, I am actually one back to a classic, which is the you know what I’m reading? I don’t know, I always call it English. The intergalactic hijacking. Like “la guida intergalattica degli autostoppisti”

Gregorio Uglioni 31:05
we will find the translations later and publish that in the in the notes.

Francesca Tempestini 31:11
Yes, it’s a really funny book.

Gregorio Uglioni 31:13
I was expecting, and we’re using some Italian words, but everybody will understand that, that your first answer would be Topolino, it’s the Italian version of the Disney comic. Everybody, every child, all the children are looking about this book, these comics because it’s really interesting.

Francesca Tempestini 31:33
Oh, you’re talking about like these? I have a file just here. Yes. Yes, I read those a lot. Actually. As soon as I came back to Italy, I decided I started by them as a reminder that I was part of that world.

Gregorio Uglioni 31:55
Thank you, Francesca. And perhaps, I think after this conversation, some people would like to ask additional question or to contact you what’s the best way to be in contact with you?

Francesca Tempestini 32:05
Oh, LinkedIn, I think it’s the best to at the moment, you can find me by my name and last name, Francesca Tempestni. And I don’t refuse connections, just talk to me afterwards. So you can really talk to me that will vary. I will be really happy to reply.

Gregorio Uglioni 32:22
Thank you. And my very last question, it’s the following. Do you Have one, Let’s use the name gold nugget that you want to share some insights on thoughts that something that you already mentioned during this interview or something that you want to say addition to conclude this discussion?

Francesca Tempestini 32:41
Well, I have so many inspections these days in which my ex co workers are on the lose I’ve read so many references to work world words and what I what I liked is a sentence from from a movie which is Nemo and it’s

“Just keeps swimming, whatever happens to you, even if you’ll lose your job or if you’ll change your job, never stop! Just keep swimming”
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And this actually resumes my my status at the moment and my wish for them as well.

Gregorio Uglioni 33:14
Thank you very much, Francesca. It was really a magic moment to discuss with you. Thank you for your time. Thank you to the audience to listen into this one. It was really great to have this discussion. My life.

Francesca Tempestini 33:28
Thank you. Thank you for having me. Thank you. Good to talk to you soon. Bye bye.

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