“CX bells and
whistles alone
can’t create
enduring success”
where a customer interacts with your brand, product or
service – and you need to consistently deliver on your
brand promise over and over again,” explains James.
“It really boils down to just one thing: being
purposeful about the details. Be intentional with
everything you do, every process you create and every
action you take. And then don’t just set it and forget it.
Always be re-evaluating, adjusting, measuring and
retraining employees on desired behaviours. CX bells and
whistles alone can’t create enduring success, but aligned
employees creating genuine connections with your
customers is something that can stand the test of time.”
And though the rise of AI and automated solutions on
the retail and travel front seem to be changing the way we
eat, shop and even check-in for our flights at airports,
James insists that when it comes to world-class CX,
nothing can ever really take the place of the human touch.
“It’s hard to open a business magazine without seeing
some mention of automation, but I contend that business
leaders cannot forget the ‘software’ side of their industry –
that is, the people or cultural aspects of what all these
changes will mean for customers and employees.”
“At the Disney Institute, one of our key business
insights is based on the importance of making emotional
connections with customers,” says James. “We’ve seen time
and time again that those connections are key to driving
customer loyalty, and you just can’t get that from fully
aircraftinteriorsinternational.com
040 JUNE 2019
THINGS TO
CONSIDER
WHEN HIRING:
TOP3
“We always say that you must find people with a genuine desire to
serve others, those with a ‘heart for service’. And a lot of times, the next
question we hear is: ‘But, how?’ It starts by being extremely intentional
during your hiring process. Here are some quick tips,” says Jeff James:
“Clearly define the behaviours that describe your ideal employees. Then,
design every step of your hiring process specifically to getting those
people. For example, will your hiring leaders exemplify these same
behaviours to candidates throughout the hiring process?”
“Immerse candidates in the organisation’s culture from the very start,
during the recruiting, hiring and on-boarding phases. By providing
them this exposure early on, this knowledge can help them selfselect
in or out of the process, which can be highly efficient for both
the candidate and your organisation.”
“Look beyond the likeability factor, and hire for a clearly
defined set of behaviours and technical skills. Ask
questions that try to discover the candidate’s personal
values and behaviours. For example, how might
they handle specific customer-facing
scenarios?”
automating the customer experience. We believe that
automation is a tool to enhance CX, but it should never
completely eliminate the opportunity for your people to
make emotional connections in the customer journey.”
And when it comes to predicting the future of CX in
the digital age, James circles back to the growing demand
for personalisation and the rise of individualised CX.
Considering the fact that Virtuoso’s annual Luxe Travel
Report recently named 2019 ‘The Year of Ultra-
Personalised Travel’, this seems pretty accurate for the
airline industry right now as well.
“As technology evolves, and customers and
organisations learn about each other much more rapidly,
their ability to respond to each other will continue to
become more sophisticated,” says James. “That’s why
business leaders must move beyond just trying to appeal
to a specific market segment and instead recognise and
appeal to their individual customers. In the future, I
believe success will continue to be found in differentiating
your brand, product or service, and also in your ability to
individualise the customer experience.”
Or, as they like to say at the Disney Institute, treat
every customer/passenger like a VIP – a Very Individual
Person – and take it from there.
DISNEY I NTER V IEW
1
2
3
THIS TINKER BELL-THEMED B737-
400 LIVERY FROM 2005 WAS
BORN OUT OF THE SUCCESSFUL
PARTNERSHIP BETWEEN ALASKA
AIRLINES AND DISNEYLAND
RESORT, TO CELEBRATE THE
50TH ANNIVERSARY OF WALT
DISNEY’S ORIGINAL THEME PARK.
PHOTO: EDDIE MALONEY
/aircraftinteriorsinternational.com